Are balconies worth the extra price? First timer ?'s

[DesertDogs]

Also a great venue for smokers as well as nonsmokers who enjoy the healthy benefits of inhaling second-hand sidestream smoke from other smokers on their balconies "upwind"

 

Hopefully, HAL will soon come to their collective senses & ban smoking from ALL staterooms, including balconies!

 

Why do some insist on turning a thread about balconies into an anti-smoking thread? :confused:

[Williebill]

My DW and I made a mistake a few years ago and booked a Veranda Suite; it ruined us for any other accomodations forever. I believe you will enjoy a Veranda Suite very much.

 

Bill

[dr1ce]

We got a balcony room on the Noordam for our very 1st cruise about a month ago. We don't regret it for a minute! So nice to eat breakfast out there, sit and read away from the crowds near the pool(s), enjoy a cigar or smoke break, relax with a drink at the end of the day, etc, etc... We were warned, and we agree, having a balcony on our 1st cruise spoiled us, for sure! :)

 

Click the link in my signature for 700+ photos from the Noordam and our cruise in late Feb-early March to the Caribbean.

[Two if by Sea]

Of course, the question was is it "worth" it? Clearly, everyone who has one loves to have it. For ME, I booked the deluxe suite for the size of the room rather than the balcony, and had there been an equivalent-sized room with no balcony at a greatly reduced cost, I would have probably gone for it. But I am sure I will love having the verandah too.

 

But it is NOT "worth" it if you will spend the whole cruise staring at the balcony and thinking "I paid $xxx for that when I could have used the money for (insert your favorite alternate use of money here).

[m steve]

We have taken 13 cruises and only one was a cabin w/o a balcony as the ship didn't offer any. We will continue to enjoy that extra space having breakfast and cocktails outside. My partner smokes and limits it to the balcony using an ash tray and on most cruises there are smokers on either side of us so no whining.

[CPeters40]

Thanks! Glad you all enjoyed the pics:D I know I certainly enjoy looking back on them. I can always be on a ship just by putting on my slideshow. The Noordam really was a wonderful trip and everyone onboard had a wonderful time...at least everyone I came in contact with;)

 

I just want to say, your pictures are truely fantastic! I just put your website in my "favorites", so I can come back, and look at more of them when I have more time. Although we were in Alaska several years ago, your pictures, truly bring back such great memories! Thank you for sharing! Your mother must have had a fantastic time!!

Chris

Zuiderdam, Jan 08

[CRUISNDIVA]

I would DEFINATLEY recommend a balcony cabin. We booked one for our first cruise and I don’t regret it at all. I don’t even look at the pricing for inside cabins. I loved being able to wake up in the morning throw my robe on grab my first cup of room service coffee and head out on the balcony to enjoy the beautiful scenery as we pulled into port. It’s worth the extra $$$ just for the experience alone.

Whatever you decide on I’m sure you will have a fabulous vacation either way.

Happy travels!

:D

[dadroy]

I have cruised various cruise lines and for the most part am motivated by price. I don't even want to get into the argument of "You spend so much time out of your cabin because it is a terrible cabin", vs "You spend so much of your time in your cabin because it is such a great place". On a 7 day cruise (my normal stint) I sleep from 11pm to 6am and the rest of the time I am out and about on the ship. Either seeing the shows, reading books, hanging by the pool, EATING, enjoying the spa, etc. So I figure the room does not matter. I save enough on an inside room that I can take an extra cruise or two per year with the savings.

 

Now don't get me wrong, I would love a veranda, or a suite. I could enjoy the Penthouse too. But of course the cost of the penthouse would mean one cruise every 3 years, or 6 cruises at a lower price. It all comes down to what you want to spend to enjoy yourself. If you want to sit on the Veranda, spend the cash. I can spend half the money and go on deck at 6am and enjoy the same view.

 

It really is a personal choice. Example, we are going to Alaska in May, 4 adults, an inside room, 14 days, $800 a person, all port charges etc included. We are all friends, so the tight space at sleep time is worth the great deal.

[SakeDad]

Your pics were the best review I have seen on here. I cant imagine why anyone would not want a balcony after seeing your gallery. Even though it was cold, how convenient it must have been to nip out and get the fresh air whenever you wanted. The best thing about your pics was that it was obvious that everyone was having a ball. Our upcoming cruise to Alaska is also in May and after having read some posts on CC, I thought it was all going to be doom and gloom due the weather. Obviously that is not the case.... If we have half as much fun as you all appeared to have it will be a super vacation. thankyou for sharing your pics...:D :D :D

Thanks...if a picture is worth 1,000 words a gallery is worth a billion!:D And i can relive my trips everyday....even if i lose my memory!:p

[cferro514]

My wife and I will be first time cruisers in December. I too agonized over the price difference. In the end I thought: how much is a dream come true experience like a Caribbean cruise worth to you? We signed up for a balcony. Our TA said we made the right choice and that after having one, we would never want anything else.

 

The ship is beautiful. You may want to ask your TA for some perks, dinner in the Pinnacle Grill etc.

[world~citizen]

We were upgraded to a verandah on a transatlantic.

 

We thought we would never use it because it would be too cold and the sea too rough. Well, the temperature was perfect and the sea an amazing flat calm.

 

The breakfasts we had on the verandah, at sunrise, were truly memorable - one of those once in a lifetime experiences.

 

If money is not an issue, give it a try.

[savannahgirl1]

We came off the Volendam last Tuesday from a 10 day Panama Canal cruise. We had a balcony and wouldn't have traded it for anything. We were on the bow of the ship when we went through the first lock and then it started pouring down rain. We retreated back to our cabin. Out on the Veranada, since the ship was in the left hand side lock, our veranada faced the other lock. We watched the rest of the transit and had breakfast on the veranda. There was a huge cargo ship in the other lock and nothing beats being that close to one. I could never be in a regular room. For me even if it came down to either 2 cruises a year, regular room or 1 cruise a year with a veranda, I'd have to take the latter. Nothing beats a veranda imho. :D

[m4hami]

I agree with all the replies about balconies. On long cruises, it is a preference because of sucking in the recycled air and contaminants in the air. If you have a low immunity like me, balconies afford you the luxury of opening them up and getting fresh air at night. If that's not a concern, going with an oceanview is another option. We have had them in the past, and it is so nice to be able to open the curtains and see daylight or ports, etc. Hope this was helpful.

[Boytjie]

I agree with all the replies about balconies. On long cruises, it is a preference because of sucking in the recycled air and contaminants in the air. If you have a low immunity like me, balconies afford you the luxury of opening them up and getting fresh air at night. If that's not a concern, going with an oceanview is another option. We have had them in the past, and it is so nice to be able to open the curtains and see daylight or ports, etc. Hope this was helpful.

 

I have seen numoerous posts on CC about the problem with keeping balcony doors open - it messes up the air conditioning in other cabins.

[Boytjie]

Are balconies worth the extra money? It all depends on what you like.

We have had 2 balcony cabins in the Caribbean and an obstructed view outside in Alaska. I enjoyed all of them. The Alaska outside cabin was going for a good price about a month before the cruise, so we took it.

Do I spend enough time on the balcony to justify the extra cost? Maybe not but I do enjoy being able to go outside anytime I like. Then again, in Alaska all I had to do is walk past 5 cabins and I was on the promenade deck outside. Not quite as private, but it was close and from there you could just walk to through the ship to see what was on the other side.

I have never used the balcony for sail-always - at initial departure or ports in between. It's much more fun to go the upper decks where a lot of people are hanging out. I have watched arrivals from the balcony but most of the time I am up early and wandering the upper decks for that too. That is if I am not still sound asleep. (But that doesn't happen much since there is breakfast to do before heading out to excursions).

[hammybee]

We came off the Volendam last Tuesday from a 10 day Panama Canal cruise. We had a balcony and wouldn't have traded it for anything. We were on the bow of the ship when we went through the first lock and then it started pouring down rain. We retreated back to our cabin. Out on the Veranada, since the ship was in the left hand side lock, our veranada faced the other lock. We watched the rest of the transit and had breakfast on the veranda. There was a huge cargo ship in the other lock and nothing beats being that close to one. I could never be in a regular room. For me even if it came down to either 2 cruises a year, regular room or 1 cruise a year with a veranda, I'd have to take the latter. Nothing beats a veranda imho. :D

 

Your bow cabin location sounds fabulous on this intinerary. I will remember this, next time I sail the canal.

[arlenez]

Hello,

 

My family and I are going on a cruise in the Med. and My father was wondering if it would be worth the extra cost to him getting a balcony suite rather than an ocean view room? Any opinions would be appreciated. Is HAL a good choice for first time cruisers? I would lover to hear any great things that need to be said about the Noordom ship. and favorite places to eat, things to do etc.

 

Thanks so much!

- Christina

 

Positvely, absolutely, without a doubt! DH and I wouldn't cruise without a balcony. It's worth every penny and we would never again cruise without one. Our favorite balcony cabins are in the aft of the ship watching the wake and the world go by.

 

Regards,

Arlene

[sammiedawg]

IMO if you plan to tour extensively in Europe, not worth it. It you plan to relax at a slower pace, then you would enjoy the balcony

We've had balconies that we barely used, but it is nice to walk outside and it enlarges your cabin

If you plan to spend lots of time at the pool, attending activities, you wont spend much time in your cabin.

Sometimes the price difference isnt too bad, but if the balcony is a huge jump in price, I would pass on it for Europe and use the money for private guides

You will enjoy the Noordam and HAL, I have been on the sister ships and it is very nice

[jankn]

We havent cruised extensively (yet) but have had balconies all three times and wouldnt want to go without one, now that we have had them. Even in Alaska, its nice to be able to go out and relax and absorb the beauty without feeling like you needed to be quick and get out of the way of others also wanting to see the glaciers, etc. It just seems to make the suites feel much larger to know you can go outside for a while occasionally. Its also nice for taking pictures... I have never heard of anyone being sorry that they had a balcony...

[2MontanaCruisers]

We had an outside cabin on our first cruise. We spent a lot of time on our knees, on the bed looking out the window. So, we decided to book a balcony cabin on our second cruise. We enjoyed it very much. We have booked a suite for our third cruise, which will probably ruin us for a regular balcony cabin in the future.:)

[bepsf]

Of the two times I've cruised without a balcony, my stateroom has been next to an exterior door to a semi-private open deck that was as close to a having a balcony without paying for one.

 

I just can't imagine going to sea without some quiet outdoor space right outside my door.

[kryos]

Hello,

 

My family and I are going on a cruise in the Med. and My father was wondering if it would be worth the extra cost to him getting a balcony suite rather than an ocean view room? Any opinions would be appreciated.

That's an impossible question for any of us to answer. Only your father can determine if having a balcony will be worth it to him.

 

Personally, in my case, it isn't important and I would never spend the money. I'd sooner go sit up on one of the outside decks if I felt like looking out to sea while lounging. But that's just me.

 

I also find that often the balcony is too windy an area to be comfortable in while the ship is moving, so it would also depend on how many port versus sea days were on my itinerary.

 

When all is said and done, though, this is a decision that only your father can make. What's important to him?

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[jtl513]

A friend regretted having spent the money on a balcony in AK when she hit a week with bad weather, but in the Med I'd definitely go with a balcony ... and did.

[sapper1]

My husband and I just spent 10 days on the Maasdam and had our first balcony cabin. I think it will be balconies from now on as it certainly was a plus. We could go outside and watch as the ship pulled into port while still in pajamas. The large windows with the outside space made the cabin much brighter and less confining.

It was also nice to go up to the Lido and pick up coffee and muffins to take back to enjoy on the balcony before breakfast. (Yes, I got dressed first---no bathrobe)

It is also a great to take a nap on the balcony. If it was breezy I just wore a sweater and was quite comfy.

It is most certainly worth the extra money to us.

[Travelrd]

I am addicted to mini suites. The veranda is the perfect place for breakfast and have breakfast there every morning. I love looking at the "seanery" and watching the waves. I have my binoculars with me and its amazing all the wildlife I see from the veranda. I like the larger bathroom with jacuzzi tub too.

For a dream vacation, splurge and get a mini suite!