Do You think Ext Bal are worth the extra $?

[My1Day.com]

I have never sailed before in a balcony room. This would be my DH 2nd cruise and DS 1st cruise. I would like a balcony since DH & I can sit outside if DS crashes early at night. He is 9 but goes to bed at 8 pm normally and if tired he doesn't hesitate to hit bed at 8 pm.

So- yes, balcony will be booked but I just don't know if extended it worth it the extra $. And If so, even extra for an aft? We are looking into booking the Pride if that makes any difference.

Thanks for your personal input on pros and cons!!

[paulgraff]

Once you go balcony you will never go back.

[Athankfulheart]

We did a aft extended balcony on our last cruise ( the corner wrap) and it was AWESOME ! We will definitely do one again. We are doing a spa balcony this time because we enjoy the spa and the rate was such a great deal ( we needed 3 nearby cabins) . Next time we will probably go back to and aft wrap again and just buy the spa pass again.

[My1Day.com]

I know our budget will be find for a reg balcony and the difference is about $160 total for a reg vs. extended (I think) and then $180 if we go with a ext aft.

 

@athankful- I know we can't afford the wrap balcony...that is a Vista Suite and way out of our budget =-) I've seen pics though and would LOVE to do that!!

[Rena921]

We are now spoiled with Aft-wrap balconies. You get both side and aft views and they are enormous. For us, they are worth the extra money. We have also had both an extended and a regular balcony. The extended allowed for us to have a recliner on an angle out there, but the regular would only fit a normal chair. If you are going to spend quite a bit of time on your balcony, I would go for the extended, especially with 3 of you.

[MichelleChell]

I will tell you as a parent with a kid your ds age on a sleep schedule that it kinda goes out the window on a cruise. There is so much they wanna see and do it just happens. Go with the flow and have fun. Your on vacation.

[Mysticks1]

To me the $180 total would definitely be worth it to upgrade to an Aft Extended. I have one booked on our upcoming cruise in May. I do spend a lot of time on the balcony every morning and night and a lot of time there on sea days. After having an extended balcony the regular ones seem a bit crowded to me.

[golfadj]

Some extended balconies not large enugh to fit a lounge chair. Happened to us on the Miracle and the extra space was useless.

[golfadj]

Once you go balcony you will never go back.

 

We go back and forth all the time as to us do not think the extra cost of a balcony at say $ 300 for a week is worth it, especially on a 7 day cruise with 4 port days.

 

Much rather do 3 instead of 2 cruises a year.

[boowaaccaa]

I think for your first balcony you should just go with a regular one. You won't know what you are missing.

That being said, I do think the extended balconies are worth it. I usually try to find the bigger balconies with the same price tag. (For example the L cabin--though that one will only sleep 2 -I think).

 

We have done a balcony on each cruise after the first one (first one we had a port hole). Personally I wouldn't go without a balcony but for us the extended balconies are for special occasions.

[DebJ14]

Definitely worth the extra $$$. We just had an aft balcony on Princess that was 240 sq. feet. Needless to say we never spent any time on the public decks since we had such a great balcony.

[mared1]

I have had a regular balcony, extended on the port side and aft extended - I prefer the aft extended. That being said it was not the wrap around aft extended balcony. We are cruising on the Breeze in February and because we booked rather late are just getting a regular size balcony.

The regular size will have 2 chairs and one end table; where the aft extended had a reclining lounge chair, a regular chair and 2 end tables.

[sc4125]

I've sailed with regular balconies many times & if it were only 2 of you, I think it's just fine - however, I was with my 2 sisters on the Legend in November and booked an extended balcony on port side. I gotta tell ya, I loved that balcony!! It easily fit the 3rd chair and didn't feel so crammed in.

 

I would definitely spend the extra $$ if you think your son will be spending time out there with the 2 of you - and I'm sure he will.

 

I've never done an aft extended, and I know alot of people love those, but I prefer to be on the side rather than on the back myself, unless I could make sure that the people above me weren't looking down onto my balcony. Just seems on many ships the aft balconies don't seem too private.

[TikkiTembo]

I have never sailed before in a balcony room. This would be my DH 2nd cruise and DS 1st cruise. I would like a balcony since DH & I can sit outside if DS crashes early at night. He is 9 but goes to bed at 8 pm normally and if tired he doesn't hesitate to hit bed at 8 pm.

So- yes, balcony will be booked but I just don't know if extended it worth it the extra $. And If so, even extra for an aft? We are looking into booking the Pride if that makes any difference.

Thanks for your personal input on pros and cons!!

I love the extended balcony on the Pride but I must confess that I've never booked a regular one. I got spoiled with the extended one and don't think I could do a regular balcony. We are a family of 4 and spend a lot of time on the balcony and we don't feel cramped. That being said try to book cabin 6232. It's the "bowling alley" balcony and there are many pictures of it on this site. Enjoy!!!

[PrettyHazardous]

I was in an aft balcony on the Valor and I wouldn't do it ever again. It didn't have full coverage of my legs and the neighbors felt entirely too close being that they could look right onto your balcony. I am def a balcony snob but would never do an aft balcony again.

[Vitamin_Sea]

Once you go balcony you will never go back.

 

Not true for me!

 

We dont spend enough time on the balcony to make it worth it.

[pirate4me2]

I loved our aft extended balcony on the Breeze. I spent a lot of time on it in the lounger. I even fell asleep a few times!

[summer_girl]

Don't book an aft ext balcony unless you want to continue to book one because it is hard to go back to another room after having that one!!! It's my favorite!! Love looking off the back of the ship!! It's awesome!!

[flounder315]

Go with a regular balcony, it will be plenty big enough for the 3 of ya'll. Use the exrta money on excursions.

[Aplmac]

Once you go balcony you will never go back.

Naaaah.

 

 

We had two balconies before, but now happily cruise twice a year doing Interiors

rather than once a year in a Balcony cabin! :)

 

 

Ocean View cabins are perhaps the best deal of all

because you get light and view thru the big picture window

-AND all that balcony space is included within your actual cabin area!

Not to mention a way-smoother ride because you're low down ;)

 

Otherwise, your balcony cabin is the same size as an interior in many cases.

.

[p_mori7]

We had an extended balcony on Legend (same class ship) this past July, and we enjoyed it.

 

Video tour in my sig below.

 

:)

[My1Day.com]

Again, you are all a wealth of information. All the pros and cons have my head spinning.

I thought if you booked a "bowling alley" room with 3 they can bump you into something that only hold 3 to use it for a 4 person. I thought I read that here someplace. Just wondered if that ever happened to anyone before?

[Lerin]

Will your son be going to camp? If so, he will probably not be hitting the sack at 8. Too much fun to be had with his new friends. ;)

 

We've done balconies, art wraps, insides and ocean views and are fine with any of them.

If money is no object then go for a larger cabin/balcony. But a regular balcony is just fine.

[My1Day.com]

I'm hoping my son goes to camp and enjoys himself. But we don't know....I figured not matter what, with a balcony it would give us some quiet time either early in the morning (with coffee) or late at night (yeah, with coffee too). LOL

[cocacola86]

Would you still book balcony on the Valor? Where everyday your in a different port?

 

 

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