Oh so true! A few on an upper deck is fine but too many of the new ships look like apartment buildings!

I wonder too just how many people actually spend real time there - maybe for breakfast - and I truly can't see their value on a trans-Atlantic crossing.

How many cruisetalkers normally book a veranda cabin?

Two votes no, zero votes yes.

On two of my more recent cruises, the balcony was rarely used. On RADIANCE OF THE SEAS up in Canada/Alaska, the weather was too cold to really enjoy the balcony. On SILVER CLOUD, a beautiful deck was only seconds away, and I found myself there much more (enjoying my fellow passengers, or not, if I chose) then my own balcony.

One exception was GOLDEN PRINCESS. We had an aft facing suite (St Tropez Suite) and the balcony was huge! Also, the furniture was all teak and I LOVED looking out over the wake with no obstruction. We had several parties over the 15 days of this crossing, and the balcony was put to great use.

When booking QM2, I figured just how little most of my balconies were used, and this was one of the reasons we decided on a standard outside cabin. I think I will enjoy the large window better, and the cabin is actually larger than standard balcony cabins, since the space occupied by the balcony is part of the interior of the cabin. It's cheaper too!

Of course on new ships, like QM2 especially, it's becoming harder and harder to book a standard outside w/o a balcony. They are becoming few and far between.

We have sailed on her 11 times (so far), and here's why I love her balcony cabins. I love the constant contact with the sea and sky. I love the roar from the foremost funnel right over my head. I love the sound of the waves rippling off her hull. I love waking at night and taking but a few steps to watch moon beams dancing on the ocean and feel salt spray on my face. I guess what I'm trying to say is that, when I'm on the ocean, I want to feel it and see it and smell it for as much time as possible. Where else but a balcony can you do that?

As far as being blown off in a crossing, I'm sure some transatlantics will be too rough and windy to fully enjoy a balcony. However, we sailed the Norway on a Barcelona to Miami route in Oct. '98, and I actually slept on the balcony every night of the crossing. It doesn't get any better than that!!! So to sum it all up 2 votes here for balconies.

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Originally posted by linerlover:
I know many think Norway's beauty was eroded by the "cab over".

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I do too!

When I was onboard the SS Norway, I got talking to an American guy. He told me that loved the tradition aspects of the ship, that is why he was there! He was certainly not keen on the modifications, or so he said.

Regarding getting "blown overboard" during a crossing. Well here's a thought.... when the Seabourn triplets were fitted with balcony doors in certain suites, a special device was also installed that enabled the bride to lock the doors automatically in rough weather. This is certainly a safety feature I could also see installed on QM2, and used in rough weather. I would almost imagine the insurance companies would require it.

I can already see the first lawsuit.....filed in Broward County, Florida Municipal court.. "Cunard should not have installed balconies on a ship that makes frequent crossings on a notorious rough ocean.... it was not my husband's fault he is 85 years old, went on the balcony during a force 10 gale and was blown overboard, it was Cunards for installing the balconies in the first place!"

How much do you want to make a bet the balcony doors will have an auto-locking mechanism activated from the bridge! It's sad no one takes responsibility for their own actions anymore!

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Originally posted by eroller:
.... a special device was also installed that enabled the bride to lock the doors automatically in rough weather.

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First night nerves?

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... it was not my husband's fault he is 85 years old, went on the balcony during a force 10 gale and was blown overboard, it was Cunards for installing the balconies in the first place!"

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..or for permitting brides to lock out the grooms

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How much do you want to make a bet the balcony doors will have an auto-locking mechanism activated from the bridge! It's sad no one takes responsibility for their own actions anymore!

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With so many balconies how could they be sure no-one was outside when the locks were activated? You can bet someone would ignore all warnings to go inside. They'd have to have a 'call button' or similar.

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Originally posted by PamM:

With so many balconies how could they be sure no-one was outside when the locks were activated? You can bet someone would ignore all warnings to go inside. They'd have to have a 'call button' or similar.

Pam

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The easy solution is a two-way lock. It can be opened from the outside if you happen to be on the balcony, but once inside and the door is closed, it can't be re-opened until the bridge unlocks it.

On the SEABOURN triplets, they don't have to worry about anyone being locked out. There is really only a ledge, and not a true balcony.

Many of the early modern Winnebagos that do not have balconies: Carnival Holiday class, Horizon, Zenith, and Century are just as ugly as their balconied brethren.

Crown and Regal Princess (former is now A'ROSA BLU) are very pretty IMHO and have balconies. On the other hand, the first Star Princess (now Arcadia, soon Ocean Village) was downright hideous and had many fewer balconies.

Carnival's Holiday and Fantasy ships have next to no balconies but get my award for ugliest modern ships. Upturned milk cartons.

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Originally posted by desirod6:

Onno and Vacarro have designed beautiful ships that contain balconies. See their websites. It can be done.

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Thanks Desirod6.
Just for adding a page not linked on my (rather old now, the first lines of the ship were drawn six years ago) website.
This was a quick refit of the ship as an "alternative Cunard cruiseliner" I made few months ago.

Alternative cruiseliner webpage

Regarding Onno, I agree with you, he designed some very good and innovative ships and 3D renderings.

[ 09-29-2002: Message edited by: Vaccaro ]

Here is a link to my site where you can see some early sketches of my Queen Victoria design.

My futuristic super liner design isn’t yet on my site so I placed some pictures of here in the Photo Gallery.

I think Dominique’s design is excellent as the way he presented it on his site, I love the totality of his design and perfection to make a realistic design that could even be build.

As for the verandas I think it is not a problem if cruise ships have them but it is the way they are placed that can be disturbing. If the veranda “wall” is more connected to the fore and aft sections of a ship then the verandas make an interesting element that is integrated into a unifying design.

Best, Onno

[ 09-28-2002: Message edited by: Onno ]

I'm not suggesting that there should be no balcony cabins - I'd just like to see fewer of them. For my liking, there should be at least one 'walk around the ship' deck. On tropical nights we frequently take our last drink out on deck to watch the wake and see the stars.

Someone mentioned sleeping with the balcony door open - I'm told that that totally messes up the air conditioning for many other passengers. Is that true or just a story?

Surely something could be worked out to ensure that no one had to spend the night outdoors........even new bridegrooms! The Bridge could control comings and goings between the hours of say 00:00 and 05:00 and/or at any other time depending on weather conditions.

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Originally posted by Dolphins:
One of the features we like best about having a verandah is sleeping with the door open and enjoying the fresh sea air instead of the A/C in a sealed cabin.

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A real fresh air person, I too would enjoy sleeping with the verandah door open, using AC only when absolutely necessary. In our home we're fortunate to have complete control - if there's a drop in the overnight temperature to a 'sleeping comfort' level, I'm the first to open doors and windows and cut the AC - our action affects only ourselves - not so on a ship I'm told - maybe the Techie fellows on this board will confirm/deny this.......comments from the knowledgeable, please

An aside - in St Lucia with a beach front villa several years ago, I looked forward to sleeping with windows open, lulled to sleep by the lapping waves, etc. etc. - ha. ha - NO WAY - AC was going full blast - windows doors locked each night to protect us from intruders.....................

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Originally posted by Dolphins:
One of the features we like best about having a verandah is sleeping with the door open and enjoying the fresh sea air instead of the A/C in a sealed cabin.

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