Is it worth upgrading to a balcony on a cruise?
Perhaps no other question is asked more of me by new cruisers because they want to know if they should spend more money for one. I usually tell them yes, but there's a few things to know.
On any Royal Caribbean ship, there are more balcony cabins than any other type of stateroom. It's a reflection of how popular balconies are and how much people really like them. That alone tells you a lot why you'd want to book a balcony cabin on your next cruise.
However, they aren't cheap and I think new cruisers tend to overestimate how much time they will actually spend in their room.
More importantly, I don't think staying in a cheaper, inside room would necessarily be a mistake. I think the question of "is it worth it to pay extra for a balcony cabin" often comes out of fear an inside room is a problem waiting to happen.
Rather, I think of a balcony as an affordable splurge for something even nicer to enjoy.
Here are the 7 best reasons to book a balcony and why it's worth it.
It's a bigger room
Not only do you have access to the outside (I'll get to that next), but the room is simply larger.
Cruise ship cabins tend to be smaller than hotel rooms, and it's something first-time cruisers notice quickly.
If you're sharing a room, having more living space matters a lot. This is especially true if you are sharing your stateroom with kids.
You can expect to have 20-50 less square feet of space in an inside room, and trust me, that makes a difference.
With a balcony, I find myself doing less shuffling as I try to get from one side to another.
A private space outdoors with fresh air
Yes, the selling point of any balcony is you can step outside and have access to fresh air and a view.
It's undeniable how lovely it is to have your own outdoor space to watch the scenery, enjoy the fresh air, read a book, or all of it.
Plus, being able to step outside while your ship is in port is fantastic. It's great for people watching, seeing what's happening in town, and otherwise soaking in the experience.
Many new cruisers tend to gravitate towards a balcony room because they have this fear of feeling confined in the room. Having easy access to the outdoors is a selling point for them.
I prefer a balcony for sailaway or while in port.
It can be quite hot on a balcony if you're cruising in the summer, but when the temperature is right, it's a great space to take full advantage of.
A place for breakfast or a drink
Every balcony room has a small table, and it's the perfect spot for breakfast to be delivered.
Did you know there's a complimentary breakfast option with room service? They can set up the food anywhere in the cabin you like, including the balcony.
You can time breakfast with your ship's arrival into port for one heck of a view.
You could also grab a drink at a bar and bring it back to your balcony to enjoy. There are no rules preventing you from taking a drink at any bar and walking around the ship with it, including bringing it back to your room.
For those that prefer a quieter and more private sail away experience, a BYOB approach works perfectly.
Watching your ship's arrival is magical
While there is public deck space to watch your ship sail into port, experiencing it from your balcony is amazing.
Every time I've cruised in Europe, I've booked a balcony cabin so I can see us pull into each city and get a pseudo-tour and first look.
Waking up and stepping out to your balcony to see an entire city in front of you is incredible.
If I'm not feeling like going outside, I can sit on my bed and watch it all happen from the comfort of laying down and air conditioning.
The cost of a balcony isn't always expensive
Yes, a balcony almost always cost more than inside room. However, it isn't always substantially more expensive.
The price of a balcony room varies considerably, and in some cases it can be just less than $500 to upgrade to a balcony.
Because there are so many balcony cabins on a cruise ship, inventory is highest for these type of cabins. When demand for cheaper cabins rises, inside cabins sell out faster and that leads to price drops for a balcony.
This situation doesn't always happen, but it's worth pricing out a balcony before assuming it's out of your budget.
It changes how you use sea days
Sea days hit differently when you have a balcony.
When you wake up in the morning, try not to step out on the balcony and see what's viewable, gauge the weather, or simply enjoy the view.
I think it's the difference between traveling on a cruise ship versus traveling by sea.
When you come back to your room, you'll feel drawn to your balcony. I find sea days can be so busy with activities that there's something pleasurable about retreating to your balcony.
You get to experience the ocean on ships that are usually inward focused
This is a Royal Caribbean specific benefit, but a balcony room allows you to feel like you're on the ocean more.
Royal Caribbean ships tend to be very inward facing and focused. Many people comment how you don't even know you're on a cruise ship while sailing with Royal Caribbean because there aren't many connections to the ocean.
Oasis Class ships, especially, suffer from this because everything you're doing is indoors.
Having an oceanview balcony forces you to interact with the ocean itself: wind, salt air, changing light, and the motion of the ship.
