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FIRST TIME EVER Balcony - questions, and any advice please?

CandyCruiser1106

By CandyCruiser1106,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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elliair

elliair

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Your next door neighbors will hear your conversations. You'll enjoy your balcony and I doubt you'll ever go back to anything but. The only lounge chairs I've seen on balconies are on the aft wrap around cabins. Order coffee or whatever in the morning and enjoy it on your balcony. Sit and watch the sea go by. Have a great time!

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El@C

El@C

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My advice is to go out on the balcony often, even if only for a few minutes at a time. Go out there when you wake up, and just before you go to bed, and even after a middle of the night bathroom trip. Enjoy the feel of the air, and look at both sea and sky. Don't limit yourself to longer spells when you will (of course) want to sit out there and read, or enjoy a beverage, or stare at the water, or just BE. Enjoy the smaller moments as well.

 

 

I fully agree!

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CandyCruiser1106

CandyCruiser1106

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Congrats on your upsell!

There are 2 chairs & a small table on the balcony, in regular balcony cabins.

Quiet conversations will not be overheard, but loud talking, yes.

If a balcony near you has someone smoking, and it is bothering you, just call Guest Services for enforcement.

Plan on spending more for your future cruises, because more than likely, you will not go back to an inside or oceanview cabin again ;)

 

That's what I was afraid of! What is it about the balcony that cruisers get addicted to?

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CandyCruiser1106

CandyCruiser1106

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Watch the sunrise with a fresh carafe of coffee from room service on the balcony, peace at its best!!!

 

Watch the sun set with a glass of wine, toast to the end of a perfect day and a night just beginning!!!!

 

Love, love, love a balcony, for all the right reasons and maybe some naughty ones too....:eek:

 

 

You will be hooked....

 

Love the idea of the sunrise and sunset, we will definitely do!

 

About the "naughty ones" - the neighbors won't be able to hear anything if I give him a lap dance! LOL ;)

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AZ Karaoke Girl

AZ Karaoke Girl

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The comment about once trying a balcony you will never go back to insides. Not necessarily true. Although I like balconies usually, I still like inside cabins and have no problems going to an inside. However, the layout of the balconies are not the same as insides on most ships. They are more roomy. Standard balconies are not very big either. Just enough room for a chair and your knees are close to the glass. Not enough room for a lounger unless maybe turned sideways. I often prefer an inside because I like total darkness when I sleep and it is hard to sleep in on a balcony or oceanview once the sun rises. Just my opinion.

 

All of the above posts have good info. One other thing -- they may clean the balconies one day on your cruise. There will be a notice of this in your room. It will say the day and time. Be sure your window drapes are 'closed' to avoid an embarrassing situation. :eek:

 

Great advise for a newbie.

 

I usually take a battery operated candle for use at night. It is not as disturbing to neighbors as the light on. Plus it adds to the experience of being on your balcony at night.

 

This is also a really good idea. I like packing the tap lights or we also use those magnetic LED flashlights that work very well too. I like using the magnetic LED flashlights for the bathroom so you can see at night without turning on the regular lights.

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Towel Critter

Towel Critter

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That's what I was afraid of! What is it about the balcony that cruisers get addicted to?
I can't answer for everyone, but for me having a door at each end of the room feels less closed in and the balcony offers a respite from people and activity, should you be the type that needs to recharge your batteries on occasion. I am that type and value my balcony as a third option, the room and public areas being the first two. Also, the balcony door, being glass, gives even more of an open feeling to the room, in addition to the large window. That end of the room is pretty much all glass. Lastly, it affords you access to sea breezes and great view. A balcony stateroom is to an interior stateroom, or even an ocean view stateroom to a degree, what a sunroom is to a closet. No comparison, in my opinion.
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CandyCruiser1106

CandyCruiser1106

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The comment about once trying a balcony you will never go back to insides. Not necessarily true. Although I like balconies usually, I still like inside cabins and have no problems going to an inside. However, the layout of the balconies are not the same as insides on most ships. They are more roomy. Standard balconies are not very big either. Just enough room for a chair and your knees are close to the glass. Not enough room for a lounger unless maybe turned sideways. I often prefer an inside because I like total darkness when I sleep and it is hard to sleep in on a balcony or oceanview once the sun rises. Just my opinion.

 

Great advise for a newbie.

 

This is also a really good idea. I like packing the tap lights or we also use those magnetic LED flashlights that work very well too.I like using the magnetic LED flashlights for the bathroom so you can see at night without turning on the regular lights.

 

Magnetic LED lights is a great idea for bathroom! I can't remember, but is there a plug in the bathroom for a regular night light?

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Drazil65

Drazil65

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Yes on the plug for nightlight in bathroom, we always bring one (actually 2 just in case), that way you can leave the bathroom door ajar and get a little glow at night. Makes getting up in dark and heading to the bathroom a lot easier for all (plus we don't have on the bright bathroom light as nightlight just enough).

 

Note about the balcony, a regular balcony is just perfect for 2 in most cases. Balconies come in all shapes and sizes depending on the cabin you choose, aft is large and an OS is double the size of a regular. Next time maybe get something a little different if you like having the outside space.

 

The best thing about the balcony is the private outdoor space that is all yours and if you want to sit outside in your pjs or before you brush your hair (or whatever makes you presentable) you can enjoy it. Last time we were watching the dolphins playing along side the ship as we were leaving during sail away, was just nice not to fight for railing space up top etc.

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CandyCruiser1106

CandyCruiser1106

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Hi Candy-

Could you email the number to Matthew to my address at jtdeese@juno.com? I saw your comments on another forum regarding this. Thanks!

 

Yes of course! I got the contact info for Matthew who is the Carnival Specialist for Upgrade/Upsell. I sent Matthew an email to start with, but 4 days later, I called the toll free number because he did not reply to my email. I was totally shocked when Matthew answered the phone, he told me he received my email, but he doesn't answer emails until the end of the week. He told me he was going to transfer my call to someone in charge of the "Dream". I was thinking "here we go, I would be transferred from one person to another, or I would be put on hold for at least 30 minutes, or I would eventually get disconnected somehow"!! But that was not the case - when he transferred me, I was immediately connected to Natasha, who already knew what I was calling about, and told me she has 2 balconies just became available. She let me choose between 2, and I chose mid-ship Deck 9 which is Vista. And that's it!

I will email you the info! Good luck!

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AZ Karaoke Girl

AZ Karaoke Girl

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Magnetic LED lights is a great idea for bathroom! I can't remember, but is there a plug in the bathroom for a regular night light?

 

The plug in the bathroom is not a US plug so I've never been able to use it for anything. That is why the battery operated LED light is perfect. It even comes with a built in hook if needs to hang instead of using the magnet but I've not had any issues just using the door jam. It is little like 3"x4"

 

You can get them at Walmart or Harbor Freight and I've seen them at Lowe's & Home Depot too.

 

THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE - click here

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CandyCruiser1106

CandyCruiser1106

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The plug in the bathroom is not a US plug so I've never been able to use it for anything. That is why the battery operated LED light is perfect. It even comes with a built in hook if needs to hang instead of using the magnet but I've not had any issues just using the door jam. It is little like 3"x4"

 

You can get them at Walmart or Harbor Freight and I've seen them at Lowe's & Home Depot too.

 

THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE - click here

 

Thanks so much Lisa! The picture helps!

So, if I bring just a regular plug in night light from home, it will not work?

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charmed101

charmed101

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Hi All,

Our first cruise was an inside and we enjoyed it a lot. Now, for us, its a balcony or no cruise. I think (like a lot of people) our sleep habits are different, I'm an early riser, my better half likes to sleep in a bit when possible.

One of the best parts of a cruise for me is waking about 5-530am and heading to the balcony with my ipad. Watching a sunrise by yourself with a good book and a cold drink is a dream,,, words doesn't do it justice,, you have to experience it.

(Plus makes better half happy because your not moving around the cabin making noises trying to "accidently" wake her up so that the day can begin! )

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rlindholm

rlindholm

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All of the above posts have good info. One other thing -- they may clean the balconies one day on your cruise. There will be a notice of this in your room. It will say the day and time. Be sure your window drapes are 'closed' to avoid an embarrassing situation. :eek:

 

This exactly. Hopefully you won't notice the paper AFTER the stated time they were going to be out cleaning balconies. And if you do... well you weren't the only one that it has ever happened too (trust me, I know) and you won't be the last. And you will never have to see those people again. And if you do, they probably won't recognize your face. ;)

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BTromboneFrack

BTromboneFrack

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We went on two cruises years ago and stayed in an inside room. Not bad, still had a great cruise. Then we tried a balcony room because our friends were going to book one too. After that -- HOOKED! Can't live without a balcony. Waking up at 2 or 3 in the morning and stepping out on the balcony is a few minutes of magic before I head to sleep again. Coming in after a long day in the sun, great meal and entertainment, drinks and casino -- and then being able to decompress with a drink on the balcony. it doesn't get much better than that. We spend most of our time on the balcony now. Unfortunately, we are now hooked on the aft and the aft wrap balconies. But who cares, money goes away -- memories don't. You will love the upgrade! It really is like a new type of cruise.

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