Infinite Balcony Question

[NMTraveller]

6 hours ago, Kelownadon said:

Yet Celebrity has no trouble selling out every infinite veranda cabin on every cruise. Go figure.

And yet they pay more on this ship for the SVs and suites which have the real balconies.  Ahem.

[NutsAboutGolf]

On 7/16/2024 at 3:49 PM, resordanis said:

Hi all,

Looking at a cruise on Celebrity Edge and we are unsure about the Infinite Balcony. Are we able to adjust the balcony window  ourselves to obtain fresh air or is this as I have read, up to the Captain to do?

Can someone tell me the pros and cons of booking this type of cabin please?

We usually book balconies because we do like the fresh air at times, but it seems we might not get it on this type of cabin.

Any assistance would be appreciated.

 

I only skimmed the first page...

 

In the past, have you enjoyed SITTING out on the balcony?  Most who enjoy sitting out won't like the IV, yet if not, you'll probably prefer the IV

[publicpersona]

I've sailed in IV many times and they are just OK. I'd prefer a real balcony. That's the thing that bugs me. A cabin with a floor to ceiling window isn't a bad concept. River cruises have always had them. But the one thing it absolutely is not is a balcony.

 

8 hours ago, TGfromTX said:

The captain can close & lock the windows

 

Just as an aside, I'm amused when cruise lines say "The captain ..." does something or other. And when passengers go along with that charade. While the person in command of the ship certainly could order the windows closed, almost always it is done by the guy washing the windows that day, or even if done for safety, the decision is made by someone a couple steps down the chain of command from the captain.

 

[NutsAboutGolf]

16 minutes ago, publicpersona said:

I've sailed in IV many times and they are just OK. I'd prefer a real balcony. That's the thing that bugs me. A cabin with a floor to ceiling window isn't a bad concept. River cruises have always had them. But the one thing it absolutely is not is a balcony.

 

 

Just as an aside, I'm amused when cruise lines say "The captain ..." does something or other. And when passengers go along with that charade. While the person in command of the ship certainly could order the windows closed, almost always it is done by the guy washing the windows that day, or even if done for safety, the decision is made by someone a couple steps down the chain of command from the captain.

 

 

The part about maintenance is true yet the captain can and does close it when there's bad weather.  Some Capts, like on my Beyond sailing in 2022, will announce over the PA they're sorry but due to the weather they're locking the balconies shut for safety reasons

[Liao]

27 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

The part about maintenance is true yet the captain can and does close it when there's bad weather.  Some Capts, like on my Beyond sailing in 2022, will announce over the PA they're sorry but due to the weather they're locking the balconies shut for safety reasons

they're locking the balconies - Balcony?!?  Have you not been paying attention, NAG!  😁

[zitsky]

1 hour ago, NMTraveller said:

I think that Celebrity could sell a car without the front windshield and convince everyone that it is better 🤣

 

A lot of people here get upset when they finalize realize that the Celebrity marketing is BS.

 

I get upset when I find out that the captain CANNOT lock my balcony door.  That’s just dumb.  What if it’s cold outside and I don’t want to go out?

Edited July 18 by zitsky

[whitshel]

We did Aus/NZ this past March on the Edge.  We are big balcony lovers but really like the IV. So much so we booked one for Star of the Seas in Sept '25.  Now the Temps were in the low 70's so that made it comfortable to pretty much have it open the whole cruise.  Plus if you have a bed by the veranda you get to lay in bed, breeze coming in and views like this....

 

 

[resordanis]

44 minutes ago, whitshel said:

We did Aus/NZ this past March on the Edge.  We are big balcony lovers but really like the IV. So much so we booked one for Star of the Seas in Sept '25.  Now the Temps were in the low 70's so that made it comfortable to pretty much have it open the whole cruise.  Plus if you have a bed by the veranda you get to lay in bed, breeze coming in and views like this....

 

 

Thanks for the photos.

[TGfromTX]

3 hours ago, zitsky said:

Controversy is the wrong word.  I appreciate the comments that explain why people like it.  Some of us are just confused when the fans keep insisting “but a window is SOOO much better than a door”,  Huh?  What?  How?  
 

It’s like people insisting that you HAVE to have the bed by the window NOT by the door.  And arguing over what is better, Eden or Murano.  
 

So I guess I will let people have their choice but I’m still not convinced that an IV is better.  And if you dare use the words INFINITE VERANDA, I may just remind you that it is neither.

It might not be controversy but it definitely is a topic with the most polar, opposite opinions.

I do agree it's best to consider the cabins different from standard balconies or window cabins - whatever you want to call them.

As a sidenote on RC ships, I think I saw at least one that had curtains in place of the bi-fold doors. Since I wasn't on that ship, I didn't really look into it further but I don't think they are exactly the same across all lines.

I agree - a blanket statement that every person is going to feel a particular way (good or bad) about them is going to be wrong. I don't feel strongly either way pre-cruise FOR MYSELF and this particular trip (I'd have more to consider if I wasn't in the room solo). I expect to return with the opinion the experience was different - not clearly better or worse, a mixture of some of both.

Hopefully you are are aware I'm not trying to change anyone's opinion of the cabin layout. I think you know yourself well enough to know you'd be miserable in one. I'm just listing the items that I think are driving people's opinions either way.

I am curious, is Celebrity your favorite line to travel on if you are on the smaller ships? I really think I'll remain on NCL as my standard line going forward (at least until I hit the 55 discount) - I really like NCL shows (choir of man has been my fave at sea) and the price point fits my budget. For spa, Celebrity really disappoints in comparison (E-class anyway), but I prefer spa experience on land though. But I want to try HAL & even Princess in future (for some reason I don't feel any affinity toward Princess, but I don't exactly know why I feel that way).  A coworker says HAL offers her very sweet deals often. I've not heard that Celebrity or RC does the same.

At normal rates, I think these cabins are WAY overpriced for solo travel in terms of value compared to other lines. Not the topic of this thread, but maybe it helps someone.

[the penguins]

4 hours ago, whitshel said:

We did Aus/NZ this past March on the Edge.  We are big balcony lovers but really like the IV. So much so we booked one for Star of the Seas in Sept '25.  Now the Temps were in the low 70's so that made it comfortable to pretty much have it open the whole cruise.  Plus if you have a bed by the veranda you get to lay in bed, breeze coming in and views like this....

 

 

great pics - they really highlight why the IV will never be for us:

1) My wife has mobility/back issues and sitting in those chairs for more than 5 minutes would be impossible. No back support, no recline and nowhere to fit in footstools.

2) the table is so small it certainly wouldn't hold our lunch would hardly hold 2 coffees and a couple of cakes.

My view view on IV's is unchanged:

Prefect for those who like the idea of a balcony but rarely use and have no mobility/back.

issues.

Useless for anyone who likes to spend a lot of time relaxing on the balcony in chairs that recline, have back supports and room for footstools

We will never cruise E Class and have just booked Eclipse out of Amsterdam to avoid E class out of Southampton

[zitsky]

4 hours ago, TGfromTX said:

It might not be controversy but it definitely is a topic with the most polar, opposite opinions.

I do agree it's best to consider the cabins different from standard balconies or window cabins - whatever you want to call them.

As a sidenote on RC ships, I think I saw at least one that had curtains in place of the bi-fold doors. Since I wasn't on that ship, I didn't really look into it further but I don't think they are exactly the same across all lines.

I agree - a blanket statement that every person is going to feel a particular way (good or bad) about them is going to be wrong. I don't feel strongly either way pre-cruise FOR MYSELF and this particular trip (I'd have more to consider if I wasn't in the room solo). I expect to return with the opinion the experience was different - not clearly better or worse, a mixture of some of both.

Hopefully you are are aware I'm not trying to change anyone's opinion of the cabin layout. I think you know yourself well enough to know you'd be miserable in one. I'm just listing the items that I think are driving people's opinions either way.

I am curious, is Celebrity your favorite line to travel on if you are on the smaller ships? I really think I'll remain on NCL as my standard line going forward (at least until I hit the 55 discount) - I really like NCL shows (choir of man has been my fave at sea) and the price point fits my budget. For spa, Celebrity really disappoints in comparison (E-class anyway), but I prefer spa experience on land though. But I want to try HAL & even Princess in future (for some reason I don't feel any affinity toward Princess, but I don't exactly know why I feel that way).  A coworker says HAL offers her very sweet deals often. I've not heard that Celebrity or RC does the same.

At normal rates, I think these cabins are WAY overpriced for solo travel in terms of value compared to other lines. Not the topic of this thread, but maybe it helps someone.

You can see from my signature where we’ve cruised.  NCL was our first in a balcony cabin, and also Viking Ocean and Celebrity.  Celebrity is our favorite because they allow you to pay less for an inside cabin or more for a suite if you feel like it.

 

Viking Ocean is our least favorite.  Spa was not in 100% working order.  Dining options were limited.  At dinner they could only get 12 people around the table to hear my stories not the 20 I asked for.  If Viking Ocean had a theater and shows it wasn’t very memorable.  I’ve had better food and better service and better entertainment on Celebrity.

 

The thing I don’t like about Celebrity is that they let just anyone buy into the Retreat.  (Gasp). Why last time I had dinner in Luminae, I was sitting next to a plumber!  That’s it, I’m sailing Cunard next time!!!  😂

[cw2go]

8 hours ago, whitshel said:

We did Aus/NZ this past March on the Edge.  We are big balcony lovers but really like the IV. So much so we booked one for Star of the Seas in Sept '25.  Now the Temps were in the low 70's so that made it comfortable to pretty much have it open the whole cruise.  Plus if you have a bed by the veranda you get to lay in bed, breeze coming in and views like this....

 

 

I also prefer the bed by IV

 

Allows for a large dressing area by the closet and bathroom. 

[NMTraveller]

11 hours ago, zitsky said:

 

A lot of people here get upset when they finalize realize that the Celebrity marketing is BS.

 

I get upset when I find out that the captain CANNOT lock my balcony door.  That’s just dumb.  What if it’s cold outside and I don’t want to go out?

🧑‍🎄 You forgot the kids crowding the hot tubs 😉

[20165]

We had the IV on Edge about 2 years ago and actually liked it.  Now i will say i can count the number of times we went out of our balcony on our princess cruise last month on one hand, mainly when we pulled in and out of port, so we really dont utilize balconies that much anyway. It was nice to be able to sit in the IV sitting area with the window closed with air conditioning vs. sitting in the heat on a regular balcony.  

If we are back on an Edge class ship we would probably choose it again. 

[zitsky]

2 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

🧑‍🎄 You forgot the kids crowding the hot tubs 😉

I don’t want to be the one to call 911 when they pass out from heatstroke.

[zitsky]

2 hours ago, 20165 said:

We had the IV on Edge about 2 years ago and actually liked it.  Now i will say i can count the number of times we went out of our balcony on our princess cruise last month on one hand, mainly when we pulled in and out of port, so we really dont utilize balconies that much anyway. It was nice to be able to sit in the IV sitting area with the window closed with air conditioning vs. sitting in the heat on a regular balcony.  

If we are back on an Edge class ship we would probably choose it again. 

So you’re saying that people who don’t use balconies, don’t like balconies?

[20165]

23 minutes ago, zitsky said:

So you’re saying that people who don’t use balconies, don’t like balconies?

Where did i say i didnt like balconies?

[TGfromTX]

4 hours ago, cw2go said:

I also prefer the bed by IV

 

Allows for a large dressing area by the closet and bathroom. 

Any thoughts why they only tint the bottom half of the glass? Is it to give an illusion that the window part is always open?  First I've noticed that. 

[cw2go]

11 minutes ago, TGfromTX said:

Any thoughts why they only tint the bottom half of the glass? Is it to give an illusion that the window part is always open?  First I've noticed that. 

I never noticed the bottom half only being tinted when I stayed in them. Maybe in these pics it looks this way because the upper glass is down so its double paned? For lack of a better term? 

 

In both pics the window is down, the clear portion at the top is the outdoors. 

 

Patty 

Edited July 18 by cw2go

[zitsky]

3 hours ago, 20165 said:

 Now i will say i can count the number of times we went out of our balcony on our princess cruise last month on one hand, mainly when we pulled in and out of port, so we really dont utilize balconies that much anyway.

 

 

Sorry but when you say “I don’t use balconies” and “I like the IV”, I assume it’s because you don’t like balconies, not because there is a sea monster out there.

[20165]

9 minutes ago, zitsky said:

Sorry but when you say “I don’t use balconies” and “I like the IV”, I assume it’s because you don’t like balconies, not because there is a sea monster out there.

No, we wouldnt book a cruise without a balcony, but we also dont use them that much other than to look out the window.  Inside cabins are too small and dark and most windowed cabins are still pretty small.  The IV just gave us some more space that we wouldnt otherwise use with regular balconies.  That being said, we are on Summit in november in a regular balcony..

[mysticbluebmw]

This is become a very controversial question for some reason, lol! One thing I will say with certainty, it is NOT at all like an OV. 

 

In this case you have full control of the window. On our cruise, the Captain never took control of the window, at least when we were around. We only had one sea day in the Med. There is only one thing I can think of one might miss and thats the open air feeling of the wind when out on a traditional balcony…for better or worse. Though one can stick their head out and get that.

 

You get to have access to the extra space of the balcony as part of your room, which is nice, plus you get an electric blind that can be closed with the press of a button on the thermostat, your phone or a physical button on the wall. You can set scenes, like evening which dims the lights and closes the blind or morning for the opposite effect. You get shutters to close off the space, but we never used them. But if you crave the wind in your hair, you’ll have to go out on deck. I would book it again, especially over a standard dinky sized traditional balcony…maybe not an oversized or aft balcony, though 😅

[TGfromTX]

53 minutes ago, mysticbluebmw said:

There is only one thing I can think of one might miss and thats the open air feeling of the wind when out on a traditional balcony…

Maybe Celebrity can add the 'smart' windows I had on my first truck...

[TGfromTX]

It's been a few years since I've been on a cruise balcony, but on the aft of the ship I remember thinking 'there is no wind back here.'  I don't remember the weather being anything unusual.  I know it left me thinking there is no wind on the back of the ship.  First, is that accurate of all aft balconies on all ships?  If so, is that what the wind with  the IV window down is similar to?

Honestly, I can't remember a side balcony being all that windy either - but I haven't been on one in about 10 years.  I know it was more windy than on the back of the ship or I wouldn't have noticed a difference.

[zitsky]

1 hour ago, mysticbluebmw said:

This is become a very controversial question for some reason, lol! One thing I will say with certainty, it is NOT at all like an OV. 

 

In this case you have full control of the window. On our cruise, the Captain never took control of the window, at least when we were around. We only had one sea day in the Med. There is only one thing I can think of one might miss and thats the open air feeling of the wind when out on a traditional balcony…for better or worse. Though one can stick their head out and get that.

 

You get to have access to the extra space of the balcony as part of your room, which is nice, plus you get an electric blind that can be closed with the press of a button on the thermostat, your phone or a physical button on the wall. You can set scenes, like evening which dims the lights and closes the blind or morning for the opposite effect. You get shutters to close off the space, but we never used them. But if you crave the wind in your hair, you’ll have to go out on deck. I would book it again, especially over a standard dinky sized traditional balcony…maybe not an oversized or aft balcony, though 😅

Please stop calling it a window.  It is not.  It is an INFINITE VERANDA.  lol

 

Why do some people hate it?  Maybe the misleading marketing.  Is it Infinite?  Is it a veranda by any standard definition?

 

How would you like to pay for a Mercedes and get a Toyota?  “Well we CALLED it a Mercedes.  Isn’t that enough?”