Has anyone ever slept on the Balcony at night?

[cawhite]

My 10 year old son thinks he wants to sleep on the balcony during our next cruise (with blankets, of course). Has anyone ever done that?

 

I just read on another post that balcony doors of an Aft cabin will keep opening and closing in the middle of the night. The stateroom we're considering is an Aft Junior Suite. If we have to keep the doors shut so they won't keep opening and closing, I don't think he will want to be out there all by himself (or who knows... maybe he will)!!

[Cruising89143]

My 10 year old son thinks he wants to sleep on the balcony during our next cruise (with blankets, of course). Has anyone ever done that?

 

I just read on another post that balcony doors of an Aft cabin will keep opening and closing in the middle of the night. The stateroom we're considering is an Aft Junior Suite. If we have to keep the doors shut so they won't keep opening and closing, I don't think he will want to be out there all by himself (or who knows... maybe he will)!!

 

I have never slept on the balcony at night due to the humidity.

 

I had a JS aft on the Navigator and the door handles could be locked into place so that the door did not slide back and forth. On the Navigator I walked out onto the balcony late one night and I could look down on the balcony below me. There was a man sleeping in one of the lounge chairs. He seemed quite comfortable.

[mmsalmon1987]

Will you be in port overnight? I don't know that I would let me child, no matter what age, sleep on the balcony, especially alone.

 

Some people use a bungee cord to keep the door open, and duct tape a large heavy-duty magnet to the latch on the door, otherwise the airconditioning will turn off.

[GottaLuvCruising]

We moved our bed out onto the balcony (Cat C aft) for the last night of our cruise on the Voyager and we loved it. OK, so our daughter and our stateroom attendant thought we were nuts...

[Snowball]

I've never slept on the balcony overnight, but have taken many afternoon naps out there. It is very relaxing, especially during a day at sea.

[Mike & Sue]

I think it would be fine for your son to sleep on the deck. If I was 10 again, that would be what I would want to do. But, it's really dark out there at sea at night and kinda scary!! I would suspect a 10 year old's imagination might get the best of him and he may end up in bed with mom and dad.

[MrsPete]

I don't think I'd allow a 10-year old to sleep out there. It might be paranoia on my part, but I just think too many things could happen. Some weirdo would see him (from another balcony) and climb down to him; it wouldn't be too hard a climb.

 

An adult -- sure. Sleep out there on a lounger, if you wish.

[crbonfiber]

I have slept on the balcony before. I actually moved my half of the bed out there. Everything was great....I was sleeping like a baby. Then the squall hit at about 3:00 AM. I was soaked within seconds. I woke up very un happy, moved my very wet bed back into the cabin and then slept wetly.

It would have been a great night except you never know when the wind and rain might strike. I will try it again sometime with a better weather forcast.

 

As for your son....let him give it a try. you can leave the door open it will not slide back and forth. As far as some "wierdo" seeing him ...please give me a break! Enjoy

[1corona4u]

I don't think I'd allow a 10-year old to sleep out there. It might be paranoia on my part, but I just think too many things could happen. Some weirdo would see him (from another balcony) and climb down to him; it wouldn't be too hard a climb.

 

An adult -- sure. Sleep out there on a lounger, if you wish.

 

Uh, you're joking, right?

[cawhite]

Thanks everyone.

 

Well, I definitely don't want my son in an unsafe situation, have someone climbing down to grab him, etc.. I guess I'll have to assess the situation once we see the actual balcony.

 

I can always send my hubby out to sleep on a lounge chair next to my son. ;)

 

And good idea, crbonfiber... we'll definitely find out about the weather first!!

[winncove]

My son & his new bride were upgraded to a JS last May on the Conquest and still moved a mattress to the balcony after the 1st nite! Loved it!

[awm]

My son & his new bride were upgraded to a JS last May on the Conquest and still moved a mattress to the balcony after the 1st nite! Loved it!

 

Why, pray tell, did they wait until the second night? ;) ;) ;)

[Hondu]

Better not sleep out there, as rogue waves are opportunistic

[Travelgrrl]

Anyone trying to climb into your balcony from theirs would be risking their life. I say, let the kid try it. You wouldn't have to bring a whole bed out there, just a mattress. Or buy him an inflatable air mattress in advance (packs easily if it's not yet been inflated - the cheapie kind for swimming pools) and let him sleep on that, made up with a couple of blankets.

 

What's a cruise for, but to try new things? Have a little adventure! :D

[Guest OBAYbee]

Am I the only one here who finds taking the mattress out unto the balcony appalling?

I mean c’mon, the moisture alone could get mold spores going not to mention what ever else might have been done on that deck is now a part of the mattress.

Would you ever do that with your own mattress?

[winncove]

Yes Bama, you're right. I never thot about the contamination issues. Was thinking the matresses would have plastic covers but really don't know. Eww! Do we sleep on the same fabric as all the previous pax? Apparently the rm. stewards didn't consider that either as nothing was ever said against it!

 

AWM..imagine they didn't think of it the 1st nite after the drive to NO & all the excitement of being on the humongous ship!

[Bluestorm100]

That's an awesome idea....

[sgttami]

I've never slept on the balcony and certainly wouldn't drag the mattress out there..lounge chair, maybe, but usually it's too humid for me..

 

In my younger (wilder) days, I did sleep on the pool deck one night...

 

Ten years old would probably be OK and it would be a bit of an adventure...

[love2vacation]

What a great idea. Letting him sleep out there may just be the best memory of his trip. :) The air mattress idea on the lounge chair is a good one. We sleep with our door open and have taken naps on the balcony but we like our comfy beds at night. I am sure your son will have a great time. It sounds like something our son would have wanted to do at that age (he is 21 now). Have great time on your cruise, I'd like to hear how his adventure in camping goes!

[MrsPete]

As far as some "wierdo" seeing him ...please give me a break! Enjoy

 

It's VERY possible for someone to climb over -- especially if the person happens to be just "next door". Or if you're in an aft balcony, you can certainly see down to the ones below. I'm almost 40, but I could climb it without any problem (but then I was always the kid who could climb any tree). Throw a little alcohol in the mix, and you'd find people who'd be willing to do it.

 

I still think it's not something for a kid to do. An adult, sure. Not a kid.

 

As for bringing mattresses out, that sounds like a great deal of trouble. If you want to sleep out, how about a roll-away?

[cmason]

I found it WAAAYYY too noisy, with the waves sounds and wind blowing, but maybe that was just where my cabin was. Plus it was so humid that it got uncomfortable. So we tried sleeping with the door open, which again was humid. But, what really taught us that it was a bad idea was the pilot tug that came along side at 5am! It was so noisy that I never got back to sleep. Kept the door closed the rest of the week and slept well into the morning!

[cawhite]

Thanks everyone for the input. Wow - I never thought of taking a mattress out on the balcony - LOL!! I was thinking of the lounge chair with some blankets. But the air mattress is a good idea too. I'm not sure how comfortable the lounge chairs are... are they the kind with straps?

 

There have been a few comments on humidity. We're from CA, so I'm not sure if that will be too much for him... he's definitely not used to humidity!! I guess we'll have to wait and see.

 

Thanks again!

 

Carole

[mlavigne]

We moved our bed out onto the balcony (Cat C aft) for the last night of our cruise on the Voyager and we loved it. OK, so our daughter and our stateroom attendant thought we were nuts...

 

You're not nuts, you're a Maineiac!

[IKE]

I can see taking a nap on the deck during the day but at night would never let My child sleep on the deck. It is very dark out there as one member pointed out and also what if a "Rogue Wave" hit like on the Norweigan Dawn back in April. You could be swept overboard. Many strange things have happened on Cruise Ships. Why take a Chance!

[mlavigne]

You're not nuts, you're a Maineiac!