Infinite Balconies and Infinite Verandas Explained: What They Are, Pros, Cons & Where to Find Them
- Lindsey Markwood
- Sep 9
- 4 min read
What are Infinite Balconies? How do they differ from regular balconies? Where can you find them and are they worth?
What are infinite balconies
Picture a typical cruise cabin with a regular balcony. The space where the regular balcony occupies is transformed to become part of your cabin. It gives you more usable space and a lot of flexibility. Instead of a sliding glass door you have a curtain or door that separates the two areas. That allows the infinite balcony to become part of your cabin. You can leave the window up and have views for days without having to worry about the temperature outside. Opening the window allows you to feel the fresh air and breeze giving you the best of both worlds. When open it up, you have a large indoor-outdoor.
Where can you find infinite balconies?
You can frequently find them on the river cruise ships as it allows maximum usage of space. The river cruise ships are limited in size due to the various locks the ships must pass through, depth of water, and height of the bridges. The picture on the right is onboard Emerald Luna with the window half way down creating a wonderful indoor/door cabin.
On the ocean side of cruising they are found onboard Celebrity Cruise Line on the Edge Class ships and are called Infinite Verandas. On Royal Caribbean on the Icon Class Ships they are called Infinate Balconies.
Instead of the traditional sliding glass door onto a regular balcony the Infinite Balcony will have a curtain or door separating the main room from the Infinite Balcony on the Royal Caribbean ships. Just a note: the ocean cruise ships do have the traditional balconies as well but the Infinite Balconies give you a more room and flexibility in the cabin.
How can you use the space on an Infinite Balcony? This question depends a bit on who is traveling with you and what type of cruise you are on. Traditionally it can be used just to relax and take in scenery, enjoy a coffee along with the breakfast room service delivered, or as a reading cove.
Ocean Cruising
On Star of the Seas, I used this area as a spot for getting ready. I was traveling with a friend of mine and it was an easy way for two people to get dressed with privacy. And yes, there is a blackout curtain over the infinite balcony window and another curtain separating the balcony from the rest of the cabin.
If you are traveling with small children – it is a perfect spot for a pack n play if your cabin can accommodate 3 or more guests. If you have a different sleep schedule than your traveling party then some can sleep and the others can relax in the infinite balcony in a separate area.
I also used it to just relax and enjoy being on a beautiful cruise ship. At one point I heard the sound of a harpist playing in Central Park so I open the window part way down so I could just relax to her playing while I caught up on some work I was doing. River Cruising
Onboard Emerald Luna, I was traveling solo so while I didn't need the extra space, I did use it to work from my laptop. I also used it in a more traditional sense to watch the river go by when I didn't want to venture to the sundeck. It is also worth watching as you float up or down through the locks and realize just how close your ship is to the lock walls. For your safety keep the window closed when going through the locks.
What are the benefits and drawbacks
What are the drawbacks? When you open the window the air conditioning will turn off just like you were to leave the door open to a regular balcony. This is by design to preserve electricity. While the inside part of your room may have a connecting door it is not possible to have connecting balconies as well as there a wall and not a patrician separating the two cabins.
The benefits? One benefit is having more flexible space. At times when the sun is on your side of the ship and it is hot outside having these rooms allows you to enjoy the outdoors. I mentioned that I like this area for getting ready and relaxing. It makes the cabin feel so much larger and inviting.
Would I stay in a cabin like this again? Absolutely!
The choices in not only which cabin type to pick but cabin location can be a bit overwhelming. That doesn’t even start to scratch the surface of which ship and itinerary is best? Markwood Magic will help you will all of that. Cruises are the most popular type of travel we book and I cannot wait help get you onboard. Click below to schedule a consultation. Looking forward to connecting soon.
