You have a few room options to choose from when booking a cruise, and knowing which one to pick can be daunting. Here are the times when springing for the balcony room is worth your hard earned money.


Sara Tucker, writing at Wendy Perrin’s travel blog, interviewed cruise experts on when you spending the extra money for a balcony room pays off.


If you’ll be spending a lot of time in your room. Taking in the views on your own private balcony sounds much more relaxing than sharing a crowded deck with other passengers. The extra price for a balcony is worth it if you’ll put it to good use.

Taking in the views on your own private balcony sounds much more relaxing than sharing a crowded deck with other passengers. The extra price for a balcony is worth it if you’ll put it to good use. Your ship design places balcony rooms on higher decks. This means rooms with balconies have better views, especially on river cruises where lower rooms are close to the water line.

This means rooms with balconies have better views, especially on river cruises where lower rooms are close to the water line. If you want the extra space offered by a balcony room. Sometimes balcony rooms are larger in general than other rooms, which gives you more space to enjoy on your trip.

Sometimes balcony rooms are larger in general than other rooms, which gives you more space to enjoy on your trip. Your route is through warm waters. You’re more likely to use your deck if you don’t have to bundle up every time you want to step out on it. Plus, it’ll provide great views as you enter or exit ports.

A private balcony room sounds like paradise, and exactly the kind of luxury you want on a cruise, but you should consider if you’ll really end up getting the best bang for your buck before dedicating a (often substantial) chunk of your vacation budget to one. If the above doesn’t apply to you, you may be better off without a balcony and spending the extra money elsewhere.


Check the dimensions of your cruise ship’s rooms with and without a balcony by visiting their website. Most major cruise lines have details on the specific measurements of their ships’ rooms, along with other amenities offered.

When Is a Cruise Ship Balcony Worth It And When Is It Not? | Wendy Perrin

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