Thread: balcony cabins - differences

Hi, I have notice around a $400 price difference on NCL Star between a mid ship mini suite balcony and mid ship balcony and the difference is like 200 sq. feet. what I am wondering is would the sq. footage really matter that much to us if we are not in the cabin that much since we will have a balcony anyway. I am so confused the more I research. Also would a mid ship cabin be more calm than an aft cabin, we want to see as much as possible but someone earlier here said get a port side room and your view will be good. we have never cruised before and are concerned about sea sickness. if we opt for a guaranteed cabin rather than a specific cabin, would we still get mid ship if that is what we are asking for? is there a big enough $$ difference to take a chance?

I wouldn't say SQ FT matters, like you said, you have a balcony and you won't be in the cabin much.

Originally Posted by gramsclp

Hi, I have notice around a $400 price difference on NCL Star between a mid ship mini suite balcony and mid ship balcony and the difference is like 200 sq. feet. what I am wondering is would the sq. footage really matter that much to us if we are not in the cabin that much since we will have a balcony anyway. I am so confused the more I research. Also would a mid ship cabin be more calm than an aft cabin, we want to see as much as possible but someone earlier here said get a port side room and your view will be good. we have never cruised before and are concerned about sea sickness. if we opt for a guaranteed cabin rather than a specific cabin, would we still get mid ship if that is what we are asking for? is there a big enough $$ difference to take a chance?

The difference between a suite and a regular cabin is the size of the cabin itself and the amenities provided. The balcony will probably be a bit larger, too.

Mid ship cabins feel less motion than the aft or the front of the ship.

If you go for a guarantee you have no say so on where your cabin will be located....only which category you are booking.

I don't know what the price difference is between the guarantee balcony cabin as opposed to choosing your cabin, but if you are worried about sea sickness I would go ahead and choose a mid ship cabin.

Your view is the same on both sides of the ship until you pull into port. Don't let the term "port" fool you. That is not the side of the ship that is always facing the land when you dock. It could be either side.

Please don't be intimidated! We have all booked a "first" cruise and we are here to help in any way we can.

Originally Posted by Char

Please don't be intimidated! We have all booked a "first" cruise and we are here to help in any way we can.

So true .... ALL of us have been first time cruisers at some point. Often, even first timers on different cruise lines.

PLEASE feel free to ask any questions you may have.

Since you are worried about motion, the best location for your balcony cabin would be mid-ship on the lowest deck offered for a balcony. Mid-deck has other benefits since you are closer to to getting to places on either end of the ship.

Don't just assume you'll be seasick. Honestly, most aren't.

And there are some seasickness remedies that don't make you drowsy like Bonine or ginger. Definitely take the advice here and book your midship cabin if you are worried about that. Did you book through a travel agent to give you any advice? When are you going, where?

gramsclp:

As a general rule of thumb, the more midships you are, the less potential pitching motion you'll feel!

I have recently adopted the booking procedure where I ask for the least balcony category on a guarantee basis. It has worked really well, gaining me at least a 4-category upgrade! BUT, you cannot select a specific cabin or location. You'll learn which cabin has been assigned probably two weeks before sailing, but by then there's just about diddly you can do to change your assignment!

So, if you are uncomfortable about being "anywhere" on the ship and would feel better about knowing that your cabin is steps away from the ship's midships elevators, then you should book a specific cabin.

Whatever, I hope you enjoy your first cruise as much as the folks on this site know you will!

SWR

I have a brother in law that gets sea sick when he snorkels, on a floating dock, etc. He is fine on a cruise ship with "the patch" behind his ear (his doc prescribes them before the trip). If you're really prone to sea sickness, that's a good option!

We choose a balcony cabin whenever we are traveling in a place where we want to see outside a lot; Alaska is an example. But for the Caribbean, we usually save the money and go with an inside cabin. The weather is usually nice enough to spend a lot of time up on deck, and the view, for the most part, is mostly miles and miles of lifeless ocean in the Caribbean. We rarely see birds, sea life, etc. So we save the bucks and pick an inside cabin.

What we WILL pay for is a cabin that is not noisy.

We always choose a cabin that has another cabin above and below it. We avoid cabins that are above a dining room, night club, etc., or under the pool area, etc. We don't stay up late, so having a thumping pool party above us is not a good thing!

One of the nice things about cruising is that once you make these decisions, and get on board, you don't have to worry about too much else. You aren't whipping out your wallet every ten minutes, you don't have to consult a map, make a bed, or worry about where you stop to eat.