Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Do You Prefer an Aft Facing Balcony?

PDX2Cruiser

By PDX2Cruiser,
in Norwegian Cruise Line

Recommended Posts

PDX2Cruiser

PDX2Cruiser

Posted
Posted

I've got an opporunity to book a balcony cabin facing the rear on the POH. I seem to recall reading here that rear facing cabins are more coveted than balconies on either side. Do you agree?

 

Pluses I can dream up: you can see both port and starboard from your balcony, but it takes longer before you see it than someone on either side. Probably less likely to get wind.

 

Minus: might be a rougher ride in rough seas? Does the ocean around Hawaii get rough?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
NYCruiseMom

NYCruiseMom

Posted
Posted
I've got an opporunity to book a balcony cabin facing the rear on the POH. I seem to recall reading here that rear facing cabins are more coveted than balconies on either side. Do you agree?

 

Pluses I can dream up: you can see both port and starboard from your balcony, but it takes longer before you see it than someone on either side. Probably less likely to get wind.

 

Minus: might be a rougher ride in rough seas? Does the ocean around Hawaii get rough?

 

Loved my aft balcony on the Sun this past week. The only problem I had was what looked like soot from the smoke stacks on the balcony in the morning. I brought up two pool towels to lay on the chairs and it took care of the problem. :) I did not think it was any rougher than the starboard or port side cabins I've had in the past.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
intrepid_guy

intrepid_guy

Posted
Posted

I had one aft balcony... and have tried for one ever since! I loved being in the back of the ship. I for one like a bit of motion - really puts me to sleep - I stay away from midships. The views at night were wonderful looking at the wake, anytime we sailed away from an island, we had the last look at it. There is less wind and less neighbors (compared to the length of the ship). I personally did not have soot problems on the SKY (PRIDE OF ALOHA) even though we were on deck 10 (top deck of balconies). I think I would stick my neck out and recommend getting one (as long as we aint on the same cruise and I loose out to you:D ). The only advantage to my last balcony (9000 - all the way forward on the SPIRIT) was that we could watch the water breaking off the bow. It was very pretty too see the sea all churned up and the spray flying into the air (all going behind us, thus we were safe - mostly!!)

 

~Intrepid

Link to comment
Share on other sites
love2relax

love2relax

Posted
Posted

I would book an aft balcony in a heartbeat for all of the reasons listed except in a hot, humid climate. When are you planning to cruise Hawaii? If it is July or August you might want to reconsider. Some fellow Cruise Critics were booked in an aft cabin on the Pride of America when we came through the Panama Canal (when they were bringing it from Germany over to Hawaii). That was in June and July in a humid climate. There wasn't a breeze at all back there and it was uncomfortable. Just a thought to consider...it might be really cool for that night time sail past the volcano though....you also might want to see what's above you. We could look down on the aft balconies from the deck above (one of the bars) on one ship I was on.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
NormanW

NormanW

Posted
Posted
. The only advantage to my last balcony (9000 - all the way forward on the SPIRIT) was that we could watch the water breaking off the bow. It was very pretty too see the sea all churned up and the spray flying into the air (all going behind us, thus we were safe - mostly!!)

 

~Intrepid

Rainbows from the mist from the bow wave. :) When you're far from the (storm) and dealing with swells in blue water and bright sun there be rainbows a plenty! :) It's a sight to behold.

 

Of course we had two (natural) rainbows as we left squalls behind on Sat Jan 14th.

 

Cheers,

 

Norman

rainbow.jpg.96691ffc995c3d742080766327e9e95b.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites
NYCruiseMom

NYCruiseMom

Posted
Posted
Hello, CruiseMom...

 

We're in an aft on the Sun for Alaska... Did you happen to take any photos? Was there plenty of room to move around? Is there a sofa and/or coffee table?

 

That's all for now! Thanks for any info!

 

I've gotten a few pics online so far...and yes, the cabin pics are up! We were in 8279. Here's the link:

 

http://community.webshots.com/myphotos?action=viewAllPhotos&albumID=548037331&security=uqOPRr

Link to comment
Share on other sites
PDX2Cruiser

PDX2Cruiser

Posted
  • Author
Posted
I would book an aft balcony in a heartbeat for all of the reasons listed except in a hot, humid climate. When are you planning to cruise Hawaii? If it is July or August you might want to reconsider...

 

We're planning on going in August. I think we're going to pass on the aft balcony this time, I think I'd rather have the breeze for this one.

 

Thanks everyone for all the comments.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
logcabin

logcabin

Posted
Posted

Up to 3 years ago, we always stayed in standard balcony cabins. Then it happend. We were up-graded to an aft suite with a huge aft facing balcony. That was it. We now only sail when we can get an aft facing suite with and aft balcony. Our entire cruise (ship, date, location, etc) is based on getting an aft facing suite and balcony. No wind on the balcony on sea days like you get with other balconies, love the view of the wake, the sound of the churning water below, etc. And, we have never had a problem with soot, like we have heard others have had. IMHO, the best location on any ship.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Cruise_More_Often

Cruise_More_Often

Posted
Posted

We have an aft-facing mini-suite for our Alaska cruise, too. We booked it last April, just as the Alaska itineraries were announced, because I knew those cabins would be impossible to get later. Guess what--there are still THREE aft-facing minis available for the Sun's first Alaska sailing on May 13. I don't get it.:confused:

 

Thanks, NYCruiseMom for your photos. Wow!

 

Adele

Link to comment
Share on other sites
TxLnghrnz

TxLnghrnz

Posted
Posted
We have an aft-facing mini-suite for our Alaska cruise, too. We booked it last April, just as the Alaska itineraries were announced, because I knew those cabins would be impossible to get later. Guess what--there are still THREE aft-facing minis available for the Sun's first Alaska sailing on May 13. I don't get it.:confused:

 

Thanks, NYCruiseMom for your photos. Wow!

 

Adele

 

We booked an AE Minisuite last September, but REALLY wanted an AF Aft Mini-Suite. There were none available (only 4 on the ship, I guess?)

 

About two weeks ago, they miraculously showed up...ALL FOUR! So we "downgraded" our stateroom selection (and had to pay MORE to do it :eek: !) from an AE to the Aft AF.

 

We're VERY, VERY happy now! But, I'm not sure if they just released them late, or if somebody that had all four changed their ressies?!

 

The other 3 afts are still available on our sailing, too!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Cruise_More_Often

Cruise_More_Often

Posted
Posted
We booked an AE Minisuite last September, but REALLY wanted an AF Aft Mini-Suite. There were none available (only 4 on the ship, I guess?)

 

About two weeks ago, they miraculously showed up...ALL FOUR! So we "downgraded" our stateroom selection (and had to pay MORE to do it :eek: !) from an AE to the Aft AF.

 

We're VERY, VERY happy now! But, I'm not sure if they just released them late, or if somebody that had all four changed their ressies?!

 

The other 3 afts are still available on our sailing, too!

There are actually 6 aft minis (2 AEs on 10, 2 AFs on 9 and 2 AFs on 8. I think they release them after the forward AEs are either completely booked or close to being booked. I noticed that the AFs showed up for our cruise about the same time you saw them. We're in 0067 on 10. I don't think there is any difference between the aft AEs and AFs, but I'd be interested to know. Too bad we're not on the same cruise, or we could easily check it out.

 

Adele

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Chicky331

Chicky331

Posted
Posted

We are scheduled to sail on the Sun in August and are in rooms 9075 and 9275 which are the last side rooms in the aft section. From seaches on this board I understand that they have bigger balconies and that they wrap somewhat so that you can look aft (without hanging over rail). Has anyone stayed in these rooms or their equivalent on decks 8 & 10? Can you give me a description of the view and if the balcony is extended. If the balcony is large, is there extra furniture? Thank you!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Vega23

Vega23

Posted
Posted

Hi, we're considering taking a BA stateroom on the Pride of Aloha, in the aft on the 10th deck. We know there's a Cafe upstairs. Any chance that garbage from there can fall to our balcony? Can diners upstairs see into the balconies below?

 

Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
IScubaSlo

IScubaSlo

Posted
Posted

We have aft balcony staterooms 9700, 9702, on the Pride of America in February. Anyone stay in these staterooms? Would like to know if balconys in aft have lounge chairs on them. Any pictures would be helpful too......

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • Hurricane Zone 2024
      • Cruise Insurance Q&A w/ Steve Dasseos of Tripinsurancestore.com June 2024
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...