Is it price paying additional for a balcony cabin?
As somebody who has written about cruising for greater than 20 years, I’ve heard that query so much, and I do know the place I stand on it: Completely.
You may nearly at all times pay extra for a balcony cabin on a ship than for a cabin that simply has a window — the latter being identified in business lingo as an “ocean-view” cabin. However usually, it is not outrageously extra.
For instance, on the time of this story’s publishing, fares for balcony cabins on some 2026 cruises out of Galveston, Texas, had been simply 4% greater than fares for ocean-view cabins. (Particularly, that was the differential on seven-night sailings in September 2026 on Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas; the differentials for sailings out of Galveston the identical month on MSC Cruises‘ MSC Seascape and Carnival Cruise Line‘s Carnival Dream had been a better 14% and 19%, respectively.)
Ocean-view cabins on the identical three ships, in flip, had been working 14% to 37% greater than windowless inside cabins — the third main class of cabins you will discover on ships.
These differentials aren’t insignificant, in fact. For a lot of vacationers on a decent finances, even a small enhance in worth for a room is usually a deal breaker.
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As well as, some folks with extra cash to spend would relatively splurge on shore excursions or different extra-charge gadgets, equivalent to shipboard spa therapies, than on a higher-priced cabin. That makes excellent sense to me. What’s most essential to 1 particular person on a trip could also be completely different from what’s essential to a different particular person.
That stated, listed below are six belongings you’ll get out of a balcony cabin that I believe make it price the additional value when you’ve got the cash to spare.
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The recent air
For me, that is the large motive to get a balcony cabin. At any time of the day — or evening — you’ll be able to slide open your balcony door and breathe within the recent ocean air. You may additionally be capable of hear the sounds of the waves as they crash towards the bow of your ship. It is a splendidly soothing, rhythmic sound — so soothing that it will probably lull you to sleep.
Even on cruises in chilly climate, there’s nothing fairly like stepping out on a balcony for a couple of minutes or extra to soak within the salty breeze. It is invigorating.
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The recent air accessible on balconies additionally is usually a lifesaver — no less than on your sanity — ought to you end up confined to your cabin as a consequence of an sickness. That may occur when you come down with one thing like norovirus or COVID-19 on a ship. This occurred to cruisers fairly a bit throughout the top of the COVID-19 pandemic, and lots of the individuals who had been remoted in cabins with out balconies for days weren’t thrilled with the dearth of entry to recent air.
I can attest personally to the truth that it is not a terrific scenario to be caught in a room that does not have a balcony for days. In late 2020, I was remoted in a cabin and not using a balcony for 4 days throughout a COVID-19-related ship quarantine, despite the fact that I wasn’t sick. I might have paid absolutely anything throughout these days for even the smallest bit of outside area.
The final word privateness
Cruise ships will be crowded locations. Even on luxurious ships, which usually have more room per passenger than mass-market vessels, you will doubtless be sharing the pool deck with dozens and even a whole lot of different folks. On a few of the largest vessels, equivalent to Royal Caribbean’s large new Icon of the Seas, you will compete for deck chairs with actually hundreds of others. Non-public, it is not — neither is it usually quiet. The pool decks of cruise ships will be noisy locations.
If in case you have a balcony cabin, you are at all times assured an out of doors area the place you’ll be able to lounge for just a few hours in full privateness. And, generally, will probably be a quiet outside area. Whereas you’ll typically hear the sounds of different passengers close by on their very own balconies, for probably the most half, it is a way more serene expertise than being up on the highest deck.
The most effective views
Balcony cabins do not simply give you entry to an out of doors area. They sometimes additionally give you a terrific view of the outside from inside your cabin.
It is because the doorways resulting in balconies in balcony cabins normally are made nearly completely of glass working from flooring to ceiling. Usually, a balcony cabin can have each a floor-to-ceiling glass door resulting in the surface in addition to floor-to-ceiling home windows that make for what’s, in impact, an outward-facing wall made completely of glass. Ocean-view cabins with out balconies, against this, usually have only a single window. Some simply have portholes.
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The result’s that you will usually have a a lot better view of the outside from the within of a balcony cabin than from the within of an ocean-view cabin.
The prospect for wildlife encounters
Talking of the view, you are going to have the ability to see passing wildlife a lot better from a balcony cabin than an ocean-view cabin. In case you stand on the fringe of your balcony railing, you can twist your head side-to-side to get a 180-degree view of the passing waters. That is two or 3 times the sight view that you will get from gazing out a cabin window.
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I’ve discovered balcony cabins to be notably great to have in wildlife-filled locations equivalent to Alaska, the place ships typically move such spectacular creatures as whales within the water or bears alongside the shoreline. Usually, the captain of a vessel will spot such animals first after which make a public announcement to passengers to go to the perimeters of the ship to look. In case you’re in a balcony cabin (and on the proper facet of the ship), you will be gazing down upon these sights very quickly.
The prospect for a romantic dinner
There’s nothing that claims romance like a non-public dinner for 2 underneath the celebs. And that is precisely what you are able to do in your balcony on many cruise ships, with the waves as a background soundtrack.
Some upscale traces will prepare a chic, non-public dinner for 2 in your balcony — suppose white tablecloths, a number of programs, the works — at no additional cost. Amongst mass-market traces, Princess Cruises gives an Final Balcony Eating expertise at an additional cost that brings a four-course meal, Champagne and cocktails or a glass of wine. Within the case of the Princess providing, you will even get recent flowers and a (flameless) candle in your desk.
The proper spot to look at a port arrival
I am a giant fan of getting up early to look at as cruise ships pull into ports. In some locations, equivalent to New York and Sydney, the expertise is a spotlight of the journey. The arrival into New York, specifically, is likely one of the nice cruise experiences. Your ship will glide underneath the enormous Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge (usually with simply toes to spare) earlier than passing the Statue of Liberty and the skyline of decrease Manhattan.
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However as spectacular as they’re, these arrivals into ports usually happen very early within the morning, earlier than you (or no less than your bed-head hair) could also be able to exit into the world. What’s nice about having a balcony is that you do not have to dress and prepared for the day to look at a port arrival. You may simply roll away from bed in your jammies and head out on the balcony.
In fact, it’s a must to be on the proper facet of the ship to get sure views. Arriving in New York, there’s an attract to watching the arrival from each side of a vessel. From the port facet, you will get the perfect view of the Statue of Liberty. However the starboard facet brings you the perfect views of downtown Manhattan, assuming you are on a vessel heading to a midtown pier.
Backside line
Balcony cabins value greater than ocean-view cabins or windowless “inside” cabins. However they are often definitely worth the splurge when you’re the form of one who likes a non-public place to be open air throughout a trip. Regardless of how crowded your ship is, you’ll be able to at all times escape to your balcony, when you’ve got one, and watch the world go by with few distractions.
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