Is it value paying additional for a balcony cabin?
As somebody who has written about cruising for greater than twenty years, I’ve heard that query quite a bit, and I do know the place I stand on it: Completely.
You will virtually at all times pay extra for a balcony cabin on a ship than for a cabin that simply has a window — the latter being recognized in industry lingo as an “ocean-view” cabin. However typically, it isn’t outrageously extra.
For instance, on the time of this story’s publishing, fares for balcony cabins on some 2026 cruises out of Galveston, Texas, have 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 have been the next 14% and 19%, respectively.)
Ocean-view cabins on the identical three ships, in flip, have been working 14% to 37% greater than windowless inside cabins — the third main class of cabins you may discover on ships.
These differentials aren’t insignificant, in fact. For a lot of vacationers on a decent finances, even a small enhance in value for a room is usually a deal breaker.
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As well as, some folks with extra cash to spend would slightly splurge on shore excursions or different extra-charge objects, similar to shipboard spa remedies, than on a higher-priced cabin. That makes excellent sense to me. What’s most necessary to at least one individual on a trip could also be totally different from what’s necessary to a different individual.
That stated, listed below are six stuff you’ll get out of a balcony cabin that I feel make it value the additional value if in case you have the cash to spare.
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The recent air
For me, that is the massive purpose to get a balcony cabin. At any time of the day — or night time — you’ll be able to slide open your balcony door and breathe within the recent ocean air. You will additionally have the ability to 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 possibly 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 out there on balconies additionally is usually a lifesaver — at the least on your sanity — ought to you end up confined to your cabin on account of an sickness. That may occur in the event you come down with one thing like norovirus or COVID-19 on a ship. This occurred to cruisers fairly a bit in the course of the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and most of the individuals who have been remoted in cabins with out balconies for days weren’t thrilled with the shortage of entry to recent air.
I can attest personally to the truth that it is not an excellent state of affairs to be caught in a room that does not have a balcony for days. In late 2020, I was isolated in a cabin without a balcony for 4 days throughout a COVID-19-related ship quarantine, although I wasn’t sick. I might have paid absolutely anything throughout these days for even the smallest bit of outside house.
The last word privateness
Cruise ships can be crowded places. Even on luxurious ships, which typically have extra space per passenger than mass-market vessels, you may doubtless be sharing the pool deck with dozens and even a whole bunch of different folks. On a number of the greatest vessels, similar to Royal Caribbean’s large new Icon of the Seas, you may compete for deck chairs with actually 1000’s of others. Non-public, it is not — neither is it typically quiet. The pool decks of cruise ships may be noisy locations.
If in case you have a balcony cabin, you are at all times assured an outside house the place you’ll be able to lounge for just a few hours in full privateness. And, typically, it is going to be a quiet outside house. Whereas you’ll typically hear the sounds of different passengers close by on their very own balconies, for essentially the most half, it is a way more serene expertise than being up on the highest deck.
One of the best views
Balcony cabins do not simply give you entry to an outside house. They sometimes additionally give you an excellent view of the outside from inside your cabin.
It is because the doorways resulting in balconies in balcony cabins often are made virtually completely of glass working from flooring to ceiling. Usually, a balcony cabin can have each a floor-to-ceiling glass door resulting in the skin 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, in contrast, typically have only a single window. Some simply have portholes.
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The result’s that you’re going to typically have a significantly better view of the outside from the within of a balcony cabin than from the within of an ocean-view cabin.
The possibility for wildlife encounters
Talking of the view, you are going to have the ability to see passing wildlife significantly better from a balcony cabin than an ocean-view cabin. When 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 thrice the field of regard that you’re going to 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 similar to Alaska, the place ships typically go 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 move to the perimeters of the ship to look. When you’re in a balcony cabin (and on the right facet of the ship), you may be gazing down upon these sights very quickly.
The possibility for a romantic dinner
There’s nothing that claims romance like a non-public dinner for 2 underneath the celebrities. 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 organize a chic, personal dinner for 2 in your balcony — assume 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 may even get recent flowers and a (flameless) candle in your desk.
The right spot to look at a port arrival
I am an enormous fan of getting up early to look at as cruise ships pull into ports. In some locations, similar to New York and Sydney, the expertise is a spotlight of the journey. The arrival into New York, particularly, is without doubt one of the nice cruise experiences. Your ship will glide underneath the large Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge (typically 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 typically happen very early within the morning, earlier than you (or at the least 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 right facet of the ship to get sure views. Arriving in New York, there may be an attract to watching the arrival from either side of a vessel. From the port facet, you may 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 well worth the splurge in the event you’re the sort of one who likes a non-public place to be outdoor throughout a trip. Regardless of how crowded your ship is, you’ll be able to at all times escape to your balcony, if in case you have one, and watch the world go by with few distractions.
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