Balcony Room versus an Oceanview

[diligaf51]

We recently went on a transatlantic cruise and really enjoyed having a balcony even if it did get cold and we didn't use it that much. I would like everyone's opinion of a balcony room versus getting an oceanview. There is so much difference in price that I feel I should explore that option.

[Hootsie]

Glad to hear you enjoyed yours. I hope we made the right decision by getting one on our European cruise next week. I know the weather will be chilly and rainy (that's the norm). Hopefully it will be worth it.

[johnjen]

We've booked what will be our fourth cruise, this being our first with Celebrity, and this time, gosh darn it, we were determined to get a veranda! Our previous cruises: 1st one was interior - we slept in a lot, and the other two were oceanview. On our last cruise onboard Empress, someone invited us into their balcony room. We instantly realized the value of having a veranda.

 

After reading the boards, and listening to the people, there are several advantages:

 

1. You can have breakfast on the veranda while the DH/DW is getting ready;

2. Private nights just sitting out there in the cooler air;

3. Able to sit out "as you'd like" (well, within reason);

 

Versus

 

1. Getting a big porthole window that might be dirty & obstructed view;

2. Positive air flow isn't as good as a cabin w/veranda;

3. Unable to do any of the above in the veranda!

 

We're booked on June 15th out of Rome next year (Solstice) and are dying to see the differences between Royal Caribbean and Celebrity (although both are owned by the same co).

[Gonzo70]

I factor in a number of issues into the equation:

 

1) Is it a long cruise with a decent amount of sea days; if so I will be in the room more often than otherwise and a balcony would be nice.

 

2) How big is the price difference? Divide that by the number of days the cruise is and you can see how much you are paying "per day" for the luxury of a balcony.

 

3) Is an aft balcony available? They cost the same as side balconies in their same class, but are (on most ships) much bigger. That way you get more bang for the buck.

 

4) What is the scenary like on the cruise? Is it a cruise where there is likely to be a lot of nice scenary and wildlife to view? If so that makes me lean towards the balcony as you get a better view being out there than looking through a window.

 

5) Am I planning on taking a lot of expensive excursions? If so I may want to save money for those and go with an interior or oceanview. If I do not forsee a lot of expenses on the vacation, then I might splurge for the balcony.

 

6) Is the cruise a special occasion or just a regular vacation? If we are celebrating something substantial I may lean towards a balcony.

 

7) How nice will the weather be? The nicer, the more likely I am to opt for the balcony.

 

I factor all these in and then make a decision.

[happycruiser14]

I've been on 9 Celebrity cruises, and have had a balcony on 8 of those cruises. I'm going on the Constellations Trans Atlantic this Sept and we will have a balcony. I really don't think the upcharge of several hundred dollars per person is worth it. We rarely use the balcony. My wife likes the balcony for an ulterior motive. I work out 1-2 a day in the gym, and my sneakers get pretty ripe. My wife likes them out on the balcony. For that privilege it can cost me $600-$900 extra for the cabin.

 

Happy Cruiser 14

[Napi's Mom]

After several cruises INSIDE to save, we were upgraded to an outside room, and as you said, dirty, scratched window, at least on that ship it wasn't over the bed so you could at least look out of it. (If you're claustrophobic I can see the window over inside otherwise most ships the cabins are the same) Then came the big problem... as we got an upgrade from INSIDE Gty. to Concierge balcony for 200$ pp (About 1200$ less pp than going price) We were warned!!! But thought "oh it won't be that addicting" Wrong!! Those Mornings with early coffee on the veranda watching the sun rise, or port entry.. (food did get cold when eating breakfast tho) Sitting just watching the Sea with a cool/hot drink whatever appropriate, Stars at night!!! This just being one of those tiny balconies. (Our next cruise we have one of those aft balconies!!!) OH beware!!! You will be addicted!!!

[agabbymama]

Just my opinion, but if I couldn't afford a balcony cabin, I wouldn't cruise until I could.

 

I've had ocean view on two cruises, mini-suites with balcony on two cruises, regular balcony on one and concierge class balcony on Celebrity.

 

I have gone back to regular balcony cabin, but wouldn't cruise without one. We spend a lot of time on the balcony even for our Alaska or our New England/Canada cruise. It was cold and rainy sometimes, but I still sat out on the balcony.

[Fblack]

Smokers can ruin a balcony experience. Last October I took a 26 day B2B and had a nice balcony cabin. Virtually every time we wanted to relax and enjoy our balcony, someone nearby was smoking. The smoke would blow right onto our balcony. Out of 26 days, we probably used the balcony a total of 60 minutes. We paid a lot extra for the balcony.

 

On a more recent cruise on the Constellation I took a window cabin. I spoke to several people who had balconies and had similar complaints about smokers in the next cbain. They tried to move their cabin but the ship was full so they were stuck.

 

So while balconies are great, just know that until they ban smoking on balconies, your enjoyment may be ruined.

[Conrycol]

I've been on 9 Celebrity cruises, and have had a balcony on 8 of those cruises. I'm going on the Constellations Trans Atlantic this Sept and we will have a balcony. I really don't think the upcharge of several hundred dollars per person is worth it. We rarely use the balcony. My wife likes the balcony for an ulterior motive. I work out 1-2 a day in the gym, and my sneakers get pretty ripe. My wife likes them out on the balcony. For that privilege it can cost me $600-$900 extra for the cabin.

 

Happy Cruiser 14

 

 

Cheaper to buy a new pair of sneakers just before the cruise:D .

[Napi's Mom]

Smokers can ruin a balcony experience. Last October I took a 26 day B2B and had a nice balcony cabin. Virtually every time we wanted to relax and enjoy our balcony, someone nearby was smoking. The smoke would blow right onto our balcony. Out of 26 days, we probably used the balcony a total of 60 minutes. We paid a lot extra for the balcony.

 

On a more recent cruise on the Constellation I took a window cabin. I spoke to several people who had balconies and had similar complaints about smokers in the next cbain. They tried to move their cabin but the ship was full so they were stuck.

 

So while balconies are great, just know that until they ban smoking on balconies, your enjoyment may be ruined.

Where have you been??? They HAVE banned smoking on the balconies and in cabins on Celebrity!!! With all the threads on this forum about it you can't have missed it!:D

[Fblack]

I am familiar with their future policy. Plus, will it last and will it be strictly enforced.

 

I just did two Constellation cruises between April 11 and May 3. They did not ban smoking on balconies on those cruises. A nurse friend who was also on the cruise told me it was terrible on her balcony. She complained and they said they could do nothing.

 

Plus, what about other cruise lines?

[hybrn8]

big wall of steel with a hole in it. Even if we can't actually use the balcony, we rarely cruise without one. We seldom shut the drapes and/or sheers and enjoy the view (or lack thereof) one gets from big wall of glass. If you can find a cruise with a balcony guarantee fare, you might find that fare category is on par with an oceanview with a specific cabin. Just a thought.

[Denny01]

My wife and I love our balcony rooms. We started with Oceanviews and liked it, but on a 10day South Caribbean cruise, we were offered a Balcony for a few extra $, so we took it. The 'problem' is, we won't go back! Not only do you have the niceities of breakfast on the balcony, having a floor-to-ceiling 'window', fresh-air, and a place to just sit and watch the ocean and passing ships go by, it's neat in port (either pierside or not) to watch the port action.

 

Also, not to be too sexist, it takes my wife a few minutes more to get ready than I, and with a balcony, I don't stand there and 'help her out getting ready', I sit and relax, timing the flying fish, using my binoculars to ID the birds tracking the ship, and so on. Loved it so much that my wife had to pull me off the balcony and out to see the ship.

 

We are going on a short cruise and have an ocenview instead because it's an older (not a Celebrity) ship with fewer balconies. But except for some very overriding reason, we are addicted to a balcony.

 

Denny and Karen

[vvnh16a]

The cost difference between a balcony and a outside cabin is very noticeable on the Galaxy or Mercury as compared to the M Class ships. The reason is simple...the M class ships were simply built with more Balcony cabins to begin with. With the Galaxy or Mercury you really want and need to have a Balcony for you will in most cases pay dearly for it compared to an Ocean view room.

 

Has anyone else noticed this comparison?

[DC2OC]

We enjoy the balcony.If you book early a balcony may be a 300 dollar diff pp on Mercury.I get use of it while DW is getting ready for dinner.To use its cost diff.Sometimes Outsides are a such great deal sometimes its hard to justify paying the difference.I disagree with others on that a on trip to Alaska a balcony would be more important than a on the Caribbean.I would sleep too much in a inside room

[ccletzgo]

our bar tab is lower with a balcony. ;) (we do use alot of ice);)

 

Without a balcony, we always wanted to get out of the cabin. WITH a balcony, we can hang out in there all day.:D

[oysterfiend]

our bar tab is lower with a balcony. ;) (we do use alot of ice);)

 

Without a balcony, we always wanted to get out of the cabin. WITH a balcony, we can hang out in there all day.:D

 

Hey thats a Great Point-

Drinks can add up and if you feel claustrophobic- theres a good chance you will walk past a bar on you way around ship!

I am going to use that on my husband:)

[gxchan]

I love having a balcony so I can have fresh air while I sleep at night and wake up to warm breezes. In cooler climates I would look into a ocean view cabin and use the difference in money for spa treatments.:)

[Napi's Mom]

I love having a balcony so I can have fresh air while I sleep at night and wake up to warm breezes. In cooler climates I would look into a ocean view cabin and use the difference in money for spa treatments.:)

Our experience with having the balcony door open at night with the ship moving, is that we got the worst screaming howl out of the vent in the bath that is always running. Sounded like a banshee howling in our room...doesn't anyone else have same problem???(Was on an "R" ship) It was said on the RCCL forum we were on when contemplating a TA on Navigator, that they have rules about not leaving the balcony door open, as it could cause severe drafts and people were injured by slamming doors. In port, it screws up the air conditioning too (that's also prob. the source of the wailing noise):confused:

[Napi's Mom]

I am familiar with their future policy. Plus, will it last and will it be strictly enforced.

 

I just did two Constellation cruises between April 11 and May 3. They did not ban smoking on balconies on those cruises. A nurse friend who was also on the cruise told me it was terrible on her balcony. She complained and they said they could do nothing.

 

Plus, what about other cruise lines?

Oceania and Azamara have far MORE restrictive smoking policies..with only 2 small areas on the ship is it allowed...Starboard pool deck forward (about 3-4 tables), and the Looking Glass (Or Horizons on O) port side at the rear of the lounge, and they are very strictly inforcing these policies!! It was wonderful:D They don't just charge a small fee...they've been known to put people off the ship !!! I agree $250 isn't much for a violation!

[oysterfiend]

I love having a balcony so I can have fresh air while I sleep at night and wake up to warm breezes. In cooler climates I would look into a ocean view cabin and use the difference in money for spa treatments.:)

so you wouldn't book a balcony on An Alaskan Cruise?

[gxchan]

Our experience with having the balcony door open at night with the ship moving' date=' is that we got the worst screaming howl out of the vent in the bath that is always running. Sounded like a banshee howling in our room...doesn't anyone else have same problem???(Was on an "R" ship) It was said on the RCCL forum we were on when contemplating a TA on Navigator, that they have rules about not leaving the balcony door open, as it could cause severe drafts and people were injured by slamming doors. In port, it screws up the air conditioning too (that's also prob. the source of the wailing noise):confused:[/quote']

 

I've been on Explorer of the Seas twice leaving the balcony door open all night without a draft/noise problem and as far as I know there weren't any rules against it. But leaving the balcony door open when answering the cabin door does create a problem with draft making it difficult to open the cabin door.

[gxchan]

so you wouldn't book a balcony on An Alaskan Cruise?

 

My first cruise was to Alaska and I had an ocean view cabin which worked out really well for me. I was on the Promendade deck and could easily walk out on deck when the weather was nice and I had a lovely sitting area by the window in my cab which I used when it was cold/wet outside. I understand people enjoy relaxing on their balconies but I get balconies for the fresh air when cruising in warm climates.

[Swtgypsy]

I won a cruise through Princess last year. It was for an Ocean view room but we upgraded to a balcony and loved it. I had the door open all night and it was wonderful waking up in the morning pulling into port. Also my back went out and I spent pretty much 4 days (out of 7) in our cabin and the balcony was my saving grace. I was able to see the ocean, hobble out every once in awhile and just listen to the ocean at night. Now I am a little afraid on my upcoming cruise we are getting a Royal Suite on the Constellation. This is going to be a once in a lifetime opportunity for me but it will be hard to go back to a standard balcony room lol. I have a feeling we will be spending more time in the cabin on this cruise (glad it is an 11 day). I would get an ocean view if I really wanted to go on a cruise and money was a deciding factor and I could not afford the balcony but at the same time I might just wait a little longer and save more money. I think the balconies are addicting.

[tom_uk]

I think it does depend a lot on the itinerary. For Mediterranean or Caribbean cruises I can see the advantage. Here in the UK, however, it's often very cold and windy, especially out at sea - sailing up (or down) the English channel can be a bruising experience, even in high summer. This is one reason why traditionally balconies have not been common on UK-based ships (e.g. older P&O ships) - even if the cruise is to the Med, there's a couple of days at each end thrashing up & down the channel and through the Bay.

 

These days, however, with the latest ship designs the premium for a balcony over an ocean-view is a lot less; indeed, on the M-class and the S-class, here are many more balcony cabins than ocean-view cabins.