travelinfamily

We are taking a Royal Caribbean cruise this summer with our 5 1/2 year old. We are planning on getting a cabin with a window but we are thinking of getting one with a balcony so while she slept we could sit out there and talk or have a drink and not have to be in bed also. Is it worth the additional cost? Is it large enough or tiny? We are going on Mariner of the Seas. Thanks for your help!

12743

I think it's worth the extra money. The cabin will be the same size unless you have a suite but having the balcony makes it seem much larger. You might also want to check prices on the family or mini suite. Regular rooms do not have tubs, only showers. Something to think about for a 5 1/2 yr. old. Have fun!!

jacketwatch

YES! It makes a big difference. For example when in port last yr. in St. Thomas we could sit on our balcony, put out bread and watch the birds eat from the railing. Or we could see schools of small silverfish from our balcony that you could not see from a porthole. Not to mention the peace of sitting there and enyoying just looking at the ocean. Paint your own picture.

simonv

Now I don't even consider going on a ship without balcony. I love sitting out there reading. If you are a little sea sick, getting fresh air makes a big difference, too.

eenusa

Destination and itinerary is something to think about. In Alaska, I would do nothing less than a balcony. Same on any other cruise where there are a lot of sea days. I prefer to relax on the balcony in private because I am not a pool-person. On the other hand, on a port-intensive cruise where I might not have a whole lot of time to spend on the balcony, I would consider a window if there was a great price differential.

Since you are traveling with a small child, I think it would definitely behoove you to get a balcony so you have a place to sit while she is napping. Even with a window, if you had to spend time in the cabin waiting for her to wake from her nap, I think you would feel like you were missing out on your vacation.

Some of the balconies are larger than others, and will have more furniture - but the standard balconies will usually accommodate two chairs and a small coffee table.

Hold

I'd say yes, but only if you are going to use it. Take a look at any cruise ship that's in port and see how many people are out on their balcony... very few.
If you are going to use it, like the earlier posts mention, then by all means get one. If not, then you may wish to save the money, get an outside room, and use the money you saved to do extra shopping, sight seeing, etc.

wtggirl

Yes, a balcony can be worth the extra money. I often feel a window is NOT worth extra money however. For those who need light to wake up in the morning it is nice to have a window, but you rarely spend time looking out the window. I either save money by taking the inside, or go straight to a balcony cabin, which really changes the cruise experience. Especially with impatient spouses who have a place to sit, or in your case for when you want to spend some time sitting out while your children are sleeping. I have at times spent the extra money and then not sat outside enough to be worth the money. I went on a Disney cruise with two teens/two Moms for only 4 nights. We were hardly in the cabin. So always think about how much time you are going to actually spend in the cabin and look at the price difference to see if you will get your moneys worth!

simonv

Decks tend to be less crowded on an all-balcony or mostly balcony ship.

megsterl

just so you know most ships include babysitting in room for very reasonable prices, around 5 an hour, and most ships have activites for children that age, and believe it or not most that age are still up well past 10 with these activities. as long as the kid is having fun, let him. he can get back to his routine later, whats one week???

mscarls

Can your 5 1/2 year old be trusted to stay off the balcony unless one of you is along?

If so, balconies are wonderful.

katoman

I would never take another cruise without it. It makes a big difference in my mind. We took our two teenagers, 13 and 15. We go an inside room directly across from us and we all had a blast. We would have breakfast on the balcony. When we came back from excursions the kids would do their thing and the wife and I would sit on the balcony and relax. The only way to go!!!

alsob55

we just got back from out first cruise. we had a mini suite and believe me the extra roominess and balcony are sure worth the money

Jasmine

I think in your case it is warranted because you have a child and may use the room more while she rests, etc. I don't see the value in a window. If I don't get a balcony, I get an inside which allows me to save money and travel twice as often. If I want to look outside to check the weather, etc, I can flip on the TV channel and watch the bridgecam to see if it is daylight or not. In our case, we are a young retired couple who spends so little time in the room, so why pay for a balcony? Balconies can be wonderful, and as I said, we occasionally get one and do enjoy relaxing on it from time to time, but really would rather spend them money elsewhere, like another cruise. It's all in how you like to spend money. I think it makes sense in your case to consider a balcony though.

smiling

Question: Would it be wise to get a balcony on the opposite side that people leave and enter the ship? I've never been on a cruise.

petlover

smiling, I don't think it makes any difference. I've been on both sides. I actually enjoy hanging out on my balcony watching the passengers coming and going on the gang way.

StanKase

I think with a child it is worth it per the earlier comments. But!!! Do not leave the child on the balcony alone. Let them watch TV isside or play video games.
Also, as said before if on a 7-8 day cruise you have 3 days "at sea" it becomes less important. In Alaska, where our 2 cruises had 6 of 7 days of FOG and/or rain the balcony added little other than to frustrate us to what we might have seen. Both trips were in August 3 years apart.

Tess

It's worth it! We were on the Mariner of the Seas in June and splurged on 2 balcony rooms (one for our teens and one for us). I'm a night owl and usually stay up later than DH. Sitting out on the balcony with a book was the perfect solution--there is an outdoor balcony light to read by while the interior curtains shut out the light.

My husband and I got into the habit of ordering a fruit and cheese plate and sipping wine on the balcony every day about 5 p.m.--bliss!!

With hindsight, though, I don't think our kids enjoyed it as much as we did--next time they get an interior Promenade room but it sounds like your family would definitely enjoy a balcony room. Have fun--the Mariner is a gorgeous, fun ship.