Balcony Cabins On Royal Caribbean Ships
Balcony cabins are what everyone wants these days, and Royal Caribbean is delivering, with huge numbers of balcony cabins on all its newest ships. On the lines four Oasis Class ships, which began debuting in 2009, around 65% of rooms are balcony cabins. On the lines even newer Quantum Class ships, which began debuting in 2014, the percentage is even higher: around 69%.
The typical Royal Caribbean balcony cabin has a contemporary look, with clean lines and relatively minimalist furniture. Theyll typically offer twin beds that can be converted into a royal king bed, a desk and a sofa that often pulls out into an additional bed. They typically measure around 180 square feet, not including the balcony area.
A few Royal Caribbean ships have balcony cabins that face toward the center of the vessel, not toward the outside. If this seems like a paradox, it is. Its the result of an unusual design feature of one series of Royal Caribbean ships, the Oasis Class.
Related: 6 reasons to book a balcony cabin
The Oasis Class vessels are so wide that they have room for an interior, open-air boardwalk amusement area at their backs lined with inward-facing cabins. On Oasis Class ships, you thus can get a balcony cabin that faces the sea or a balcony cabin that faces inward, toward the boardwalk area.
Cruise & Maritime Voyages
Cruise & Maritime offers single cabins across all of its ships, as well as a number of benefits for those cruising solo. Not only do solo travellers have their own cabins, ranging from Inner Single to Standard Ocean View. The number of these cabins varies on each ship, between eight to 14, so you will need to be quick when booking a solo cruise with this cruise line.
Inner Single
This stateroom has a bathroom with shower & WC, wardrobes, drawer space, dressing table, TV, hairdryer, music console and stretch to an average size of 100 sq ft.
Standard Single Ocean View
As well as the same facilties as the Inner Single, the Ocean View also boasts a window where you can watch the passing seascapes. These rooms are slightly larger, measuring an average size of 129 sq ft.
Standard Plus Single Ocean View
This stateroom is even larger than the standard Ocean View, measuring an average of 188 sq ft. It also comes with ample hanging and storage space fridge flat-screen television and a picture window. There is also a Superior Ocean View on-board selected ships.
Superior Plus Single Balcony
This room is only available on-board Vasco da Gama. Located midship on deck 9, the Superior Plus Single Balcony Stateroom offers the benefit of a private balcony to solo travellers. This is alongside en suite facilities, whirlpool bath with shower plus ample storage space.
Cruise Ship Covid Cases Force Passengers To Quarantine In Nyc
The Cunard ocean liner “Queen Mary 2” is seen docked in Brooklyn, New York, on October 18, 2019.
NEW YORK – Ten passengers of the Queen Mary 2 were forced off of the ship in New York Cityto quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19 during the trip from England. The cruise line said that all passengers were vaccinated and were tested before the trip began.
It was unclear when the positive tests took place but Cunard called the tests “routine.”
The Queen Mary arrived in New York City Monday, carrying 1,473 guests.
The 10 passengers with COVID-19 are being forced to isolate themselves in hotel rooms in New York City.
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In a statement to FOX 5 News Cunard said: “Whilst the guests who have tested positive have disembarked, in line with approved protocols, all guests remaining on board will be tested again in the coming days.”
The ship has left to continue its itinerary. It will spend several days in the Caribbean, including visiting several ports.
Cunard says the guests forced into quarantine in New York City will be able to rejoin the ship on Jan. 3 for the trip back to England if they test negative.
NYC covid cases have risen as a covid surge has hit the city.
The Queen Mary is far from the only cruise ship with coronavirus problems.
At least 48 people onboard Royal Caribbean’s “Symphony of the Seas” tested positive for COVID-19 last week. The ship docked in Miami last weekend with 6,091 people on board.
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Incredible Cruise Ship Cabins For Families
Ever since Disney Cruise Line first introduced family staterooms in the 90s, other cruise lines have been looking for ways to entice families with spacious, comfortable accommodation.
As a result, newer cruise ships boast a choice of cleverly designed family suites and connecting rooms that could comfortably house the Brady Bunch. So after a fun-packed day at the waterpark, kids club, or exploring on shore, there’s plenty of space for everyone to kick back and recharge.
Here are seven cruise lines getting the thumbs up from families however, some of these staterooms can be booked through the cruise line only and are not available through cruise agencies.
Celebrity Cruises
When it comes to catering for families, Celebritys family ocean view staterooms are spot on. The main room features two beds that can convert to queen-size, plus theres a second bedroom with a twin bed and Pullman berth beds, which pull down easily to form a bed. And for extra space, floor-to-ceiling glass doors lead to a balcony where everyone can sit and enjoy the view. Find out more about Celebrity Cruises.
Holland America Line
P& O Cruises
Princess Cruises
Let the whole family spread out in a Princess family suite. There are two bedrooms, which can be configured with a queen or two twin beds, plus two bathrooms and a sitting area with two sofa beds. Enjoy some quality family time out on the balcony decked with tables and chairs for four and two loungers. Find out more about Princess Cruises.
Get A Discount On Your Cruise
The price of your cruise will be different depending on who you book it with. Its always cheaper to use a travel agent with access discounted rates.
See the best cruise deals from all travel agents in one place.
Of course, not all travel agents are equal in terms of the service that they provide, and a great travel agent is worth their weight in gold.
- If you prefer to email your enquiry This travel agent always goes above and beyond to provide the very best personalised service
- If you want to speak to someone right nowThis large travel agency has great prices and Ive always found them to be really helpful
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Msc Seaside Grand Suite
The Grand Suite on the MSC Seaside is as advertised: grand, indeed! This two-bedroom family cabin has a king bed in the master bedroom and pair of twin beds that can convert to a queen, plus a single pullman bed, in the second bedroom. There are two bathrooms allowing your kids to have their own shower, while you enjoy the choice of a relaxing hot shower or a long warm soak in the tub. Theres plenty of space for your stuff as well as for your family in this oversized cruise ship cabin. The walk-in closet is impressive as is the family room with sofa and seating for five. But the real star is the balcony with stellar ocean views and enough seating for everyone to truly relax and get away from the crowds on the public decks.
Jeff Bogle lives in the suburbs of Philadelphia with his two teen daughters, two cats, one dog and six guinea pigs. He is an award-winning photographer and respected travel journalist with bylines on Readers Digest, Good Housekeeping, PBS, Esquire and more. Jeff spends too much time in England watching football and far too many hours plotting his familys future travel adventures. Find Jeff on his own site, Out With the Kids.
Msc Meraviglia Super Family Plus Balcony And Deluxe Suite
As a family-owned company, MSC takes special care to tailor the onboard experience for families, making accommodations that suit the individual needs of families regardless of size and age of children. On Meraviglia, a combination of connected staterooms are usedunder titles like Super Family Plus Balcony and Family Ocean Viewto provide groups with the beds, bathrooms, sight lines and space required to ensure every member of every family enjoys their cruise vacation. Fitting up to nine guests, the Super Family Plus Balcony uses a pair of balcony cabins plus an interior stateroom, all connected with adjoining doors to be as close or apart as you wish! Meanwhile, the ships Duplex Suite gives families of five or fewer total members a memorable two-deck-high cabin experience. On the main level theres an open living and dining room with a sofa that converts to a double bed, while upstairs is the master bedrooms king-size bed.
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Do Any Cabin Categories Offer Additional Amenities
A cabin category on a luxury line like Crystal will come with more amenities than a similar category on a mainstream line. – Photo by Crystal Cruises
There are also some hidden gems, as Carnivals Change calls them, on various ships, pointing to the 6N category on Carnival Dream, Carnival Magic, and Carnival Breeze. They are like most ocean view rooms except for one bonus: a second bathroom. One bathroom has a sink and a toilet, and the other has a sink and tub-shower combo. For a family traveling together, the fact that two people can get ready before dinner at the same time can be a valuable perk.
In addition, Carnivals Spirit-class ships have obstructed inside staterooms that are actually obstructed ocean view rooms with French doors that open. The price point on those is generally very good, and the midship location is nice as well, says Cruise Planners Devine. Carnival and Royal Caribbean ships also have some staterooms with unusually large balconies that I always look for.
Oceanview Cabins On Cruise Ships
Oceanview cabins: as sizes are similar to Interior staterooms on cruise ships, but each of them has a Porthole or normal window . Their window sizes also vary by line and ship. On some ocean ships and some luxury river ships, such staterooms feature floor-ceiling windows. Oceanview rooms’ window sizes are usually 4×3 ft . As furniture, Oceanview cruise cabins have twin beds that convert to King-size, sofa, TV and phone, sitting area, safe, mini bar, private bath with shower, and also a washroom with sink and a junior tub, bathrobes and a hairdryer and of course a picture window. You should take a look at the cruise ship deck plans again as Cabins of 5A category have two porthole windows. Unlike deluxe, there is no washroom with sink and junior tub. Below are the layouts of Ovation of the Seas Oceanview cabins .
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Balcony Cabins On Cruise Ships
Most balcony cruise ship cabins feature floor-ceiling sliding glass doors leading to a private step-out veranda. The balcony also is furnished with a table and pair of chairs/loungers. Standard balconies are separated by dividers. As sizes, balcony cabins on cruise ships vary, with those on Princess and NCl ships being among the smallest compared to other big-ship lines. In our cruise deck plans, we also list room sizes and the size of the balcony. Balcony Apart from the balcony they can offer You twin beds that can be converted to King-size bed. Balconies also provide sitting area with chair and coffee table and private bath with shower, as well as closet/wardrobe, electronic safe box, mini bar, television and phone, sofa, bathrobes, hairdryer. Most verandas are between 30-60 ft2 . Below are shown the layouts of the Anthem ship’s Deluxe and Accessible balcony cabins.
Suites On Royal Caribbean Ships
Royal Caribbean is known for having some of the cruise worlds most spectacular suites, including, on some ships, suites that sprawl over two decks.
Royal Caribbean isnt a luxury cruise line. But the top suites on its vessels offer an experience in keeping with what youll find on some of the worlds top luxury ships. Depending on the ship, these suites can come with such perks as private butlers who attend to your every need, access to a private restaurant, access to a private suite lounge and sun deck, reserved seating in entertainment venues and priority boarding and disembarkation.
Related: 7 reasons you should splurge on a suite on your next cruise
They also come with a much higher price tag than the typical Royal Caribbean cabin. These are rooms that are aimed at well-heeled travelers who, for whatever reason, prefer the sort of mass-market, megaship cruise experience that Royal Caribbean offers over the more intimate, white-glove experience youll find on the small luxury ships that luxury lines operate.
As noted above, there is a wide range of suite categories on some Royal Caribbean ships. Among the lines most spectacular suites are the Royal Loft Suites on some of the newer Royal Caribbean vessels. Two decks high, they offer a soaring living room space framed by a glass wall that offers stunning views.
Related: The 5 most spectacular suites at sea
Note that these family suites often carry an astronomical price, falling in the $20,000-a-week range.
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Is There A Way To Save Money Once I Choose
An ocean view cabin on Celebrity. – Photo by Celebrity Cruises
A guaranteed stateroom is the least expensive way to book a cabin on a sailing. It means youre promised a room in a category, but you yield control over which stateroom youre assigned. Guests are sometimes upgraded to a higher category altogether say, from an inside to an ocean view but you also risk getting a less-than-optimum location.
From Luxury Ocean Liners To Megaship Cruising
With the advent of large passenger jet aircraft in the 1960s, intercontinental travelers switched from ships to planes sending the ocean liner trade into a terminal decline. Certain characteristics of older ocean liners made them unsuitable for cruising duties, such as high fuel consumption, deep draught preventing them from entering shallow ports, and cabins designed to maximize passenger numbers rather than comfort.
Ocean liner services aimed at passengers ceased in 1986, with the notable exception of transatlantic crossings operated by the British shipping company Cunard Line, catering to a niche market of those who appreciated the several days at sea. In an attempt to shift the focus of the market from passenger travel to cruising with entertainment value, Cunard Line pioneered the luxury cruise transatlantic service on board the ocean liner Queen Elizabeth 2. International celebrities were hired to perform cabaret acts onboard and the crossing was advertised as a vacation in itself.
Sovereign of the Seas
Until 19751980, cruises offered shuffleboard, deck chairs, “drinks with umbrellas and little else for a few hundred passengers”. After 1980, they offered increasing amenities. As of 2010, city-sized ships have dozens of amenities.
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Ocean View Cabins On Royal Caribbean Ships
With an ocean view cabin, you get a window looking out to the sea but not an attached balcony where you can sit outside and enjoy the fresh air.
Royal Caribbeans newer ships have relatively few such cabins, as generally cabins that face outward now are built with balconies.
Related: The 6 classes of Royal Caribbean ships, explained
In general, ocean view cabins on Royal Caribbean ships are bigger than inside cabins and around the same size as balcony cabins . But you sometimes can find ocean view cabins that are significantly bigger than what is typical for a balcony cabin. This is sometimes the case for ocean view cabins at the front or back of ships, where there can be relatively large but odd-shaped rooms with windows but no balconies.
Royal Caribbean has built ocean view cabins at the front of some ships that incorporate the angled space in the front part of the superstructure. As a result, they have sloping windows, and a bit more floor space around these windows .
Royal Caribbeans Radiance Class ships, notably, have a category of cabin called Ultra Spacious Ocean View that includes cabins at the front and back of the ship that measure 319 square feet nearly twice as much as the typical ocean view cabin on the vessels . Each of these bigger ocean view cabins has two twin beds that can convert into a royal king bed, one double sofa bed and either one Pullman bed and one twin bed or two Pullman beds.
Is Saving Money The Priority
Norwegian’s studio cabins are budget-friendly, especially for solo travelers. – Photo by Norwegian Cruise Line
Inside cabins have no views and are therefore cheaper than outside cabins, which have portholes, windows, or balconies. There are times when saving money with an inside cabin makes sense. They can be good for quick vacations two- or three-day sailings when you wont be in your cabin much, says Dave Change, a vice president at Carnival Cruise Line.
If youre never in your cabin, then natural light and views might not be so important. And families often book them, with the parents in the outside cabin and their kids in the cabin across the hall, Change says. There are also inside spa staterooms that include amenities and features that a guest wouldnt have access to in a lower-deck, ocean view cabin.
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Inside Cabins On Royal Caribbean Ships
These are the cabins you stay in when youre on a tight budget. On any Royal Caribbean ship, they almost always are the least-expensive option when youre booking a cabin, and you often can save considerable money by booking an inside cabin versus an ocean-view or higher-level cabin.
What youll give up, of course, is that ocean view. Your room will have four walls and no windows offering a glimpse of the outside world .
Youll also be in a very small room. Inside cabins on Symphony of the Seas measure just 149 square feet, quite a bit less than the typical ocean view cabin on the vessel . The typical balcony cabin on Symphony of the Seas is 182 square feet, not including a 50-square-foot balcony.
As I hinted at above, there is one way to get a glimpse of the outside world from an inside cabin on a Royal Caribbean ship. In one of the great cruising innovations, Royal Caribbean has created some inside cabins which have a virtual balcony that offers a view of the outside.
Related: The upside of booking an inside cabin
The virtual balcony is a high-definition screen built into one end of the windowless room that projects a real-time view of the ocean outside. Its designed to make you think youre actually in a balcony cabin with a view, and it is quite realistic-looking.
Just dont try to walk through the faux balcony opening.