Nikkoo2 Posted May 2, 2022 Report Share Posted May 2, 2022 Hi guys, About to take the plunge on back to back 7 days from Seattle to Alaska on Quantum. Want a balcony for the views, should be look for left hand or right hand side? I know it’s port or starboard but don’t know which is which Thanks all x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikkoo2 Posted May 2, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2022 Ah man… now we just figured that all the interiors have a virtual balcony. Should we save $1000 and do an interior? If we see something we like we can go up on deck… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowTieBrigade Posted May 2, 2022 Report Share Posted May 2, 2022 Common wisdom is that it doesn’t matter because it’s a round trip with lots of turning around to get 360 degree views of everything but I’ve also heard that you want starboard so you get the views on the way north, while the scenery is still new to you. YOLO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpeedNoodles Posted May 2, 2022 Report Share Posted May 2, 2022 Port is the left hand side when facing forward (toward the front of the ship). 4 letters in "port", 4 letters in "left". And it makes no difference at all in Alaska. When docked they could face either way, and there's scenery on both sides of the ship in the inside passage. Enjoy! Kathleen, YOLO and BeachGal 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikkoo2 Posted May 2, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2022 Thanks for the replies so far. What do you think of getting an internal with the virtual balcony? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psycho and Barb Posted May 2, 2022 Report Share Posted May 2, 2022 Never had a virtual balcony but we don't believe it can compete with the real thing...The sounds and smells!!! We hang our hammock on ours and enjoy every second we can. WAYNO and WAAAYTOOO 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skings8 Posted May 2, 2022 Report Share Posted May 2, 2022 I leave May 5th on Ovation of the Seas( for 8 day Alaska) sister of Quantum. Since I am solo I have cabin 12631 which is a virtual balcony. Will post after cruise. First trip to Alaska, First time Ovation, first time inside with virtual balcony. LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted May 2, 2022 Report Share Posted May 2, 2022 This might help too in general for your Alaska cruise ChanaC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikkoo2 Posted May 2, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2022 2 hours ago, Matt said: This might help too in general for your Alaska cruise Really good. Thanks a lot Matt 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikkoo2 Posted May 2, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2022 6 hours ago, skings8 said: I leave May 5th on Ovation of the Seas( for 8 day Alaska) sister of Quantum. Since I am solo I have cabin 12631 which is a virtual balcony. Will post after cruise. First trip to Alaska, First time Ovation, first time inside with virtual balcony. LOL! It’ll be really interesting to see how you got on. As we are considering back to back 7 days the cost difference is £1000, or $1400… I just don’t know if that’s too much extra for a balcony! That would cover half our excursions… It’s a tough choice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpeedNoodles Posted May 2, 2022 Report Share Posted May 2, 2022 9 hours ago, Psycho and Barb said: We hang our hammock on ours and enjoy every second we can. Tell me more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen Posted May 2, 2022 Report Share Posted May 2, 2022 10 hours ago, SpeedNoodles said: Port is the left hand side when facing forward (toward the front of the ship). 4 letters in "port", 4 letters in "left". And it makes no difference at all in Alaska. When docked they could face either way, and there's scenery on both sides of the ship in the inside passage. Enjoy! I love this. Thanks for passing this little gem along! fireclan and SpeedNoodles 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpeedNoodles Posted May 2, 2022 Report Share Posted May 2, 2022 17 minutes ago, Kathleen said: I love this. Thanks for passing this little gem along! So, weird thing about me - I always book on the starboard side. Always. When I come out of my room, I know that if I turn right, I'm going towards the front of the ship. My last cruise was a Lift and Shift into an Owner's Suite (which was freaking fantastic) and we didn't have a choice of where the room was (but did it matter? It was awesome!). However, it was on the port side. I constantly went the wrong direction when I exited the room. I mean, I couldn't get my mind in the right space until day 6 of our sailing, lol. It became a running joke with my husband. I usually didn't catch the mistake until I saw the "Feed me tacos and call me pretty" poster. Skigoofy, BeachGal, WAAAYTOOO and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FSUFAN Posted May 2, 2022 Report Share Posted May 2, 2022 Mrs Fan and I did an inside passage on another line where we stopped at Ketchikan, then Juneau, then Skagway with the bulk of the mainland on our right. We were on the Starboard side balcony. We are on the Quantum in June 2023 with our 3 grown kids and their spouses/partners, our first stop is Sitka, then Skagway then heading south with the bulk of the mainland on our left. So, we have port balconies. But for much of the trip, land is on both sides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psycho and Barb Posted May 2, 2022 Report Share Posted May 2, 2022 2 hours ago, SpeedNoodles said: Tell me more. Can’t believe I can’t find a picture right now of the hammock hanging on a balcony. The one we have is a Castaway Travel Hammock and you can find them on Amazon. Here is a video of someone putting a different model up on a balcony. They are small, lightweight and pack easy. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08VRR36YF/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_BMXW1QC8ZKNV5A2S8HD4 https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=How+to+Set+Up+Castaway+Hammock+on+a+cruise+ship+balcony+&&view=detail&mid=1185B085E8EFB651BE791185B085E8EFB651BE79&&FORM=VRDGAR&ru=%2Fvideos%2Fsearch%3Fq%3DHow%2Bto%2BSet%2BUp%2BCastaway%2BHammock%2Bon%2Ba%2Bcruise%2Bship%2Bbalcony%2B%26go%3DSearch%26qs%3Dn%26form%3DQBVR%26sp%3D-1%26pq%3Dhow%2Bto%2Bset%2Bup%2Bcastaway%2Bhammock%2Bon%2Ba%2Bcruise%2Bs%26sc%3D0-44%26sk%3D%26cvid%3D518AFDA2041C4E11BFB3C10C9F32326F YOLO and SpeedNoodles 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YOLO Posted May 3, 2022 Report Share Posted May 3, 2022 @Psycho and Barb Love this idea !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twangster Posted May 3, 2022 Report Share Posted May 3, 2022 Alaska is cold and the ship's motion can add a breeze to the balcony experience. Think wind chill. That being said sometimes on Quantum class a balcony isn't that much more than non-balcony cabins. That's because this class is predominately ocean facing balconies. On smaller ships with fewer balcony cabins there can be a significant difference to upgrade to a balcony. On Q class it's often very reasonable. I've done a virtual balcony to Alaska and I've done plain interior to Alaska. On those occasions the money saved over a balcony was substantial. I've done balcony to Alaska as well when the upgrade over interior is more reasonable. I'm in a balcony now on Serenade in Alaska and will be on Quantum next week in a balcony. It was a relatively small cost to move up so why not? Had the upgrade cost been significant I'd be in an interior. WAAAYTOOO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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