Is a Balcony worth???

[needabreakcanada]

We currently are booked in an inside room exactly midship on deck 7.

 

Upon checking prices I see to move up to a "guaranteed balcony" it would be $210 more.

 

Would it be worth the money?

 

I have never cruised so not sure what is best.

 

txs

[Messunderstood]

If $210 is affordable, then YES! :) YES! :) YES! :)

 

I have never had an inside cabin and can't imagine not having natural light. Our first cruise was an ocean view but everyone after had a balcony.

[etwright]

After our first Balcony, we'll never go back:D:D:D

[chipmaster]

It all comes down to your budget, 210 a lot or a little? Does the extra dollars prevent you from doing an excursion?

 

I have sailed before, balcony, view and inside, at least for me for why I cruise the balcony makes very little differnce. Almost everytime I've booked balcony I've wondered why I wasted the money, but that is me, others couldn't cruise if it wasn't a balcony at a minimum :D

 

We currently are booked in an inside room exactly midship on deck 7.

 

Upon checking prices I see to move up to a "guaranteed balcony" it would be $210 more.

 

Would it be worth the money?

 

I have never cruised so not sure what is best.

 

txs

[K.T.B.]

If you can afford it, yes it's totally worth it.

 

Never sail without it. ;)

[T2C]

We currently are booked in an inside room exactly midship on deck 7.

 

Upon checking prices I see to move up to a "guaranteed balcony" it would be $210 more.

 

Would it be worth the money?

 

I have never cruised so not sure what is best.

 

txs

I used to get insides, had an ocean view once then I got a balcony for our 25th Anniversary. Everyone said I'd never want anything else once I had a balcony, didn't believe them. Now I book nothing but balconies, they were right.

 

That said it really depends on you though, some people like me use the balcony, We have breakfast out on it and spend time on it at night (we aren't bar or club people). My brother and his wife get balconies, he's hardly ever on it but his wife uses it a lot.

Some people prefer the darkness an inside cabin gives for sleeping while others are barely in their rooms, at the pool or other events all day and in a bar/casino/dance club most the night so they don't really need/want a balcony.

So it's really an individual decision on how much you'd use a balcony. Of course for me, I'd take the balcony

[KORTAM]

Exactly what messunderstood said

[cindyrolfs]

Amen. I am only in my cabin to sleep and shower. Balcony would not make a difference to me with the way I cruise.

[parrothead74]

For $210 I would do it. It is tough to go back afterwards, I only did on the Sensation because of so few balconies on that ship. Even then I got an Ocean View. If the ship is rocking a bit, I appreciate keeping my eye on the horizon line. It just makes me feel better.

[needabreakcanada]

Our cruise is in September and final payment is due June 19th.

 

Will there be price drops after final payment?

 

Wondering if alot of rooms are currently on hold and may become available after that date.

 

Never done this so have no clue how it works.

 

And yes it is probably some of the excursion funds for us. But we are booked on a cruise in 2014 that will have a balcony then.

[Alliezona09]

I'm gonna have to disagree with everyone~ I'm happy to be cruising, I don't care where I sleep~ I've had interiors, ocean views and balconies~ just had a balcony on our Hawaiian cruise and am going back to an interior for our upcoming cruise~ To get a balcony on the same deck as we have our interior would be an additional $620! Too much $$ and to me even $210 is too much for me to feel comfortable with~ but that's just my opinion~

[AngAndBoys]

I did balcony after 5 cruises 1 inside, 4OV. THe next 2 I booked were inside then balcony again. It really depends how affordable it is to you. I can go both ways. I LOVE the balcony, and will definitely do it if I can afford it. If it comes down to cruising or not cruising, I'll take a sleeping bag on the lido and wash up in the sink. I ain't picky!

 

That being said, I'd DEFINITELY give up an excursion for a balcony. You can use the balcony more and it's easy enough to grab a cab and have a great day at the beach on your own.

[kjunea]

My husband loves the inside (and the money it saves), but also loves a balcony if I find a great deal. I love a balcony, having breakfast in the morning there, just sitting and watching the waves, looking at the islands as we sail in or out of port, etc.

 

I just can't go back to inside again! I have to have at least a porthole so I can tell what time of day it is!

[justlaff69]

Also consider that the sun from the windows will increase the temperature slightly. My dh and I both run hot, my fault, I need a fan to drowned out my tinnitis, a slightly cooler inside cabin means I get spooning time.

The OV had us sleeping without cover and no touching, But we are in our late 40's and entering the stage where body temps have wild changes.

 

We're also the type that are up at 7am and don't return to our stateroom until we prepare for dinner. Our free balcony is on deck 3, at certain parts of the day you have the place to yourself and it's always quite.

 

Breakfast on the balcony sounds romantic, if you like continental breakfast.

If you want an omelet or warm food you have to hump up to the lido buffet or hit the mdr. We opt for the omelet and watch to see if we can tell who was drunk the night before.

 

My dh created a new game on our last cruise, "Wal-Mart bathing suit or not?" you figure out the rules.

[tanyaewa]

Love the Walmart bathing suit game!

 

I am an inside cruiser. It is those super low rates that get me hooked!

[Igerster]

Balconies are amazing. If you can afford it go for it. But if money is tight then stick with your inside and use the money for DOD's or something.

[tanyaewa]

Out of curiosity checked the price diff.... $800. More than our flights from YVR!

[KimKcruiser]

I like seeing the ports in the AM and pulling out of ports in PM

not alot of sun if you want that lots

do not mind smokers next door

But for us probably tops 6 hours on balcony out of 7 days

I know being from Canada

The flight ,the hotel,and then the cruise

Our cheap cruise will always run at least $4000 when totaling it all up

so $200 I say its worth it

The lucky locals who can take many cruises with no air or hotels,its just 7 days of relaxation

[COMBOY]

We currently are booked in an inside room exactly midship on deck 7.

 

Upon checking prices I see to move up to a "guaranteed balcony" it would be $210 more.

 

Would it be worth the money?

 

I have never cruised so not sure what is best.

 

txs

 

If you just plan to use your cabin to sleep, nap and change then an inside cabin is fine. You can see the ocean from all the public decks just as clear as from a private balcony. I've had inside, outside and balcony cabins - and you eat the same food, see the same ports, and enjoy all the same entertainment from all cabin types. A balcony is a luxury; not a necessity. Don't get me wrong - a private balcony is really nice. I'll wait and stay with your inside cabin...if you find you send a lot of time in your cabin then maybe next time book a balcony. It's really a personal preference.

[tea4ular]

At a minimum I need an OV. Just have to have natural light and I want to see out. Have had balconies and love them for warm weather cruising. Just love the privacy and peaceful sound of the ocean, rather than the sounds of piped in music, and crowds. Love sitting out at night too.

 

I would say go for it.

[Jeffy294]

It all depends, if you can afford it and it not affect your cruise as far as excursion's and goes with what you plan on dong. Sailing is my favorite part, and having my own private balcony to relax and read and watch the water go by without having to find a quiet private place to sit on lido is great. Its all about what you enjoy. Some would just rather save the money and take the inside. And its absolutely nothing wrong with either way you go. I wouldn't have a problem staying in an inside again either, I would make it work either way. If it came down to money for myself, and I had to decide between an inside, and not sailing at all, an inside would be no problem. I am positive you will have a great time either way.

[Room Service!]

If you just plan to use your cabin to sleep, nap and change then an inside cabin is fine. You can see the ocean from all the public decks just as clear as from a private balcony. I've had inside, outside and balcony cabins - and you eat the same food, see the same ports, and enjoy all the same entertainment from all cabin types. A balcony is a luxury; not a necessity. Don't get me wrong - a private balcony is really nice. I'll wait and stay with your inside cabin...if you find you send a lot of time in your cabin then maybe next time book a balcony. It's really a personal preference.

 

A balcony is a necessity for us. BIG part of the cruising experience. No balcony. No go.

 

"if you find you spend a lot of time in your cabin ... ." Most people who book insides will tell you they spend very little time there, so telling the OP to wait and see how much time they spend in the cabin ... not gonna' work.

I do agree that it's a personal preference, but you don't know till you have one. Then again ... you can't miss what you've never had. ;)

[dixieva]

No one has asked if you are claustrophobic-if you are in the least then best to not get an inside room. For me it would be like staying in a large walk in closet. No natural light and no way to see outside-just not for me.

 

If you do have an inside room then of course you're only in there to sleep and shower. There is no where to relax and read or just chill out. Friends had their first inside room on our last cruise and hated it. We saw them sitting in the common areas lots of times just so they could get out of that room.

 

Some folks love insides so it really depends on you.

[golfadj]

For $ 210 total would go from inside to balcony.

 

If 300 or so would stay with inside. That is just us.

[vegadog2]

If you just plan to use your cabin to sleep, nap and change then an inside cabin is fine. You can see the ocean from all the public decks just as clear as from a private balcony. I've had inside, outside and balcony cabins - and you eat the same food, see the same ports, and enjoy all the same entertainment from all cabin types. A balcony is a luxury; not a necessity. Don't get me wrong - a private balcony is really nice. I'll wait and stay with your inside cabin...if you find you send a lot of time in your cabin then maybe next time book a balcony. It's really a personal preference.

 

I love the thought of having a balcony but the price gets in the way !!.We have been pretty LUCKY with cabins in so far as booking a inside early saver then watching fare finder for the price drops to upgrade to 4K with French doors.We usually also get a few ducat's for our account on board