Should we pay extra for a balcony?

[ajn1982]

Greetings friends!

 

Having cruised only once before (Alaska 2010), we are now planning another, a Northern Lights cruise with Hurtigruten.

 

On our last cruise, we loved our cabin, which naturally had a double bed, a couple of chairs and a small table, and a small private balcony. We used the balcony quite a lot, admiring the passing views.

 

I understand that Hurtigruten cabins are far more utilitarian than this, particularly as they do not have either a double bed or balcony, so we are considering pushing the boat out as it were (pardon the pun!) and getting a suite. This would give us a comfortable double bed, but I want to know your views as to whether we should pay the extra for a balcony too. I am concerned, though, that we might end up paying for something we don't use, partly because it may be just too cold to go outside for any length of time, and partly because frankly there may be better places elsewhere on the ship to see the Northern Nights, for example the panorama lounge (particularly if the Lights are on the opposite side of the ship)!

 

What do you cruising experts think?

 

Many thanks for all your help.

[SarniaLo]

I have no cruise experience other than Hurtigruten (but 5 times with them in Norway, on my way to my 6th in two weeks! :) ) so my own choices might be different from yours, but I find I use my cabin almost only to sleep and shower.

 

I spend a great deal of time outside (even in winter, I took 3 winter trips) and I think I'd rather be on deck where I can move around freely to enjoy views from any side of the ship than on a balcony where the view is restricted. Also when it's cold it's also nice to be able to walk to warm yourself up! And to be honest the standard cabins are already pretty expensive and I'd rather put my money elsewhere than in a balcony (but again, my priorities and your own might differ).

 

It most ships there are also very comfortable lounges where you can be inside and enjoy the view. Based on what you say you might want to avoid MS Lofoten (and maybe MS Vesteraalen), but all the other ships have wonderful panorama lounges with floor to ceiling windows. Be aware though that it is difficult to see the Northern Lights from inside, you need to be in a rather dark area, inside the lights and their reflection on the glass will impair the view.

[BORDER REIVER]

Hi, we have done both kinds of cruises and they are totally different. We've been to Greenland, Iceland and Norway on larger cruise ships in summertime, where we sat for hours in the sunshine when the ship was anchored or in port and sat watching the midnight sun out in the Norwegian sea. But we've also been to Norway in September on a largish cruise ship and chose not to have a balcony because it was dark from mid evening and there was nothing to see.

When we did our Northern Lights trip, we used our cabin only for sleeping, showering or lying down when the seas became rough. Mostly, we just dressed up warm and stood outside or had a coffee in one of the lounges. It's amazing how quickly time passes on a Hurtigruten trip, when there's always something happening.

Those things apart, the difference in price between a standard cabin and a balcony cabin on a big cruise ship is minimal, whereas on a Hurtigruten ship. a suite with balcony is around double the price of a standard one. To be honest, you would get some benefit from the extra space in a suite and having a balcony, but I believe the balconies are all at the stern and you'd miss everything else that was happening elsewhere.

Having a balcony suite at the rear of the ship would mean that if the seas got rough (and they often do), you would get one heck of a rough ride:eek:.

I would agree with SarniaLo, go for a midhships outside or inside cabin and use a little of the money you would save for excursions and you'd still have enough left to fund another trip.

Edited January 26, 2015 by BORDER REIVER

[SarniaLo]

To be honest, you would get some benefit from the extra space in a suite and having a balcony, but I believe the balconies are all at the stern and you'd miss everything else that was happening elsewhere.

This is right! So I went back to the various ships' deck plans and it seems that only three ships have suites with balconies (MS Midnatsol, MS Trollfjord and MS Finnmarken). In the first two, the balconies are at the stern, on MS Finnmarken there are balcony suites in the first half of the ship.

 

But thinking back on my answer, if the OP is dead set on a double bed, the options are actually limited... Either a "Q" category cabin on any ship (save MS Lofoten) (I would avoid those with windows overlooking an outside public area, decks 5 or 6 depending on the ship), a M cabin on Finnmarken deck 6 (but not for the balcony, purely for the location) or maybe a MG suite with a bow-window on Midnatsol or Trollfjord (the bow-window might be more interesing in a winter voyage than an ouside balcony).

 

Again, that would not be my personnal choice, but I am fine with the twin beds.

Edited January 26, 2015 by SarniaLo

[BORDER REIVER]

Some more thoughts.

I don't know which month you plan to go but you won't get a lot of daylight for views in mid winter. In Bergen on the shortest day, the sun rises at 09.45 & sets at 15.30. In mid March sunrise is 06.55 & sunset 18.45.

In Kirkenes, the sun doesn't rise in mid winter (just a pale light) and in mid March the sun rises at 05.25 & sets at 17.00.

You will be informed (if you wish) over the telephone announcement system when the Northern Lights are visible. For us it was 8.45 pm & 11.45pm, both on the same night. Some travellers are lucky enough to see them most nights.

What I did notice on both occasions we saw them, was that they were pretty much overhead and wouldn't have been as visible from inside the ship.

We also found that although loading and unloading is done on the Port side, the daytime views were on both sides, so we were constantly moving from one side of the ship to the other as the scenery changed.

When we cruised Arctic waters on large ships, we relaxed on our balcony when it was warm and sunny, but were always drawn to the outside upper decks to see the best of the scenery, which was nearly always on both sides of the ship.

[RMLincoln]

If I had the budget for it I think a bay-window suite would be fabulous - warm and cozy while have the best vistas.

 

We were on Midnatsol in late October and it was quite dark quite early. We were on board when the clocks went from Daylight Savings to Standard time (the night we left Kirkenes) and we had (on a 11 night round trip) 3 or 4 days when sunset was before 3pm. So if you are looking for Northern Lights you will likely have a lot of darkness, which will impact your possible hours of enjoyment of either a bay window or a balcony.

 

Only you can determine if the extra cost is worth it for a double bed and a balcony or bay window. Would a suite be better? Of course! And it may come with a water "package" which would cost you each about $75.... not a lot of trade-off but a little.

 

We had an ocean view room with two comfortable twin beds that folded (one into a sofa, one up to the wall) and two chairs and a table plus desk and lots of storage space. It was a roomy feeling room and very comfortable for us. The ship is not very large so it was always very easy to go sit in the panorama lounge with it the really big views.

 

Have a grand trip. You will be treated well no matter what room type you choose.

 

We saw Northern Lights I think 4 times. We were able to set our phone so that announcements came into the cabin or not. It was a thrilling experience. But we missed out on a lot of scenery and the very impressive Trollfjord as well as other fjords, so we'll have to go back again in a different season.

m--

[eggydreams]

If I had the budget for it I think a bay-window suite would be fabulous - warm and cozy while have the best vistas.

 

We were on Midnatsol in late October and it was quite dark quite early. We were on board when the clocks went from Daylight Savings to Standard time (the night we left Kirkenes) and we had (on a 11 night round trip) 3 or 4 days when sunset was before 3pm. So if you are looking for Northern Lights you will likely have a lot of darkness, which will impact your possible hours of enjoyment of either a bay window or a balcony.

 

Only you can determine if the extra cost is worth it for a double bed and a balcony or bay window. Would a suite be better? Of course! And it may come with a water "package" which would cost you each about $75.... not a lot of trade-off but a little.

 

We had an ocean view room with two comfortable twin beds that folded (one into a sofa, one up to the wall) and two chairs and a table plus desk and lots of storage space. It was a roomy feeling room and very comfortable for us. The ship is not very large so it was always very easy to go sit in the panorama lounge with it the really big views.

 

Have a grand trip. You will be treated well no matter what room type you choose.

 

We saw Northern Lights I think 4 times. We were able to set our phone so that announcements came into the cabin or not. It was a thrilling experience. But we missed out on a lot of scenery and the very impressive Trollfjord as well as other fjords, so we'll have to go back again in a different season.

m--

 

Hi to RMLincoln! I was wondering if you've ever sailed on the Hurtigruten Fram. Have you been to Antarctica yet? You've done some extensive cruising!

[ajn1982]

Hi, we have done both kinds of cruises and they are totally different. We've been to Greenland, Iceland and Norway on larger cruise ships in summertime, where we sat for hours in the sunshine when the ship was anchored or in port and sat watching the midnight sun out in the Norwegian sea. But we've also been to Norway in September on a largish cruise ship and chose not to have a balcony because it was dark from mid evening and there was nothing to see.

When we did our Northern Lights trip, we used our cabin only for sleeping, showering or lying down when the seas became rough. Mostly, we just dressed up warm and stood outside or had a coffee in one of the lounges. It's amazing how quickly time passes on a Hurtigruten trip, when there's always something happening.

Those things apart, the difference in price between a standard cabin and a balcony cabin on a big cruise ship is minimal, whereas on a Hurtigruten ship. a suite with balcony is around double the price of a standard one. To be honest, you would get some benefit from the extra space in a suite and having a balcony, but I believe the balconies are all at the stern and you'd miss everything else that was happening elsewhere.

Having a balcony suite at the rear of the ship would mean that if the seas got rough (and they often do), you would get one heck of a rough ride:eek:.

I would agree with SarniaLo, go for a midhships outside or inside cabin and use a little of the money you would save for excursions and you'd still have enough left to fund another trip.

 

Thanks . . . our Alaska cruise was as smooth as silk, and may have mis-led us as to how rough these cruises can be! I'd appreciate your thoughts on the roughness or otherwise of the Norwegian coastal sea ...

[ajn1982]

Thank you all for your kind comments. I'm assimilating them all! Really appreciate the time you've all taken to respond : )

[BORDER REIVER]

Thanks . . . our Alaska cruise was as smooth as silk, and may have mis-led us as to how rough these cruises can be! I'd appreciate your thoughts on the roughness or otherwise of the Norwegian coastal sea ...

I mention the roughness in my blog, but it's a long-winded account so.....I'm not a good sailor, so I bought Stugeron tablets and took them before leaving the UK. That was the only time I took them, after that I ate a bit of crystallised ginger each day & didn't notice any problems until the last few days when the seas got a bit lumpy (we were told force 7) when crossing open seas. This was only for a few hours at a time, as we were constantly calling at sheltered ports and inlets.

During the first night and the last couple of days we missed a few ports due to the seas being too rough for docking.

The worst it got was for dinner on the final night when the waves reached the dining room on deck 4. I hadn't thought to take any pills, so I only endured it for the first course and after my chair slid across the floor, I decided to go to our cabin to lie down. Lying down I was fine, even though I was sliding and rolling a bit & our bags were rolling around the cabin floor.

This was early March though & in complete contrast to our previous year's cruise on Cunard's Queen Elizabeth in May / June, when even the north Norwegian Sea off the Lofoten Islands was almost flat calm.

At he opposite end of the scale, the fjord approaching Kirkenes was very smooth and had a thin film of ice on it in places.

Edited January 26, 2015 by BORDER REIVER

[RSF Cruiser]

I've cruised Alaska three times, and Norway on Hurtigruten once, Dec/Jan 2013. We've always had smooth seas.

 

We get a suite in Alaska since we enjoy sitting on the large balcony, and being able to see the scenery even when we are in the room. For the Hurtigruten trip, we had an inside cabin on the Midnatsol near the central stairs, and it was perfect. We spent hardly any time in our room. When we wanted to see the scenery, we were outside so we could go from side to side. I don't know how people who take the trip in the summer get any sleep, since there is so much to look at.

 

We did go into some of the suites on the Midnatsol. They are spacious and had large, aft balconies. In my opinion, being outside on the top deck, though, was the best for viewing the scenery and especially the Northern Lights. It was spectacular!

 

If I had unlimited funds, a suite would certainly be nice. The standard room on the Midnatsol was adequate - enough storage space and fine for sleeping, but not much more. I hope to someday repeat the Hurtigruten trip during the spring, and I'd get an inside cabin again.

 

Have a wonderful trip!

Edited January 27, 2015 by RSF Cruiser

[digitl]

We have taken the coastal voyage twice and wouldn't imagine paying for a balcony: we would never be on it! I spent most of the time outside, on deck, and my wife spent time in the panoramic lounge, coming outside when something of particular interest appeared. We only used the cabin for sleeping and bathing.

 

As for viewing the Northern Lights, you need to be outside and as far away from lights as you can get. Looking for them from the panoramic lounge is pretty much doomed to failure! If they appear during the night and after you have gone to bed all is not lost. You can ask to be notified by telephone.

[digitl]

I'd appreciate your thoughts on the roughness or otherwise of the Norwegian coastal sea ...

 

Most of the trip avoids open water and so is quite calm. However, out in open water it can be very rough and it's best to move down to midships on a low deck: a good reason for not booking a cabin on a high deck. The Vikings recommended laying face down to mitigate the effects of rough seas...and my wife agrees!

[RMLincoln]

Hi to RMLincoln! I was wondering if you've ever sailed on the Hurtigruten Fram. Have you been to Antarctica yet? You've done some extensive cruising!

 

As you have too - many wonderful places! But no, we have not been on Fram nor to Antarctica. We did a 'round the Horn cruise, LA to NY, but it didn't go across to the White Continent. No regrets, too many good memories of wonderful places that we have bee to.

 

Fram sounds like it would be a very different experience than the Coastal Steamer which we enjoyed very much. Next time we'll have to pick a different season and get the benefit of more light and more scenery. I doubt that Fram in on our radar screen unless maybe to Greenland. Enjoy, m--

[digitl]

Don't forget that, as a past Hurtigruten passenger, you get 5% off future bookings, including Fram. Well worth having!

[janetcbl]

We have traveled in late spring and early summer and have really enjoyed having a balcony. If I did the trip in Fall or Winter I would not book a balcony because the days are so short. There are a few perks: fruit bowls, a refrigerator in your cabin, wireless in the cabin and complimentary coffee package. Going through the Trollfjord at night, standing on the balcony, enjoying a glass of wine will always be a special memory. On the other hand, we enjoy travel with Lindblad/Natl. Geo. and have never considered booking a balcony. It is just personal choice, I guess.