First timer..Oceanview or Verandah on Constellation?

[jillmmax]

My husband and I are taking our first cruise in Feburary. We are doing a 4 night Bahamas/Key West (chose a short cruise for our first time to see how we like it). We booked a mid ship oceanview room, but when I told my mom (who has cruised before!) she was having a fit that we didn't get a balcony. I have 2 concerns about that....seasickness (I have no idea if either of us get seasick, but I'm afraid the balcony could make it worse) and is it worth the extra $300 for just a 4 night cruise? Having the option for fresh air does sound appealing to me, but I'd like some opinions other than my mom's ;)

Thanks in advance!

[texasgirl73]

On my very first cruise I got very sea sick on the second day if the cruise. I spent at least an hour sitting on the balcony in the sun with the breeze helping me calm down. It definitely made things better, not worse.

As for value, for me the balcony is worth it. Many others don't agree. It depends on how much you need that $300.

[mahdnc]

jillmmax,

 

welcome to Cruise Critic. I would recommend getting the balcony cabin although you are not making a terrible mistake if you stick with the oceanview cabin. I get a touch of seasickness and find that being able to step out on the balcony and getting fresh air is a great thing. However if the balcony cabin is located away from mid-ship, you may want to think twice about it!

[PinotBlanc]

My husband and I are taking our first cruise in Feburary. We are doing a 4 night Bahamas/Key West (chose a short cruise for our first time to see how we like it). We booked a mid ship oceanview room, but when I told my mom (who has cruised before!) she was having a fit that we didn't get a balcony. I have 2 concerns about that....seasickness (I have no idea if either of us get seasick, but I'm afraid the balcony could make it worse) and is it worth the extra $300 for just a 4 night cruise? Having the option for fresh air does sound appealing to me, but I'd like some opinions other than my mom's ;)

Thanks in advance!

 

 

I'd stay w/the ocean view. You can sit on pool deck, back of the buffet and the promenade for fresh air.

IMO $300 more for a balcony on a 4 night cruise with two port calls is excessive. Plan an evening in a specialty restaurant with half the $.

 

Don't worry about getting sea sick. The sea is calm. The Celebrity ships are beautiful.

 

Penny

Edited January 20, 2014 by PinotBlanc

[Cruising5650]

The balcony won't make you seasick. Spending $300 for a balcony that you don't use much will make you sick.

 

But, to take full advantage of the cruise and everything it has to offer, you won't be spending very much time in your room. Save the $300 and use it for something worthwhile.

 

I use my room to sleep and take a shower. Other than that I'm never in there.

[TeaBag]

I would go for the balcony. Sitting out there enjoying the sunset or watching the port disappear as you sail out to sea is wonderful. If you think you might be seasick, get some meds before you leave (guest relations gives out pills too). I think if you felt sick you would not be very likely to venture out of your cabin for fresh air somewhere else. Enjoy your cruise and may it be the first of many.

[Shaco]

Obviously, choosing a balcony or not has little to do with getting seasick. You wii be less prone to seasickness by choosing a cabin on a low deck midship. And there are a number of methods to prevent seasickness. The scapalomine patch, worn behind your ear is one method. It is by prescription only. Also, the ReliefBand, which is battery operated, and shoots a little electric impulse into your fingers to stop nausea. Really works for me. Sold in pharmacies and on the internet.

 

Maybe it would be wise not to invest in a balcony. Once you have a balcony, you are spoiled for life and never want to go without one again!

[shankar]

When I took the first cruise, I was in one of the ocean view rooms with a porthole window. Granted it was a 3 night cruise, and we spent most of the time on the ship floors.

 

The second cruise was a 7 night cruise, and we got a balcony, and I loved it so much.

 

I am a photographer, and a balcony offered me so may choices for photography, right from the comforts of my balcony.

 

The best part was returning to a clean room, and turn off all lights, sit in the balcony with my wife by my side, listening to the waves...

 

That is just my 2 cents

 

Enjoy your first cruise... I think that you are going to get addicted...

[phoenix_dream]

First, I hate to say it but please ignore posts like "the sea is calm". There is no way for anyone to know what the seas will be like on your cruise. They might be calm; they might not be.

 

So moving on....I am also prone to seasickness, but in March I will be taking my 24th cruise on Celebrity, with over 30 overall. In my many cruises I have had a few uncomfortable days, but they have been in the minority and as ships get bigger and better designed they ride smoother than ever before.

 

There are a lot of threads on these boards about preventing and dealing with seasickness. I recommend you read some of these, not to scare you:), but to give you some good ideas so you can be prepared. I can tell you that a balcony definitely will not make it worse, and can make it better with the fresh air and all. But most important in room choosing is mid-ship, the lower the floor the better. Those rooms get the least motion. As to my opinion about upgrading to a balcony for that price? Not worth it IMHO. Balconies are nicer, no doubt about it, but if money is a concern you can have a great cruise in an outside cabin. I would not recommend an inside room if you are prone to (or afraid of) seasickness, but an outside room is fine.

[jackdiamond]

Of all of our cruises, we have always enjoyed a balcony. As a matter of fact, we would not cruise without having a balcony.

[C 2 C]

Our first cruises were insides, then we booked an OV, then a balcony and even a few suites.

 

On your first cruise I would pick the OV and spend the $300 in cruise enhancements.

 

There are just too many venues to explore on your first cruise and you might not get full value for the extra money.

Having a balcony is wonderful but not essential in enjoying your cruise.

Edited January 21, 2014 by ~Cruisenut~

[jillmmax]

Thank you everyone for your input - great information - however we are still undecided! If I added it up correctly, the count was 5-4 in favor of the balcony, 1 neutral : )

If we decide on the balcony, I will definitely get mid ship (thanks to your suggestions)

I'd love to hear more opinions. Also - as the date gets closer is there any chance the cost to upgrade would be reduced?

[jb456]

Jill,

 

We are 1st timers as well and considering a 5 night for our first time... From what we've read and from what our friends have told us is that being 1st timers on a short cruise the chances of spending "lots" of time in the room is not going to happen.

 

Between wanting to explore the ship and days at each port, they said the only time that will be really spent in the room is either to sleep or to change/shower.

 

I'd say save the money and use it at one of your destinations. We plan on doing the same if we decide on the 5 night cruise.

[shipgeeks]

This vote is for OV. IMO, balconies are highly overrated. On the 10-night cruise in which we had our only balcony, we only spent 2 or 3 hours there the entire cruise.

If you want to enjoy a sunset or port view, a balcony only gives you one chance in four of being able to see it. Much more fun being up on the open decks.

In either case, as noted above, midship location gives you the most stability. Being on lower decks helps, too, and balconies are located higher than most OVs.

[junetraveler2014]

IMO veranda's are the way to go. The sun, the wind and the peaceful calm of the ocean makes a wonderful cruise. Not to mention breakfast on your balcony. As for motion sickness. I have lived by the ocean most of my life and have always gotten sea sick. Always took Dramamine one hour before getting on board and never suffered again. Good luck on your cruise and have a blast.:cool:

[miched]

Stick with the OV. That was what we had on our first cruise and loved it because we didn't know any better.

 

A few cruises later we started getting a balcony, 25 cruises later we started on Celebrity and are now AQ snobs.

 

Our 5th cruise we took a last minute mini suite guarantee on another cruise line and got upgraded to a penthouse suite, it was fantastic but sure wouldn't and couldn't afford to pay for one.

 

Plus sailing along the coast of FL in the winter may be too cool to enjoy sitting out there at night.

 

.🌴🍸🍻🍺

[Iamthesea]

Thank you everyone for your input - great information - however we are still undecided! If I added it up correctly, the count was 5-4 in favor of the balcony, 1 neutral : )

If we decide on the balcony, I will definitely get mid ship (thanks to your suggestions)

I'd love to hear more opinions. Also - as the date gets closer is there any chance the cost to upgrade would be reduced?

 

 

If it's $300 total, I would upgrade. :)

 

We had an Inside stateroom on our very first cruise and got sea sick. With the exception of one other cruise (when there were no balconies available at last minute) we have booked balcony staterooms.

 

Normally, a balcony room is a bit larger than an OV (though it may be different on Celebrity, it certainly makes the stateroom feel larger. :) )

 

Frankly, if I were seasick and confined to a bed, I would want a little fresh air and sunshine coming INTO my cabin. :eek:

 

* My recommendation to prevent seasickness is to do a test run on Meclizine, a chewable over-the-counter pill. You get it from the pharmacist without a RX. Take one whole tablet on a morning that you do not have anything pressing to do. Try it out for the day and see how you feel. The Meclizine is not suppose to make you sleepy, but a whole pill does so to me by the end of the day.

 

If all goes well with your trial, on the morning of your cruise, take a pill. The trick is to take it and get it into your system before you start sailing. If one pill works, that's great! You may have to take a second if you start feeling queasy after sailaway. The next days of the cruise, you will probably need to take a half or whole pill each morning, or at least a few hours before you set sail from a port.

 

DH and I have gotten so we now take half a pill before embarking on a cruise. Does the trick for me. If it is particularly rough, DH has to take another half or whole pill. On most cruise days, after the first, we do not take anything.;) We have taken over 25 cruises.

 

Another tip...Do Not look too hard at the horizon. That will get you every time. :eek:

[Syrreal]

It really depends on the type of travelers you are. If you are the kind that is generally out of your room sun up to who knows when, then you probably wouldn't get added value out of a balcony.

If you would enjoy some outside time without the possibilities of others walking by, or having to get into clothes (as opposed to PJs.... Or not) to watch the sea go by, then it may be "worth it" for the balcony.

 

For me, I like the balcony because I like being able to walk outside any time of day or night without having to put on shoes. LOL. When I travel with DH, we don't really go for the organized activities so we do our own thing and if we are not at al Bacio, or the spa, we're on the balcony

 

Either way, you can't really go wrong :)

 

Have a wonderful cruise!

Constellation is a great ship. I've been on her twice and will be a 3rd time this June.

 

I have a bunch of pics from our Norway trip in 2012 that's in my signature with some photos of the room, balcony, and some of the ship