Is a balcony room worth it on an Alaskan cruise?

On an Alaska cruise, a balcony cabin provides your own private viewing space to take in spectacular scenery, glaciers, wildlife, and more. While this category of staterooms comes with a higher price tag, the benefits offered on an Alaska cruise will make a huge difference and is well worth the investment.



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Balcony cabins are great for giving you that much needed bit of personal space when you're both in the room. If he wants to nap but you're wide awake, a balcony offers you a place to hang out without worrying if you're making too much noise or using too bright lights.

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Your balcony is somewhat private, but gaps around the dividers mean others might get an eyeful if you're not careful. As well, sounds can travel. At first glance, there's no one around to see you if you end up getting down on the balcony. But don't think that it is ultra-private.

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For passengers looking to enjoy views, especially the scenery in the wake of a ship, we recommend higher decks and the back of the vessel. The higher you pick, the farther you'll see. If you're after views, the best room on a cruise ship will be a balcony cabin at the ship's rear end.

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Juneau, Glacier Bay National Park, Haines, Sitka, Wrangell, and Thorne Bay are the best ports of call for cruises throughout Alaska.

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Technically, you can..... but the cruise line will discourage it for obvious reasons (if the A/C or heat is running, you get the idea). If you leave the door open, your cabin steward will keep shutting it. We turn our air off this time of year while cruising, and do sleep with the door open.

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More space is almost always worth any minor trade-offs (like being far from the elevator or subject to more noise from surrounding decks). If you can move from an inside to an outside or from a balcony to a suite, for free or for cheap, we say go for it.

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Eastbound cruises get the most sun on the port side; westbound on the starboard side. Watching a sunset over the ocean or seeing the sun slip behind distant islands can also be a reason for a side preference. To catch sunsets, you'll want to be on the port side on northbound cruises and starboard on southbound cruises.

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The back of the ship tends to be considered the next best cabin position after midships. Whilst the front of the ship gets the most movement the back also does get some. Whilst it's nowhere near as bad as the front of the ship, you may still notice some movement in rough seas.

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Smoking is prohibited on stateroom balconies. Guests in the Garden Villas may smoke in their private garden and on private sun decks. Public areas throughout all ships are smoke-free. If you smoke regular or electronic cigarettes, you can do so in designated areas only.

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DON'T expect to be able to go right to your cabin Depending on when you arrive, cabins may or may not be completely ready, as the crew needs to clean and straighten them after the previous guests have left.

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Most cruise lines have port agents stationed in the port area to assist if your ship has left without you. In cases when cruisers are late returning to the vessel, the ship's crew will often remove the passengers' essential items -- passports, cell phones and medication -- from the ship to leave with the port agents.

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