Regular or cove balcony....

[jimmy627]

Who has done both? What are the Pro's and con's?

I have never booked the Cove but have had others many times.

Please let us know what you think about the Coves.

Thank you.

[beachbum53]

Love the cove balcony. We had our first one on the Breeze, and we're booking one on the Vista. I like being close to the water, and the privacy that you don't have with a regular balcony. The only "con" is that since the cove balconies are recessed, you don't get much direct sunlight. So if you want to work on your tan, you have to go find a lounge chair in the sun on the Lido deck, which is no big deal for us, since we spend most of our time on the Lido deck anyhow. When choosing a cove balcony, it's important to study the deck plans, so you'll know what's above the cabin you're considering. Deck 3, which is above the cove balconies, is where the main dining rooms and galley are, along with some other public areas. Try to avoid those areas that are most prone to noise, such as the galley.

[vwrestler171]

I always booked the aft extended balconies, but booked a cove for my Vista cruise. We visited a cove on the Breeze and fell in love with them. They seem bigger, they are more private, and the views of the water can't be beat.

[lemansz20]

They are really cool, if you book with your pvp. They can find the ones that if you have friends traveling, have the partition that opens. I swear when you open those, they feel way bigger then the standard balconies with connecting partition. Also lol I am cheap, so balcony for cheaper is on my A list haha.

[dolphin2012]

We have done both and I prefer the cove for sure! I have one booked this summer on the Breeze and cant wait. It is so close to the water and you can see the flying fish and dolphins. I love sailing and it really felt like you were right on the water. I like the privacy too . We did have a little noise last time so I hope I chose a good one this time. The floor is really easy to get to the dining room too. Good choice for us.

[k2excursion]

I feel like regular balconies are only okay, not worth much extra compared to oceanviews. But coves, on the other hand, are great! They are extremely popular, with a vocal minority of people not liking them as much. In regards to the sun thing, almost nobody is getting any kind of a tan on any balcony, except maybe the aft extended ones or the uncovered ones way up top. All other balconies are only getting sun when the UV rays are very weak, such as early morning or late afternoon. So with just about any balcony, forget about getting a tan on it. With that in mind, the extra shade for the coves is actually a positive for coves, because it makes it not so hot & much more comfortable.

 

I love being so close to the water, plus the coves are the only balconies on the ship that will see the water when you look straight down. All other balconies sit above the deck 5 lanai (outdoor public walkway) that sticks out from the ship & circles the whole ship. All other balconies will see some amount of this deck when they look straight down. Some people like seeing the deck, most people don't.

 

The only negative about coves is that half of them are under the galley/kitchen. They are working in the galley all night long, and some spots can be very noisy. The galley stretches from the midship elevators to the aft elevators. Stay forward of the midship elevators & you'll be fine. Under the dining room is the best spot on the whole ship.

Edited January 27, 2016 by k2excursion

[SIENA6334]

Just got off Dream in a cove. I have done several other balconies and I was a bit disappointed in the cove. I do agree it is private and very nice close to the water but it just seemed small. But we have been getting aft facing balconies which are larger. Just a matter of preferences. It's certainly worth trying so you know.

Edited January 27, 2016 by SIENA6334

[mattp420]

We've done both and really liked our cove for all the reasons mentioned. I still think I prefer a Lido balcony to the cove as I prefer being closer to the action. Felt a little far away from everything in the cove.

[PGBSAB]

We have done both...and loved the cove balcony. I love to be able to look straight down at the water and unfortunately on these new class of ships on the higher balconies that is not possible. The balcony itself was a little wider and you don't have the glass to look out of like the higher balconies, but we really enjoyed the experience and would not hesitate to book again. Definitely check the deck plans, we were under the one galley area and we could here cards rolling sometimes early morning, not terrible, just fan occasional thing. If we had a choice of a cove or a higher balcony not being to look at the water...cove every time.

[13cheermom]

We're still on the fence about trying one of the coves. Everyone seems to love them, however we like being on deck 7 or 8 closer to everything. Don't know how I would feel climbing from deck 2 to deck 9 or 10 all the time. I know I could use the elevator but we try to walk whenever possible on the ship for the exercise. As far as the lanai and regular balconies, if you book one of the aft balconies the lanai doesn't extend as far out and doesn't block the view as bad when looking down to the water. Anyway you look at it, being on a cruise ship is better than being at home and work, lol.

[forwardcabin]

We've been in both a standard balcony on Lido and a cove balcony on several cruises on Carnival Magic. There are advantages to both...

 

With the standard balcony, you are higher up on the ship and can see out further. Your view straight down from the balcony is of the Lanai on deck 5. When we stayed in a Lido balcony (deck 10), we were very close to all the outdoor action on Lido and not far from the buffets and other eateries.

Standard balcony...

 

 

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With the cove balcony (deck 2), you are only 2 decks up from the water and look directly down to the water next to the ship. The life boats hang off deck 4 above your cabin and keep the sun from coming directly in. When they docked on our side, we got a direct look at the dock and people leaving and coming back. The inside cabin space is the same as a standard balcony, but the balcony itself is larger--45 sq ft for a cove compared to 35 sq ft for a standard balcony.

Cove Balcony...

 

 

 

Here's hoping you have a great cabin and a great cruise. Bon Voyage!

[LilMissScareAll]

Thank you ForwardCabin for posting those pictures. I was looking at booking the Magic for next year.

Thanks to your pictures, I know I would be one of those people that hates Cove Balconies. I felt trapped and panicked just seeing the pic with the lifeboat above.

Glad Carnival has a variety of cabin styles to suit different cruisers

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk

[blessedwith12]

Do cove balconies have lounges or just chairs? If not, which balconies - on the Magic - would have lounge chairs? Thanks.

[Jenhem31]

I'm in the minority by not loving the coves. They're very nice and I like being close to the water, but hated being on deck 2. It's so far away from everything. Also, they get no sun. The positive thing is coming back from port, you just zip up the stairs and you're close to your room. I'd book one again, but only if the other balconies were sold out. Just make sure you're not under the galley as others have said.

[Trumpster]

There is a current Breeze review and these are two different posters view on the subject:

 

I loved being close to the water but the deck was always wet and I mean puddles and when it dried it was salty. I always kept a towel on the floor inside the door to wipe my feet on, the room steward said she tried to mop it up but it was just always wet.

and

 

It was always wet and sticky....salt I am guessing/hoping! I also felt my view was very restricted and felt boxed in.

 

As was mentioned, the biggest issue with a cove is location. Several are under the Galley and some but not all, reviews have stated noise all night long. some reviews under the galley say they heard no noise, some say they heard some noise and a few say noise all night long.

 

Follow the advice given about location by others be forward of cabins 2334 and 2361 and you should be good.

[kona_wahine]

Do cove balconies have lounges or just chairs? If not, which balconies - on the Magic - would have lounge chairs? Thanks.

 

Coves aren't big enough for lounge chairs. I thinks the longer aft balconies have one lounge. The big wrap around a have room for more.

[cruiseonthebrain]

Just got off Dream in a cove. I have done several other balconies and I was a bit disappointed in the cove. I do agree it is private and very nice close to the water but it just seemed small. But we have been getting aft facing balconies which are larger. Just a matter of preferences. It's certainly worth trying so you know.

 

I agree- I felt a bit claustrophobic. I also disagree with another poster that you can't get sun on a balcony higher up.

[Jimmy Geegitz]

Had a cove on the Dream. We prefer regular balcony. Something to try once tho.

[tallyho8]

The OP asked to compare a regular balcony to a cove balcony. Comparing a cove to a very much more expensive aft balcony is like comparing apples to oranges.

 

Regular balconies and cove balconies are the same size. I have been in both and when the sun is shining on your side of the ship both of them are too hot for me as they get plenty of sunshine.

 

As far as deck 2 being too far from deck 10, it's the same distance to walk to the elevator from either one.

 

The cove has a better view of the water, especially if you are whale watching and want to see them up close instead of so far away that they look like trout.

 

The regular balconies have a slightly better view of the sky above you if you like to watch the seagulls.

 

I cruise on many different ships but since out of the hundreds of cruise ships there are only 3 with lower cove balconies, whenever I cruise on one of those three I choose the cove.

 

I like watching the pilots hop on and off the ships while entering and leaving ports and you can only see them from the cove balconies.

 

If you are on the dock side in port you can watch the action on the dock, bands, dancers, pier runners, etc. that you can't see from the balconies on the 3 ships with cove balconies.

 

You have much more privacy in the cove balconies because people on the promenade deck can't look up and see you as they can in other balconies.

 

But no matter which one you choose, I think it's better than being in a Hilton Inn anywhere. :D

[riclop]

Who has done both? What are the Pro's and con's?

I have never booked the Cove but have had others many times.

Please let us know what you think about the Coves.

Thank you.

 

We love the regular balconies on lido.

[Trumpster]

 

As far as deck 2 being too far from deck 10, it's the same distance to walk to the elevator from either one.

 

 

You have much more privacy in the cove balconies because people on the promenade deck can't look up and see you as they can in other balconies.

 

But no matter which one you choose, I think it's better than being in a Hilton Inn anywhere. :D

 

Assuming the elevators aren't packed or not working or taking for ever.

Then Deck 2 is quite a hike to Deck 10 and beyond.

 

Promenade affords no privacy to deck 6 and little to deck 7 but from 8 and on up, you can't really see what's going on.

 

I agree 100% about the Hilton Inn :D

[sandij]

I loved being close to the water, feeling the spray was sometimes welcome. We had 2276 on Breeze and had no lifeboat above so had full sun most afternoons. The only con was the wet floors and when that dried it was salty feeling. I don't know if that is enough to keep me away from them but it was a little problem. I was always wiping the rail clean due to salt caking it also. But the view of the water can't be beat.