Beware balcony cabins

[shecat7]

This is about a balcony cabin only. Not to be confused with a balcony suite.

We did know that they were small but this seemed to be smaller then we imagined. A broom cupboard with a view. It must have been a single size in some form of its life.

After cruising with over 6 other lines this is so far behind any other balcony room it beggars belief. Badly layed out and no thought behind it.

One side a single bed against the wall level with the dressing table/desk.

Yes you guessed right in the middle of the night the duvet and my feet cleared it all. I would often wake up with my feet on the table and i,m only 5 foot 8 ins a lanky lad would have problems.

The other side a single bed with no headboard open top and bottom. The only way to stop the pillows falling off was to prop a chair against the bed.

Rating for a balcony cabin in my view would not get above a 3/10:mad:

Compared with princess, cunard even costa do not upgrade its not worth it.

steve

[merecat]

I presume you mean on Boudicca ,the only cabin without a picture on FO site ,although it does say BC grade are approx. 160 sq.ft.

 

I,ve seen single balcony cabins on Boudicca and they look very nice but as yours was only 10sq, ft. larger ,they would be in line with other cabins on Boudicca except they have a balcony. Bad luck.:eek:

[shecat7]

yes you do wonder why , mabye they can buy mine , somehow i dont think so.the boudicca is a nice ship and this was the 3rd time on her

thanks merecat

[stephen@stoneyard.co.uk]

The balcony cabins on Boudicca are not up to same standard a Cunard. Boudicca are 160 sqft and Queen Mary 2 are 190 sqft excluding balconies. The cabin on Boudicca felt very narrow. The beds felt very narrow and in a very odd parallel but offset arrangement. We both found the mattresses quite uncomfortable. Our steward never introduced herself and often our cabin was often not made up until 2PM. This was a problem because there is no separate sofa on Boudica unlike Queen Mary 2. We like to read in our cabin.

 

I was not keen on the idea of making my own cup of tea but actually it was quicker than ringing for a steward and I could make it exactly as I liked it. Room service food is a very limited choice on Boudicca compared to Queen Mary 2.

 

The price of balcony cabins varies with the cruise but is often about the same on Boudicca and Queen Mary 2. We paid about two thirds the amount per night on Queen Mary 2 compared to Boudicca for our last cruise. I really do not think the balcony cabins on Boudicca provide very good value for money.

 

The balcony cabins book quite quickly as there is not many and it is a big step up in price to the suites with balconies. If you book a balcony cabin chose carefully as many of them have views obstructed by lifeboats.

 

Saying all this we had a fantastic cruise on Boudica and hope to cruise on her again this year. We will not bother with a balcony cabin (they are all booked anyway). On a small ship like Boudicca you are never far from an open deck and they never seem crowded.

 

My favourite balcony was on QE2 and she is languishing unused in Dubai.

 

Best wishes, Stephen.

[Cruising Nomads]

Would the Op please post the cabin number so I can steer clear from that cabin.

[merecat]

Bit harsh comparing Boudicca with QM2 ,I don,t think FO intends Boudicca to be another QM2 as the Cunard style is completly different to FO.

 

My only complaint about Boudicca is bed size but then if you don,t want single beds book a cabin with a double.;)

[stephen@stoneyard.co.uk]

I find FO and Cunard quite similar. Both offer traditional style cruises from the UK often to the same destinations. Similar perhaps to the Oriana and Aurora of P&O. Some of the same lecturers and entertainers I have experienced on both lines. I think both lines have excellent lecture programmes. Many of the food choices in the restaurants are the same. Both maintain a formal dress code in the evenings for many nights. Both lines attract very nice friendly and gentle passengers. Often the same passengers.

 

If you can get a late booking deal FO offers fantastic values. The more expensive cabin and suites seem poor value to me, but they seem to book up early so it must be me.

 

The OP compared FO balcony cabins to various lines including Princess, Costa and Cunard. One day I will have to try these. Perhaps I should dedicate myself to finding the perfect balcony cabin. That would be fun.

 

Best wishes, Stephen.

[shecat7]

Our cabin no was 8022 this had no restrictions on views . Some ones looked out directly or partially to the lifeboats or tenders.

To stephen

We agree on most things just on how to spell our name it seems

Our lectures

Ian brown of scotland yard was 10/10

Don reid comedian 10/10

the duo from chortley radio 0/10

As all cruise lines cost cutting is now showing.

On previous cruise,s fred had biscuits in the cabins on a daily basis , this was now missing as was the punch party, the midnight buffet was halved , and on talking to staff the numbers had halved , i.e cabin staff , bar waiters and also in the restaurant, you could see the strain they were under some times.

On seeing a suite (balcony) i would only just compare that with a balcony cabin of a low grade on the Queens victoria and mary of which we have been on.

As for price i believe that the average f.o of 100 p/d to 110 p/d i paid of cunard,s for a balcony puts it into you pay,s for what you get catagory, in this case it was the ports of call on the translantic that sold fred and the nice touches and the small feeling that you get with the ship and passengers

If only you could take away the bad from each line , utopia!.

I agree fred does do some very cheap guaranteed cabins , but most lines if you ring up at the last minute will do you a deal its just pot luck as to , the cabin and dinning arrangements and grade, some people have had awful cabind over the engines etc , we have been lucky

To merecat

all the beds are being changed on the boudicca they have done them , they are wider , and higher this means a little more comfort but the cabins are now more narrower and if you get a unit betweenits smaller.

As for double beds they are only for suites.

[shecat7]

Our cabin no was 8022 this had no restrictions on views . Some ones looked out directly or partially to the lifeboats or tenders.

To stephen

We agree on most things just on how to spell our name it seems

Our lectures

Ian brown of scotland yard was 10/10

Don reid comedian 10/10

the duo from chortley radio 0/10

As all cruise lines cost cutting is now showing.

On previous cruise,s fred had biscuits in the cabins on a daily basis , this was now missing as was the punch party, the midnight buffet was halved , and on talking to staff the numbers had halved , i.e cabin staff , bar waiters and also in the restaurant, you could see the strain they were under some times.

On seeing a suite (balcony) i would only just compare that with a balcony cabin of a low grade on the Queens victoria and mary of which we have been on.

As for price i believe that the average f.o of 100 p/d to 110 p/d i paid of cunard,s for a balcony puts it into you pay,s for what you get catagory, in this case it was the ports of call on the translantic that sold fred and the nice touches and the small feeling that you get with the ship and passengers

If only you could take away the bad from each line , utopia!.

I agree fred does do some very cheap guaranteed cabins , but most lines if you ring up at the last minute will do you a deal its just pot luck as to , the cabin and dinning arrangements and grade, some people have had awful cabins over the engines etc , we have been lucky

To merecat

all the beds are being changed on the boudicca they have done them , they are wider , and higher this means a little more comfort but the cabins are now more narrower and if you get a unit between its smaller.

As for double beds they are only for suites.

[merecat]

Good news about the beds on Boudicca ,I always thought Cunard and Princess had the best beds with FO comeing third ,however I,m on Prinsendam (HAL) in Sept. for a month so another bed testing session.;)

[stephen@stoneyard.co.uk]

Glad to hear about the beds. Shame about the cost cutting. If they cut cabin stewards any further we might not get our cabin cleaned until after dinner. Bar service was very prompt but they were stretched thin in the restaurant.

 

Regards, Stephen.