Need help w/cabin ....Southbound Alaska on Grand

[clginal]

I have been researching to go May 2015..... getting close to booking...but, need help in picking the cabin. I have gone on only 2 cruises in my life (I'm 54) and both were to Bahamas. So, the idea of the cold temps, has me worried about my cabin pick....meaning the wind blowing on the balcony...(a balcony is the only thing I've decided on) I've read that it's best to be as far back on the ship as possible & port side.

I can't seem to decide what deck I want....also, do they have overhangs on any of the balconies?

Would love to hear everyone's thoughts.

Kris

[ggprincess2004]

You want a balcony on the Caribe Deck 10. It is partially covered and partially uncovered, larger than other balconies on other decks, and wonderful whether in Alaska or sailing other itineraries. The balconies for the mini-suites on Deck 9 are completely uncovered, the minisuites on Deck 8 have covered balconies, and the balcony cabins on Baja and Aloha decks are covered completely, but smaller than those on Caribe.

 

Suggest warm gloves, rain gear, warm hat (and excellent binoculars) for scenic cruising by glaciers in Alaska!

[Colo Cruiser]

You want a balcony on the Caribe Deck 10. It is partially covered and partially uncovered, larger than other balconies on other decks, and wonderful whether in Alaska or sailing other itineraries. The balconies for the mini-suites on Deck 9 are completely uncovered, the minisuites on Deck 8 have covered balconies, and the balcony cabins on Baja and Aloha decks are covered completely, but smaller than those on Caribe.

 

Suggest warm gloves, rain gear, warm hat (and excellent binoculars) for scenic cruising by glaciers in Alaska!

 

I agree Caribe deck for sure or a mini on Emerald. We spend hours and hours on our balcony in Alaska.

 

Agree on the clothing suggestions

[81Zoomie]

We had an Emerald deck mini suite southbound in Alaska last year. We loved it. Big covered balcony with chairs and ottomans. We spent hours camped on our balcony wrapped in the Princess quilts. We were warm and DRY. It was a little pricey, but well worth the extra money. We did ultimate balcony dining one night. It was a cool for the balcony, so we ate in the cabin. We had plenty of room inside and could enjoy the awesome scenery and the fabulous meal! Doesn't really matter what side of the ship you are on, the ship turns for all to see. We loved it so much we are going back to Alaska in a couple of weeks. It was a last minute decision, so we will be in an Aloha balcony. You will love Alaska regardless of your cabin :-)

[BRANDEE]

I have been researching to go May 2015..... getting close to booking...but, need help in picking the cabin. I have gone on only 2 cruises in my life (I'm 54) and both were to Bahamas. So, the idea of the cold temps, has me worried about my cabin pick....meaning the wind blowing on the balcony...(a balcony is the only thing I've decided on) I've read that it's best to be as far back on the ship as possible & port side.

I can't seem to decide what deck I want....also, do they have overhangs on any of the balconies?

Would love to hear everyone's thoughts.

Kris

 

 

We did our Alaskan cruise on the Caribe deck, mid ship. We loved the extra large balcony and if windy you could sit back (under cover) from the railing. On our southbound we took a cabin on the starboard side at the suggestion of our travel agent. The sun was on this side of the ship from early afternoon until it set (in our case after 9 pm) and this gave us extra warmth for sitting out on deck. Hats, ear muffs, gloves, water proof wind breaker and thermo vests and sweatshirts a must. Layers so you can peel clothes off when the mid day sun warms things up. Binoculars for each person, so no fighting :) When in glacier bay, view from the topside to get the magnitude of the bay. A great cruise!!

[RNGALNG]

Caribe would be my choice as well. When on the scenic touring days, if there is rain, you will be happy to be able to be on the balcony and not get as wet as those on other decks. On our first trip to Alaska, we did have the overhang on ours and our friends in the mini suite came to watch from our room as they were wet on theirs.

 

Enjoy all your planning and the trip too!

[tgmg00a]

I just came off the Star San Fran Alaska RT. We were on the starboard side aft (B635) on the Baja deck. Having a fully covered deck was nice but having the larger size on the lower deck is a plus. The only downside to the lower decks is that the people above can look down on the uncovered portion of your balcony. We really enjoyed our starboard side since the three ports where we were docked had us tied up on the starboard side. We developed a game to see who could pick the time for the last person came on board. It was funny to see all folks running like crazy for the gangplank as departure time neared.

[Wishing on a star]

I am looking at this exact cruise for next May.

Not sure if we will book or not...

We are deciding on Alaska, or one or two other choices from our bucket list.

 

If you know for sure you want a balcony, then yes Caribe.

We have also considered the window premium OV on Lido. But, the cost difference IMHO is not enough to give up the balcony, in case it is warm enough to bundle up and be outside.

 

About starboard or port. I have heard Port. And this is the side that I think I would probably book. (Have read a couple of reviews that specifically mention this for viewing.)

 

Which date do you think you might book?

[JimAOk1945]

Alaska is amazing! We have been there twice, both times in mid August, on two different cruise lines, and plan to go back again.

 

I agree with the suggested clothing ideas. It's best to be prepared and not use something than wish you had packed it.

 

Take lots of pictures. Happy cruising!

[clginal]

WOW...thanks everyone for all the replies. I was off a few days and was excited to see what suggestions were waiting on me =)

Not sure the dates, yet.

We are from the south so, yes, we will bring plenty of warm clothes to layer with.

Thanks for the deck suggestion. Sounds like Caribe wins out!!

Not sure we can go for a mini-suite but, will look and think hard about the extra space vs my empty pockets...LOL

Starboard side now has me thinking....the afternoon sun sounds really nice.

 

Again...thanks so very much for your replies. I am so excited, I'm not sure how I will wait til next May.

 

Kris