Is balcony cabin worth it
There are times when upgrading to a balcony cabin is worth the investment. If you are trying to save money, cruising in the inside cabin is the right choice as you will have access to all the amenities that fellow cruisers have without the additional cost. If you do have extra money to spend, a balcony cabin can be a great choice.
Why should you get a balcony cabin?
The majority of my time cruising I’ve spent in the inside cabin. I always felt that paying extra for a balcony was a waste of money. If you are using your room to only sleep and shower, why would you pay extra?
A couple of years ago, my friends went on a cruise with us and got a balcony. Spending time in their room made me realize that getting a balcony is worth it sometimes. Here are few things you should consider when thinking of getting a balcony cabin.
- Size of the cabin – On most ships, balcony cabins tend to be slightly bigger than inside cabins. If you are cruising with kids and sharing a stateroom, extra space might be worth it.
- Chilling on a balcony – If you love to relax, there is nothing better than lounging on your own balcony and watching the world go by. There are many loungers around the ship in public areas, but having your own sometimes is great.
- Personal space – If you want to read while your cabin mates are watching TV, the balcony gives you a chance to step out of the cabin.
- The view – depending on the itinerary, balcony cabins will offer a great view of the outdoors. If you can, you should consider getting a balcony on the Alaska cruises.
- Watching the sunrise and sunset – In a balcony cabin, you can wake up to the rising sun.
- A place to hang out – If you are traveling with family or friends, a balcony can be a great place to hang out, drink wine, and talk.
- Arrival and departure – Balcony is a fantastic place to watch your cruise ship arriving or departing (depending on what side your balcony is on).
When considering upgrading to a balcony cabin, you will get the best value when your cruise has many days at sea.
Sometimes the cost of an upgrade is not that much. For example, large ships (like Royal Caribbean Symphony class ships) have many balcony cabins, making the difference in the cost a lot less.
When not to get a balcony cabin
I love cruising in a balcony stateroom; however, I will save my money by getting an inside cabin in these situations.
- Port heavy cruises – A great example is a 7-day Medeternian cruise with 5 ports. Most of the time, we would wake up early to have breakfast, go on an excursion and come back for dinner and the show. In this case, I would instead save a little extra money to spend on tours.
- Three-day Bahamas cruise – there are not that many days to enjoy your balcony. You will most likely spend your day exploring activities on the ship.
- Fall Bermuda cruise or Bahamas cruise from New York or New Jersey – While you might be spending many days at sea, you will not get fair use out of your balcony as it may be cold for most of those days.
- If it’s out of your price range – Balcony cabins on some ships or routes can be very expensive. If you have a choice of getting an inside cabin or not going on a cruise, get an inside cabin. You will still have access to all of the amenities of the ship.
