The Downgrade Fairy just called.

[geoherb]

I had great cruises to Alaska in an oceanview cabin this summer on the Island. Perhaps on the Royal a balcony is more precious because of the lack of a full size promenade. 

 

We met people who took a downgrade from a balcony to an inside for their cruise fare refunded in OBC. They were having a great time.

[getting older slowly]

I think It all come down to is your cabin important you... location, type etc.

 

To us we book early so we can get the cabin we want... it the right cabin is not available, we go on a different date.

 

To others a cabin is just some where to sleep...

 

Main thing is enjoy yourself and be happy

 

Cheers with a G&T Don 

[BarbinMich]

IMHO a balcony is not necessary to truly enjoy an Alaska cruise.  Perhaps the exception is the Royal without adequate covered outside promenade. The latter is where I have spent a lot of time on our 4 cruises in Alaska.  Our first cruise up there was on Celebrity's Horizon in 1996 and I don't think it had any balconies or, at most, very few.  Ships are generally in port during the day, except for the first or last day out of Vancouver (assuming that's where the cruise starts/ends) so there's not a lot of time to enjoy a balcony as there would be in the Caribbean, e.g.

[cruisequeen4ever]

IF one had regretted spending so much on a full balcony, a $300 downgrade might be enticing at the last minute, but really, $300 can just be about the difference in price it would have been if you had originally opted for an obstructed balcony, and you clearly didn’t go for it back then, so why would you now?? The obstructed balconies can be just over the smoking section, they can have a lifeboat in front of the railing, or they can offer little to no privacy by being right over Promenade. For $300 I think you made the right decision.

Have a great cruise!

[voljeep]

when we booked the SKY - seems like it was 500+ days from sailing - little 3 day inaugural - our booked balcony was   $ 100 pp more than the inside cabin across the hall...

 

cruise is still showing as "SOLD OUT" ( around 130 days out ) and has been for a long time now ...

 

would we take a move down offer of $ 100 pp to move to an inside cabin - NO

 

$ 200 pp - NO

 

$ 300 pp - Prolly

 

$ 400 pp - What's our new cabin number ?

 

so, yeah

 

 

[Cruise Raider]

I’d have taken it but only because we like the balconies on the Emerald deck.  

[elliair]

On 7/26/2019 at 8:46 AM, Mary Ellen1 said:

Well, when my phone rings, with a California area code, at 8:30am on day-before-cruise day, I instantly wonder, "Is it Princess?"

 

Why yes!  But I didn't think the offer was very good.  We sail tomorrow (July 27) on the Royal out of Whittier, southbound to Vancouver.  Princess offered a downgrade from a Balcony (BB category on the Dolphin deck) to a partially-obstructed balcony, one deck lower, on Emerald deck.  And $300/person in refundable OBC.  They made the same offer to the other 2 cabins (DH's brothers) who are sailing with us.  We turned it down.  To me, sailing Alaska is all about the scenery, the wildlife, and THE BALCONY!  

 

Anyway, just thought I'd report in on this.  First time I've received a last-minute offer like this from Princess.  If they'd offered a move-over offer, to a completely different sailing, with all kinds of refunds, upgrades, airfare credits, etc...  AND if we weren't sailing with 4 other family members, we would have jumped on that kind of an offer.  This one, not so much.

 

Happy cruising, y'all!

I don't get these phone calls offering you a downgrade.  Why don't they offer the party who wants to cruise the crappy balcony and deck?   $300 isn't worth it, what a joke and I'd tell them that as well.

[jagoffee]

On 7/26/2019 at 11:19 AM, JF - retired RRT said:

I would have taken it.

Many have stated a balcony is nice, but the best views won't be there. You still would have had a balcony (partial obstruction). I've had partial obst. balconies and it's no big deal. AND you would have had an extra $300 each which would likely be refundable.

Perhaps you are convinced that the price difference between the two categories when you originally booked was much significantly less than $300?  Otherwise, why would you take such an offer?

[Steelers36]

4 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

I’d have taken it but only because we like the balconies on the Emerald deck.  

Any of them???

Edited July 28, 2019 by steelers36

[Colo Cruiser]

Yikes no way.

[BarbinMich]

On 7/27/2019 at 6:55 PM, Cruise Raider said:

I’d have taken it but only because we like the balconies on the Emerald deck.  

 

Although we prefer OV cabins on Plaza on the pre-Royal ships, we have also sought out cabins on Emerald that we knew weren't really obstructed--those mid-ship like E414-E417 are the best because they're furthest from that box and right at the elevator lobby.  The worst are those behind the big white box (E407-E409).  

[Thrak]

For a free cruise  plus the original cost of the cruise as OBC I would give up the balcony for an inside cabin. Heck, I'd do it for $1000 OBC each. For $300 each I have to agree with others that this is likely about the initial difference in cost so not a good offer.

Edited July 29, 2019 by Thrak

[Cruise Raider]

20 hours ago, BarbinMich said:

 

Although we prefer OV cabins on Plaza on the pre-Royal ships, we have also sought out cabins on Emerald that we knew weren't really obstructed--those mid-ship like E414-E417 are the best because they're furthest from that box and right at the elevator lobby.  The worst are those behind the big white box (E407-E409).  

 

I stayed in E416 a few times ... even better, though, was on on the Crown that had a piece of round equipment that was put up only when we were in port.  It was in E403 or E406 .... something like that.  It is actually sold as a nonobstructed OV cabin ... at least at the time.  We got a free upgrade to it from an inside cabin and it was a great stateroom!  We also like the ones without obstruction, particularly  on the starboard side E619, E605, etc on the  Grand.  Even though E619 is located right across from the laundromat, we never experienced any noise issues on any sailing in that cabin.  There are some real bargains to be found on the Emerald deck and I absolutely love the location.  

[BarbinMich]

2 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

 

I stayed in E416 a few times ... even better, though, was on on the Crown that had a piece of round equipment that was put up only when we were in port.  It was in E403 or E406 .... something like that.  It is actually sold as a nonobstructed OV cabin ... at least at the time.  We got a free upgrade to it from an inside cabin and it was a great stateroom!  We also like the ones without obstruction, particularly  on the starboard side E619, E605, etc on the  Grand.  Even though E619 is located right across from the laundromat, we never experienced any noise issues on any sailing in that cabin.  There are some real bargains to be found on the Emerald deck and I absolutely love the location.  

Yes, there are bargains to be had on that deck!

[toads45froggy]

300... nope. they want to obstruct my view they have to make my bill more clear.

 

Hope you have a great unobstructed cruise!!!!!!!!!!!!

[janina]

Not for $300.00 no way. I'd have kept my balcony.

[hobbyfarmer2]

Better than the offer we got to vacate our balcony on the 2'nd leg of a Caribbean b2b 1.5 years ago.  The offer was a total of $100 which we turned down.

[Griller]

On ‎7‎/‎26‎/‎2019 at 2:07 PM, BarbinMich said:

But they'll be partially obstructed, most likely by a tender/life boat.  We had a partially obstructed balcony cabin on the Royal (E222, I think).  It was only obstructed when looking down so no biggie plus we were on a TA with a lot of sea days, many of them rainy.

We were just on QM2 with a partially obstructed balcony and we were expecting a real obstruction like a lifeboat but there was none, it was however an in hull balcony with a big hole in the steel side of the ship to view through, and the lower lip of the hole was a bit higher than most people's eye level while sitting in the rather low chairs they provided. It was a big balcony though, and very private from sight but very echo-ey and you could hear other passengers talking. We were very happy with it, we never had a balcony that big on Princess.

[suzyed]

On 7/26/2019 at 11:46 AM, Mary Ellen1 said:

Well, when my phone rings, with a California area code, at 8:30am on day-before-cruise day, I instantly wonder, "Is it Princess?"

 

Why yes!  But I didn't think the offer was very good.  We sail tomorrow (July 27) on the Royal out of Whittier, southbound to Vancouver.  Princess offered a downgrade from a Balcony (BB category on the Dolphin deck) to a partially-obstructed balcony, one deck lower, on Emerald deck.  And $300/person in refundable OBC.  They made the same offer to the other 2 cabins (DH's brothers) who are sailing with us.  We turned it down.  To me, sailing Alaska is all about the scenery, the wildlife, and THE BALCONY!  

 

Anyway, just thought I'd report in on this.  First time I've received a last-minute offer like this from Princess.  If they'd offered a move-over offer, to a completely different sailing, with all kinds of refunds, upgrades, airfare credits, etc...  AND if we weren't sailing with 4 other family members, we would have jumped on that kind of an offer.  This one, not so much.

 

Happy cruising, y'all!

I agree...a balcony is great on an Alaska cruise!!

 

[Mary Ellen1]

We're just back from this cruise.  Very glad we kept our unobstructed balcony, as we saw lots (& LOTS) of whales, and a few bears and either Dall sheep or mountain goats (not sure) from our balcony.  Thanks, all, for the comments.  First time I'd ever received a last-minute offer from Princess, but it wasn't an attractive offer at all (to me).  

[geocruiser]

8 minutes ago, Mary Ellen1 said:

We're just back from this cruise.  Very glad we kept our unobstructed balcony, as we saw lots (& LOTS) of whales, and a few bears and either Dall sheep or mountain goats (not sure) from our balcony.  Thanks, all, for the comments.  First time I'd ever received a last-minute offer from Princess, but it wasn't an attractive offer at all (to me).  

Happy to hear that you had a great time.  Keeping you cabin was worth it.