View From My Carnival Vista Cove Balcony
Carnival Cruise Line's newer ships have a variety of stateroom categories for guests to choose from. One stateroom option for guests on select Carnival ships is a cove balcony. A cove balcony is a stateroom that has a balcony that is very close to the ship's waterline.
Which ships have cove balconies?
The Carnival Dream was the first Carnival cruise ship to debut with a cove balcony. Dream class ships with cove balconies are the Carnival Magic and Carnival Breeze. Each of these ships have cove balconies on Deck 2.
The Vista class ships have cove balconies on Deck 2. Carnival's Vista class ships consist of the Carnival Vista, Carnival Horizon, and Carnival Panorama. In 2023, the Carnival Venezia joined Carnival's fleet and in 2024 the Carnival Firenze is joining Carnival's fleet as part of the Fun Italian Style program. Both of ships are similar to Vista class ships have have cove balconies on Deck 2.
The Excel class ships have cove balconies on Deck 5. The Excel class ships consist of the Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Jubilee (debut scheduled for late 2023).
Being Close To The Waterline - Pros and Cons:
Carnival's cove balconies are very close to the water. This is great for guests that wish to have an up close view of the water and are trying to spot sea animals. The cove balcony comes with two chairs and a very small table, which makes the balcony a great place for looking out. One of the downsides of a cove balcony is due to being close to the waterline some moisture can keep the balcony floor wet (the amount of wetness can vary based on conditions).
What if there is bad weather or rough seas?
The divider in between balconies serves as a privacy partition between balconies, but in the event of bad weather or rough seas this divider can be closed by a crew member. In theory, this is supposed to keep the balcony door from being able to be opened during rough seas. During my Carnival Vista cruise in 2019 and Carnival Breeze cruise in 2022, this divider door was never closed because my cruise had very good weather. I am not sure how effective or what the door being closed looks like. Also, I am not sure how bad the weather or seas must get before this door is closed. This common question is one that I do not have a clear answer for.
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Balcony View - From The Inside of the Stateroom |
Balcony Chairs & Mini Table |
On the Dream, Vista, and Excel class ships the cove balconies could have lifeboats hanging above. Depending on the room's exact location this could cause a bit of an obstruction if a cruiser wants to look up and at times could cast a shadow. In my experience on the Carnival Vista, my stateroom did have a shadow cast at times, but this varied depending on the ship's location and the location of the sun.
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View Of A Cove Balcony From The Ship's Exterior |
View From My Carnival Vista Cove Balcony (Lifeboat Obstructions Will Vary By Room) |
Are cove balconies more expensive than regular balconies?
The exact answer to this question can vary. I have done mock bookings and have found sometimes the cove balcony is more expensive than a regular balcony, but on different voyages on the same ship the cove balcony is less expensive. I think this depends on the supply & demand for cove balconies and regular balconies on each particular cruise. If price is a factor that is influencing your decision in choosing a balcony, the cheaper option will vary by cruise.
Can solo travelers book a cove balcony stateroom?
Yes, solo cruisers can book cove balcony staterooms. I did a few mock bookings to check this out and found cruisers traveling alone can book the cove balcony stateroom. In typical cases guests sailing alone will be charged double occupancy meaning they will pay the equivalent of two people unless Carnival is running a special that reduces the charge.
The exact specifics for cove balconies vary by ship and in some cases even the exact stateroom on the ship. If you are researching a cove balcony, I recommend you look at your specific ship's deck plans on Carnival's website and use the interactive deck plan to gather more information about your stateroom before booking.
