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First timers on Arcadia - no balcony !


milky-bar-man

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You are still overlooked especially if your on the Ventura. The original post

was about the cost of the balcony, we seem to have got away from that to what your preferences are. You often make some good points Sue, but I wish you would realise that not everybody as your finances. Often its a big financial amount that people set aside just to go on a cruise, and the choice that you have isn't available to passengers on a budget. Its this sort of snobery that the orginal poster was refering to, and that puts alot of people off cruises.

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Hey - I wasn't trying to cause a rift, I was just after a bit of friendly advice ! The first response to my post mentioned balcony snobbery, I can see that now !

stopgo has hit the nail on the head, what we’ve paid for this cruise, is for us, is a reasonable chunk of cash. We have a mortgage and 2 very expensive kids. I work in a factory and my wife is a child minder, so the alternative to the inside cabin on Arcadia (which for us, is nothing to be embarrased about, maybe for others it would be), was a weeks B&B in Filey !

 

I can see the attraction of a balcony and would love to be able to say yes we'll have one, and not have to worry about how much it would cost us, but unfortunately I can't – obviously that s not the case for you LibraLass –but good for you, I’m sure you’ve worked very hard to be where you are.

 

I’ve read loads of reviews on various sites (Dai, your Eastern Caribbean is the most interesting and informative review I have read, I couldn’t stop smiling whilst reading it, and happy anniversary for Saturday) but theres plenty of evidence that snobbery on cruises is an issue, especially "who's wearing what and who its by", its also evident from the reviews that a certain group of people seem desperate to find something to complain about ; "the atrium is nowhere near as good as that of the QE2" or “the waiters didn’t smile very much”, maybe its an act of self promotion ?? I suspect the only thing that is likely to put the dampners on our maiden cruise, is if we experience these attuitudes first hand - hopefully we won't, but if we do ; we’ll bring ear plugs !

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[i would rather do fewer cruises if it meant not having a balcony each time.

This is just how I feel about it and I can quite understand that some people would prefer and inside cabin and cruise more often.

It's all a matter of personal choice. I have never come across snobbery associated with having a balcony.

 

Annie:)

 

Just so! We're just the opposite & prefer an inside cabin & that lets us take 2 cruises. We had a balcony cabin once & regretted every extra pound it cost us. Only once come across balcony snobbery, when, being questioned as to why we were invited to the Senior Officers' drinks party, the 'lady' said, "I expect it's because, like us, you're in a suite." My better half replied "Ee luv, we've not even got a window in our cabin!" She walked off without another word. You get one on every cruise. MBM, just go, and enjoy.

GM

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Well, I'm definitely NOT a balcony snob! lol, some of my best friends have inside cabins hahaha !

 

I thought this was a thread on types of cabins and which ones to have and I was just putting the best points on here about a balcony... I have had one inside cabin once, but the old man didn't like it, felt caustrophobic - didn't bother me atall.

I said in a past post I agreed with Annie and would rather have fewer cruises in a balcony than more in a inside some agreed with that others exact opposite - vive la difference and I think I said that too (thank god we are all different)

;)

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We are lucky to be able to afford to book a balcony and I would rather do fewer cruises if it meant not having a balcony each time. We use our balcony a lot. If we were going on an early tour we order room service breakfast and have it on the balcony. We sit out there a lot during the day if it's a sea day.

 

As far as the Caribbean is concerned I would say that is one place a balcony comes into its own. Being on the balcony as the ship leaves a Caribbean island, the sun going down, drink in hand is magic.

 

This is just how I feel about it and I can quite understand that some people would prefer and inside cabin and cruise more often. Some people like the camaraderie of being on loungers round the pool on a sea day. We prefer being on our balcony. We have also enjoyed asking people we have met on our table (always a table for 8) to come and join us for a drink and that's lovely to have on the balcony.

 

It's all a matter of personal choice. I have never come across snobbery associated with having a balcony.

 

Annie:)

That must be some balcony Annie, if you can get 8 on it !

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I have been on the Arcadia with an outside "restricted view". It was a lovely cabin with lots of room. Although you had a large window you could only see the lifeboat!

 

We are on the Ventura, sailing tomorrow to the Caribbean, and we have an inside cabin for the first time. I never realised that we wouldn't have natural daylight!!! Never mind, whenever I am in the cabin I will be asleep!!

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to have the balcony cabin for the reasons previously stated - and essential if you are unfortunate enough to come down with something nasty, like the Noro. Can't imagine being quarantined for 48 hours in an inside without any fresh air to be had! Yuck!:eek:

But thankfully, chances of catching a bug are very slim - so if you're happy with the inside choice - enjoy.

Switching the telly on to the Port channel for the "view" though, would be stretching the imagination a tad too far!!:D

I agree with Sue - lucky we aren't all after the same cabins.

Have a wonderful cruise.

Glenda

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"" Some people find it hard to wake up too with no natural light.""

 

We are 'house sitting' our daughter and son in law's house, (they are doing the sensible thing and cruising) and as it is a big house set in a lot of grounds, ....... no street lights!!!!

 

You would be surprised just how dark these mornings are. OK when we go to bed as there are security and garden lights on timers, but when they go out ................. 'taint arf dark Mum'

 

Mike

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Another tip for a inside cabin is to leave the shaver light on in bathroom with door ajar at night, as it is very very dark obviously with no light atall.

Some people find it hard to wake up too with no natural light.

How much natural light to you get in the middle of the night. If you get up

early in the morning at this time of year there's no light whether your in an

inside cabin or an outside cabin.

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Just a word re balcony sizes, on Arcadia in July our balcony was 8ft x 14ft, we had 2 reclining chairs, 2 sunloungers and 2 small tables. Very few balconies are the size of ironing boards. If you only sleep/change in room then there is nothing else to do in it if no balcony. Our room is a part of our holiday,it's home from home for us and if it wasn't we wouldn't go.We don't sit in the dark either, plenty of lovely evenings and sail ins. But we all go on holiday for different things thank goodness. Some of the bars have been so unappealing due to smoke etc that it is great to get away from it all and we have never had smoky neighbours. This time next week we shall be on the Oriana, cannot wait.

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Hi Stopgo! I hesitate to say but the balcony we had in fact 10 on was on an aft minisuite on Oceana. I know that we are very lucky to be able to afford it and I do realise that not everyone can. We never ask anyone on our table what sort of cabin they have. If we have a large balcony, yes we usually ask our table companions to come and have a drink on the last formal night of the cruise. This we do because we enjoy having a drinks party, not to "show off" our balcony. We have found that people enjoy looking round different types of cabin. One couple said, "right we are starting to save now!"

 

Cruising offers lots of choice for all budgets. This is what is so good about it.

 

Annie

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We've just come back from this year's 'Canaries Cocktail' on Ventura, and we did have a balcony. So how important was it to us?

 

Well, the first thing to say is that given the time of year, there's no sitting out on the balcony during the evening - it's dark. Ditto first thing in the morning. It was fairly warm on the balcony while we were actually around the Canaries, but more northerly - say, from the UK to La Corruna, and from Vigo back - it was too chilly to sit out unless the sun was shining. Any cloud, and we scuttled for cover. And of course there were entire days when we were in shade because of the orientation of the ship. So there is a fair amount of inflexibility that limits the use of the balcony.

 

When did we enjoy it: well, I can recall a couple of excellent sailaways, e.g. the one from Vigo: it was warm enough and the views onto the coastline were stunning. We spent some time out there on a couple of the sea days as well.

 

Overall, it was 'nice to have', but it wasn't the centre of our cruise. We noticed that the sunny side of the Promenade deck was very popular with passengers, and for someone without a balcony that would be a very good alternative. And of course there are all the open sun decks, which we also used. I'm sure these facilities are available on Arcadia.

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Just a word re balcony sizes, on Arcadia in July our balcony was 8ft x 14ft, we had 2 reclining chairs, 2 sunloungers and 2 small tables. Very few balconies are the size of ironing boards. If you only sleep/change in room then there is nothing else to do in it if no balcony. Our room is a part of our holiday,it's home from home for us and if it wasn't we wouldn't go.We don't sit in the dark either, plenty of lovely evenings and sail ins. But we all go on holiday for different things thank goodness. Some of the bars have been so unappealing due to smoke etc that it is great to get away from it all and we have never had smoky neighbours. This time next week we shall be on the Oriana, cannot wait.

Ironing Board balconys was a direct reference to the Ventura. Are you sure it was a balcony? and not a mini suite. Annie is getting confused about that, at first it was 8 passengers now its 10. Then it was a balcony and now its a mini suite.

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Just for your interest Milky Barman, we have been on Acadia Several times, balconys and inside, and last time on Acadia was a 17 day Med cruise in C6 Inside so right above your cabin, and to be honest if you saved £500 then that is money you can spend as you move between the Crows nest and The rising Sun, as your cabin is ideally located :) Go and enjoy

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Hi, sorry Libra, that comment of mine wasn't quite fair. No I have never had a balcony, but I wouldn't be prepared to pay for one. Quite happy to be out on deck, although I can understand sitting on your balcony having a cuppa.

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Hi Stopgo, I'm sorry if my reply sounded muddled. Initially I was commenting on my thoughts about having a balcony. I then commented that we liked inviting our table companions for a drink.

 

Then I referred to the balcony we had in an aft minisuite on Oceana. These balconies are huge. There were the 8 of us on our table plus another couple who we had met up with during the cruise - hence the 10. In fact there is room on those balconies for at least another 2. These aft minis are very different from the layout of the midship minis on Oceana where the balconies are very long and narrow. Hope I've made myself clearer now.

 

Annie:)

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Hi hope you don't mind me commenting on this thread as I have found it very interesting reading.

 

We have now done 12 cruises in total starting with an outside cabin with a window, then gradually moving up to side balcony cabins and for the last two cruises on Arcadia, having the beauty of having huge aft cabins and balconies which are absolutely wonderful. The cabins themselves are far bigger than the normal balcony cabins and the balcony is just exceptional - the whole ground area was 375 sq ft.

 

What can I say - well having done lots of cruises and each time gone for a bigger cabin, we most probably have now spoiled ourselves and have said that really from now on we could only cruise with a balcony and a big one at that. It is not snobbery it is just what we have grown into since our first cruise in 1996 and like others on here would rather pay the extra for the additional space and privacy.

 

We both have very busy careers, as many people may know on here my hubs has a brain tumour so for us our holidays are very, very special as you never know what is around the corner and as we both work very hard, luxury is what we want when we go away. For that reason, we only cruise once every 18 - 24 months and also like to do other type of holidays as well as cruising.

 

One tip - each time we got our aft balcony (E184 and D184) we paid NO MORE than people having side balconies but wow what a great gain in space - we were very lucky but now realise that P & O have cottoned onto how desired these aft balconies are and that is why following the refit, the ones left will be twice the price.

 

The beauty of a balcony, especially aft is watching the wake of the ocean behind you, watching the birds and seeing whales and dolphins swimming behind you too. Also like others being able to have a light breakfast/coffee on your own if you like and having a lovely read with a cocktail at your leisure without being scrambled over by other passengers like the open sundecks.

 

Hubs is a professional photographer and gets many wonderful shots from the ship, so for him it is also essential.

 

Each to their own and I totally agree with that but for us, balcony every time - just wouldn't be the same now and no we are not snobs, but work damn hard so it makes our enjoyment of our holiday time even more important.

 

Regards,

Babs

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Hi - some really great responses, thanks. Babs, thats a good point - quality rather than quantity. But we're at the stage where we still haven't been everywhere and done everything we want to, so we can accomodate concessions into our holidays which mean we can do more of what we want to. Once we've ticked all the boxes, then attitudes towards things like square footage, and number of stars on the doorway will become more relevant.

By the way Babs - does hub have any online galleries for his pics (I love looking at the Arcadia galleries)?? I'm sure they would make great viewing, and it would be a shame to keep them all to yourselves !

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We have done 2 inside cruises now and had fun on both. We have just spent the extra £500 each on a balcony cabin for a Caribbean Cruise and this will be our first balcony experience. To be fair its the most we have ever spent on an actual holiday although we probably will not speand anywhere near as much as we did in Vegas.

 

I am a little worried about the smoke, I am very anti smoking and would be extremely angry if the extra £1000 I have spent means I get to breath in someones second hand smoke. I did not think about it at all when I booked.

 

The way I looked at it this year was both myself and partner work fulltime and with my job I travel a lot and don't get much real time off, so its a case of having the best possible time in the 2 weeks holiday we both get together. If I had the time I would definatly go inside and do more cruises with the money saved.

 

As for snobery we have never come across it, but then again the people we sat with at dinner were all insides too.

 

Chris

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  • 3 weeks later...
Agree Chris

We both work hard too for our special cruise holiday and go for a balcony for this reason. Balconies are middle of the road anyway, surely the snob eliment is the suites! lol

 

Thanks LL,

But what else [apart from alcohol obviously] is there an extra charge for?

What is the gratuity policy? Up to passenger's discretion?

Is smoking allowed in staterooms, as I have heard that on some boats, the Balconies can be intolerable, due to smoke from adjoining passengers' Balcony rooms.

Regards,

Steve

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