Question for Balcony Cruisers :)

[SeaHunt]

The most unusual for me was years ago leaving a port one time on the Sensation, and starting to head out when suddenly the ship slowed and stopped.

 

We looked down and a little boat was flying to catch up to us. It pulled along side and they threw down a rope ladder from the ship - I thought maybe it was the pilot getting off, but in the small boat the passenger was a guy that looked like he was wearing a crew member uniform. Apparently he had stayed in port too long and missed the ship, and was coming out to rejoin us.

 

Oh man, he was in soooo much trouble. An officer was yelling at him the whole time, and the poor guy just could not climb the rope ladder. He would try and get stuck about half way, and get screamed at, then try again. Just could NOT physically climb that ladder. Between the boss yelling at him, and his inability to climb (and looking so sheepish when trying), I felt so sorry for him. Finally the officer climbed down and tried to help and they finally got the guy onboard, with lots of applause and whistles from all of us watching from our balconies.

 

Then we all wondered if the crew member was fired on the spot after all his work getting back on board lol :rolleyes:

[Omega Mu]

We watched the Coast Guard helicopter circle the ship for a long time, hover overhead, drop down a medic and evacuate a heart attack victim one morning.

[oo ee oo ee baby]

Coming into galveston port, saw a fishing boat going by while the captain on the fishing boat was shouting obscenities at the people on the criuse--over his PA system. All the deck hands were flipping us off and giving us the one finger salute.

 

I think all of you should have simultaneously mooned them.

[Jean1946]

On our first cruise with a balcony, we woke up in Monte Carlo. The view was amazing. For the entire cruise, it was just one amazing scene after another. Worst (by far) was Tunis. Yuck!

[jonbgd]

We saw whales In Alaska and Mexican Riviera, Sea turtles along pacific coast and Hawaii, Flying fish leaving St Thomas and Dolphins lots of places

[LICRUISEAHOLICS]

Keep an eye out for rainbows! I have seen spectacular rainbows at sea even when the weather is clear. We also experienced a waterspout - pretty awesome to watch it form and with binoculars we saw the water swirling around.

[gusandgidgetsmom]

We have seen whales, dolphins, flying fish,beautiful sunrises and sunsets. The most interesting thing was a double water spout. My son and I both got pixs of it so we could show our sleeping spouses!

[Jana60]

This may sound silly, but I'm fairly new at this ;) I was reading a review and the OP showed a pic of a waterspout. I was wondering if anyone has ever seen anything really interesting from their balcony. Dolphins? Whales? Anything interesting while out to sea?

 

Yes. My last cruise was Island Princess to Alaska. In Glacier bay I sat and watched a bald Eagle as he just sat on a block of floating ice in the water next to my balcony for 3-4 minutes. Watched bears on the shore. On the inner passage during a sea day we watched several whales as they jumped into the air. Sea birds landed on the railing of our balcony and just sat staring at us. Alaska definitely is the place to have a balcony. I enjoy watching the ocean on other cruises too but never saw the wild life that I saw in Alaska when cruising the Caribbean.

[beachbum53]

We saw a huge shark (or just had a big fin) lol on the tender to Belize.

 

Okay, since no one else asked, I will. Did the shark you saw on the tender look like this guy?

 

 

If so, that's the Blackjack dealer from the casino.

[Almost Packed]

I have seen flying fish, a bird that hitched a ride, a naked man on another ship in port (not sure that's anything to brag about lol) awesome starry nights, storms roll in and some great sunsets.

 

I have also seen all my cares/worries drift away while out on my balcony. That's my fave!

[Bonneville02]

I have had balconies several times, but I have yet to see a dolphin or live whale. A few years ago on the Valor, I did see one dead whale. Luckily, the breeze blew the stench away from the ship.

[canadiancruiser13]

Wow, some great views from everyone! thank you all for answering :)

 

 

Oh cool! Now I know what to watch for(Birds) lol I would have never thought of that unless I saw it up close.

 

 

 

What a beautiful pic! I will be watching the sunsets for sure from my balcony!

This little guy flew into our cabin then back out, he purched himself on the ledge.

 

[Jen_G]

Here's one taken from a balcony on the Carnival Legend, August 30th, 2011. We also saw water spouts but none of those pictures turned out.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/15169533@N06/sets/72157631554201218/

[PatrickZJD]

DW and I watched the most amazing thunderstorm at the crack of dawn from our aft balcony once. Never saw lightning like that in my life, even when I was in Switzerland once and thought they were re-enacting Frankenstein in the Alps, LOL!

[Sh1035]

I see dolphins, sea turtles, manatees and sharks on a weekly basis if not daily.

 

Only see whales in breeding season.

 

Dolphins way too much and they are ruthless killers. All I have to do is bring a fishing pole and they show up slamming fish on the side like a carnival buffet on day one.

 

Hit the beach with a pole and here they come, as the tourist marvel at them cute b$stards.

[crusinfamof4]

We saw dolphins, one time when we got back into Port Canaveral, not at sea though.

[wranglerguy]

Turtles

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

OIIIO

[Wolfie48]

This may sound silly, but I'm fairly new at this ;) I was reading a review and the OP showed a pic of a waterspout. I was wondering if anyone has ever seen anything really interesting from their balcony. Dolphins? Whales? Anything interesting while out to sea?

 

Dolphins and Whales, Sea Turtles, Flying Fish, and even a school of Giant Squid.

[Sailaway John]

Seen whales and dolphins, lots of flying fish but no water spouts.

[iceleven]

Many whales while in Alaska waters and an occasional eagle while leaving ports. Dolphins are common on most cruises. Also flying fish and once had flying fish for lunch one afternoon in St. Kitts. Gave us a new appreciation for these birds of the sea.

 

My most unusual "sighting" was when I was in a sauna with a glass wall facing the ocean. A pod of dolphins followed the bow of the ship for quite a while. I thought to myself, how many people get to watch dolphins while sitting in a sauna?

 

Always bring a good pair of binoculars!

[okwriter]

Dolphins, flying fish, waterspouts, an abandoned dinghy. And an "after dark" helicopter evacuation on another ship that was sailing nearby. You always hate to see anyone flown off a ship, but it was cool to see at night.