Royal Caribbean Infinite Balcony vs. Ocean View Balcony: Which is Better for Your Family?
- Lindsey Markwood
- May 2
- 4 min read
Booking a family cruise on Royal Caribbean’s massive Icon Class ships can feel like navigating a maze. When it comes to booking a room with a view of the ocean you are suddenly faced with a choice between two main categories: the standard Ocean View Balcony and the newer Infinite Ocean View Balcony. If you guess wrong on the booking engine, it can completely change the dynamic of your family vacation. I have stayed in both cabin types with my family. A Quick Travel Advisor Disclaimer: The Subcategory Maze
Before we define the differences, it is important to note that these two balcony types are just the some of the many cabin categories. Royal Caribbean actually offers dozens of different room options on the Icon class ships. Even within the "Infinite" or "Ocean View" buckets, there are countless subcategories based on your specific view (like looking out at the ocean vs. looking inward at Central Park or the Surfside family neighborhood) and varying perk levels. The sheer volume of subcategories and micro-locations is exactly why booking a cruise online can feel so overwhelming, and it is why my clients trust me to decode the deck plans for them! But for the sake of this guide, let's look at the main differences between the two main balcony structures facing the ocean.
What is an Ocean View Balcony?
An ocean view balcony is what you typically picture in your head when somebody says that they want a cabin with a balcony. It is similar to an ocean front all inclusive resort balcony. You have your main cabin area with your bed, desk, couch, storage area, etc. There is a sliding glass door that locks which opens to a balcony area. The balcony will typically have two chairs or a lounger plus a small table. Just a note: When the balcony door is left open, the A/C in the room will automatically turn off. I like staying in this category espically for pictures and feeling the ocean breeze while reading a book on the balcony.
One crucial detail for families: On some of these cabins, the partition between balconies can be opened to connect with the room next door (perfect if you are traveling with grandparents or have an adults only cabin connected to a kids only cabin!). However, this cannot be done on every cabin, which is one of the many reasons why my clients rely on me to secure the correct adjoining room numbers before they sell out!
What is an Infinite Ocean View Balcony?
An Infinite Ocean View Balcony is currently only found within the Icon Class ships for Royal Caribbean. This includes ships like Hero of the Seas, Legend of the Seas, Icon of the Seas, and Star of the seas. Most of the cabins in the Icon class ships that face the ocean are in this category. Just like the regular ocean view balcony it will have a separate bathroom. It will also have your main cabin area complete with your bed, couch, storage area, etc. What is different is the area where the sliding glass door was in the ocean view balcony. Instead of the sliding glass door, there is a curtain. When the curtain is open, in essence you have a “larger cabin”. I love having the extra room in the cabin and it is what made this category my favorite when I cruise on the Icon class ships. There is a full window that can be moved up to half way down. When the window is half way down, you can feel the ocean breeze and it is as if the outside and your cabin have joined. Just a note: The A/C will cut off when the window is open. You can read my deep dive into exactly how Infinite Balconies work here.
Which Type Of Cabin is Better?
As a travel advisor, I never give a one-size-fits-all answer to this question, because it depends entirely on your family's daily routine. Having said that here are a few examples of how I match my clients to the right room:
If you have a toddler in a pack-n-play: The Infinite Balcony is the winner. When the window is closed, that extra square footage at the end of the room is the perfect, out-of-the-way spot for a crib.
If you are traveling with teens or friends: The Infinite Balcony is great because the dividing curtain gives you a private space to change clothes without having to monopolize the only bathroom.
If you crave maximum indoor space: Choose the Infinite Balcony. It makes the entire cabin feel substantially larger.
If your partner is a light sleeper and you have different sleep schedules: Pick the Infinite Balcony as it is less disruptive to the sleeping traveler if you have an infinite balcony.
If you want guaranteed connecting outdoor balconies: The traditional Ocean View Balcony is your best bet (provided we book the correct specific cabin numbers!).
If someone wants to nap in the A/C while you enjoy the ocean breeze: Choose the ocean view balcony cabin. You each get the best of both worlds!
Deciding between an Infinite or Traditional balcony is just one of the first steps. The challenges of booking an Icon Class ship is cabin location, what to do onboard, and knowing which excursions you should do and which ones you should skip. From the cabin perspective, if you book a cabin on a cruise line's website, you run the risk of being placed directly under the noisy pool deck, right above a thumping late-night lounge, or a long walk to the activities that are important to your family like the kids club, waterslides, or splash pad area depending on their ages and interest.
For busy parents, the mental load of researching deck plans, cross-referencing partition availability, and coordinating dining times is exhausting. This becomes even more of a challenge for groups and multi-generational family cruises. That is exactly what I take off your plate.
As your travel advisor, I match your family with the perfect ship and itinerary, secure the absolute best cabin locations, and handle all the complex logistics so you can simply show up and make memories.
Don't leave your family's hard-earned vacation to chance on a booking engine. Click here to schedule a complimentary consultation with Markwood Magic, and let's get you onboard! I look forward to connecting soon.
