Jump to content

Aft Balconies


WannaCruise

Recommended Posts

Our first cruise was on Explorer in 2000. Through no great forethought ended up with an aft facing balcony on Deck 10. We were hooked. We have tried to get them for our subsequent cruises. But they have been hard to get. We love the extra lounger space and the privacy. Once we could smell the diesel exhaust faintly. And, it is a longer walk to and from. But we prefer aft facing cabins if they are not all booked up.

BTW, there is a Grand Suite on all the Radiance ships on the aft Starboard side of Deck 10. I think it is 1600. We have tried to book it for years. Big cabin with and acre of balcony looking both aft and starboard. I think there must be TAs with a permanent reservation for clients like us.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
1 hour ago, Vacation Crazy said:

Hope you had a great trip!  How did you like your aft balcony?  We are in a deep freeze here.  I'm dreaming of our Southern Caribbean cruise!!

We did have a wonderful trip, thank you! I have attached some pictures of stateroom 9404 on Freedom of the Seas. Honestly, we probably wouldn't book it again. I've heard great things about aft cabins and I wouldn't hesitate to book another aft, but not this corner aft on deck 9. I have read that corner aft balconies below deck 9 get bigger as you do further down and we could see that to be true by looking at the ship from port. The cabin category is 6D which I believe is the cheapest (smallest) balcony category and it definitely felt small. We had less storage than previous balconies and it had the smaller couch rather than full size.

As you can see, there was a large beam on the balcony that caused some issues with the chair arrangement. There were 2 lounge chairs, 2 regular chairs and a table but there wasn't enough room to use all of them so the loungers stayed stacked together and were used as a foot rest ? The views were great though and we have no complaints there! We knew the people next to us in cabin 9406 and so we got to see their balcony and it was HUGE! We are booked in that cabin next year and I'm excited to try that out for ourselves! I believe the room is still a bit smaller but at least the balcony is a little more functional. After a day or so, we were fine with the size of our room. 

Hope this helps everyone!

IMG_0443.JPG

IMG_0481.JPG

IMG_0473.JPG

IMG_0448.JPG

IMG_0447.JPG

IMG_0445.JPG

IMG_0444.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@lauraodonnell86   Thank you so much for the feedback and pics.  We have 9406 booked.   I looked into the aft balconies on a lower deck and they were triple occupancy.  A couple of questions.  I have read aft balconies can be very sunny.  It looks like deck 9 has very little overhang for shade??  Also, did you feel a lack of privacy with the upper decks looking down on you?   Thanks again!  Jane

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Vacation Crazy said:

@lauraodonnell86   Thank you so much for the feedback and pics.  We have 9406 booked.   I looked into the aft balconies on a lower deck and they were triple occupancy.  A couple of questions.  I have read aft balconies can be very sunny.  It looks like deck 9 has very little overhang for shade??  Also, did you feel a lack of privacy with the upper decks looking down on you?   Thanks again!  Jane

Aft balconies on deck 9 are not fully private.  When standing at the railing people above you will see you, just as you can see people on the decks below you standing at their railings.  

Sun is relative to ship heading and time of day.  Some days may be more sunny, some less.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I managed to snag the corner aft balcony on Radiance (deck 8 ) for our alaska cruise in 2020 and couldn't be more excited.  A bit pricey but this is my 31 bucket list trip so I want to maximize it.  Funny thin is my son and his wife are traveling with us and are literally staying on the opposite end of the ship as they have the most forward portal room on the same deck!  Figure we can burn off dinner simply walking between the two cabins

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Vacation Crazy, @twangster answered the questions exactly as I would have. They aren't private but we didn't feel like people were looking at us all of the time or anything. The sun just depends. A few times, it was very sunny but I like it that way! I think 9406 will be a bit more shaded due to the side walls. 9404 only has the wall on 1 side so the sun really came onto the balcony if it was positioned right. We had full sun mostly all day coming back from the ABCs on the final sea day. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, markinct said:

@twangster - that is an awesome picture! We're working with @michelle from MEI ... my wife and I had almost decided on a midship cabin, but now....  ?

Keep in mind... I sailed in an inside cabin on Radiance last year in Alaska.  This photo was taken from the Windjammer outdoor seating area on deck 11 aft.

Consider your overall cruise budget.  Alaska excursions tend to be more expensive compared to many destinations.  I chose to put money towards excursions and sailed inside cabin but made a point of not being in my cabin very much.  By taking advantage of public decks I enjoyed that cruise very much.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On ‎2‎/‎3‎/‎2019 at 2:22 PM, twangster said:

Aft views are nice regardless of destination. 

The views leaving Hubbard Glacier from an aft balcony on Radiance can be spectacular.  

fkeVV0c.jpg

 

love this picture - and i love aft balconies - I think they are some of the best cabins!  thanks for sharing

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

We had 1688 in October 2018, and it was a great cabin. Very similar to Independence’s 1700. I had a scooter, so it was wonderful having space for it. As for the huge balcony, no complaints except, yes, I did hit my head on the beam outside. LOL

Hope these pics help. We did not have any loungers on our balcony, but didn’t ask about getting them. We were good with the table and chairs. 

D863A418-BA94-4C5F-95F0-87602A866E75.jpeg

A36FFCE7-7C0F-4847-A8E9-F5E6E039059F.jpeg

6642E95D-E02D-4574-AE49-3FA55CC941D1.jpeg

D7E39253-7178-4179-A514-6A5715BA48DE.jpeg

84BC2777-B94C-4974-AE48-A78F4B2E64AA.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have yet to be in an aft but logically cant reconcile the concept that aft rooms have  a more "limited" view!  quite the opposite should be true.  My balcony on Liberty is on one side of the ship.  I can only see what is out that side of the ship.  True, I can look a bit left and right but it is still the same basic view.  same holds true for the other side right?...so now let's talk aft....at the very worst it is like the sides, all I can see if out from my balcony and a bit left and right BUT I CAN see what is to both the right and left of the ship as well as straight behind it when leaving port.  seems like aft is ideal!  Hope I am right as I have the aft corner on Radiance in Alaska in 2020.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

We are looking to book an aft facing balcony on adventure of the seas on deck 10. 1692/1392. I know it’s been asked a million times, and i have spent all day researching answers and opinions... do you hear any noise from windjammer/island grill? It seems those rooms are directly underneath the carpeted eating area at the back of the buffet. We are travelling with a toddler, so night sleep and some naps are important for us. We have cruised aft facing in the past, and love it.. but have been sandwiched between stateroom floors. We were also considering 7390, but it may not work if the description of just a 3rd pullman bed, and no pull out couch is in there. Any help is greatly appreciated!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I love deck ten aft on Voyager class ships like Adventure because of the carpeted Windjammer. On Radiance class I drop down to deck 9 since the fantail noise from the wood deck (scraping chairs and washdowns at zero-dark thirty) can be a pain in the ( Y ) 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 12/30/2018 at 2:45 PM, WhiteSoxFan said:

Deck 7 corner aft on Voyager and Freedom class are also outstanding cabins.  The room is standard size but the balcony is about as large as the room.  Great view out the side.

 

 

IMG_2011.JPG

that balcony tho!  ?

even EYE would enjoy THAT one!  more relaxing.  since I'm afraid of heights AND water, this seems like I could actually relax while on the balcony.  LOL

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Anyone ever stay on an AFT facing on the Allure of the Seas?  Crown Loft room 1726 is what we booked....Was hesitant due to the sports court and mini golf and the noise that comes with those.  I am thinking with the hours that both are open any noise should have a minimal impact.  Never cruised before so I don't have much to compare an Aft facing vs others.  So excited!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...