Balcony a must-have?

[JeanfromBNA]

We're thinking of booking a Celebrity Suite on Millenium which doesn't have a balcony. Will we regret not having a balcony on our first cruise to Alaska?

[CrystalWater]

We're thinking of booking a Celebrity Suite on Millenium which doesn't have a balcony. Will we regret not having a balcony on our first cruise to Alaska?

 

First of all a suite without a balcony? Never heard of that. Anyhow, I just got back from my first trip to Alaska and we always get a balcony on every cruise. Everyone says you must have a balcony going to Alaska. Well here is what I think. It's more expensive to go to Alaska in the first place because of the seasonal time span and they charge a lot more for these cruises. I hate not having a balcony ever, but not because of Alaska, we just like balconies. In my opinion I think Alaska is the best place to not have the balcony because it's a lot colder sitting out there and I like my balconies for the warm weather. We did fine without one, just fine, and spent the time we wanted outside on the aft of the ship and it was just great. We also had very good weather, but if you had rain and colder weather, I think it's even another reason to not have a balcony, because you get cold sitting out there. To me, if it's a warm weather cruise, a balcony is a must, but I disagree with the majority saying it's a must to have one in Alaska. :)

[kellywhitehills]

If the Suite has the floor to ceiling windows with no obstruction go for it..I myself prefer a balcony..If you get one facing aft you are protected from the wind..I like the privacy you get with your own Balcony..

[Sue L]

We just did Alaska and we spent a lot of time out there, granted it was with a sweater on but we still sat out there. Not only was the scenery amazing 24/7 but we spotted whales and seals while sitting out there. One of the last nights of the cruise we were out there around 1 am and we watched a meteor shower. It was just a fluke that we happened to be out there but it was wonderful to see.

[Boo's Mom]

We're thinking of booking a Celebrity Suite on Millenium which doesn't have a balcony. Will we regret not having a balcony on our first cruise to Alaska?

 

My thought, is that if you are going to have a balcony, Alaska is the place.

Especially, since there is so much daylight.

 

Have you priced a Royal Suite? A great suite, with a balcony.

 

We love the temperatures in Alaska. Grab a throw blanket (provided) and enjoy the scenery from the balcony. :)

 

[DisneyScrapper]

I also had many doubts about paying the extra $$$ for a balcony when planning our trip for this past Sept. But went ahead and got one. First of all we had the best weather ever!!! Spent so much time out there so for us it was well worth it. On the sea days while going past all the glaciers we sat out there and took all of it in without having to push around people that were up on the decks. Got some awsome pictures.

So yes, it is well worth it!!

[GMoney]

It depends on your priorities, but I think it's worth it if you can swing it.

 

For some people, their trip to Alaska will focus on seeing things primarily from the ship and they heavily utilize their balcony.

 

My priority was excursions. I wanted to get out and do things, so the money I saved on my cabin went to funding those side trips.

 

Most ships have great places to be - both indoors and outdoors - that are great for viewing. Take the time to find those places and enjoy them.

 

Bottom line, I had a balcony for one week of my B2B cruise. I didn't miss it the second week at all.

[johninwpa]

We enjoyed our balcony, and were one of the few out,even in the rain. In Glacier Bay we split our time between the balcony and on top. It was nice to step inside and warm up a little. Other days it was warm enough to sit out and watch the scenery in a sweatshirt. Also fun watching arriving and leaving ports. Our trip was from Sept 8 to 15.

[ladyjane550]

What side of the ship is it best to have a balcony cabin? I wanted the side viewing land but they were all booked. So we have a seaview cabin.

[KandCsailing]

In 3 carribean cruises, we've had 3 balconies, but for starting to plan for Alaska maybe next summer we are going for an oceanview or even inside. We figure that we can put the extra money towards more excursions. On other cruises we only booked one or two ports and just explored the rest of the times.

[TJ Monks]

It depends on your priorities, but I think it's worth it if you can swing it.

I found a super deal on NCL 7 nights in a AE mini suite, leaving 9/14/08. $800 each ($1500 normally) if you've cruised with them before is cheaper than the oceanview. You must book with them directly on their web site. I put a deposit on this one. This way you can have your nice balcony cabin AND have it cheap. :D

 

Tom

[GMoney]

I found a super deal on NCL 7 nights in a AE mini suite, leaving 9/14/08. $800 each ($1500 normally) if you've cruised with them before is cheaper than the oceanview. You must book with them directly on their web site. I put a deposit on this one. This way you can have your nice balcony cabin AND have it cheap. :D

 

Tom

 

That is a great price; the only downside is that you are barely seeing Alaska, in Ketchikan from 6a - 2p and Juneau from 7a - 1p...

[GMoney]

double post...

[qiangf2]

if for wildlife viewing, the best place is to go out on the deck which offers you unobstructed view on both sides of the ship. For that, I would not think balcony is necessary. But if you choose balcony for your special occasion, then you have to decide what will be your priority, especially when you have a fixed budget for the trip ( don't we all do? :))

[beachgal]

I'm going on my 7th cruise next year and have never paid extra for the balcony. Have been to Caribbean, Hawaii, Europe and next year is Alaska. We spend most of our time out on excursions so only use the cabin to shower and sleep. For the cruising time that we had in Hawaii, I spent my time out on the decks so that I could get great pictures and plan to do the same for the time we'll be cruising in Alaska. For the money we save not paying for balcony, we can book another cruise, so it depends on what your priorities are!

[Budget Queen]

Absolutely depends on your priorities, and plenty of people love balconies. I've only had outside windows- always upgraded and insides.

 

I spend all my time out on deck as I have a priority for forward viewing only, I am not happy with side viewing. I also do a lot of travel every year, this year is 6 cruises with another 4 weeks of land touring. So volume is priority and cost savings.

 

Go with what is best for you, a great thing with cruising, there's something for everyone. :)

[NancyIL]

I agree with Budget Queen, and would rather save the money for more travel, rather than spend it on a more expensive cabin. I haven't cruised with a balcony yet, so I certainly don't know what (if anything) I'm missing. :)