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This is a reason many travel agents and avid cruisers recommend balconies for Alaska cruise itineraries. Examine the ship’s layout to see where your cabin is in relation to key areas like the lido deck, dining rooms, and entertainment venues. Consider potential noise from above or below your cabin, especially if it’s immediately above or below a dance floor, crew area, or near the pool. Decide how much you’re willing to spend and remember that while the cabin is important, you’ll also want to budget for on-board activities, excursions, beverages, and other expenses. On the flip side, you might get the worst cabin in the category you chose -- the one that's slightly smaller, has an obstructed view or is in a noisy corner of the ship. Letting the cruise line choose your cabin is risky, so be sure you'll be happy no matter which cabin you get assigned.
The best views
Before booking, read reviews of the ship and specific cabins on websites such as Cruise Critic or watching YouTube reviews. Previous travelers can offer invaluable insight into noise levels, views, and overall satisfaction. However, depending on the size of the ship, they could be farther from entertainment and dining areas. On big ships, there may be 10 or even more flights of stairs between your cabin and the pool, sun deck, buffet, and other amenities found at the top of the ship. There will be elevators, of course, but you should expect queues at busy times.
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If you're a light sleeper who needs a quiet, dark space to get a good night's sleep, book an inside cabin. You won't have to worry about bright light peeking through the curtains in the morning to wake you up. You should also set the alarm if you have an early excursion or appointment in the morning since you won't be able to tell what time it is. It's easy to oversleep when it's cozy, dark and cool in the cabin. Perhaps the toughest decision is what type of stateroom to pick. There are good arguments to be made for every type of room, from inside rooms to balconies to suites.
When Is it Not Worth Booking a Balcony Cabin?
When you book a balcony cabin, you get a well-sized room along with a private balcony to enjoy at anytime during your cruise. Balcony staterooms are among the most popular category of cabin you can book on any cruise ship because of the combination of space and value it provides. There are some itineraries where the view from your balcony is a big reason to choose this type of cabin. In Alaska, as you’re sailing through Glacier Bay or Endicott Arm, you’ll have a view on the glaciers and incredible scenery from the comfort of your own balcony space.
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The major disadvantage is that with essentially a large window instead of a separate balcony area, the effect is not quite the same. If you have any preferences, it is best to go ahead and reserve the exact room you want during the booking process. Other amenities such as a closet, a flat-screen television, a minifridge, a personal safe, a hair dryer and bathroom toiletries will be similar.
For many cruisers, finding the cheapest cabin available for a good deal is the right choice for them. You'll find hump balcony rooms with massive balconies on Radiance Class, Voyager, Freedom, Oasis or Quantum, but look closely at the deck plan to see which balconies are larger. The more I cruised, the more I started hearing from veteran cruisers about the virtues of booking a balcony on the back of the ship. But since this question comes up so often, here are the best cabins to book for most people and why they might be the right choice for you.
Cove balcony cabins
However, it could be a bit risky so it's more reasonable to get back to the cruise ship deck plans. Even on luxury ships, which generally have more space per passenger than mass-market vessels, you'll likely be sharing the pool deck with dozens or even hundreds of other people. On some of the biggest vessels, such as Royal Caribbean's giant new Icon of the Seas, you'll compete for deck chairs with literally thousands of others. Carnival Cruise Line's interior cabins are some of the largest in the industry, ranging from 185 to 220 square feet. These cabins include two twin beds or one king-size bed, and the larger rooms can sleep up to five guests.
best balcony cabins on cruise ships that you will want to book for your next vacation
You can hold a party at your outdoor bar or sit down to an alfresco, room-service dinner. On Royal Caribbean's enormous Oasis Class ships, these one- and two-bedroom suites overlook the back of the ship with the bonus of views of the AquaTheater. There are no tickets needed and no jockeying for seats with your shipmates. Sister cruise line Royal Caribbean has introduced these cabins on its newest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas, and other ocean lines such as Atlas Ocean Voyages have begun to copy the idea, too. The concept first began popping up about a decade ago on river cruise ships, where it was pioneered by Avalon Waterways.
Are Balcony Cabins Worth it on a Cruise? 10 Pros & 4 Cons
A room on a higher deck provides more desirable views, as well as being closer in proximity to the pool deck. First and foremost, how much you can spend on a room will dictate largely your choices. If you are cruising on a slim budget, suites and perhaps even balcony rooms are going to be out of the question.
Enjoy your own private outdoor space with a table, two chairs, and a relaxing view of the inspiring scenery surrounding you, whether a beautiful sunset over the ocean or a new city to explore. It’s also perfect to enjoy cocktails before dinner or a leisurely breakfast. However, aft cabin balconies are almost always stepped out, allowing passengers in cabins above yours as well as higher deck public space to see down onto your balcony. On some ships, aft cabins may also be far from dining and drinking venues, as well as entertainment.
Without a doubt, the number one reason to book a balcony room is you get a private balcony to enjoy when you want it. Traditionally, a balcony room means you have a view of the ocean. Balcony rooms are situated on the outer portion of the ship, with the ability to look out from your room to the ocean. The ocean breeze you’ll have by opening the sliding doors in your cabin, will help you to feel better if you are a bit bothered by the ship’s movement. Just be wary of any offer promising a two-category upgrade (or similar).
8 best balcony cabins on cruise ships that you will want to book for your next vacation - Cruise Blog
8 best balcony cabins on cruise ships that you will want to book for your next vacation.
Posted: Tue, 17 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
While you can't count on the upgrade fairy to pay you a visit after you've booked that low-tier cabin, you can look out for upgrade deals before you book. One common cruise-line promotion is to offer outside cabins for the price of insides, or balconies for the price of outsides. If the amount of view you get relative to the amount of money you spend is important to you, look for "secret porthole" insides or "obstructed view" outsides. Will you be entertaining in your room and need a dining table that can seat six or eight? Do you want benefits like being the first in line to get on or off the ship?
Next are shown layouts of Quantum OTS single-occupancy cabins (balcony and interior). World's largest accommodation found on a riverboat is Riverside Mozart's French Balcony Suite. The vessel has two such accommodations, each sized 885 ft2 / 82 m2.
Plus, the balcony itself is usually wider, offering a better angle. If your cruise itinerary has a good chance of very cool or even rainy weather, you may not get a lot of use out of the balcony itself. It’s hard to imagine when a balcony cabin wouldn’t be enjoyable, however there are times when it may be hard to justify the extra cost. On the other hand, if you plan to spend most of your time exploring ports and partaking in onboard activities, the type and location of cabin might be of less importance. Some ships offer cabins with direct access to the promenade deck, while the largest ships, including MSC World Europa, offer balconies overlooking an internal courtyard or promenade.
Believe it or not, it's actually easier to answer the question of which cabins are a mistake to book rather than which cabins are truly the best. Matt started Royal Caribbean Blog in 2010 as a place to share his passion for all things Royal Caribbean with readers. He oversees all the writers at Royal Caribbean Blog, and writes a great deal of content on a daily basis. He has become one of the foremost expert on a Royal Caribbean cruise. A balcony room will also give you more space, both inside and outside.
A concierge cabin comes with -- you guessed it -- easy access to a cruise concierge. That means hands-off dinner and spa reservations, shore excursion bookings, and requests from guest services. Concierge cabins may also come with in-cabin amenities like welcome drinks, fruit baskets or afternoon canapes. See below the magnificent Oceania Marina ship's Owner Suite plan. You'll almost always pay more for a balcony cabin on a ship than for a cabin that just has a window — the latter being known in industry lingo as an "ocean-view" cabin. For example, at the time of this story's publishing, fares for balcony cabins on some fall 2024 cruises out of Galveston, Texas, were just 7% more than fares for ocean-view cabins.
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