Sheltered Balcony preferences - Port or Starboard to the Mediterranean

[Altrincham Charter]

I am booked on the Queen Mary 2 on the 14-night sailing to the Mediterranean on 9th June. I am about to amend my booking from an Inside Cabin to a sheltered balcony.

 

I want to ask fellow forum members if anyone has a preference of either Port or Starboard on a sailing from Southampton to/from the Med. 

 

I’m after some tips about sheltered cabin position, mostly to find out if there are any reasons for or against one side of the ship or the other when heading across the Bay of Biscay and round into the Mediterranean. Any guidance or advice (or interesting insights about things to look out for or consider) are very much appreciated.

 

Many thanks and very best wishes.

[PORT ROYAL]

2 hours ago, Altrincham Charter said:

I am booked on the Queen Mary 2 on the 14-night sailing to the Mediterranean on 9th June. I am about to amend my booking from an Inside Cabin to a sheltered balcony.

 

I want to ask fellow forum members if anyone has a preference of either Port or Starboard on a sailing from Southampton to/from the Med. 

 

I’m after some tips about sheltered cabin position, mostly to find out if there are any reasons for or against one side of the ship or the other when heading across the Bay of Biscay and round into the Mediterranean. Any guidance or advice (or interesting insights about things to look out for or consider) are very much appreciated.

 

Many thanks and very best wishes.

Not a fan of Sheltered, but they have fans.
The loungers on deck 7 would give better and more comfortable views, as the seated sea views from a sheltered are very restricted.

Consider taking an upgraded inside on deck 13 and spend the price difference between staterooms on treats and spoiling oneself onboard.  If unable to move to deck 13 the treats remain.

[Host Hattie]

As you're doing a round trip it'll even out in the end so I would try and get a central position between accommodation decks.

[Summergee]

I like port because I get the morning sun on the way down, while I am getting used to the heat, and the afternoon sun on the way back.

[Altrincham Charter]

Many thanks for the replies.

 

45 minutes ago, Summergee said:

I like port because I get the morning sun on the way down, while I am getting used to the heat, and the afternoon sun on the way back.

This is a great tip, and a scenario that I hadn’t considered. Cheers.

[exlondoner]

10 hours ago, Summergee said:

I like port because I get the morning sun on the way down, while I am getting used to the heat, and the afternoon sun on the way back.

I agree, for a slightly different reason. Having sunny evenings going back helps mitigate the inevitable depression caused by the thought of the end of the cruise. Incidentally, although my experience of the sheltered balconies was not at the best time as we were quarantined in one, I was very impressed be the cabin and the balcony. If you are fairly tall, you can see the sea, just, while sitting down.

[Altrincham Charter]

9 hours ago, exlondoner said:

I agree, for a slightly different reason. Having sunny evenings going back helps mitigate the inevitable depression caused by the thought of the end of the cruise. Incidentally, although my experience of the sheltered balconies was not at the best time as we were quarantined in one, I was very impressed be the cabin and the balcony. If you are fairly tall, you can see the sea, just, while sitting down.

The perfect tip. Two good points from yourself and @Summergee.

 

Thank you.

[paulco]

Yes, it kinda gets equal in zluhr.

[paulco]

Wow, don’t know how I. messed that up! Meant to say that time of year the sun is overhead so it really doesn’t matter much.

[fourmile.ranch]

On 3/9/2023 at 5:19 PM, paulco said:

Yes, it kinda gets equal in zluhr.

Not to mention the press covfefe...

 

[paulco]

Lol!

[Down-Unders]

On 3/9/2023 at 2:33 AM, Altrincham Charter said:

I am booked on the Queen Mary 2 on the 14-night sailing to the Mediterranean on 9th June. I am about to amend my booking from an Inside Cabin to a sheltered balcony.

 

I want to ask fellow forum members if anyone has a preference of either Port or Starboard on a sailing from Southampton to/from the Med. 

 

I’m after some tips about sheltered cabin position, mostly to find out if there are any reasons for or against one side of the ship or the other when heading across the Bay of Biscay and round into the Mediterranean. Any guidance or advice (or interesting insights about things to look out for or consider) are very much appreciated.

 

Many thanks and very best wishes.

Port side where most stops are and good views  coming into port.

[exlondoner]

5 hours ago, Down-Unders said:

Port side where most stops are and good views  coming into port.

Surely that depends on the itinerary, and the ship often arrives quite early so you miss the arrival. Also, you never know which way round the ship will dock.

[Down-Unders]

On 3/14/2023 at 6:33 PM, exlondoner said:

Surely that depends on the itinerary, and the ship often arrives quite early so you miss the arrival. Also, you never know which way round the ship will dock.

Friend I have answered the question from the original topic  regarding QM 2,  9 June looking at the Itinerary.

 

[Host Hattie]

2 hours ago, Down-Unders said:

Friend I have answered the question from the original topic  regarding QM 2,  9 June looking at the itinerary. 

@exlondoner was on a similar itinerary last year so perhaps she can remember which way round QM2 docked.

Are you recommending port side for views of the terminal while docked ?

[exlondoner]

58 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

@exlondoner was on a similar itinerary last year so perhaps she can remember which way round QM2 docked.

Are you recommending port side for views of the terminal while docked ?

Do you think they always choose the same way round? My impression is that on the whole they like to get any awkward turning done first thing, without too many people watching, and so they can make a stylish departure. But if they are a bit late for some reason, they will leave the manoeuvring until departure. From what I remember Lisbon was port side to, CV was starboard, but not its usual place, Cadiz was starboard, I think, and I’m not sure about Barca.

Edited March 16, 2023 by exlondoner

[Host Hattie]

13 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Do you think they always choose the same way round?

No, I would think it depends on wind and tides as well as time, how busy the port is and how difficult the access.

[exlondoner]

1 minute ago, Host Hattie said:

No, I would it depends on wind and tides as well as time, how busy the port is and how difficult the access.

Quite.

[D&N]

I looked at the itinerary when the question was asked.

Based on the port calls, mainland would be on the port side for most of the trip.

However you don't know if the ship will be close enough to see land for much of the time.

I therefore decided it might not be helpful and didn't respond.

That may be "Down-Unders" point.

 

They don't have the reward of a Riviera View on that trip!

Edited March 16, 2023 by D&N

[Host Hattie]

Did you decide what to move to @Altrincham Charter ? Please join our roll call, we have a starboard non-sheltered balcony !

[Vic The Parrot]

On 3/10/2023 at 9:52 PM, fourmile.ranch said:

Not to mention the press covfefe...

 

I haven't seen that in ages!

Thanks for bringing that up. 🤣 

 

(But my personal fav is BING BING BONG BONG BING ... I think that's the right order. 🙃)

[Altrincham Charter]

On 3/16/2023 at 5:37 PM, Host Hattie said:

Did you decide what to move to @Altrincham Charter ? Please join our roll call, we have a starboard non-sheltered balcony !

Thank you @Host Hattie. I am now in a sheltered balcony (Port).

 

What swayed me was the very specific tips from @Summergee and @exlondoner about having sunshine in the morning on the way south (to help get used to the heat, plus the bonus of a few days of experiencing sunrises), and then having sunshine late in the day on the way back to help with the knowledge that the ship is heading home.