Cruise Tips5 Benefits to Having a Balcony Cabin on Your Cruise

5 Benefits to Having a Balcony Cabin on Your Cruise

When you are booking a cruise you will have the option of choosing an interior cabin, a cabin with a view, or a balcony cabin.  And then , of course, there are suites which have balconies, a huge space, and often come with a butler.  But for this article, I want to mention 5 of the biggest reasons for choosing at least a balcony stateroom.  Yes, they do cost more, and you might be tempted to just get an ocean view, but here are some things to consider before you make that decision for your next cruise.

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should i get a balcony on a cruise

Better Views

Most balcony staterooms have floor to ceiling transparent doors which give you a much better view than just a window, whether it be a porthole or full sized window.  And let’s face it, when you are cruising it’s all about taking in the sights.  What better way to enjoy these sights than from the comfort of your own room where you can order free room service and put your feet up.

Ocean Air Anytime You Want It

balcony on cruise

For me this is the biggest reason to get a balcony stateroom.  Sure you can see the ocean with an ocean view cabin, or even just imagine it from an interior stateroom, but there is nothing like feeling the ocean breeze as you cruise from island to island.  That fresh ocean air is therapeutic and it’s just one step away from your bed.  You could enjoy this view and ocean sound from a lounger on the pool deck, but it might be drowned out by music or other passengers.   Keep in mind that you should not leave the balcony doors open.  Cruise lines usually disallow this anyway, but if you leave the door open it will create air pressure that will slam the main door of your cabin when someone goes in and out and warms up the cabin and hallway, making the AC run overtime.

More Private

balcony on cruise, norwegian epic

Don’t get me wrong.  It’s nice to be able to lay out on the pool deck with a lounge chair and get some sun, but sometimes the pool deck can get a little too busy and crowded for my taste.  That’s why it’s nice to be able to back to your own private room and put your feet up where no one can bother you.  You might have a few rowdy passengers in other balconies, but usually during the day it’s quite quiet and peaceful out there

Easier to Wake Up

I know sometimes budgets don’t allow for an upgrade to a balcony stateroom on a cruise ship, but interior staterooms just don’t allow you to wake up naturally.  It’s just as dark when you went to sleep as when you get up.  I loved being able to wake up to the natural sunlight coming through the glass doors.  There is no need for an alarm clock and you don’t feel detached from reality.

Experience the Ocean Life More

carnival dream cove balcony

On my last cruise my wife and I got to see dolphins swimming around the ship while we were sailing to one of our ports.  They were right along the ship and jumping in and out of the water.  It was quite a sight to see and we never would have seen this if we didn’t have a balcony.  We spent a lot of time just leaning on the railing and looking out into the water, and spotted several other kinds of oceanic life, which was a wonderful part of our cruising experience.

Not everyone will be able to afford a balcony stateroom, but if you are able to modify the budget enough to pay for one, it will be well worth it.  The best balconies are on the back of the ship.  They are bigger balconies and a little more private since you don’t have as many neighbors, but usually you will have to pay a little extra for these as well.

So what do you think?  Have you ever been in a balcony stateroom?  And what was your experience compares to interior or ocean view cabins?  Let us know in a comment below.  We would love to hear from you.

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J. Souza
J. Souza
Jon is the co-founder of Cruise Fever and has been on 50+ cruises since his first in 2009. As an editor, 15-year writer on the cruise industry, and avid cruise enthusiast he has sailed with at least 10 cruise lines and is always looking for a great cruise deal. Jon lives in North Carolina and can be reached at [email protected].
Cruise Tips5 Benefits to Having a Balcony Cabin on Your Cruise
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87 COMMENTS

  1. I agree that pool decks get crowded, and that is one of the reasons to have a balcony cabin. My brothers and I decided to give our parents a cruise ship tour for their anniversary. We will keep this in mind so they can have their privacy as well.

  2. I’m excited as this our 1st Norwegian cruise coming in March so we did upgrade to balcony but they did it for free we are gonna be on the deck 10. Hope this is good and not bad

  3. We are taking our first cruise next month and we opted for a balcony . we are doing the Monsters of rock tour out of Miami ! going to Jamaica and Haiti ! we can’t wait !

  4. Love lying in bed ,opening the curtains in the morning and seeing a new port !! Only way to cruise!!

  5. My first cruise we got a balcony. Only way to go. We saw dolphins, the door where the pilot who takes ship in/out of harbor, was where we could see the tender pull up and the pilot jump onto the ship. Exciting since both ships are moving. Will always get an balcony. Got some beautiful sunset pics.

  6. My first cruise was a balcony room. Every subsequent cruise (I’m going on #9 soon) have been balconies. And I love the aft…best place for a room. Easy to get to food. Did the extended aft before…loved the bigger balcony. Did the “bump out” balcony on RC…really liked that one! I love morning coffee on my balcony. Nothing beats it. It’s also a wonderful place to nap and get the cool ocean breezes. Yep…I’m a balcony girl all the way.

  7. My husband and I have taken over 30 cruises and the first couple were ocean view staterooms but since then we travel only in balcony cabins. The balcony gives you extra space so you don’t feel as cramped. The views are much better from inside the cabin as you have the floor to ceiling glass of the doors. We have done a couple of cruises through the South Pacific and the wam ocean breezes at night are exquisite. My husband has actually slept on the balcony for many of the nights in the South Pacific, enjoying the warm breeze and ocean sounds! It’s a wonderful place to be to watch the ship pulling into or out of port. We’ve seen flying fish, whales, dolphins, penguins, a hawk, even a lava flow from the comfort of our own balcony. We love it. It’s the only way to cruise. Well worth the extra money it costs!!

  8. I take umbrage with your opinion that it’s okay to keep your balcony doors open because “…the only reason why the cruiselines want you to keep your balcony doors closed is because it saves them money.” That request has little or NOTHING to do with RCI or any other line saving money; it has to do with respecting other passengers who’s cabins are within 100 feet of your hallway door! I have sailed every class of cabin including suite, and the one thing that always ticks me off is when an inconsiderate balcony passenger leaves their balcony open simply because they love the “fresh air”. Well, here’s a newsflash for you… when you leave your balcony door open, it creates a vortex-like wind pattern that not only creates wind tunnel-like sounds in your cabin, but out in the hallway that other passengers share with you. Such action also GREATLY raises the ambient temperature in the hallway. So next time you want to enjoy copious amounts of FRESH air, kindly do so while out on your balcony with the slider door closed, or up on the lido or sun deck where you can have access to endless amounts of direct sunshine and fresh air in your face if you so deem it. I on the otherhand prefer to wake up to whatever light or other alarm I select; not a wind tunnel outside my “front” door.

  9. I’ve had ocean view, and sailed with friends who had a balcony, but I have a cruise coming up very soon with a balcony room. Looking forward to it! You might need to revise that “free room service part, though. A lot of cruise lines are charging for it, now. Royal Caribbean charges $7.95, except for continental breakfast.

    • Good point, Matt. Seems to be the trend to charge for room service. Going to miss those glory days.

  10. I love how you said that there is nothing like being able to feel an ocean breeze while in a room. Having an ocean view room is something that I will have to look into when my wife and I go on our big trip for our 25th wedding anniversary. That way we can enjoy the ocean and each other while on our trip.

    • My husband and I always take an anniversary cruise. Our first 2 were interior and ocean view, but after experiencing a balcony we will never cruise again without one. A few things to consider though who can see you, what can you see, and what do you want to see. Obstructed balconies are not usually bad and cheaper, closer to the water, more private; but wetter. Breakfast is phenomenal on a balcony. Sunrises and sunsets too! — 5 cruises on Carnival and 1 on Princess.

  11. My very first cruise I had a balcony. I loved sitting out there during the night and just listening and looking up at the beautiful stars. My son and his then wife paid for that cruise and it was the best vacation EVER!! I’ve always wanted to book another cruise, but disability is a very fixed income and I have to choose between what medicine I get from month to month.
    Maybe, just maybe, I’ll be blessed with one more!!! Happy cruising!!

  12. We booked an ocean view balcony for our Hawaiian cruise and was to the Napali coast line without having to go up on deck and so many other things. We thought inside cabins were the thing because they were dark and peaceful. Will always book ocean view!

  13. We booked our first balcony for a transatlantic cruise and now that’s it for us. I liked that pulling into port, I could go out in my nightgown and take pictures and no one saw me and I didn’t have to go on a deck for pictures. Won’t go inside or ocean view cabin again.

  14. We always book a balcony. During our Alaska cruise we woke up to whales, dolphins and seals several times. Viewing the glaciers was spectacular and we didn’t have to fight for spots on the rail! Sitting on the balcony with my sweety, a book and a beverage is so peaceful and relaxing and, depending on the ship, clothing optional!

  15. I will only cruise with balcony as I love to watch the sunrise and sunset and at night with a clear sky it feels like you can reach out and touch the stars as they seem to surround you, giving you the most amazing feeling which would not be the same up on deck with all the people and noise.

  16. We will be cruising 2018, the first time booking a balcony suite, thanks for your tips. Looking forward to it.

  17. Our last 4 cruises have all been balcony rooms and we love it – we enjoy the ocean air, the sights, and on a day at sea we’ll relax and read. We’ll spend our 45th wedding anniversary this weekend in a balcony room and as long as we can afford it, we won’t do it any other way!

  18. Were going on our 20th cruise in Dec. All but our first one was a balcony wouldn’t have it any other way. (All have been on Carnival)

  19. We went on our first cruise last fall on the carnival Breeze. We upgraded to a balcony room on deck 6. It was a seven day cruise. We will never cruise without a balcony! Going out on the balcony every morning with a cup of coffee and watching our ship come into port, or watching the sea, listening to the ocean as we cruised. Enjoying a drink in the evening after a day of crowds and people in port! It was awesome! We are booked on another cruise in Nov of 2018 on the carnival Dream! I never thought I wanted to cruise but we are hooked. An amazing deal!!! I just wish we hadn’t waited so long in our lives to do this. Did I mention sunrise and sunset from your own balcony? Amazing!

    • Book a cove balcony on Dream. Very private and only 20 to 25 feet off the water! It was awesome!

  20. We have booked a wheelchair room with a balcony many times. It is great having large doors for my wheelchair, and accessible shower. The balcony allows such peaceful sounds to fall asleep with, and a great place to have breakfast without having to dress first. Coming back from a people crowded port, is awesome to enjoy a drink and peace and quiet on the balcony. We have had an inside stateroom as well, but it doesn’t give the same wonderful feeling of a great getaway that the balcony does.

  21. We are booked on the transatlantic crossing on the new Carnival Horizon in May, 2018. We took our first cruise this past November on Carnival Vista and had a deck 3 patio. Knowing that we will be at least six days at sea between ports on the Horizon, we opted for the Havana Club cabin. We scouted them out on Vista, private pools and hot tubs and larger decks. Can’t wait!!!
    By the way, Carnival Vista is a wonderful ship!

  22. For our first cruise we were upgraded to a balcony and have never booked a cruise unless we have a balcony cabin, preferably Aft. Cruise #8 is coming up, this time we’re mid-ship as there are no Aft cabins on this particular ship. Breakfast, cocktails or just quiet time looking at the water without other people around makes the extra expense well worth it. The wrap around balconies are the best as they allow you to get out of the wind and still enjoy being outside.

  23. Sorry to be the devil’s advocate but I have been on 10 cruises and never had a balcony….always an inside cabin. I love the darkness for sleeping and I have gone up to deck 11 to enjoy the sunrise and it is very peaceful at that time in the morning. I would rather go on more cruises than pay the extra money. One of my favourite cruises was a 12 day Mediterranean and it was $1000 more per person for a balcony. Ridiculous!!! The way I look at it is, if I never have a balcony, I won’t know what I am missing.

    • I have been on 10 cruises and we have been with friends that have gotten balcony rooms. I always cruise the inside room and I come out of my cruise for four people around 2000 bucks less then the people that travel with us. If I want to see a sunset or sunrise I just go outside and see the same thing people do with balcony rooms but I just see it for freeeeeeee. LOL

    • I totally agree with you Julie. I would NEVER pay $1,000 plus more for a balcony. I am an early riser, like people, so it’s a waste of money for me. Celebrity just upgraded us to a balcony for free, and I am SOOOO excited. That’s different. I hope after having a balcony, I won’t want one again.

  24. I have been on three cruises, and we had a balcony room every time. I would never cruise without having a balcony room. My best friend was going on a cruise for there 25th wedding anniversary and they were looking at the inside staterooms, because one they were cheaper and two someone had told them not to waste their money on the better room because they would never be in it. I talked them into getting the balcony room and when they got back they were so glad that I talked them into the balcony room, they also said they spent more time the room than they thought. So my advice to anyone cruising spend the extra money for the balcony room.

    • We’ve done both, We upgraded to balcony when we went to Hawaii and love sitting out there watching the scenery. We also took a Oceania Cruise to Italy,France,Spain and there ship I think all rooms are balcony.. Depends on our budget and what will we see on ship. Sometimes its just alot of water.lol We might see dolphins but so far no Whales 🙁

  25. I agree that a balcony is best. Our last cruise was with Norwegian and it was the first time that there wasn’t free room service. An $8 fee per order. Disappointed about that but still, balcony is best for a cruise!!

  26. We have been in two cruises and have our 3rd booked for this September. In my personal opinion, there is no other better vacation than a cruise and no better way to enioy it than having a balcony to go out on. It’s still private but you get wonderful views. We love waking up and smelling the salty breeze and going out at night and seeing the moonlight in the ocean. Seriously. Do it. Book that balcony room. You won’t regret it!

  27. Been on three cruises and had balcony rooms each time. First time was because I am claustrophobic and was too afraid to not have a balcony; now that I have experienced having it I couldn’t imagine sailing without one. As for all the posts about being bothered by smoke from neighbors; Is Royal Caribbean the only cruise line with designated smoking areas and no smoking on balcony rules? Or perhaps I misunderstood and the cruise lines just ignored enforcing their own safety rule….? At any rate, I highly recommend a balcony. So far I have been lucky not to have noisy neighbors or Smokey ones. ?

  28. I couldn’t agree more! Our first two cruises were in inside staterooms. The first one because it was cheap and we didn’t know any better. The second, because it was cheap — and our teenaged daughters surprised us with the cruise and were paying for it out of their very modest part-time job earnings!

    But the third (our most recent, but certainly not our last) cruise saw us absolutely thrilling to the many benefits of a balcony stateroom on the Celebrity Constellation. Leaving the door open to hear the waves as we slept at night… Lavish privacy… Being naturally awakened by daylight in the morning… Astonished to relish the delight of watching a pod of at least 30 dolphins playfully keeping pace with us for perhaps a half-hour on the way to Mexico — something we would never have even realized was happening if we hadn’t heard them slapping the waves as they leapt joyously out of the water!

    But most of all I think, is the state of mind — complete relaxation — that comes with retreating to your balcony. With an interior room, you are always driven to ‘get out of the room’ and ‘go do something’. Because time in your room feels pretty much completed wasted. Often, the result of this is being in a state of continuous exhaustion. I mean, there’s plenty of FUN in running around exploring the ship and participating in the non-stop activities… But when I’m on an extended vacation, I NEED to — as Princess says — “Come Back New”. I need time to really ‘exhale’. And we’ve found that really only truly happens on your balcony!

    I can’t wait for our next one!! (Work difficulties make it impossible to know just when that will be at this point — but you can bet your bottom dollar it will be just as soon as I can work out a solution to those challenges!!)

  29. We just returned March 9, 2017 from a Princess cruise to Hawaii. I would really advocate for a balcony. We like being able to sleep with the doors open as the air conditioning does go off at night at it gets warm in the room. We prefer a cool room at night so having the ability to open the doors is a big plus.

    My only real beef with this cruise is that we were with a very geriatric crowd who did not show respect for their fellow travellers. So many had this humungous chip on their shoulder that everyone else had to cater to them, be damned the rest of the passengers. When talking to your cruise provider, do some research about the general cruising population of the destination you have in mind.

  30. I’ve been on 4 cruises, first with a lady friend with a big fixed window from Brisbane to Cairns – we found it fine as you could see when we docked; 2nd was an inside cabin on a smaller ship to the Whitsunday Islands – it was good as we really did only sleep and shower in it, most time we were on deck enjoying the stunning views; 3rd another lady friend and myself booked a balcony to New Zealand but on the day of the cruise we were upgraded (free) to a mini-suite (weeeee) and loved that so much, it was at the aft and our balcony was huge and private, the watching of the wake made me relax and we could see both sides and the back wake all the time; 4th cruise was our honeymoon so we booked a balcony. So I’ve done them all, and really all of them were wonderful, exciting and filled with lovely memories. My view (excuse the pun) is that a cruise is what you make of it, the rooms are there but also there are so many areas on a ship you can be alone or as social as you wish, make the most of it and you will be a cruise lover for life. Happy cruising!

  31. We have had all three room types we love a balcony but if we’re cruising it just doesn’t seem to matter. The best value is the way to go for us .just enjoy!?⛴?

  32. Our 1st cruise was an ocean view cabin; 2nd cruise was a balcony cabin, and 3rd cruise, because of great price, was another ocean view cabin. The 3rd cruise experience REALLY made us appreciate the balcony cabins and every cruise since then has been a balcony. I won’t cruise any other way.

  33. I too agree with all of you, A Balcony changes your entire cruise. Coffee in the morning on the balcony is just fantastic. Lunch or just a midday snack, Everything changes when you opt for a balcony. I have many friends who always say “Well I’m never in my room” I always get the last laugh. My response has always been ” Well, Thats because you don’t have a balcony!” Smooth seas my friends…

  34. Me and my husband have only had balcony rooms. We’ve had them on the side and on the very back of the ship. The back of the ship is definitely the best view! Another great balcony is the extended aft-view, the balconies are on the corners of the back of the ship so you get almost double the size of balcony. That’s are fave but unfortunately we can’t always afford that but we do however always get a balcony room. We love the peacefulness of setting outside eating breakfast or just reading a book with nobody around.

  35. My Wife and I were on Royal Carribean’s Anthem of the Seas this past June for 9 days and we had a balcony stateroom and I couldn’t. Have asked for a more enjoyable experience aboard a ship. Now, that’s the only we that I will ever cruise is with a balcony stateroom for I loved watching everything over the railing and it’s just more privacy and you tend to just enjoy your cruise experience better with your spouse I won’t. Cruise without a balcony….

  36. We had a room with a balcony going thru the Panama Canal. We narely used it because it was way too hot and humid to sit outside for any lrngth of time.

    It would only be useful if the weather is good.

  37. When my husband and I went our our cruises, we always had balcony rooms. The first one was at the back of the ship and like 3 decks below the Lido Deck. It was wonderful sitting outside when pulling into ports backwards while we at breakfast. The other cruises there were on the sides of the ship. They were great to sit outside while cruising to the islands and other port calls. When I went on a cruise with my sister in law and friends, I told them I was upgrading us from a interior room to a balcony room. They loved it as much I did. Now they get balcony rooms with a great view. Will always get a room with a balcony when cruising. It’s the best way to go.!!!

    Karen Blindt

  38. We have cruised a few times but was lucky to be able to afford a balcony. Last cruise we had a balcony at the back of celebrity eclipse on a trip to Iceland and Norway which had stunning views. We are off on the independence of the sea in July and have a balcony at the side again and are hoping to spot the Dolphins again as seen on previous cruises. It is wonderful just popping out there, day or night for fresh air or views or for me it helps with my travel sickness.

  39. Our first cruise we had an inside cabin we could feel the ship moving but never knew what time or where we were bcuz of no view. We have gone on other cruises since then and having a balcony was so much better bcuz u can go out there any time of day and relax and at night as the ship was going through the water u could hear the waves hitting the side of the ship. It’s well worth it to get a balcony stateroom all the cruise lines have different categories to choose from.

  40. Love a balcony, coffee in the morning or a drink at night, it’s also great when entering or leaving port. Royal Caribbean just upgraded some of their ships, reducing the size of the spa on 12 and adding another row of balcony rooms. Brand new, big screen TV in the wall, just steps from the Sky Bar and pool, best room we’re had in quite some time…

  41. I’ve been cruising for over 25 years. Started with 2 young boys in an interior room and now would only cruise in a balcony room. Once you’ve have a BIG balcony or suite room, you could never go back. I’ve cruised on many different lines. Love having the BIGGER size room with couch and sitting area beside the balcony to sit on. I’ve been to Alaska, Hawaii, Bermuda, and the Carribbean more times than I can count. The back of the ship balcony room was much more spacious than the middle rooms. I love cruising and will continue cruising until the day I die or run out of money.

  42. We travelled on Carnival Legend from 15th Oct. Until 26th Oct. From Sydney around the pacific for 11 days….2 adults and a 4 yr old…we booked room 7298 with the biggest balcony at the back of ship…it was great….no annoying other guests…..great views….now booked in a grand suite for Nov. 30th next year on Voyager of the Seas with a big balcony

  43. Our last cruise to Hawaii on the Ruby Princess was in a mini-suite with a balcony. As has been previously stated the decks above us where ‘stepped’ back from ours so everyone above us had a clear view of our balcony. Not exactly what I would call private but it was still nice.

  44. Our last cruise was an aft balcony with Carnival. We loved the extra room–we were next to the wrap around balcony and I realized that our balcony was still larger than the other aft balconies. The only thing that bothered us was we had a neighbor on the deck below us smoking and it was next to impossible to get Carnival to do anything about it. The guy at one point was even smoking marijuana! He basically drove us from our balcony.

  45. I have been on two cruises,both times we have had a balcony we are crusin in 2016,this time we are going to try interior with French doors that open,we usually do the same cruise every year so I’ve been there and done that I’d like to try something different and put my money more towards the drinking plan

  46. My 1st cruise was an interior room. But my sister had a balcony room. I so enjoyed just sitting out on the balcony w/ her and talking about life that I knew I had to have a balcony on my next cruise. So I did and now I’m hooked. For me, it makes the cruise an amazing experience to do coffee on your balcony early in the morning while watching the sun rise just over the horizon.

  47. U r right a balcony room offers so much more I woke up to watch us cruising into Jamaica and it was beautiful the memories will last a lifetime!!

  48. We have been on many cruises and always book a balcony cabin. There is so much to see from the balcony. Not only sea life but when in port there are always interesting things to see.

  49. We love to sleep with the balcony door open. I know the cruiseline doesn’t want you to but I love to hear the sound of the ocean as the last sound before going to sleep and the first thing as I wake in the morning. It’s also the perfect place to start the day with coffee or a cocktail later in the afternoon or evening.

  50. On an Alaskan cruise a balcony cabin is a MUST! There is so much to see in the Inside Passage, whales, dolphins, the beautiful islands and the Pacific Coast, forests, waterfalls and glaciers just outside your cabin door should not be missed. You don’t even have to deal with crowds of people to get awesome pictures from the railing. If you go on an Alaskan cruise and don’t have a balcony, you will regret it for sure.

    • Dianne said it perfectly. For some cruises, a balcony is nice, but not a must. If your ship stays fairly close to a shore line and the views are special, the balcony is great for photos.

    • On our 2nd Alaskan cruise late last August we had a balcony and could not use it due to blowing rain and occasionally snow. It is not always the best choice but since it was a free upgrade I have no right to complain.

  51. Love having a balcony. One big thing to request though. We cruised for 7 days with neighbors that had 4 children from 6 to about 1 yr old. I have 5 grands so didn’t think much of it. They were pretty noisy before we sailed and I just thought it was the excitement. The Dad leaned around the divider and informed me they had 4 kids and the ages. Initially told him i had 5 grands so shouldn’t be a problem. BITE MY TONGUE!!! They
    were on the balcony ALONE, running in and out of the door (that makes a terrific sound when slammed), screamed, kept jumping off the bunk beds, and had the walls absolutely rattling for the entire trip. About the 4th day I lost it…….stuck my head around the partition and told the Dad to shut his kids up as all they do is scream,jump, cry, and slam that door. After that they calmed a little and kept them busy. Plus I overheard someone in the hall telling the Dad the same thing.
    The people on the other side were not really noisy but they or their friend was smoking a stinky cigar and as you know smoke has no direction.
    Things to remember on any trip so you enjoy your trip and avoid frustration. Be specific about room and neighbors.

    • That is the exact reason I won’t do another balcony room. I have kids but when I spend a lot of money I don’t want to risk an annoying family ruining my quiet time. Balconies do have it’s perks BUT not enough to make me book one. People seem to forget they have neighbors in balcony rooms. The slamming door is what really gets me. I spend enough time being aggravated in a big city. I don’t want aggravation on my vacation. Having to tell some other inconsiderate person to please tone it down isn’t something I want to deal with. After 6 cruises I’m learning where the quiet rooms are. I don’t think I could have bit my tongue as early as you did…lol.

  52. My first cruise was on a balcony. So have all subsequent ones. Would not cruise on anything else. I’ve never had a problem with privacy, even on the extended aft balconies. And seeing dolphins or whale water spouts, turtles and other sea life, plus the amazing breeze, nothing beats sitting on your own balcony with your coffee and a good book, watching the sun rise and set, and the lull of the water as you drift to sleep.

  53. My first cruise was an inside cabin and it was so dark. You had no idea if it was night or day. A little weird for me. I have cruised another 4 times with a balcony and it is wonderful. Nothing beats having morning coffee overlooking the beautiful ocean.

  54. Havent seen anyone mention that on some ships it is possible to remove the panel between balconies so family or friends can access each others rooms without going into the very public hallways.

    • Love the staterooms with the veranda. Great in the morning with coffee and ocean breeze. Cocktails in the afternoon. Never had any problems with noisy neighbors. Especially love it late night. Clear skies and shooting stars. Amazing!

  55. Never booked an interior cabin. Started cruising with an ocean view cabin and decided to try a balcony stateroom. Never went back to ocean view again. Love sitting out on the balcony early in the morning with coffee or a nice cocktail before going down to dinner not to mention the view and ocean breezes!

  56. My hubby & I always have a balcony room rather in front or back or in the middle never have been bothered by next door neighbors..but when on the Valor booked an Ocean view suite the one with no balcony but with floor to floor windows & LOVED it..Didn’t miss the balcony AT ALL. Although it was only a 7 day trip I think if it had been a 15day cruise would have missed a balcony. But if you have never had the picture windows cabin…try it you will love it!!!!

  57. I’ve had balcony rooms and they are ok. I prefer a window room to see where we are but still have privacy. Balcony rooms tend to have people who get loud and most times slam the balcony door. It can get noisy when other cruisers forget other people are next to them. Rooms with windows offer a nice view without all the noise. If I want fresh air I just go outside. There’s plenty of deck space where you can have quite time if you don’t want to be around the party atmosphere.

  58. the balcony cabin, makes the cruise. I like coffee and orange juice out there in the mornings, and a nice drink out there of a evening..

  59. I’ve only cruised on Royal Caribbean ships … and my first cruise i didnt have a balcony but after that one,6 cruises later i always made sure that we always had a balcony !! I never had a problem as far as privacy or soot … nothing at all. It was always a pleasure having a balcony day or night.To sit out there relaxing with a cocktail and great company was the best !! Hopefully soon i will go once again again on Royal Caribbean !! <3 <3

  60. While everything you’ve said about the balcony cabins is true, I do tend to disagree a bit on one thing that people booking for the first time may not know. On Carnival, if you book an AFT balcony cabin, be aware that while that balcony may be larger than the regular cabin balconies, you absolutely do NOT have more privacy, in fact you have less. Now again, this is on Carnival ships, but if you walk up to the railing on your Aft balcony, the divider is slanted to where you can easily see every other balcony beside you much easier than on regular balconies. Plus you have to remember that these decks are stepped down so you see every balcony below you and every balcony above you (or in our case once, the Lido deck glassed in part is directly above your balcony and people tend to hang out on the Lido deck and bang on the windows at you while you’re standing on your balcony.) Just a word from the wise….be prepared for more sunlight as well as you won’t have a balcony above you to shade you and sometimes the soot is a little difficult to deal with. Be sure to brush your chairs off or you’ll ruin your shorts.

  61. OMG … I could never cruise without a balcony…. I love the fresh air coming into my cabin while I’m taking a nap … Love the sunlight too…. Once I was seasick and was thankful for that balcony… I could open the door and the breeze just hit me in my face, which I needed… We cruise once a year, if possible, and save the money so we can have our balconies ….

  62. 2003 the one and only time we sailed in an interior cabin. I went topside every morning at 5:30 am and waited for the sun to rise. I’m not clostrophobic but I hated that feeling of not knowing what direction we were headed and that feel of never ending nighttime. The next cruise was an ocean view and cruises 3 thru 19 were balcony. It’s worth every dollar. I’ll do without the extra trips to Walmart for stuff I can’t remember what or why I purchased it in the first place in order to sail the ocean blue in a balcony cabin.

  63. My family and I go on a cruise every year. We have always gotten the ocean view, which is nice, but this we went for it and got a balcony located on the side for the cruise we took in the spring, and in the rear for the one in Hawaii. The one in the back was a much better view plus you could see the view on both sides.

    • We booked a rear balcony for our up coming Hawaiian Cruise. I glad to hear that you liked it!

  64. We have been on two cruises in the last year, both on NCL ships. Both times we splurged for a balcony room and are so glad that we did! Amazing views, privacy, and the chance to enjoy the ocean with just the two of us. I would do it again in a heartbeat. Would love to try the balcony rooms on the back of the ship with more room sometime!

    • Only do Balconies; Recently did a cruise on NCL Dawn with a rear facing balcony. Actually, we had more room on the Dawn in a Mini-suite balcony. However, the stateroom was great and the views were awesome! There were a few drawbacks though, we were on deck 8 and the Bliss Nightclub was directly below us (we are quite thankful that this was a Winter cruise as there were fewer <40 crowd on the ship) and the party started right after the last show in the theater! First night we freaked out because we thought this would go on till three or four in the morning, luckily they finished up much earlier (note age on ship) and we had pleasant evenings after about 1030. If it had been Summer I think the experience would have been different. Also, you could not keep the doors open at night as the ship's prop-wash sounded like we were next to Niagara Falls (could not here if doors were closed). We loved the room but if we ever booked the AFT again we are going to look at the deck plans a little better to insure we are not just above a club. LOVE NCL absolutely have never been disappointed by them!

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