Cove balcony on the Dream?

[katbid10]

Has anyone stayed in a room with a cove balcony? How does the size of the balcony compare to a regular balcony? Is it smaller? Is there still room for two chairs? Can you get sun and the breeze? I like that they are close to the water line, but I am really worried about the size.

[JennLuvs2Cruise]

There are the same size as the other standard balcony cabins.. 35 sq feet. And yes, you can still get sun & you will definitely get a breeze from being close to the water line. I love the cove balconies.

[SnowWhiteNYC]

If you are sailing the dream or dream class...I would only get a cove...the regular balconies lack privacy and are not in line with the water...

You look down at the Deck 5 promenade and they can look up at you....

 

That being said...I love the Dream!

[*Mach*]

I would not book any other balcony cabin on a Dream Class ship. The Coves are BRILLIANT!

I love 'em! I'm sure you will, too...

:)

[5waldos]

I loved the cove balcony except it was wet a lot of the time. I assumed that it was from cleaning them but I ended up using towels to dry them up. Should have asked about it but never did- was this common or unusual?

[*Mach*]

I loved the cove balcony except it was wet a lot of the time. I assumed that it was from cleaning them but I ended up using towels to dry them up. Should have asked about it but never did- was this common or unusual?

 

 

I can't give you an accurate answer because we were in 30 foot seas, driving rain and 90 knot winds... out Cove was NEVER dry...

:)

[katbid10]

Thanks everyone...cove balcony it is!

[*Mach*]

Thanks everyone...cove balcony it is!

 

 

You have chosen wisely...

:)

[scchasgal]

There are the same size as the other standard balcony cabins.. 35 sq feet. And yes, you can still get sun & you will definitely get a breeze from being close to the water line. I love the cove balconies.

 

Actually the cove balcony is larger square footage than a standard balcony on the Dream. The coves are 45 the regular balconies are 35.

[5waldos]

I can't give you an accurate answer because we were in 30 foot seas, driving rain and 90 knot winds... out Cove was NEVER dry...

:)

 

Not so sure I would have loved it in 30 ft seas for sure!

[LaurieHoffman]

The fact that Host Mach highly recommends them is one reason we booked for our next cruise - July of this year.. Can't wait...

[Delta Dear]

Please excuse my lack of knowledge, but what is a cove balcony ?

[jdcml]

Please excuse my lack of knowledge, but what is a cove balcony ?

 

There are a ton of different reviews and pictures out here. Here is one I found quick that seems to have a decent amount of information. We just recently upgraded to a cove for our October trip on the Dream. The Dream and the Magic are the only two ships that have this room type.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1240692

[*Mach*]

Not so sure I would have loved it in 30 ft seas for sure!

 

 

It really was great being so close to the waterline in conditions like that. My problem was that there was no way to keep my camera dry so I could document it!!!

:)

[Sunnyday2010]

I stayed in a Cove on the Dream last Aug. I loved it !! I have never stayed in any other room as this was my first cruise. So I have nothing to compare it to. I never had a problem with water ? No problems taking photos... I was out there all the time ! LOVED It !! :o You will not regret it !!

[*Mach*]

Please excuse my lack of knowledge, but what is a cove balcony ?

 

 

If you're familiar with the Grand Suites (formerly Category 12 cabins) on the Fantasy Class you've got the basic idea.

They went away when the newer classes of Carnival ships were built using Plexiglas to front the balcony rather than the steel hull plating as on the Fantasy ships.

Along comes 2003 and with it comes Cunard's Queen Mary 2. One of the more 'innovative' features are the 'Hull' or 'In Hull' balcony cabins positioned lower on the ship. Much like the Fantasy ships the balcony barrier is hull plating. Carnival decided to capitalize on this feature and incorporate it in the Dream Class ships. The cabins are all located on the Main Deck, two passenger decks above the water line, and look like this from the outside...

The view is remarkably good especially when seated... better than the Conquest Class in my opinion. The proximity to the sea makes them tremendously special. On our voyage from New York the seas were remarkably rough. The pilot boat came out to retrieve the pilot in 18 foot seas directly below our balcony. This is how it looked...

I didn't find a thing to complain about. They're a wonderful addition!!!

:)

[*Mach*]

The fact that Host Mach highly recommends them is one reason we booked for our next cruise - July of this year.. Can't wait...

 

 

I appreciate that tremendously but fortunately I'm not alone in my praise for those cabins. Out of the perhaps 100 or so folks who have mentioned the Coves none that I can recall had anything bad to say about them. The acceptance is stunning!!!

:)

[pe4all]

I am a "sun" person! We always get regular balconies. With the cutout, it looks like there is limited sun - is this true?

[Delta Dear]

Oh, thank you. I have only been on the Legend and the Miracle, going on the Glory next, then maybe the Dream.

[*Mach*]

I am a "sun" person! We always get regular balconies. With the cutout, it looks like there is limited sun - is this true?

 

 

Nope... plenty of sun and a bit more privacy than other balcony types. It's a lot more difficult to look around that hull plating than it is to just peek around the divider...

:)

[pe4all]

Thanks for the "sun" answer. Whenever I see a picture of a cove, all I see are the lifeboats right above them. I always worried that they would block the sun. I love escaping to my balcony when it gets too noisy/crazy for me on Lido. (and the Serenity area is usually jammed by the time I leave Lido)