Guide to staying in a Carnival cruise balcony cabin

Table Of Content

• Rear-facing cabins on any cruise line
• How many different types of balconies does Carnival offer?
• Carnival Excel Aft Suite
• Carnival Jubilee ship review: A guide to Carnival's third Excel Class cruise ship
• Havana Staterooms & Suites
• Everything you want to know about cabins and suites on Carnival Cruise Line ships
• CARNIVAL EXCEL PRESIDENTIAL SUITE

On Carnival Legend it’s only the Premium Balcony rooms where some have an obstructed view. When looking for ways to save money on my Carnival cruise, I always make sure to check out the latest deals and promotions available. Carnival offers a variety of promotions throughout the year, including early booking discounts, onboard credit, free upgrades, and reduced deposits.

Rear-facing cabins on any cruise line

Plus there’s truly nice-to-haves like a dining area and two TVs — one in the sleeping area and one in the living space. Your room also features extra space for kicking back, ocean-breeze-style, on your balcony featuring lounge chairs and an al fresco dining table. While we were surprised to see a more spacious shower in our bathroom, we were even more surprised to see the extended balcony stateroom had the exact same size shower as we did. The only difference between our inside cabin stateroom and the extended balcony cabin was the door. The typical Carnival balcony cabin has a contemporary look, with clean lines and relatively minimalist furniture.

How many different types of balconies does Carnival offer?

Back inside, Deck 6's Piano Bar is where passengers can order a tipple while an onboard pianist tickles the ivories. Make your way up a deck, and you'll find the Limelight Lounge, which serves as a secondary performance space and trivia outpost. I also missed out on the RedFrog Tiki Bar, a two-deck (decks 16 and 17), hut-style setup that replaces the RedFrog Rum Bar found on many other Carnival ships' pool decks. It's where you'll find the most quintessentially tropical menu of mixed drinks on board.

Carnival Excel Aft Suite

The space is simply packed with tables — so much so that there were only about two inches between my table and the one next to me, even though I was dining alone. It then took nearly 10 minutes for a waiter to bring me water and another 10 before someone came to take my order. Unless you specifically request your cabin steward to come at night for turndown service instead of earlier in the day, your room will be made up in the morning.

One exception is the new Carnival Venezia, which has a darker (faux) wood finish to furniture in cabins that ties into the ship's Italy theme. The exact price can vary based on several factors, including the cruise’s itinerary and the time of year. For instance, on a seven-night Caribbean cruise, you might find balcony rooms priced at $909 per person, while an Ocean View room could be around $799. Most balcony rooms can accommodate up to four guests, but with the option to add a cot or trundle bed, you can even fit a fifth guest, though it might be a snug fit. That's why we've got enough variety to satisfy any type of fun seeker.

8 best balcony cabins on cruise ships that you will want to book for your next vacation - Cruise Blog

8 best balcony cabins on cruise ships that you will want to book for your next vacation.

Posted: Tue, 17 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

I happened to be sitting at a table in the area when the festivities kicked off. As costumed Dr. Seuss characters arrived, Carnival staff asked the children to scream solely for the sake of screaming. Ear-piercing shrieks reverberated throughout the space, which was also blocked off to passengers trying to pass through. I arrived 15 minutes early for a magic show at the Punchliner Comedy Club, and I couldn't find a single available seat in the entire place.

Jubilee’s 181 suites offer a good variety, especially for those who want to test out whether a suite is right for them. The ship’s lowest-level (and most-popular) suites are its Ocean Suites. With no space wasted for a traditional balcony, the other benefit of this setup is expanded indoor space. These cabins are 23 percent larger than on the line's Solstice-class ships, including bigger bathrooms.

If you’re the adventurous type who plans to explore the ship and its amenities, an Ocean View room might be a better value. On the other side though, they are a great place where you can unwind if you do have some spare time, and sitting with a book in your own little private outdoor space is quite lovely. However some of them are quite ‘little’ and you might feel a bit cramped, especially if your partner or kids want to join you. Most people prefer an aft-view room because the views over the wake of the ship are more enjoyable. Forward-view rooms encounter a lot of wind, and you might be limited in the times that you can use the balcony when the ship is sailing, although some do have a windshield so that you can at least open the door. As someone who loves to travel and explore new places, I understand the importance of finding the right accommodations for a trip.

CARNIVAL EXCEL PRESIDENTIAL SUITE

The vessel offers weeklong Caribbean voyages on a regular rotation from its home port in Galveston, Texas, meaning you'll find a healthy dose of Texas-style fun on board (more on that later). In fact, Carnival is so dedicated to keeping the ship in the Lone Star State that it had a Texas star painted on the ship's hull. These are up to 30 newest stateroom pictures from our collection of cabin pictures. Bathrooms on Carnival Jubilee are small but also perfectly sufficient. Each bathroom comes with a sink, some small shelves and cubbies, a toilet and glass-door shower, that has an adjustable shower head that can be hand-held and a shower bar for shaving. For families, Jubilee’s Family Harbor area includes an exclusive lounge for families, offering games and snacks for kids and adults.

Carnival Sunshine cruise ship review: What to expect on board - The Points Guy

Carnival Sunshine cruise ship review: What to expect on board.

Posted: Sat, 16 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

From inside cabins to solo accommodations and luxurious suites, there's a cabin onboard to accommodate a wide range of travel needs and budgets. On older Carnival ships (and, in general, all older cruise ships), there are far fewer balcony cabins. Fewer than 10% of cabins on the line's two oldest vessels, Carnival Paradise and Carnival Elation, are balcony cabins. An Extended Balcony room offers the same indoor space as a standard balcony room but boasts a more spacious balcony. The extra space can range from a mere 2 square feet to a generous 40 square feet.

If you are going to be spending most of your time exploring the cruise ship and port, then you might not find the value of a balcony stateroom. You do not want to spend extra for a balcony if you do not think you will have the time to use it and get your investment’s worth. Cloud 9 Spa balconies are themed-staterooms located conveniently near the Cloud 9 Spa where guests receive exclusive amenities and benefits during the duration of their cruise. Cloud 9 Spa balcony guests get access to the ship’s thermal spa for the entirety of their cruise vacation, along with priority access to spa appointments and discounts on spa treatments on port days. On Spirit Class ships we book balcony cabins right off the glass elevator on deck 6 or 7. At the high end are the ship’s Excel suite offerings, including six Excel Suites, 12 Excel Corner Suites, 12 Excel Aft Suites and two Excel Presidential Suites.

Carnival’s themed staterooms, including the Havana balconies, Family Harbor balconies, and Cloud 9 Spa balconies, are all unique to the cruise line. If you are looking to spice up your cruise experience compared to a standard balcony, these might be a consideration. If you enjoy having some private time and access to ocean views during your cruise -- and if your budget allows it -- then I would say booking a balcony is worthwhile.

The most expensive suites, on the other hand, can have balconies as large as half a tennis court, equipped with cushy loungers, a big table for outdoor dining and even a private hot tub or plunge pool. Balcony staterooms were designed for maximum sea breeze and the most stunning views, so look to a balcony if you’re looking to cruise with a view aboard Mardi Gras. A Junior Balcony stateroom features the same size balcony as standard Balcony rooms, just with a little less interior space. Any time you’re in your room, you’re just steps away from your own personal outdoor oasis, featuring the sort of sea view you can also feel.

You can hold a party at your outdoor bar or sit down to an alfresco, room-service dinner. Additionally, each evening the bunk bed would come down from the ceiling for the fourth bed to be used. Compared to our inside cabin, the bunk bed in the extended balcony stateroom was not visible during the day and did not take up space until it was being used. The newest cruise ships are built with more stateroom choices than ever before.

Havana balconies have direct access to the Havana Bar, so if you plan to spend a lot of time in this bar, a Havana balcony could be the perfect choice for you. When staying in a Havana balcony, you have exclusive access to the Havana Pool with two large hot tubs with tropical-themed decor. This is a relaxing space away from the bustling main pool deck with umbrellas and loungers.

You’ll have more room in a balcony stateroom, and you can also enjoy fresh air whenever you choose. Moreover, balcony cabins are considered roomier than inside and outside staterooms. You can also book adjoining-- or connecting-- balcony rooms if you want to benefit from two bathrooms and additional living space. Royal Caribbean sought to level the playing field on its Quantum Class ships by creating Super Studio balcony cabins. For those able to splurge a bit, it would be worthwhile to book a balcony stateroom to have more space and the addition of a private, outdoor balcony. Those who prefer to spend their time onboard utilizing their balcony would certainly appreciate the extended balcony stateroom.