When I tried my first infinite balcony cabin, I wasn't impressed. But I had the wrong perspective to appreciate what they offer.
As I approached my first Star of the Seas sailing, I lamented I'd be in an infinite balcony because they aren't really a balcony. It's more of a window experience, and that hasn't changed.
But my outlook changed after I spoke with some fellow writers about these rooms, and I realized while it's not a regular balcony experience, it can offer something a balcony can't offer.
In recognizing my own cruising style, I gave the infinite balcony another try. This time, I went in with a different mindset and I ended up liking this cruise cabin type a lot more than ever.
Disclosure: I sailed on a free trip on Star of the Seas to review the ship. The opinions expressed below are entirely mine and weren't subject to review by the line.
Why I disliked it
I think it's important to start with why I never liked the infinite balcony room before, because I suspect a lot of people feel the same way.
The first types of these rooms debuted on Celebrity Edge, and Royal Caribbean borrowed the idea for its Icon Class ships.
The idea is you have a convertible balcony space, but in practice it's an enclosed room with a window that opens.
When you open the window, all the air conditioned cold air gets sucked out and the room's air conditioning is actually disabled until you close the window.
I thought they were a gimmick, not the real balcony experience because you're not immersed in being outside like a traditional balcony.
It's not a balcony, and that's ok
While talking about how I don't like an infinite balcony, a colleague mentioned she really likes these cabins because it's like a private solarium.
She didn't dispute the fact it's a window and not a balcony, but as she talked more about her experience in this room, I realized having a bigger room with more space that's air conditioned isn't a bad thing.
In reality, it's too hot to be out on the balcony most months in the Caribbean.
When I stay in a traditional balcony, I might go out on my balcony for sail away or a moment here or there. But I usually don't go out there because it's uncomfortable given the heat and humidity.
My realization was I actually could enjoy the view without melting in the heat.
Why an infinite balcony cabin is worth it
Having more usable space is the first reason I'd want to stay in an infinite balcony again.
If you never open the window, then the "balcony" area is part of the stateroom, so you gain extra square footage you can enjoy all day.
While on Star of the Seas, I treated it like a lounge area. I used it to work from my laptop, watch a movie, or simple relax and enjoy the view
With it enclosed, it also means I have more furniture to sit on and no concern it gets too hot out there.
The air conditioning keeps the space cool when the window is closed.
When my kids were younger, I was always nervous with them on a regular balcony because young kids always want to climb.
But with this kind of a room, we would have had more space for them to crawl, climb, and play without those fears. I think an infinite balcony is a really good choice for families.
Another benefit to the window is you get far less noise.
When I was on Independence of the Seas earlier this summer, I had a traditional balcony and the whistling sound from the point where the balcony door meets the frame was an on-and-off-again problem.
But with this "balcony", I didn't have any such issue.
It's a window, and that's perfect for my needs
I know there people reading this and saying "It’s not a real balcony", and they're totally right.
My point isn't to convince anyone it's a real balcony. Rather, to change your perspective on how to think about the room.
When I sail in an infinite balcony, I'm simply never opening the window. Once I understood that, I could appreciate the room more.
If you're like me and don't enjoy being hot and humid, then this room is a great compromise of space, views, and comfort.
There are lots of cruisers who never go out on their balcony for many reasons. Or they're like me and go on it once or twice just to say they did.
I'd rather have more indoor space that I can better utilize, than a nice balcony I'll rarely (if ever) go onto.
Final thoughts
If you've avoided infinite balcony cabins because you thought they were disappointing, I was right there with you. But now I see them as a smart alternative, especially when it's hot outside.
I wish Royal Caribbean would do make a few fixes to improve the balcony aspect of it in the future, such as adding plastic dividers and keeping the air conditioning on when the window is open. But in it's current form, I'm content with enjoying the extra space.
Some readers shared they agreed with my perspective, but think the name is misleading. I don't disagree, but then again a Junior Suite isn't a suite and an Ocean View Panoramic is hardly panoramic. There's always some marketing in cruise ship staterooms.
The bottom line is I realized I just didn't spend much time on my balcony when I was in a traditional room, especially in the Caribbean, because it was too hot.
Getting back that extra square footage as indoor space is a great trade off to keeping the window closed.
