How many of you get balconies?

[GottaLuvCruising]

We've had a balcony on five or six cruises, oceanview on three or four and inside on the rest (15 or so). I'll just take a cruise anytime and enjoy even an inside stateroom. But a balcony is the best (just please no smokers around it).

[DEcruiser1]

I must have a balcony unless my cruise is 5 days or less.

[FabFourLover]

DH and I took our first and only cruise (so far) on Princess 9 years ago. We intended to book an inside cabin since it would be cheaper. The travel agent we worked with had a block of cabins set aside for some reason or another and she offered us one. It was a balcony and we got it, at the time, for practically the same price as the inside would have been.

 

I don't know how anyone goes without one. We leave on the Miracle on Sunday and we have a balcony again. When my in-laws booked this trip (they paid for the cabin) we told them we would not go without a balcony. They have cruised dozens of times before without ever having a balcony. We told them if they felt it was too much money, we would pay the difference. They had no problem with it and booked one for themselves as well.

 

I am willing to bet, after this cruise, they won't ever cruise without one again either.

[sjcruiser]

This is my second cruise and first balcony. Can't wait to get onboard and enjoy, coffee before breakfast and watching sunset. The expense was not close to $400pp, almost 1/3 of that and got a balcony on Empress Deck.

[Cigar Dude]

But a balcony is the best (just please no smokers around it).

 

But it's a great place to relax with a good cigar! :D

 

And I do it often. ;)

[Handsome58]

will not cruise without one.............hooked on the balcony...makes it feel like my own private ship at times..........

[tinkerbellkkg]

I had an OV for my first cruise and got upgraded from OV to balcony on my second. It was WONDERFUL!:D I have sinced cruise in an interior to save money and I have to say if at all possible I will never cruise in less than an OV from now on. If it means no cruise I might rethink this but absolutely a balcony is the way to go!

[Conanc]

Balcony snob here!:D

 

Another balcony snob here! ;)

We spend a lot of time out there and we're hooked!

[caravellajn]

We had our first balcony in January and loved it! A month later we were back in a oceanview. While I would love to have a balcony, I'd rather cruise more often. Two of our next four cruises are in a balcony. We've never tried a inside, but I may consider it in the future if it was alot cheaper.

[scperk]

We had our first balcony in January and loved it! A month later we were back in a oceanview. While I would love to have a balcony, I'd rather cruise more often. Two of our next four cruises are in a balcony. We've never tried a inside, but I may consider it in the future if it was alot cheaper.

For what is spent in the difference in an inside and a balcony, we can almost do our 4th cruise free with the money we saved......Dennis

[suzski]

We did interior on our first cruise and moved to a balcony for a longer cruise last summer....and now we're hooked. We were on the starboard side of the ship this year, and, due to the itinerary, got to sail into and out of each island with a great, private view...very relaxing and a great place to sit, read, or just relax.

[bplazo]

I have to have at least a balcony. I might have to reconsider this since it has been awhile since my last cruise.

[cruzmax]

Our first 3 cruises we had oceanview, then tried a balcony - love it! The next 6 have all been balconies; we may do an oceanview again some day(much better price). DH loves the balcony too, it's so nice in the morning for coffee, etc. and before bed I love to go out and look at the stars. Since our next cruise goes to St. Thomas and St. Maarten, we opted for a balcony again = it's so peaceful and beautiful when arriving at those locations.

[Ilovepj]

Going to have my first balcony this Oct on the Glory, we can not wait, we had inside rooms for the last 3 cruises, so I am excited.

 

We have a gtg balcony room, so do not know yet where we will be, but no matter where, we are going to love it.

[CruiseHead98]

For us it depends on the price. We will have one on the

Carnival Glory and the Carnival Splendor and we had one on the Carnival Conquest.:)

[MrPete]

ALWAYS!!!!

 

Then we graduated up to the mini/Jr suites.

 

None available next trip. Have to put up with a regular balcony. :rolleyes:

[happyracer]

On my first cruise I had a OV. My second cruise was a cat.12. I am now spoiled. I would not cruise without a balcony. I stay up till midnight looking at the water and wake up at 6am to look at it again! Its the best part of the cruise.

[halos]

We try to book a balcony (ever since we had our first, which was on our 3rd cruise)

We did, however, just book an inside on a short (5 day) cruise because this was an extra cruise that we really didn't plan on...just kinda tossed it in there.

We also have a plain old ;) ocean view booked for a 5 day in Nov on the Fantasy because I didn't want to put out the extra for a suite (Fantasy has no balcony cabins that aren't suites).

 

BUT the other two cruises I have booked have better cabins; an aft balcony on a 10 day RCI cruise and a mini suite on an NCL cruise.

 

LOL....so, I'm all over the place when it comes to cabin choices.

[queenanneitis]

ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS! Always a balcony, usually a suite and preferably an aft wrap around.......lol

[Umbarger]

I wish we could book balconies but just don't want to afford them.

 

Last year we cruised for 2 weeks in a inside cabins for the same price as a balcony for only 1 week.

 

I'll take two weeks instead of one any day. At least I'm on the ship.

[Kwst8ofmind]

We went on our fist cruise last year ( I don't know why I waited all these years) and we had an inside cabin. I told DH never again window or balcony. The darkness of the room made us sleep too long.

 

In September we have a balcony on the Legend, we did not pay that much more for a balcony given we booked a year in advance.

[Cruzman]

Having a balcony is definitely a priority, but not always a necessity. As someone mentioned, Holiday Class and Fantasy Class ships have no standard balconies; "ya gotta book a suite to get one. In those cases, we opt for an OV. Occasionally, we find a really good offering that is too hard to pass up. Even though it may not be a balcony cabin, the price is irresistible. Having said all of that, we usually go for an aft wrap if available!

[bleuiz]

The first two cruises, we have OV (the thought of not having even a window makes me cringe.......) Our third one was a balcony and we have been sold.. :D

[Cigar Dude]

For gosh sakes, if you get a balcony USE it! It costs more but IMHO it's worth it. Book early and get upgrades! That's what we do! Hell, I'm cheap but I want my balcony! :D

 

Every morning and every afternoon are our balcony times. Even in the middle of the night it's nice to open the door and hear the ocean. It's just plain nice! ;)

[Georgiagolfer]

DW and I both are balcony snobs. We are not what some call "well off" but if we are on vacation, we like the extra room and especially love the balcony. Last 5 cruises have been either Cat. 11 or JS. Both of us are 60+ and we love the morning breakfast and evening drinks on the balcony. If I can't get a balcony, we just save more until we can afford.