What's so great about a Balcony Room?

[Rgtouro]

I was given an upgrade from an inside cabin to a 7A obstructed view and I am very grateful!

 

Tell me what I have to look forward to.

 

In all my past cruises, I never had a balcony room.

 

What are some things I should know about having it?

 

Any tips or comments are appreciated!

 

Thanks!

[Curt Jerome Wild]

Coffee in the morning and cocktails in the evening.

Being able to get fresh air and a breeze any time you want.

A place to have your own space if the decks get too crowded.

An extra place to hang out if someone is getting ready in the cabin.

Being able to gaze out over the moving water without a crowd around you on deck.

That's a start off the top of my head.

CJW

[Rgtouro]

Sounds heavenly, Keep going...

[irishgirl]

If you wake up in the middle of the night, going out on the balcony and watching the ocean go by. Looking for islands, boats, you never know what you'll see out there.

[GE Mom]

Those are good. We're totally spoiled -- once you've had a balcony, you'll never want to go back. It's just relaxing to a degree that other cabins can't offer. On our last Carnival Pride cruise, DH and I had a balcony and our young adult sons had an inside cabin. They liked the peace and quiet and they slept 'til 3 pm -- but we just loved watching the sea slide past, the dolphins, the distant coastline, the full moon....

[loungelizard]

Balconies are wonderful...as long as the weather cooperates.

[Lurkyloo]

Gosh - just sitting out there with your coffee in the morning (or glass of wine before dinner) makes all the difference! I wouldn't have thought it would make that much of a difference, but it does! It is now a "MUST HAVE" for me! ;)

[pounder207]

It's like being on your own ship, but with a crew to run it for you. Nothing like it--day, night and all times in between. Try keeping the door open at night and letting the sea breezes in. You'll never go back inside for another cruise.

[campdaan]

Hey Bucko !!!

[dsl laber]

We started with an oceanview, then splurged and get a balcony. Didn't think I'd ever go back, but I'm getting ready to leave on a little 4-nighter, and we are trying an inside cabin! Anxious to see how it goes!! :-\\ (I can't complain...it's a freebie for me!!). I just like getting up in the morning and being able to look out and see what the weather is like.

[DEERINH2O]

What can you say about a balcony,...... I too was inside always, It made cruising more affordable, then we splurged....Now I love the balcony, it is fun to sit out in the am and just peacefully enjoy the air and sound of waves, its also beautiful at night when the moon is out and you and your loveone can just enjoy a dance with no music and no one else around.....

 

Soooooooooo ready to cruise soon.....

 

 

Kathy

[STiVo]

We didn't use our balcony much. I think that we'd leave the door open as we sleph but it let in a lot of humidity Thre was an occasion or go when we went out there to sit and watch the waves splash against the ship but we eventually decided that we can get that upstairs to see that while we walked around and we did just that...

[cecilterwiliger]

...Taking photos on a digital camera before anyone else gets up of the view on the way into ports...and then showing what was missed to those in the cabin who missed the wonderful view.

[TexasRed]

Ordering room service and enjoying it on the balcony while watching the port come to life..

Gazing out at the moon reflecting on the water..

Hearing the sounds of the water and nothing else in the middle of the night..

Having a drink all alone with your sweetie, reflecting on why you needed the relaxation of a vacation together..

[runner15km]

OK, I'll be the devils advocate. A balcony was not worth the extra $$ IMHO. Our neighbors on both sides always just let the balcony door slam shut. The neighbor upwind enjoyed his cigars every night. And the neighbor on the other side read bedtime stories to their children every night. Other then that I guess it was OK. Rather get a oceanview.:)

[L2J]

OK, I'll be the devils advocate. A balcony was not worth the extra $$ IMHO. Our neighbors on both sides always just let the balcony door slam shut. The neighbor upwind enjoyed his cigars every night. And the neighbor on the other side read bedtime stories to their children every night. Other then that I guess it was OK. Rather get a oceanview.:)

 

Glad we're all entitled to our own opinions.

 

Haven't seen it mentioned before but nothing beats a romantic interlude on the balcony:D

[bucket_O_beer4john]

Glad we're all entitled to our own opinions.

 

Haven't seen it mentioned before but nothing beats a romantic interlude on the balcony:D

 

Unless it's interupted by a balcony-neighbor with gas.:(

[L2J]

Unless it's interupted by a balcony-neighbor with gas.:(

 

Ewww...:mad: good point...

[AppleValleyCruisers]

Haven't seen it mentioned before but nothing beats a romantic interlude on the balcony:D

 

You can do that? Note to self, next cruise....:p

 

Add to this watching storms off on the horizon at night, checking out the people, cabins and activities on other vessels while in port, watching drunken buffoons running up the pier to avoid the slamming of the "hatch", taking an afternoon siesta after one too many cocktails or shore excursions or activities inside the cabin etc etc.

 

"Once you go balc, you'll never go back" comes to mind.

[osiebosie]

Our first ever balcony was on a cruise through the Panama Canal. It is definitely a MUST for the Canal. It is SO HOT there, and I cannot even imagine having to sit up on deck to watch everything going on. We had the perfect view of the Canal up close, and would ocassionally go up just to see the "bird's eye" view, but the balcony off of our cabin was awesome. When we got hot, we'd just slip inside to cool off. We got to see a "mule" line break. That was interesting. And then, going through Lake Gatun, the view is basically the same on both sides, and we thoroughly enjoyed watching that from the privacy of our balcony.

 

Ever since then, we prefer balconys.

 

In the future, when we ever get around to doing Alaska, I will be very picky about which side of the ship we get our balcony on.

 

Enjoy your balcony!!

 

Shay

[Hollyspop]

On a trip to Alaska I went topside to get a beer while approaching one of the glaciers. The crowd on the rails made me ever so grateful that I could return to the peace, quiet and solitude of our balcony. That moment in itself was worth the price difference. But then,to each his own !!:)

[osiebosie]

Oh, yeah, and on that same cruise through the Canal, when we were in port in Acapulco, we were out on our balcony and there were child beggars :mad: in the ocean right outside the ship (very young; the parents would drop them off for a day in the ocean begging). They wanted us to throw coins in the ocean and they would dive and get them before they ever hit bottom. So, we stood on our balcony and threw coins.

 

So, see, you need a balcony to support the children...

 

Of course, all of this can be done on a deck, but it's much better on your own balcony, as well as all of the other previous posts!!

 

Shay

[suzy1212]

Do the balcony doors open into the room or out onto the balcony? There will be 3 of us and it looks like the balcony will be a tight fit, but it would help a little if the door opened inward.

[Kathy555]

I can't ever imagine cruising without a balcony. I enjoy waking up in the morning and seeing what new port we are in. Room service for breakfast, sipping a glass of wine and also taking a nap out there is awesome. We are going on our first cruise to Alaska with an aft balcony.:D

[AppleValleyCruisers]

Do the balcony doors open into the room or out onto the balcony? There will be 3 of us and it looks like the balcony will be a tight fit, but it would help a little if the door opened inward.

 

Wow, it took some thought on this one. I remember ours on the Miracle opening inward... But I might be wrong?