Balcony for Baltic Cruise?

[GreySkies]

My family will be going on the Emerald Baltic Cruise June 28th, if all goes well. Is it better to have a balcony for this cruise or are there only a few times one needs to get a good view from the ship?

 

Thanks,

[Astro Flyer]

We got a very good price for a balcony for the Baltic's port intensive cruise. We wouldn't have booked a balcony if the price wasn't good & would've used the savings from booking an inside to more fully explore the wonderful ports of call. :)

Edited January 5, 2014 by Astro Flyer

[Pam in CA]

My family will be going on the Emerald Baltic Cruise June 28th, if all goes well. Is it better to have a balcony for this cruise or are there only a few times one needs to get a good view from the ship?

This is a very port-intensive cruise so you will most likely be off the ship early in the morning until late in the afternoon plus even in June, the weather will probably be chilly on the few sea days. I've had balconies in the Baltics but in retrospect, I don't think I would in the future. The Emerald has Skywalkers from which there are great views as well as on Lido deck.

[f-mattox]

I have always booked balconies with two exceptions: a Disney cruise when we were traveling with a five-year-old grandson and a Baltic cruise. As Pam in CA points out, the Baltic is very port-intensive and the weather was often windy and chilly when we were there in late June. I did not miss the balcony at all.

[capriccio]

We spent lots of time on our balcony when sailing into/out of Stockholm and Oslo. The Stockholm Archipelago and the Olso fjord (if that is on your cruise) are beautiful. If you don't have a balcony, make sure you are on deck.

[need2cruisesoon]

My family will be going on the Emerald Baltic Cruise June 28th, if all goes well. Is it better to have a balcony for this cruise or are there only a few times one needs to get a good view from the ship?

 

Thanks,

 

You've opted for the Emerald over the Royal and was wondering if it was based on the ship or itinerary?

[GreySkies]

You've opted for the Emerald over the Royal and was wondering if it was based on the ship or itinerary?

 

It was actually based on the date. My nephew will be out of school by then, and my mom wanted to go near her birthday.

[jennifers490]

We spent lots of time on our balcony when sailing into/out of Stockholm and Oslo. The Stockholm Archipelago and the Olso fjord (if that is on your cruise) are beautiful. If you don't have a balcony, make sure you are on deck.

 

i agree, we did the same thing in those two ports--was quite beautiful early in the am and sailing out but was usually very cold and really the only time we hung out on the balcony. we got upgraded but i wouldn't have booked it unless the price wasn't much more for it

[argenta01]

I have done the Baltics twice. First time in an inside room and the second time in a balcony. I feel this is one trip where a balcony is worth it. Sailing in and out of the ports is beautiful, especially Stockholm. Sitting on the balcony with a glass of wine at sailaway was delightful. Even though it is a port intensive cruise the scenery is spectacular and worth the extra money.

[teacherman]

To ME, the extra cost of a balcony is not worth it, as we were usually off the ship very early in each port. Sailing through the Stockholm archipelago is beautiful, but I do not believe that all ships dock in downtown Stockholm. Ours did (we were on a smaller HAL ship), but we met Princess cruisers in town who had docked a distance away and then had to take a train into Stockholm. I also think that if you are seeing the sites from your balcony, you are missing whatever is on the other side of the ship.

[sunsetbeachgal]

We got a very good price for a balcony for the Baltic's port intensive cruise. We wouldn't have booked a balcony if the price wasn't good & would've used the savings from booking an inside to more fully explore the wonderful ports of call. :)

 

When did you book it?? We, along with another couple, are looking to do Baltic in 2014 (either on the Royal or Emerald) and prices have been high since we started keeping our eye on them last fall. We are flexible on date, but they all seem pricey!

 

Thanks...just curious if I have missed something!

[Astro Flyer]

When did you book it?? We, along with another couple, are looking to do Baltic in 2014 (either on the Royal or Emerald) and prices have been high since we started keeping our eye on them last fall. We are flexible on date, but they all seem pricey!

 

Thanks...just curious if I have missed something!

Can you do a repositioning cruise plus a Baltic? We sailed in late April to late May 2010 on a TA & a Baltic which we booked about a year in advance. We booked inside as a b2b & prices kept improving and got a midship Caribe balcony for less than our original inside cabin. :D

 

Princess seems to now be following the airlines with very high prices well in advance & discounting them closer to traveling if they're not selling well. And it appears that Baltic cruises are very popular resulting in higher prices. We plan to sail between Thanksgiving Day & Christmas to Hawaii roundtrip from LA. Current prices for 2014 are much higher (nearly 45%) than the 2013 cruise by booking closer to sailing. We'll drive to the pier in LA however with high prices to fly to Europe that's a big factor. We booked a short notice Alaskan cruise last summer & the best airfare was through Princess.

 

Hope you "win" the cruise fare "lotto" to get a good price. :)

Edited January 5, 2014 by Astro Flyer

[Kinkacruiser]

My family will be going on the Emerald Baltic Cruise June 28th, if all goes well. Is it better to have a balcony for this cruise or are there only a few times one needs to get a good view from the ship?

 

Thanks,

 

We're on the same cruise, GreySkies. I note that the balconies are selling fast, so must they are a popular choice. Come and join us on the roll thread when you've booked :).

[sunsetbeachgal]

Can you do a repositioning cruise plus a Baltic? We sailed in late April to late May 2010 on a TA & a Baltic which we booked about a year in advance. We booked inside as a b2b & prices kept improving and got a midship Caribe balcony for less than our original inside cabin. :D

 

Princess seems to now be following the airlines with very high prices well in advance & discounting them closer to traveling if they're not selling well. And it appears that Baltic cruises are very popular resulting in higher prices. We plan to sail between Thanksgiving Day & Christmas to Hawaii roundtrip from LA. Current prices for 2014 are much higher (nearly 45%) than the 2013 cruise by booking closer to sailing. We'll drive to the pier in LA however with high prices to fly to Europe that's a big factor. We booked a short notice Alaskan cruise last summer & the best airfare was through Princess.

 

Hope you "win" the cruise fare "lotto" to get a good price. :)

 

Thanks and I agree about Princess pricing...I don't have anything booked with Princess right now, have open FCC's and am literally getting bombarded with specials. We will just be patient..we are not choosy about cabins or dates, so let the waiting begin! :D

[azgrandmax3]

We have also taken this cruise and enjoyed every moment we used the balcony. It was cool at times yet would have missed much getting to and returning from public areas.

[Grammyluvs]

We did this in early May 2013 with a balcony. Loved it. Some days were cool and it is port intensive but a lot of the ports we were serenaded as we left by the locals and going thru the fjords was wonderful. We just put on a sweater or jacket. Sat outside with a blanket some days. I just love balconies and love the outside. It was too windy to sit on the decks around the pool, but the balcony was perfect.

[LeeW]

I have done the Baltics twice. First time in an inside room and the second time in a balcony. I feel this is one trip where a balcony is worth it. Sailing in and out of the ports is beautiful, especially Stockholm. Sitting on the balcony with a glass of wine at sailaway was delightful. Even though it is a port intensive cruise the scenery is spectacular and worth the extra money.

 

We liked the balcony on Emerald a year ago - you are almost never out of sight of shore and have many ships to watch on this route. BUT Princess will not sail into Stockholm any more on a large ship. Thus you miss the two hours of sailing through small islands. We really liked the convenience of docking right across from Skansen and access to the water taxis.