Do we need a balcony? (Alaska Cruise)

[Donna3271]

Verandah Alaska.

Lots of misconceptions about a verandah in Alaska get posted here.

Let's rule a few of them out first.

Lots of daylight, - so can't sleep. NOPE. The rooms have thick Curtains and it's pitch black in there, in fact my son wanted to watch a movie on a sea day at noon, and had it 100% dark when we went in.

You can't see the other side. NOPE. All cruisers can walk around the ship, if you gave a verandah, you are not locked in your room. In fact you have more freedom. You do not need to get up at 6 am to snag a good deck place on Tracy arm day, where Disney cruisers act like WDW parades and stake out every good place a few hours in advance. If you have a verandah, you can use it, or walk about and come back, and go to breakfast, the lunch BBQ and restrooms without loosing your view. In fact you do not get other people or their cameras in your view.

You see everything from an inside room. NOPE. We have a verandah, we used it from 6 am, with rolling views of waves of fog, beautiful, then land, sea life, whales Dolphins, land, - to midnight, with Kate quiet views, sunsets, breathtaking nature, gliding through. Those with inside rooms do not see early morning or late evening, they do not know what they are missing. We may see the show then get room service and stay on the verandah from 9.30 to midnight, inside rooms do not do this, you do not see them on deck. Most of the best views were 6 am and post 10 pm. The verandah us a port adventure that lasts four days all day, it's worth it.

You get cold on the verandah. NOPE. DCL supply extra blankets to view, and you can get room service, you get cold on deck bring out all day, now if you have children, thry may get bored, so with a verandah they watch a movie in the room, and are warm, you can watch the views, same if they go to bed early.

It's not worth the extra money. NOPE - As well as a four day port adventure, the reason why you book Alaska is the views. It's invaluable, that's why verandah prices are higher and book out fast, as the seasoned travellers know you only get 50% of the views if you book an inside room. Coming into port going out of port is interesting, if you are on your verandah you see if your getting in early, like Ketchikan where we got on two hours early, we were on the verandah, saw it and was first off. Alaska route you go up then back down , same as Tracy arm up then down, you see both sides from the verandah 180 degrees, no other people in the way, no others pushing in, no spoilt photos, and you can come and go as you please. If there is any sea life the PA system will tell you, they said about Eagles, our side, then whales other side to us, and we just went out of our room and up and saw them. A bit like paying for a cabana at castaway, you do not have to stay in it all day to get your money's worth, you can come and go. People will let you in on deck for an odd photo, but not allow you to take their space permanently.

Interestingly, you should check into responses here before trusting the answers, at least one poster who has responded has not been to Alaska on DCL, but gave their opinion, do your own research, we booked a verandah, yes it was worth it, you see so much more from 6 am to midnight. The people in inside rooms do not know east they have missed because they didn't see it.

If DCL released Alaska cruises, tomorrow, and all cabins verandah and insider were at the same price, everyone here would book a verandah. Thry know it's better, but a few just try to convince you it is not. It's just one decision, is the money within your budget, if it is, do it.

DF - I COSIGN THIS!!!

One of the best parts for us was snuggling on the balcony with a fleece looking at the views with a hot chocolate.

But... To each his own!

 

[cruisehopeful]

We planned on having a balcony, but downgraded to ocean view room so we would have more money for port excursions. The costs of excursions are very high. We did save some money by booking some with M and M tours, but they are still very pricey.

We were able to get great views on deck whenever we wanted. Tracy Arm day had warm cookies and hot cocoa being served out on the deck. We had an excellent barbeque another time on the deck. Great fun with great views. We never felt bad about not having our own balcony.

 

[OKW Lover]

Since we've never cruised before and have never been to Alaska, we don't know if we need a balcony to watch the scenery go by of if there are other places to sit and enjoy.

As others have noted there are certainly other places to sit and enjoy the views. Some (like us) prefer to do it in the convenience of their own veranda. Others enjoy doing it from a deck where they can share the experience with other cruisers. Its kind of an individual decision.

 

[RweTHEREyet]

We always get a verandah, DH just prefers to have one. Having sailed to Alaska with DCL, I can honestly say that I would not do that sailing in an inside cabin.

 

[MagicMe]

As you probably expected you have gotten a wide range of answers. I can only tell you that for me, it was a great savings to book an inside. I had my elderly mom with me (2011) so we stayed primarily on deck 4 for Tracy Arms and as noted, they brought plenty of blankets to keep warm if needed. However, especially when going to Tracy Arms, you really need to make your way up to the top decks to experience the 360 views with mountains towering over you on both sides. Down on Deck 4 (and I would also guess your verandah), you don't get the same scope. Yes it has it's advantages in that with bored children you can let them watch a movie, etc. Remember that they will also have the cookout up top on Tracy Arms day.

Just remember that you have outside spaces on Deck 4, spaces on deck 9 and 10 and can also get a great view on Deck 10 in the cove cafe area (where you can sit comfortably in a warm area). I did not try the cove area on Tracy Arms day since so many people were up top and I'm sure that they were constantly milling around in front of the windows, etc but this was my Mom's favorite place to sit warmly and watch the landscape go by on other days.

 

[Ofinn]

This debate seems to come up every couple of months. If your comfortable spending 10-12k for a 7 night cruise on DCL then by all means book a room with a verandah. If your not there are other options like another cruise line or an inside or ocean view room. I have read numerous trip reports on these boards from people who have sailed in ocean views and inside cabins, and they all seemed to have a wonderful time. I'm sure a balcony would make the cruise more spectacular, but I don't think it's necessary to enjoy an Alaskan cruise. The price difference between and inside and a verandah would pay for another cruise for my family so it's a no brainer for me.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Delete

 

[jburge12000]

My family of 4 had a veranda room, my parents went with us and had an inside state room. Our day in Tracy Arm we had a little rain and fog, very cold. We were all up on the upper deck for about an hour and then all of us went down to our veranda room and really enjoyed it. It cut down on the wind a little, if you got to cold you could go inside for a few minutes and warm up. The naturalist who talks about the area is broadcast on the TV so we had that in the background. The views were great and it was a really good day with our entire family. My daughter and I also spent a lot of time on the Veranda, we were watching the whales all week and had a tally going on the dry erase board on our cabin door of the amount of whales we saw. We have been on 6 Disney Cruises and always have had a veranda, but this is the one that we really used it a lot, especially during the day.

 

[dotfurio]

We had an outside stateroom. You don't need a verandah, but if I could go back it's the one thing I wish we would have splurged on.

Our youngest was just shy of 6 and was so busy during the day she passed out pretty much every night after dinner and we were stuck in the room. It would've been nice to relax on the verandah and take in the scenery on those evenings. This is the main reason I wish we would've had one.

Another reason is when went down the glacier arm it was freezing and we were afraid to leave our table at the railing. We were at the back of the ship and couldn't hear the naturalist's presentation. Had we been in our room we could've enjoyed it on our verandah while listening to the presentation on t.v. and we wouldn't have to worry about losing our spot if we wanted a little break to warm up or get food.

 

[mylittlebuttercup]

Do you NEED it? No, in my opinion. I personally enjoyed Alaska very well without a balcony (different cruise line.) Would it be nice to have? Definitely if you can afford it. But if the cost seems excessive to you, consider one of the oceanviews with a large window as a compromise.

 

[dclpluto]

Of course the main thing is, is how much money you have. How much you make. Is your house paid off. A inside stateroom is what I normally get I'm not made out of money. I use the stateroom to get dress and the five things that starts with the letter S

 

[COASTIEandMATE]

As you probably expected you have gotten a wide range of answers. I can only tell you that for me, it was a great savings to book an inside. I had my elderly mom with me (2011) so we stayed primarily on deck 4 for Tracy Arms and as noted, they brought plenty of blankets to keep warm if needed. However, especially when going to Tracy Arms, you really need to make your way up to the top decks to experience the 360 views with mountains towering over you on both sides. Down on Deck 4 (and I would also guess your verandah), you don't get the same scope. Yes it has it's advantages in that with bored children you can let them watch a movie, etc. Remember that they will also have the cookout up top on Tracy Arms day.

Just remember that you have outside spaces on Deck 4, spaces on deck 9 and 10 and can also get a great view on Deck 10 in the cove cafe area (where you can sit comfortably in a warm area). I did not try the cove area on Tracy Arms day since so many people were up top and I'm sure that they were constantly milling around in front of the windows, etc but this was my Mom's favorite place to sit warmly and watch the landscape go by on other days.

YES!! We have cruised on the Disney Wonder with and without a balcony in 2011 and 2013 and never missed the veranda because of all the available places to see the wonders of Alaska mentioned here. Please consider the options!! Aloha, Karen and Ron

 

[ludari]

Without reading everyone's previous posting I would say a balcony is not necessary but I would recommend at least a window view. Unlike my previous 9 cruises there is plenty to see during an Alaskan cruise such as various wildlife, glaciers, mountains, etc, etc, etc. I was thankful that I had at least a window view during my Alaskan cruise.

 

[Sir William]

As others have said, you need to look at your priorities and also seriously consider how much you'll actually use your veranda. I love verandas and spend hours every day on it when we have one, especially on sea-days, as I prefer it to the "crowds" elsewhere on the ship. DW prefers to spend her time by the pool so a veranda is something that she only uses early in the morning or in the evenings before dinner.

We've made three trips to Alaska but only once on a cruise ship (not Disney). We had an oceanview, but I spent considerable time lounging near our window with a pair of binoculars admiring the scenery and the occasional spotting of wildlife. I would have preferred a veranda, even though it would have been a bit chilly most of the time, but that was not an option for this particular cruise. I also spent time elsewhere on the ship viewing the scenery from various public spaces, including the open decks, but I really missed my veranda. However, DW spent little time viewing the scenery while we were underway, so for her a veranda would have been a waste of space and money.

My point is that you need to assess how much you will use a veranda. We usually get a veranda as that is where I can find solitude and can totally relax. DW likes that since I don't turn into Grumpy by lunchtime.

 

[anricat]

We would love to have a verandah for our Alaskan cruise next summer, but the price is so much more. We booked opening day and we're currently booked in a 9B, which according to Cruisefish was $1715 pp and a 6A on opening day was $3213 pp. That's...a huge difference. For my family we're not talking about the difference of taking some awesome excursions for that price difference. We're talking about not being able to afford the trip at all! That's almost double the price, which is just astounding to me. We had a veranda on our recent 5 night caribbean on the Magic and I remember it being a sort of no brainer upgrade from an ocean view. It just wasn't that much more. I originally had my TA quote the same category on the Wonder and nearly fell out of my chair.

So, yes, I admit, I'm not the right person to truly answer with an opinion from experience in Alaska, but I can tell you that the trip isn't even POSSIBLE for us in a veranda room. We simply don't have that much budget for our vacation. But we're still going to go with our oceanview on deck 2 and I know we're still going to have an awesome time. And that's what you need to weigh for your family. If you have the cash, go for it! Otherwise, do what's right for your family and budget and have an awesome time regardless of your room.

 

[Ofinn]

We would love to have a verandah for our Alaskan cruise next summer, but the price is so much more. We booked opening day and we're currently booked in a 9B, which according to Cruisefish was $1715 pp and a 6A on opening day was $3213 pp. That's...a huge difference. For my family we're not talking about the difference of taking some awesome excursions for that price difference. We're talking about not being able to afford the trip at all! That's almost double the price, which is just astounding to me. We had a veranda on our recent 5 night caribbean on the Magic and I remember it being a sort of no brainer upgrade from an ocean view. It just wasn't that much more. I originally had my TA quote the same category on the Wonder and nearly fell out of my chair.

So, yes, I admit, I'm not the right person to truly answer with an opinion from experience in Alaska, but I can tell you that the trip isn't even POSSIBLE for us in a veranda room. We simply don't have that much budget for our vacation. But we're still going to go with our oceanview on deck 2 and I know we're still going to have an awesome time. And that's what you need to weigh for your family. If you have the cash, go for it! Otherwise, do what's right for your family and budget and have an awesome time regardless of your room.

You could sail in a verandah room on RCI or NCL for less than an inside on DCL, and on NCL this would include free drinks. You could probably get two oceanviews on either of these cruise lines for less than DCL. I can't stomach the DCL prices for Alaska. The Wonder is a lovely(old) ship, but actually Radiance on RCI has better ratings on cruise critic. After looking at other cruise lines I've decided Alaska is more about the scenery and excursions for me than the whole Mickey Mouse Disney thing.

 

[anricat]

You could sail in a verandah room on RCI or NCL for less than an inside on DCL, and on NCL this would include free drinks. You could probably get two oceanviews on either of these cruise lines for less than DCL. I can't stomach the DCL prices for Alaska. The Wonder is a lovely(old) ship, but actually Radiance on RCI has better ratings on cruise critic. After looking at other cruise lines I've decided Alaska is more about the scenery and excursions for me than the whole Mickey Mouse Disney thing.

Yes, I considered another line, for sure. But I have a 7 year old (will be an 8 year old at the time of the voyage) who loves sailing with Mickey. It's done now. Airfare booked, hotels booked, one excursion booked. We're happy with our decision and my DD will enjoy her time in the kid's clubs on DCL, I think more than she would on another line. If it were just DH and I, I would definitely be sailing another line. So for us, I think the kids and family activities offered on DCL with an oceanview are worth more to us than a verandah and all the other freebees we might get with another line. We'd like to do Europe some day and we're definitely open to other lines, hopefully when DD is a little older and has BTDT with all the kid's club activities on DCL.

 

[Ofinn]

Yes, I considered another line, for sure. But I have a 7 year old (will be an 8 year old at the time of the voyage) who loves sailing with Mickey. It's done now. Airfare booked, hotels booked, one excursion booked. We're happy with our decision and my DD will enjoy her time in the kid's clubs on DCL, I think more than she would on another line. If it were just DH and I, I would definitely be sailing another line. So for us, I think the kids and family activities offered on DCL with an oceanview are worth more to us than a verandah and all the other freebees we might get with another line. We'd like to do Europe some day and we're definitely open to other lines, hopefully when DD is a little older and has BTDT with all the kid's club activities on DCL.

We have stuck with Dcl for the same reason "kids". Ive been able to find deals on dcl to the Caribbean but the Alaska and Europe cruises are so over inflated in price I just cant bring myself to do it. I will be cruising other lines for those destinations. Enjoy your cruise.

 

[NancyIL]

A balcony cabin is nice but not necessary - even in Alaska. In 4 Alaska cruises - I have had 1 inside and 3 oceanview cabins. Did I miss some scenery or wildlife by not having a balcony? I'm sure I did. However, I wasn't willing to spend at least twice as much money for one. I don't mind viewing scenery from an open deck, and I am well bundled up to stay warm.

 

[cdhheidi]

Really appreciate all the comments in this thread. We are hoping to cruise Alaska in 2017 with our disabled young adult son (he uses a scooter some of the time, bipap, tube feeds etc, and is on the autistic spectrum). He LOVES animal and wildlife photography... on a recent trip to see several zoo's and aquariums he literally took 10,000 photographs in a 1 1/2 week time frame. Since we are looking at an HA cabin, the veranda's are at the back. We stayed in those cabins back in 2007/2008 and loved the size of the rooms (and it was so cool to wake up in the morning backed into CC!), but DH is wondering if it is REALLY worthwhile since he felt we didnt use the veranda enough for the extra cost. My thinking is that at the back we should have a pretty good view, plus we wouldnt have to fight for the railing for my son and his photography. When we took a whale tour in Monterey Bay in September it was AWFUL getting him up close to the railing so he could get his photographs... he is only 4'10" and the taller and older adults were consistently pushing in front of him and crowding him out. He was extremely annoyed with them... and while it was a thrill to get to see the whales, it really made that part of the trip not as much fun.

SO... how crowded ARE the upper decks/railings? Am I correct in thinking that having one of those veranda's at the tail end would be a win for photography or am I missing something? I mean, I know we can always go up whenever we want to explore as well just to try it out and make sure, but I do agree with DH, it would be nice to not spend the extra $$$$ if we can count on having good places for my son to be able to take his photos without getting frustrated. We have time to save up, especially since we can use our DVC points for one of the fares.

Thanks in advance!

Heidi