Balcony cabin on Trans-Atlantic?

[Les_ldh]

Looking for some advice on Oceana. I am considering booking the 35 day round trip to the Caribbean departing 17th November 2019. This will be my first TA and am wondering if it is worth spending extra for a balcony cabin considering the relatively high number of sea days, I do like balcony cabins, but I am wondering if people tend to use them as much on a TA. Any advice or thoughts would be very welcome.

 

Les.

[grapau27]

4 minutes ago, Les_ldh said:

Looking for some advice on Oceana. I am considering booking the 35 day round trip to the Caribbean departing 17th November 2019. This will be my first TA and am wondering if it is worth spending extra for a balcony cabin considering the relatively high number of sea days, I do like balcony cabins, but I am wondering if people tend to use them as much on a TA. Any advice or thoughts would be very welcome.

 

Les.

We always book balcony cabins because we like the fresh air and looking at the sea as well as ports when we arrive.

If it is cooler we wrap up and have a hot drink sitting on the balcony.

You will spend a lot of time in the Caribbean and you will regret not having a balcony then.

[Les_ldh]

1 minute ago, grapau27 said:

We always book balcony cabins because we like the fresh air and looking at the sea as well as ports when we arrive.

If it is cooler we wrap up and have a hot drink sitting on the balcony.

You will spend a lot of time in the Caribbean and you will regret not having a balcony then.

Thanks that’s a very good point. I’m hoping the price difference won’t be too high as well.

[grapau27]

16 minutes ago, Les_ldh said:

Thanks that’s a very good point. I’m hoping the price difference won’t be too high as well.

Good luck I hope you can get a good deal.

TAs price match mine is always open to giving me an extra 5% discount on top of P&O offers.

Edited August 19, 2019 by grapau27

[Eglesbrech]

For a long cruise a bit of private outdoor space is pretty much essential, for me at least.

 

I like the fresh air and a bit of peace and quiet to pass a few hours reading or just staring at the waves o sea days. There is only so much “joining in” you can do on a 35 day cruise so a private bolt hole is a god send.

 

I would certainly recommend a balcony.

 

 

[Les_ldh]

15 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Good luck I hope you can get a good deal.

TAs price match mine is always open to giving me an extra 5% discount on top of P&O offers.

Yes, I use a well known TA in Derbyshire 😉 

[Les_ldh]

7 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

For a long cruise a bit of private outdoor space is pretty much essential, for me at least.

 

I like the fresh air and a bit of peace and quiet to pass a few hours reading or just staring at the waves o sea days. There is only so much “joining in” you can do on a 35 day cruise so a private bolt hole is a god send.

 

I would certainly recommend a balcony.

 

 

That’s 2-0 for balconies then, and another very good point. Any idea what sort of sea conditions would be normal for the crossing in November/December?

Edited August 19, 2019 by Les_ldh

[swaddy]

Loved standing on our balcony watching the flying fish. 

[Harry Peterson]

First and best advice I ever had was always to book a balcony. So much extra space and enjoyment. Really makes the holiday.

 

Go for it.

[Les_ldh]

Okay, thanks everyone for your replies you’ve convinced me. All there is to do now is to wait until 9am to see the prices.

 

Les.

[Elaine0138]

1 hour ago, Les_ldh said:

That’s 2-0 for balconies then, and another very good point. Any idea what sort of sea conditions would be normal for the crossing in November/December?

We have had the sea like a mill pond all the way over or so rough all outside decks were closed and lashing of rain for 3 days. Other TA crossings have been a bit of everything.

 

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, Les_ldh said:

Okay, thanks everyone for your replies you’ve convinced me. All there is to do now is to wait until 9am to see the prices.

 

Les.

You may be too late.  You should have registered your interest with a TA today to lock down the price. I doubt you will get the same price on Tuesday. We booked an Oceana cruise in February today at a silly price - talk to your TA before 9am on Tuesday if you can. 

[grapau27]

8 hours ago, Les_ldh said:

Okay, thanks everyone for your replies you’ve convinced me. All there is to do now is to wait until 9am to see the prices.

 

Les.

Please let us know.

It's always worth getting another price as some TAs will price match but only if you have proof.

[Les_ldh]

5 hours ago, grapau27 said:

Please let us know.

It's always worth getting another price as some TAs will price match but only if you have proof.

I decided not to go for it in the end. I was quoted £3950 for a HD balcony solo occupancy. I was sorely tempted, but It was more than my budget and I just couldn’t justify it. I also thought that £400 OBC was a little stingy for 35 days.

Edited August 20, 2019 by Les_ldh

[grapau27]

1 minute ago, Les_ldh said:

I decided not to go for it in the end. I was quoted £3950 for a HD balcony solo occupancy. I was sorely tempted, but It was more than my budget and I just couldn’t justify it. 

Did you book an inside or window cabin or look at a shorter cruise?

It is a lot of money but 35 days is a long time and a big saving for heating and food costs at home.

Our longest cruise is 15 nights and personally I get bored after 10 nights plus all the food and drink piles the weight on me even with going into the gym.

[Les_ldh]

1 minute ago, grapau27 said:

Did you book an inside or window cabin or look at a shorter cruise?

It is a lot of money but 35 days is a long time and a big saving for heating and food costs at home.

Our longest cruise is 15 nights and personally I get bored after 10 nights plus all the food and drink piles the weight on me even with going into the gym.

I’m not the sort to get bored. Two things appealed to me, lots of sea days and the Panama Canal. I didn’t book anything this time, I’ll wait for the next incredible offer to came round.... although I might be waiting a long time ☹️

[Britboys]

I can empathise with you!  I have recently booked a 39-night world cruise sector on Arcadia and would have loved a balcony.  Sadly, the extra cost was in the region of £50 PER NIGHT 😱.  That's an awful lot of wine with dinner and pre-dinner G&Ts.

[tring]

Were did you get details of the new cruises on Oceana this winter.  I have tried searching the P&O website and nothing comes up at all.  We came off Arcadia yesterday as well and no attempt to sell the new cruises.

 

Regards weather in the Atlantic, yes it can vary, so always a bit hit and miss, but usually more stormy in the autumn because of tail ends of hurricanes from the Carribean in the late summer/autumn hurricane season.  We would be more keen to do a TA after Christmas.

[wowzz]

40 minutes ago, tring said:

Were did you get details of the new cruises on Oceana this winter.  I have tried searching the P&O website and nothing comes up at all.  We came off Arcadia yesterday as well and no attempt to sell the new cruises.

 

Regards weather in the Atlantic, yes it can vary, so always a bit hit and miss, but usually more stormy in the autumn because of tail ends of hurricanes from the Carribean in the late summer/autumn hurricane season.  We would be more keen to do a TA after Christmas.

Details of the Oceana cruises came out a few days ago, and prices were shown yesterday. Hundreds of us pre-registered with our TAs to get the launch prices. Just had confirmation that we have a decent balcony cabin for a 14 day Spain/Portugal cruise in February at a daily cost  £80 pp, plus £170 obc each. Not the greatest time to travel, but it was too good a bargain to miss! 

[tring]

1 minute ago, wowzz said:

Details of the Oceana cruises came out a few days ago, and prices were shown yesterday. Hundreds of us pre-registered with our TAs to get the launch prices. Just had confirmation that we have a decent balcony cabin for a 14 day Spain/Portugal cruise in February at a daily cost  £80 pp, plus £170 obc each. Not the greatest time to travel, but it was too good a bargain to miss! 

 

Thanks for the reply and glad you got a good deal.  I still cannot find the published details of the cruises though and searched the P&O site less than an hour ago and nothing came up for Oceana this winter.  

[wowzz]

2 minutes ago, tring said:

 

Thanks for the reply and glad you got a good deal.  I still cannot find the published details of the cruises though and searched the P&O site less than an hour ago and nothing came up for Oceana this winter.  

10 Oct 2019 - Malta to Southampton (Repositioning) - 10nts
• 17 Oct 2019 - Malta to Southampton (Repositioning) - 17nts
• 27 Oct 2019 - Canary Islands - 14nts
• 10 Nov 2019 - Northern Cruise Break - 7nts
• 17 Nov 2019 - UK to Caribbean Roundtrip including Panama Canal- 35nts
• 22 Dec 2019 - Canary Islands - Christmas & New Year - 14nts
• 05 Jan 2019 - Atlantic Coast Iberia - 14nts
• 19 Jan 2019 - Canary Islands - 14nts
• 02 Feb 2020 - Atlantic Coast Iberia - 14nts
• 16 Feb 2020 - Northern Cruise Break - Half Term- 7nts
• 23 Feb 2020 - Canary Islands - 14nts
• 08 Mar 2020 - Atlantic Coast Iberia - 14nts
• 22 Mar 2020 - Southampton to Malta (Repositioning) - 11nts
• 22 Mar 2020 - Southampton to Malta (Repositioning) - 18nts

Just to point out that the first two cruises are the wrong way round!

[tring]

1 minute ago, wowzz said:

10 Oct 2019 - Malta to Southampton (Repositioning) - 10nts
• 17 Oct 2019 - Malta to Southampton (Repositioning) - 17nts
• 27 Oct 2019 - Canary Islands - 14nts
• 10 Nov 2019 - Northern Cruise Break - 7nts
• 17 Nov 2019 - UK to Caribbean Roundtrip including Panama Canal- 35nts
• 22 Dec 2019 - Canary Islands - Christmas & New Year - 14nts
• 05 Jan 2019 - Atlantic Coast Iberia - 14nts
• 19 Jan 2019 - Canary Islands - 14nts
• 02 Feb 2020 - Atlantic Coast Iberia - 14nts
• 16 Feb 2020 - Northern Cruise Break - Half Term- 7nts
• 23 Feb 2020 - Canary Islands - 14nts
• 08 Mar 2020 - Atlantic Coast Iberia - 14nts
• 22 Mar 2020 - Southampton to Malta (Repositioning) - 11nts
• 22 Mar 2020 - Southampton to Malta (Repositioning) - 18nts

Just to point out that the first two cruises are the wrong way round!

 

Thanks.

[Pippawhipper1]

I love a Balcony cabin watching the sea go bye 

Even number cabin for best of the sun going over to Caribbean and odd coming back.