Pros And Cons Of Balcony Rooms
Now you know what to expect from all of the different Balcony rooms on Carnival cruise ships. But before you go ahead and pick one, lets just make sure that a Balcony room is in fact the best room for you.
After all, many people just default to a Balcony, without fully considering whether an Inside room, Ocean View room or a Suite might be better.
Here are the pros of choosing a Balcony room:
- You can enjoy a much better view of the sea than in an Ocean View room
- You can sit outdoors and enjoy sunrise or sunset, depending on your cabin
- Open the Balcony door and you can have a fresh sea breeze through the cabin
- You have more floor space in total than an Inside or Ocean View room
And the cons of a Balcony room:
- Theyre more expensive, and you may not spend much time in your room
- Some balconies are quite small, and dont have enough room for all guests
- Some of the less enclosed balconies arent too private and may not be peaceful if youre near a noisy guest
- Balconies can be dangerous for young children or those with additional needs
What Is A Junior Balcony
A Junior Balcony room is similar to a standard Balcony room, except that its a little smaller. The balcony is the same size , but the stateroom interior is smaller .
If you want to save a little without sacrificing the outdoor space, then a Junior Balcony is a good option. Theyve got a maximum occupancy of two guests, so arent suited to families with the reduced space. Theyre only available on Excel Class ships so Mardi Gras only for now.
Disney Cruise Line Deluxe Family Oceanview Stateroom With Verandah
If you’re traveling with a crowd, Disney Cruise Line’s Deluxe Family Oceanview Staterooms With Verandah are the largest standard accommodations onboard. They measure roughly 300 square feet, including the veranda and sleep between three and five travelers, depending on ship and specific cabin number. They feature Disney’s acclaimed family-friendly amenities: split bath , blackout curtain separating the main bed from the sitting area and plentiful storage. Extra berths are a combination of single sleeper sofa, pull-down upper berth and wall pull-down bed. On Disney Dream and Fantasy, category 4E cabins sleep fewer passengers and lack the split bath but have larger balconies.
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Take A Good Look At The Cruise Ship Deck Plan
Cabin’s deck location is undoubtedly of great importance. Cabins with lower and more central position are more stable. However, “cool cabins” are usually on higher decks, which means spending more money won’t necessarily save you from seasickness.
Stern cabins have the largest balconies. Forward suites provide the same view as from the Navigation Bridge . Some cabins are with limited / obstructed seaview due to lifeboats or other equipment.
Celebrity Cruises Infinite Veranda Staterooms

The Infinite Veranda rooms found on Celebrity Edge are not your average balcony cabins. With the push of a button, the floor-to-ceiling window opens up to a balcony, allowing in the ocean breeze and soothing sound of waves. Two chairs and a cocktail table sit in a sunny nook by the glass wall, beckoning cruisers to kick back with their morning coffee or soak up the sunset with a glass of bubbly. These types of verandas also make the room feel more spacious — because they are. Celebrity touts the cabins are 23 percent larger than the balcony cabins on its Solstice-class ships. For even more space, larger groups can combine two Infinite Veranda cabins to become one space with a sweeping balcony view.
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Final Thoughts: Aft Balcony Cruise Ship Cabins Pros & Cons
Like so many other decisions when choosing a cruise, picking the best cruise cabin is a personal one. There are so many great benefits to having an aft facing balcony cabin, as well as some negative points.
I hope that this post about the pros and cons of aft balcony cabins has been helpful in giving you a good idea of what to expect. If an aft cabin seems like something youd like, make sure to reserve it as early as possible, so you dont miss out.
What are your thoughts about aft balcony cabins on ships? Which is your favorite stateroom type mid ship balcony or aft? Please let me know in the comments below.
Ilana
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Benefits Of Balcony Rooms And Views On A Cruise Ship
Looking for a view and fresh sea breezes from your cabin? A balcony cabin is probably for you. These are some of the most popular rooms on any cruise ship and generally fall somewhere in the middle on the cost spectrum. Consider both the direction in which your room faces, as well as any obstructed views before booking. You’ll also find that even inside rooms on some cruise ships are considered balcony cabins, so carefully check out what you’re getting if that’s not for you.
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Best Balcony Cabins On Cruise Ships
It’s no surprise that balcony cabins are the most popular cruise ship cabin type. People love to have a private veranda where they can read, sip a drink, and gaze out to sea, away from the hubbub of the pool deck. But not all cruise ship balconies are the same and you might be wondering which is the best room to book.
Whether youre looking for an extra-large balcony or more amenities in the room attached to that balcony, a little research will reveal which veranda cabins stand out as better than average.
To save you time, weve compiled a list of the eight best balcony cabins on cruise ships, in our opinion, as well as some helpful hints for making the most of your balcony room.
Cutting Through The Jargon
The first thing youll need to do is decipher some of the jargon surrounding cruise ship cabins. A cruise ship is, in reality, no different to a hotel room , but the cruise lines will insist on referring to them by different names.
You may think of it as nothing more than somewhere to rest your head of a night but theyll use terms like cabin, stateroom or other such things along a nautical theme.
Something that could cause confusion is the fact that all cruise ships have high-end suites available to book but if youre looking at a cabin on a luxury six-star ship theyll all be called suites .
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What Is An Extended Balcony
An Extended Balcony stateroom on a Carnival ship is one where the room is the same as a standard Balcony but the actual balcony space is larger. How much larger varies some offer just 2 square feet more, while others have over 40 square feet more space outside.
There are three types of Extended Balcony rooms:
- Regular Extended Balcony
- Aft-View Extended Balcony
- Forward-View Extended Balcony
Butlers: Spoil Yourself With Packing Services Personalized Minibars And More
A cruise with butler service can make you feel truly spoiled. Some cruise lines include butler service as part of your fare in suites and concierge cabins. So what is butler service on a cruise, exactly? That can vary. Sometimes it means bringing you room service from hard-to-get-into specialty restaurants, curated minibars or in-cabin meals served course by course. Butlers can also unpack and repack your bags, draw rose-petal baths and assist you in preparing in-suite cocktail parties.
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Inside Cabins On Cruise Ships
Inside cruise ship cabins’ best feature is their price – you book them with the line’s cheapest rates available. These cruise accommodations don’t offer window views. Still, on some of the newest cruise ships of Royal Caribbean and Disney, there are categories Interior staterooms with a “virtual window”, which is a large LED screen displaying outside cam views. The screen doesn’t have TV functions.
On some Carnival ships, there are Inside cabins with a “French Balcony” . Also, some “interior staterooms” are actually Oceanview , but since their views are obstructed, they are booked as Interior. On Royal Caribbean ships, some Inside cabins have a window looking out to the ship’s interior promenade
Inside cruise cabins are fitted with twin beds , private bathroom , sitting area. Next are shown the layouts of Interior rooms on Harmony OTS.
Small Interior Stateroom is the least spacious standard cabin category on cruise ships. These cabins have two beds , private bath , a small sitting area.
Excel Presidential Suites On Carnival Cruise Line

On Carnivals and the upcoming Carnival Celebration, these big suites for big spenders afford the same forward-facing views as the captain, with plenty of room to entertain your nearest and dearest both indoors and outside.
The largest balconies in the Carnival fleet at 645 square feet, these come with double sunbeds and loungers, a dining table for meals outdoors and a private soaking pool plus an outdoor shower.
Book one of these suites and you also have unlimited access to Loft 19, a lounging area equipped with cushy loungers and cabanas that is reserved for suite guests.
Slightly more affordable are the ships 12 Carnival Excel Corner Suites, with the wow of private, open-air hot tubs on wraparound balconies.
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Grades Of Balcony Cabins
Simply the presence of the balcony, even if it is unfurnished — or unused — can alleviate the sometimes claustrophobic experience of being in a cruise liner cabin. Within the broad class of balcony cabins, size and location are affected by cost and simply knowing what to ask for. Cabins located at the liners rear corners often benefit from wrap-around balconies, which have fabulous open views and effectively twice the exterior space. At the other end of the spectrum are obstructed view balconies, which have lines-of-sight obscured by lifeboats or other objects that protrude from the hull.
Aft Balcony Cruise Ship Cabins Pros & Cons
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Choosing a cabin is a big decision when booking a cruise. The reality is some cruise ship state rooms are in better locations than others and may offer a more enjoyable cruise experience.
Aft balcony cabins on a cruise ship are some of the most sought-after cabin types. In fact, many seasoned cruisers book these again and again, in good part for a view that just cant be beat!
When you have an aft-facing balcony cabin its located at the stern of the ship. Youll not only have a view of the sea, but also over the wake created by the ship itself.
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Sea Terraces On Virgin Voyages
Virgin Voyages likes to do things more playfully than other lines, and its balcony cabins are in keeping with that philosophy. Book a Sea Terrace on the lines Scarlet Lady or Valiant Lady and youll get a balcony equipped with chairs and a small table plus a hammock swing attached to the ceiling. Embrace your inner kid and swing to your hearts content while you enjoy fresh air and sea views.
Other unique quirks of Virgin Voyages Sea Terrace cabins are mood lighting and full-size beds that turn into sofas by day.
Balcony Room Cruise Deals
Cruise ship rooms come in four categories: interior rooms, oceanview rooms, balcony rooms and suites. Each room type includes different views, perks, and space which is factors into the overall price. are the cheapest cabins on cruise ships. They’re small and may or may not have windows, though some might feature balconies overlooking a ship’s main promenade. typically offer a window to let you enjoy the sea without prying your wallet open. The most popular rooms are, which give you private outdoor space to unwind away from pool deck crowds and noise.
For travelers with cash to spare, bring the luxury hotel treatment to sea, including perks like dedicated stewards or access to exclusive lounges, and large balconies and terraces. You’ll be shelling out a pretty penny, but those seeking a top-notch cruise vacation should scope out this category. Regardless of what kind of cabin you are looking for, Cruise Critic sources deals for them all.
Cruise Critic’s Deal Score helps you find that cheap weekend cruise by factoring everything from price discounts to upgrades, onboard credits, and package bargains into one simple-to-understand number. Use the Deal Score to find the perfect weekend cruise destination and price tag to score your much-needed weekend getaway.
For any cruises listed, Cruise Critic does not guarantee any specific rates or prices. In addition, average cruise prices are updated nightly.
Cruise Critic is not responsible for content on external web sites.
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Msc Seaside Suite With Whirlpool Bath
The most recent addition to the list and, arguably, the most affordable stateroom with a balcony whirlpool can be found on MSC Seaside. The Suite with Whirlpool Bath accommodation has its main luxe feature as the balcony whirlpool, but these suites are also some of the largest suites on the ship. The low cost makes it an excellence stateroom choice for passengers that like the luxury of a private hot tub, but without the high price tag.
Value Of A Balcony Cabin
While cruise ship balcony cabins are generally more expensive than inside and ocean view cabins, they may be more affordable than you think. Years ago, there were fewer balcony rooms per cruise ship, and the cost difference may have been huge.
However, on some cruise ships youll find that the price of a balcony cabin may only be a couple hundred dollars more than an ocean view or outside stateroom. Its always worth checking to see if there are any promotions or past passenger rates that can make a balcony room more affordable on a cruise.
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Advantages Of A Balcony Cabin
Already weve covered many of the perks of having a balcony cabin on your cruise.
Your Own Space Free of Others: While cruise ships have thousands of passengers on board, its usually not hard to find your own little spot on the ship. The only issue is that you might have to hunt for it, and there is no guarantee someone else wont come along.
With a balcony you have your own area. While others might be nearby enjoying their own balcony, you have your own partitioned spot thats always available. If you want to sit out and enjoy breakfast quietly, you can. If you want to have an after-dinner cocktail and enjoy the sunset, the balcony is always available without worrying about looking for an open spot.
Light/Ventilation: Natural sunlight is nice to have in a cabin as interior rooms can be dark. It also helps you to keep in tune with the time of day and see the weather outside so you can dress accordingly. As well, its nice to be able to let in some fresh air so that the room doesnt get stuffy. Remember that there are no fans in cruise cabins.
More Space: It cant be overlooked that your balcony cabin is larger by about 20% on average than the typical interior room. Both types will be small, but having that extra room before you even consider the extra space provided by the balcony itself is nice to have. It often means enough space for a small couch seating area that isnt always found in smaller interior cabins.
Best Cruise Ship Balconies

Donna Heiderstadt
When it comes to great cruise ship balconies, size does matter, but location and amenities also play an important role. Sure, there may be a table, but can you actually dine there? Are the chairs hard wood or comfy recliners? And if you can see your neighbors through the partition or the view is obstructed, there may be a problem. We checked out private outdoor spaces on several top ships to create our picks for 10 best balconies at sea.
Oceanias Owners Suites
The tricked-out Owner’s Suites on Oceanias two newest ships, Riviera and , each have 2,000 square feet of total living space that includes a lavish, two-section balcony it spans the entire aft of the ship on decks 8, 9, and 10 and measures 259 to 377 square feet. Out there you’ll find a whirlpool tub, a flat-screen TV, and cushioned loungers.
Oceanias Owners Suites
The tricked-out Owner’s Suites on Oceanias two newest ships, Riviera and , each have 2,000 square feet of total living space that includes a lavish, two-section balcony it spans the entire aft of the ship on decks 8, 9, and 10 and measures 259 to 377 square feet. Out there you’ll find a whirlpool tub, a flat-screen TV, and cushioned loungers.
Royal Caribbeans AquaTheater Suites
Royal Caribbeans AquaTheater Suites
Carnivals Aft Wrap Balcony Staterooms
Carnivals Aft Wrap Balcony Staterooms
Nieuw Amsterdam‘s Pinnacle Suites
Nieuw Amsterdam‘s Pinnacle Suites
Norwegian Cruise Lines Three-Bedroom Garden Villas
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Balcony Dividers May Be Opened
Are you cruising with family or friends in different cabins? On many cruise ships, the crew will be able to open up the balcony dividers for you so you can enjoy a larger space for several cabins.
Make sure to ask in advance, as cruise lines have different policies, but this is a great idea for group cruises if you do want to spend a lot of time together.
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