How are inside with a virtual balcony?

[Giantfan13]

We are looking to book a cruise in 2022 that offers an inside cabin with a virtual balcony. We have heard of them, but never actually experienced them. I understand the process, but is it really a waste of time and money, or just stick with a 'real' inside cabin?

 

Cheers

Len

[robtulipe]

We had one of these cabins on Anthem as we booked late and didn't want to pay the high cost of a balcony cabin as there were very few available when we booked. A balcony was what we had on our other four cruises on this ship. We enjoyed having it and there was a decent virtual view over the bow which was from a bridge mounted camera. I noticed this camera during our bridge tour and one of the officers confirm it was for that function.

Below are shots of one of these on Anthem from a cabin tour we did on another sailing so is not of the actual  view and cabin we had. As you can see this cabin had a rearward view showing the ship's wake.

Edited December 5, 2020 by robtulipe

[twangster]

All things being equal a VB cabin is better than a plain interior.  I wouldn't pay a lot more for it, but if its a few bucks more than why not?

 

Different ships have different views.  Some look aft, some to the side and some forward.  You don't get to pick, it is what it is.  There will be an extra remote in the room so you can black out the screen.

 

On some of the ships that have had them for a while I've had some flaky results with the video flickering or the virtual railing coming and going intermittently.  It was ship wide, not just my display.  They've been more stable on newer ships.

 

It's basically an 80" flat panel on its end.

[spookwife]

It’s a giant window sized flat screen TV.  Me, personally, wasn’t a fan.  You lose seating or storage, or both.  It still looked fake, no breeze, and the lighting was ‘off’..not true natural sunlight.  
 

if you only sail interior, and it’s not more than $5 a day to upgrade to VB, it’s probably worth it once for the novelty 

[allisonb22]

we really enjoyed ours! not sure we would pay much extra for it, but it was cool to have.

[firefly333]

6 minutes ago, allisonb22 said:

we really enjoyed ours! not sure we would pay much extra for it, but it was cool to have.

What is the difference between those and the tv channel that shows the outside, other than it looks like a balcony you are looking thru?

[George C]

We saw one on a cabin crawl when they first came out , definitely think it’s better than a plain inside cabin.

[twangster]

Navigator

 

 

At night:

 

 

 

Explorer

 

 

 

Anthem

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 5, 2020 by twangster

[Merion_Mom]

It's still an interior.  If you like/don't mind an interior, you will like/won't mind an interior with virtual balcony.

 

I tried it once because it was cheap.  (no, wait, twice)  I have no intention of ever booking an interior cabin again, with or without a big picture on the wall.

[allisonb22]

6 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

What is the difference between those and the tv channel that shows the outside, other than it looks like a balcony you are looking thru?

Just the size and placement. Its a large screen on the wall so more of a balcony "feeling" than just on the tv. I think the views may be different between the tv channel and the virtual balcony but i may be wrong on that 

[Ourusualbeach]

We’ve stayed in insides before and if it came down to a couch vs the virtual balcony I’d choose the couch. 

[Ocean Boy]

39 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

It's still an interior.  If you like/don't mind an interior, you will like/won't mind an interior with virtual balcony.

 

I tried it once because it was cheap.  (no, wait, twice)  I have no intention of ever booking an interior cabin again, with or without a big picture on the wall.

I book an interior once because of price and got upgraded. I rolled the dice a second time with no upgrade. I never booked an interior again.

[IRMO12HD]

4 hours ago, Giantfan13 said:

We are looking to book a cruise in 2022 that offers an inside cabin with a virtual balcony. We have heard of them, but never actually experienced them. I understand the process, but is it really a waste of time and money, or just stick with a 'real' inside cabin?

 

Cheers

Len

Thanks for posing the question, @Giantfan13, and thanks to all the people who answered.  I found @twangster's pictures a great addition to my understanding of what the VB inside cabins might look like.  We'll be in one on Ovation in April 2022.

[SkaterJasp]

If you get a virtual balcony all the way aft on a Quantum class ship where the virtual balcony is mounted on the back wall (narrower wall), you’ll have a full couch. Some have the couch by the Virtual Balcony while others have the bed by the virtual balcony.  Plus they look like they belong there whereas the ones mounted on the side wall looks awkwardly placed.
 

 

Edited December 20, 2020 by SkaterJasp

[Iamcruzin]

I only booked an interior room once since 1986. Everything else was at least an obstructed ocean view. The reason we booked the interior was because it was a last minute cheap cruise and it was less expensive to book two interior rooms for 4 people ( two high school age kids) than one oceanview or balcony for 4 people.  We managed and given the situation it was better in terms of space but I wouldn't book one for just me and DW now. Judging from the pictures I don't think the virtual balcony would make a difference. Now after what happened with Covid, if I can't afford a balcony I won't cruise.

[SkaterJasp]

1 hour ago, Iamcruzin said:

 Now after what happened with Covid, if I can't afford a balcony I won't cruise.

Agree... after what happened on that Princess Ship in Japan and other ships after that had to quarantine... all my newly booked cruises are Balconies or Jr Suites. 

[island lady]

Reminds of the kids/young adults with their noses in their I pads/phones/tablets, unaware of the real world.  😉 

[lenquixote66]

On 12/5/2020 at 2:41 PM, spookwife said:

It’s a giant window sized flat screen TV.  Me, personally, wasn’t a fan.  You lose seating or storage, or both.  It still looked fake, no breeze, and the lighting was ‘off’..not true natural sunlight.  
 

if you only sail interior, and it’s not more than $5 a day to upgrade to VB, it’s probably worth it once for the novelty 

We were on the Anthem last December and saw one of these cabins on a Cabin Crawl.One of the people said they like to feel a breeze and the person who had the cabin brought out a portable battery operate fan and turned it on.We all laughed.