Cabin 7258 on Spirit - TOTALLY worth it!

[Liffey]

As much as DH and I love Splendor and its (drool, drool) spa facilities, two things brought us back to Spirit for our New Year's/Anniversary Cruise: the new (to us) port of La Paz, and the availability of cabin 7258. (After poor Splendor's debacle, we were even more glad we chose Spirit. Yikes.)

 

If you don't know, 7258 is one of the "extra-extra-long" extended balconies on the Spirit class ships (extended in width and about triple in length), and (I think?) it's the only one that is not handicapped and is just for two people. (So, less chance of a bump if you're an able-bodied couple.)

 

After we booked 7258, I couldn't get enough of looking at photos of it and similar cabins online. Now that we're back, I thought I'd share my own pics and experience for anyone else who is looking forward to joining or renewing membership in "Club 7258."

 

 

This was how the balcony looked, sort of, at embarkation: one lounger, two tables, and three chairs. You can't see the third chair because we moved it by the partition behind where I'm standing. Those three chairs gave me a Goldilocks moment: not one of them was the same, and only one was comfortable. (It's a "fluffy hips" thing.)

 

Pictures - or at least my photography skills - don't do this balcony justice. A third of it isn't really even showing in the photo above.

 

We asked our steward (the wonderful Saiful) if it was okay to get a second lounger out there. It was no problem, although we did have to wait until the next morning for him to bring it. He couldn't take away any of the chairs (no place to store them, he said), but we didn't really care about that.

 

Here you can see the balcony in Cabo, with the second lounger, and proof that the sun can reach the balcony just fine, depending on time of day and ship's position.

 

 

(Of course, DH and I would stay inside when it was sunny like that. We get enough sun at home. In fact, other than debarkation on our first cruise, I think this was the first time we've ever actually sat in loungers, lol.)

 

A lot of people worry about the lifeboat view when looking straight down from most Spirit-class extended balconies. We had a regular extended balcony on our last Spirit cruise, so we knew it wouldn't bother us. We also knew we wouldn't be bothered by the cabins that stick out on other side, but all of this is personal preference. Here's a pic I took while standing at the rail, showing the lifeboats and the sticky-outy cabins:

 

 

However, usually I was lying on my lounger, and the view was more like this:

 

 

(The only reason you can see the lifeboat here is because I was actually sitting on the very edge of the lounger when I took the pic.)

 

And when my view wasn't like that, it was usually like this:

 

 

Mmmmm! The Kindle is on a pillow on my lap, so there are still 2-3 feet of the balcony not shown. Usually DH would be next to me with his Kindle, both of us settled in for long hours of reading and wave-watching, and sometimes a little napping. I think in this photo he was getting us some food. Having two tables made it perfect for us to enjoy leisurely meals/snacks outside.

 

The only area where the balcony "failed" us was when the neighbours smoked. I had hoped that the balcony would be long enough where we could go to the other end if we needed to escape cigarette smell, but no luck. (I'm not trying to sneakily re-ignite the recurring "smoking on balconies" flame war - Carnival allows smoking on balconies and we accept that. I'm just saying that if you're like us, where the smell bothers you and - despite what the otherwise amazing and wonderful John Heald claims - you can easily smell it on a moving ship unless you're sticking your head over the rail and into the wind, then don't count on this balcony being big enough to avoid the smell.)

 

Are we now spoiled for life? A little! I like to think that any balcony is a good balcony, but I bet we don't sail on Spirit again unless we can get this cabin or one of the lower wrap-around suites. It was like having our own private promenade deck! It was also a great place to practice all of the moves learned in the ship's dance classes. (DH would like for me to point out that he was not involved in any balcony dance practice whatsoever. Pft. Okay, but if he'd wanted to participate, if hell had frozen over, there was definitely room for both of us to boogie.)

 

The cabin is just a regular cabin, but I'll include a photo below in case anyone wants to see the anniversary decorations. (I ordered them from Formalities once on the ship because the Bon Voyage website doesn't let you specify when you want them, and I'm too lazy to use a phone to contact BV.)

 

 

In the corner hanging from the ceiling you can kind of see my new fave towel animal - a flying swan. The bathroom light was a little slower than usual to come on (good if you don't want to wake your sleeping partner), and there was a persistent squeaking from the cabin door when the ship was moving faster. DH found that sticking some folded paper into the door then shutting it got rid of the noise.

 

When we booked 7258, it was still classified as a regular extended balcony and priced like all of the other EBs. With the new booking site, it's a premium balcony and costs more. Still, I would happily pay the extra charge - this balcony is definitely terrific!

[Shrub]

Is this classified as a 9B?

[Arizona cruisers]

Thanks for the pictures, Liffey...you are reading my mind! We visited this cabin on the Spirit to see our CC friends and fell in love with it. I couldn't remember about the life boats or the sticking out part and worried about it a bit. We have this booked on the Miracle for March 2012...had to go WAY out there to get it. It was not available for the Miracle in December 2011...we tried! Now that I see your picture...no worries!

This is not a 9B but an 8K. We can hardly wait! :eek:

[tandemcruzr]

Yes, 8K. We have it in two weeks.

[micdee]

Thanks for sharing your photos. We will be joining "Club 7258" on the Pride this September, can't wait.:)

[stargazingjess]

Thanks so much for the pics Liffey!! My sister and I have this cabin on the Miracle in 2+ months and we cannot wait to see it!! :D

[sunshinecruiser62]

So excited to see your pics. We join the 7258 club in March and WOO-HOO I can't wait!!:D

[serene56]

and for people who have 4 people in a cabin--6232 has the same balcony.

I have that one next month

[GayleR]

We have 7258 on the Legend in September. We can't wait! Thanks for the pictures.

[belkin]

We had this cabin booked for our Spirit cruise for 1/20/12 which ended up getting cancelled. We rebooked for 2/4/12 and it wasnt available:( So... we took 7299 which is a 9b, hope we like it.

[Nemspy]

Maybe we need to get "Club 7258" T-shirts made up? lol.

[angie55]

We have an extended balcony on the Valor in July. Room 7439. I hope it looks like this!!

[patandave]

Thanks for the info!!

Just now booked for the 11/27/11 cruise on the Pride.

Had another room booked for more money. This one looks great and was in the Early Saver Cat which other room was not.

Thanks again!!

[Nemspy]

We have an extended balcony on the Valor in July. Room 7439. I hope it looks like this!!

 

I think your balcony will look like this - http://family.webshots.com/photo/1518879747082386201gBUGLl

 

Not as wide or long as 7258, but still very nice.

 

What intrigues me is your huge L-Shaped room!

[angie55]

I think your balcony will look like this - http://family.webshots.com/photo/1518879747082386201gBUGLl

 

Not as wide or long as 7258, but still very nice.

 

What intrigues me is your huge L-Shaped room!

 

Thanks for the picture! The L-shaped room intrigues me too. I did some research and apparently the bed faces the windows and the balcony door which is awesome!

[7toEleven]

We booked 7258 on the Miracle, thanks for the great shots and the increase in anticipation!!