Oceanview vs. Balcony for a Transatlantic?? The price difference is (how can I put this?)...YIKES!!!

[insidecabin]

$2500 would double the cost of an entry cabin on a TA.

[schmoopie17]

After checking the locations of the OV cabins, it's true that they're not great. Above public spaces is not a great option. However, knowing I have an extra $2500 in my pocket makes up for it. That pays our airfare back from London...plus a few pints in the many pubs we plan to patronize.

 

Again, a balcony on an April TA will mostly go unused. While it offers a bigger door/window to view the water for several sea days, I can't justify the extra expense.

 

The Prima has a similar itinerary at about the same time but we've been on the Prima before and aren't huge fans. Plus, it's not a great cold weather ship. But we still have a year and a half to figure it out.

[schmoopie17]

19 hours ago, laudergayle said:

Another idea.  Do you have the NCL credit card yet?  If not, get the card ad 25000 bonus.  Book a OA csbin, pay for it with your card and get 3x points.  You will have enough points  (30,000) to upgrade to a BA balcony.

 

Sounds like an awesome plan...except we both already have the NCL BofA card. We've already cashed in the balance of our previous points. I've read that some people have more than one per person...but don't know how they're able to pull it off.

[schmoopie17]

20 hours ago, DCGuy64 said:

Mrs. Schmoopie should have a word or two with Mrs. DCGuy. My wife is frugal in the extreme. She would throw me overboard for wasting $2,500 on a mostly useless balcony. So my answer is: SAVE YOUR MONEY.

Tell you what. You book a balcony on this cruise and I'll book an OV. That way we can keep each other company while floating/drowning in New York Harbor.

[DCGuy64]

28 minutes ago, schmoopie17 said:

Tell you what. You book a balcony on this cruise and I'll book an OV. That way we can keep each other company while floating/drowning in New York Harbor.

Deal! Although, I just booked us on an NCL cruise to Norway and Iceland in June 2025 and I don't think, no, I KNOW I can't get that much time off work that close together. Enjoy the harbor! 😉

[fredflint]

You should always do a TA that ends in Florida you do not want the northern (NY) route !

[lucksak]

On 9/26/2023 at 3:44 PM, schmoopie17 said:

First some background. Mrs. Schmoopie will normally only cruise with a balcony. Got it? But we're looking at a TA from New York for April, 2025 out of New York on the Pearl and the difference between an oceanview and a balcony is unbelievable. A middle of the road balcony is almost $2500 more than a middle of the road oceanview. Seriously.

 

Now, I should tell you on our last TA in November, 2022 we had a balcony and I would estimate that Mrs. Schmoopie actually stepped onto the balcony (maybe) twice in 16 days. But, again...she just HAS to have a balcony...even though it will probably be too cold to use it (again).

 

Don't tell her, but I'm thinking of booking an oceanview and then when we open the cabin door I can yell "SURPRISE!!". At which point, don't be surprised if you read of a man overboard on the Pearl in April, 2025. Although, she would have a hard time throwing me through the window...even if the cabin I'm looking at has a picture window.

 

So...is it worth $2500 to have a balcony that we will probably never use? I think you know my answer...

When we did a Baltic back to back Transatlantic. We were in the same situation. I talked my husband into booking OV because of the huge difference in price. NCL offered us to bid on an upgrade. I bid the minimum and we were upgraded to a cabin with a huge balcony. Not that we used it. Too cold . 

[coin ops]

On 9/27/2023 at 9:38 AM, DCGuy64 said:

Disagree (at least in theory), it depends on where/when you're going. Example: Last December we did a TA from Lisbon to New York. It was cold and windy a lot of the time, so a balcony was rather useless. We spent VERY little time out there. By contrast, if you were doing a TA at a different time of year (same itinerary), a balcony might be nice. Perhaps an AFT balcony would be different, ours was not.

Were you in an AFT balcony? 

 

We took a Transatlantic from Barcelona to Miami on the Epic late October years ago in an Aft suite and spent lots of time on the balcony while at sea. 

We'll find out next April if the same is true westbound when we sail from NYC to Southampton on the Getaway also in an aft suite. 

[DCGuy64]

2 minutes ago, coin ops said:

Were you in an AFT balcony? 

No. That's what my last sentence was about. 🙂

[fredflint]

I have taken several TAs almost all to the US since that is where we live and in the fall , we have used our balcony a lot.  Also always going to Florida or further south and use our balcony all the time.  Choose a cabin on the South side of the ship and just enjoy watching the ocean go by.

[ysolde]

DH and I had a similar conversation this morning. I had asked our travel agent a question about the cabin I had selected on the Viva (a Forward facing mini suite, whatever they are calling mini suites these days).  She sent a video to answer my question.  I showed DH the video, and he said the cabin was too narrow for his taste. Find out how much more for an entry-level (2-person, non-Haven) suite.  So, I contacted the travel agent.  It is a 16-day, late season TA cruise in 2024 (from Lisbon to San Juan).  I found the price difference eye-wateringly high.  DH, however, found the original cabin uncomfortable: small and narrow.  He wanted the Aft Suite.  And I knew if we didn't book it, he would be unhappy all through the cruise.  So I had the travel agent book it for us.  I felt DH's stress level lower immediately.  And I know it's within our budget.  

 

I find the fact that at this price point, NCL still charges us for sodas, tea, and coffee ridiculous, but this is why we have mostly moved on to Regent.

[IAcruising]

49 minutes ago, ysolde said:

cabin I had selected on the Viva (a Forward facing mini suite, whatever they are calling mini suites these days) ... he said the cabin was too narrow for his taste.

 

Wow. Has DH ever been a normal cruise?  Narrow? That's what a cruise ship cabin is!  We were shocked at how large our regular balcony cabin was on the Prima.

 

 

 

[ysolde]

12 minutes ago, IAcruising said:

 

Wow. Has DH ever been a normal cruise?  Narrow? That's what a cruise ship cabin is!  We were shocked at how large our regular balcony cabin was on the Prima.

 

 

 

Meh.  He's older and he is picky.  I'm not going to fault him for having his idiosyncrasies. 

[Ozzieru1e]

On 9/27/2023 at 12:54 PM, schmoopie17 said:

Sounds like an awesome plan...except we both already have the NCL BofA card. We've already cashed in the balance of our previous points. I've read that some people have more than one per person...but don't know how they're able to pull it off.

I have a NCL BofA card that I received in 2016.  Read on CC some people have more than one card so I recently applied for a second card and was approved.  I have excellent credit and haven’t applied for any new credit cards for several months might be an approval factor.  Some credit cards offered $200 cash rewards if you spend $1000 in three months after receipt of new card; but, don’t apply for new credit cards from different banks back to back…they check credit reports. 😆 

[njkate]

On 9/27/2023 at 12:35 PM, schmoopie17 said:

After checking the locations of the OV cabins, it's true that they're not great. Above public spaces is not a great option. However, knowing I have an extra $2500 in my pocket makes up for it. 

 

Again, a balcony on an April TA will mostly go unused. While it offers a bigger door/window to view the water for several sea days, I can't justify the extra expense.

 

The Prima has a similar itinerary at about the same time but we've been on the Prima before and aren't huge fans. Plus, it's not a great cold weather ship. But we still have a year and a half to figure it out.

Had same issue when I booked my Alaskan cruise for last month. I had done Alaska last year on Bliss and never used the balcony, it was just too chilly and rainy. When I went to book the Jewel the difference in OV versus Balcony was $2K, our self booked air to Anchorage was $1800 so no brainer booked the OV, first time in OV and it was fine.

The pricing of cruises nowadays you have to shop and either make concessions or fork over the money.

Haven is no longer on my radar, balconies it will depend on price difference between an OV and balcony. Such is life lol

Edited September 30, 2023 by njkate

[UKstages]

On 9/27/2023 at 9:45 PM, fredflint said:

You should always do a TA that ends in Florida you do not want the northern (NY) route !

the problem with a TA that ends in florida is that when you get off the ship, you’re in florida.

[fredflint]

But if you live in the US it is a short flight home, end in ROME you have a long flight back even if you stay for a few days. Also don't do a TA either to or from the East Coast in the fall.

[UKstages]

hmmm… italy or florida… where would i rather be at the end of a cruise?

 

again, the problem with a cruise that ends in florida is that when you get off the ship, you’re in florida. the problem is not getting home or the length of the flight… the problem is having to spend time and money in florida.

[DrSea]

Bro....happy wife,  happy life

[DrSea]

On 9/26/2023 at 3:46 PM, complawyer said:

read my lips.... BALCONY!!!!. if your wife needs the balcony, she'll be most unhappy with the ocean view, and then you'll have to live with it for the rest of the cruise (and maybe even for the rest of your life)

Agreed

 

You now have a doctor and lawyer advising you to go with the balcony 

Edited October 1, 2023 by DrSea

[schmoopie17]

I just showed Mrs. Schmoopie the responses to my question (she's not on CC) and she (surprisingly) said, "Do what you want to do. I'm filing for divorce," 

 

Okay...not really. Actually, the first part of her response is true...the second half remains to be seen. 😁

[DrSea]

2 hours ago, schmoopie17 said:

I just showed Mrs. Schmoopie the responses to my question (she's not on CC) and she (surprisingly) said, "Do what you want to do. I'm filing for divorce," 

 

Okay...not really. Actually, the first part of her response is true...the second half remains to be seen. 😁

Perfect. Get an inside room and save even more money

[MsTabbyKats]

Here's my 2 cents.

 

I book balcony if I think I'd get use out of it....or if the price is good.  A  balcony on a TA from NY in April...completely irrational.

 

I'd take that $2500 and get me a nice Italian bauble! Or, some other Italian luxury good...something she can't get here.  Even if she could get it here....it's a souvenir that she can always look back at.

 

If you have the money to burn....burn it on a momento of your trip.

 

(Personal note:  DH always buys me a piece of jewelry, even if I don't want it...so I can have the memory of the trip.)

 

[destar]

On 9/26/2023 at 6:46 PM, complawyer said:

read my lips.... BALCONY!!!!. if your wife needs the balcony, she'll be most unhappy with the ocean view, and then you'll have to live with it for the rest of the cruise (and maybe even for the rest of your life)

I agree with you on the price difference, but I'm with complawyer here, it might be worth the $2500 extra to keep her happy.

[wncretired]

Take the balcony. Go to Florida! Best $$ you will spend on vacation 😎