7 Reasons Why a Disney Cruise Balcony is Absolutely Worth the Cost

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When you are sailing on a Disney Cruise one of the most important choices you will have to make is what category of stateroom to book.

Is the splurge on a balcony of a Disney Cruise really worth the cost?

A Disney Cruise Room With a View

There is nothing quite like having your own private viewing spot on your own balcony.

This is particularly true on certain itineraries such as Alaska, Europe, and the Panama Canal.

The Disney Panama Canal Cruise is one of my personal favorites and having a balcony stateroom always makes it a very special experience.

Of course, you still can watch the transit through the locks and canal, but it is definitely a better experience on your own balcony.

When you are sailing through an area that is particularly interesting or beautiful, you can of course do this on deck.

However, it really isn’t quite the same. You just have to decide whether the extra costs are worth that experience.

Sail Away on a Disney Cruise

Sail Away is one of the highlights of a cruise. You have most likely waited a long time for your Disney Cruise vacation and now it is time to leave port for your journey.

You could go up on the pool deck and enjoy the Sail Away with your fellow cruisers.

Or you could grab a glass of wine and enjoy the Sail Away with your partner, family, or friends on your very own balcony.

A Disney Cruise Balcony May Not Cost as Much as You Think

When making your decision you really need to know just how much more a balcony is going to cost.

Always make sure you compare the prices of different staterooms so that you can decide which one is best for you.

Here are some prices to give you an idea of the cost of a Disney Cruise balcony upgrade. Prices are for 2 guests and are subject to change.

These are some examples that I found on 1 July 2022 to give you an idea of the differences. All prices shown are the lowest available for each category.

3 Night Baja Cruise on Disney Wonder from San Diego

Sailing on November 4, 2022

Inside	Outside	Balcony	Concierge Balcony
$1,093	$1,195	$1,285	$2,713

Here the difference between an Inside stateroom and a Balcony is $90 total. That is a $15 per person per night difference.

4 Night Bahamian Cruise on Disney Dream from Port Canaveral

Sailing on October 6, 2022

Inside	Outside	Balcony	Concierge Balcony
$1,611	$1,635	$1,771	$5,667

For this sailing, the difference is $136 total or $17 per person per night.

7 Night Eastern Caribbean Cruise on Disney Fantasy from Port Canaveral

Sailing on October 1, 2022

Inside	Outside	Balcony	Concierge Balcony
$2,334	$2,628	$2,922	$11,700

The difference here is $294 or $21 per person per night.

7 Night Eastern Caribbean Cruise on Disney Fantasy from Port Canaveral

Sailing on February 11, 2023

Inside	Outside	Balcony	Concierge Balcony
$3,752	$4,116	$4,508	$10,444

If you wanted a Balcony stateroom rather than an Inside stateroom, the difference is $756 or $54 per person per night.

As you can see it really can not be much of a costly upgrade, depending upon the dates that you sail and the itinerary.

Disney Wonder Cruise to Alaska

However, there is one cruise destination where you definitely will see a large price difference between an Inside Stateroom and a Verandah. A Disney Cruise to Alaska.

Sailing on May 29, 2023

Inside	Outside	Balcony	Concierge Balcony
$4,135	$5,003	$7,719	$15,321

A Balcony stateroom costs $3,583 more than an Inside stateroom. This is a 7-night cruise so the per person per night extra cost is $256.

Sailing on August 7, 2023

Inside	Outside	Balcony	Concierge Balcony
$4,317	$5,423	$8,153	$17,547

The Balcony costs $3,836 more than the Inside stateroom. This is $274 per person per night extra.

Disney Wish 4-Night Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral

Sailing on May 8, 2023

Inside	Outside	Balcony	Concierge Balcony
$2,523	$2,795	$3,099	$6,203

On this sailing, the Balcony stateroom costs $472 more than an Inside stateroom for 4 nights. This is $72 per person per night.

Sailing on September 18, 2023

Inside	Outside	Balcony	Concierge Balcony
$2,323	$2,483	$2,723	$4,995

This shows that the difference can be not much more – even on the new Disney Wish.

Here a Balcony stateroom is $400 more than an Inside stateroom. So that works out at $50 more per person per night.

As you can see from these examples, the price difference can be relatively little. The lowest difference here is $15 per person per night.

However, on an itinerary where a balcony is seen as much more desirable because of the destination, such as Alaska, the price difference can be much higher and can be over $270 per person per night.

There is Nothing Like a Sunrise or a Sunset

Some of the most peaceful and enjoyable times on a cruise are watching the sunrise and the sunset.

Few of us ever spend the time in our busy lives just taking the time to watch these daily events. However, I have found that I always make time to do this on a cruise.

Of course, you can go up on deck and watch the sunrise. However, there is nothing quite like just stepping out of your stateroom onto your balcony and watching the day begin.

Sunsets are also very special. Grab a glass of wine, order an All Hands on Deck from Disney Cruise Room Service and watch the sun go down on your private balcony.

You Get More Space in A Balcony Stateroom

Artist Impression by Disney

Disney cruise staterooms are some of the largest on the seven seas. And if you have a balcony you have your own private sanctuary outside.

It is so nice to be able to just have some time on your own, or with your partner. If you have a balcony cabin you can get up early in the morning and have some alone time on the verandah before your partner gets up.

Or if you have children you can tuck them up in bed (or more likely let them watch Disney movies) whilst you and your partner enjoy some time together on the balcony.

Arriving in Port Watching From Your Balcony

There really is nothing quite like watching a port approaching from the privacy of our own Disney Cruise verandah.

This is true particularly if you are arriving early in the morning. Everything just seems so quiet a peaceful. The anticipation of arriving in a different port, particularly if you have never visited that place before, is one of the highlights of a cruise.

At the end of the day, it is also a very special experience sailing away from the port.

Dining on Your Disney Cruise Balcony

If you are staying in a Verandah stateroom on your Disney cruise you absolutely have to order Room Service.

One of my favorite things to do is to order a pot of coffee early in the morning from Room Service and enjoy a very peaceful start to the day.

Of course, there is food available on the Disney Ships for most of the day. You can go to the buffet and instead of eating on the pool deck, why not take it down to your Disney Cruise balcony to enjoy?

There is nothing quite like ordering Room Service and enjoying dining on your cruise balcony. Most items on the menu are free – although always remember to tip your Room Service steward.

Disney Wish New Room Service Menu

When Is It Not Worth Upgrading to a Disney Cruise Balcony?

Sometimes and for some guests it really isn’t worth the upgrade from an Inside or an Oceanview stateroom to a Balcony.

• If you have cruised before and know that you are rarely in your stateroom and that you would rather save the money to spend elsewhere. Even a small saving can be used to shop at the store, enjoy a Port Adventure, or even put towards the next Disney Cruise.
• If it is a short sailing and there is very little time at Sea. If you know you are going to be off the ship most of the time there is little point in upgrading.
• Some guests really enjoy the dark of an Inside Stateroom as the complete darkness can mean an incredible nights sleep.

Is A Disney Cruise Balcony Really Worth It?

I have sailed in every type of Disney Cruise stateroom. All have been amazing experiences.

Of course, I would always choose a balcony if I could. But when the budget is more important I am perfectly happy to sail in an Inside or Outside Disney cruise stateroom without a balcony.

However, as you can see, sometimes the upgrade really isn’t that hard on the wallet.

It’s a balance. Do you want the advantages of the balcony, or to save money on the stateroom that you can spend on other experiences?

Sometimes it is a difficult choice. However, whichever stateroom you choose on a Disney Cruise you will have an amazing time.

Will you only sail if you can have a Disney Cruise Verandah Stateroom?

Is the Disney Cruise Balcony cost worth it for you?