Why you want to book a windowless 'inside' cabin on a cruise ship
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Suites are not only about spacious digs, but also about the VIP perks and privileges that come with the booking. For the right cruisers with the right attitude, they can be the perfect option. While some insides are hardly more than dark closets with a bed and bath, others are downright spacious or have cool decor and nifty technological features. If you don’t mind just having the bare minimum of floor space, and not many places to sit other than on the bed, an inside stateroom may be all you need.
Best "Deluxe" Inside Cabin: Holland America
I spent 7 nights on the world's largest cruise ship in the smallest room. Take a look inside my cabin. - Cruise Blog
I spent 7 nights on the world's largest cruise ship in the smallest room. Take a look inside my cabin..
Posted: Mon, 08 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
You may find yourself hearing music, conversations, or activities happening from your balcony, which you won’t encounter when staying in an inside room. Nonetheless, I continue to book inside cabins again and again when I cruise, and here’s why I actually like these rooms. Inside cabins can be particularly appealing if you're sailing far north around the summer solstice when the sun stays up for much (or all) of the day. We're talking about places like Alaska, the Norwegian coast and around Iceland and Greenland. Ditto if you're sailing far south during the winter to places such as Antarctica or the more southerly parts of South America. There is no dark in the world like the dark of an inside cabin.
ALL THE PERKS, IN EVERY ROOM
If you’re an introvert, you likely need time by yourself to recharge. Although you can find plenty of quieter places on board like the library or an empty lounge during the day, these spaces are public. Plus, you’ll get your benefits on each cruise when you’ve reached that loyalty tier, whether you’re sailing in an inside stateroom or a full suite. Be sure to look at the floor plan and capacity of your stateroom on the cruise line’s website before booking. Inside staterooms usually feature two nightstands, a desk and chair, a closet, and a small bathroom. I’ve talked to a lot of other cruisers to find out what types of people should book an inside cabin (and who should not).
Times an Inside Cabin is the Best Choice on a Cruise
Even with the door closed, I couldn’t stop the muffled sound of music entering my cabin. But I've stayed in these cabins, and the illusion is surprisingly real. The addition of the screens really changes the feel of the rooms. The Disney cabins are particularly fun, as Disney characters sometimes make cameo appearances in the magical portholes. On some Disney Cruise Line ships, some inside cabins come with "magical portholes" that show real-time views of the outside. They're actually screens built into the walls of the cabin to give the illusion of a porthole view.
An inside, or interior, room on a cruise ship is notable for its lack of a window and therefore natural light. These cabins are located in the middle of each deck, rather than along the outer sides of the ship. They are generally small, often around 150 square feet, and while they come with an ensuite bathroom, closet and small desk or vanity area, they tend not to have a comfortable sitting area for hanging out.
Best Special Family Inside Cabin: Royal Caribbean
If your cruise is headed to Alaska, go ahead and spend the extra money for a balcony cabin. Being able to enjoy the splendor from your own private balcony is a “must” for passengers. Other cabins that one may consider the “worst” interior rooms on a cruise ship are those that are on one of the lowest passenger decks and are far forward or aft. This simply means that nearly all public venues and areas are not going to be conveniently located for you. And you’ll have to do a lot of walking to get just about anywhere onboard. If you value that type of privacy without a lot of foot traffic, they might be a great choice.
The most affordable outside cabins have an obstructed view, meaning the windows look out on the lifeboats or other ship structures that block your view of the ocean beyond. To accommodate any other passengers staying in the same stateroom, there will be pull-down beds that are right over the regular beds. If you don’t like the idea of sleeping directly above or below another person, more than two adults in an average-sized inside stateroom is probably not a good choice for you. Most interior cabins have just the two standard twin beds that can be pushed together. If you’re cruising with your partner for a very special occasion, like your honeymoon or anniversary, you may want to spend more time together in your stateroom. A balcony room (or a higher category) might be a better choice.
What are the cheapest cruise ship cabins?
Another is in close proximity (both above or below) to a venue such as the nightclub. You’ll often hear that if you’re not cruising in a balcony, you may as well not cruise at all. As someone who has cruised in inside cabins, oceanview cabins and balcony cabins, I don’t believe that to be true. Staying in an inside cabin on a cruise ship means you're probably saving lots of money compared to a balcony cabin (or suite), but it also means a lot less living space than usual. That said, you can employ a variety of smart cruise ship cabin hacks to improve on the basic cabin design. You'll want to choose a midship cabin on a lower deck to experience less ship movement and rocking.
Instead of facing out to sea, these balconies look out on an interior yet open-air section of the ship, as if you had a balcony that overlooked a city street. Plus, the average cruise ship cabin is much less spacious than the average hotel room. If you're used to booking the cheapest room for a land-based stay, you might not want to take the same approach for your vacation at sea. Some cabins have a view of outdoor walkways or observation decks that are open to all guests on board; we've seen those on ships in Carnival's Vista class. Cabins facing public areas are tinted, so you're unable to see in during the day, but at night, passengers are encouraged to close their curtains for privacy. On some ships, you'll find the square footage of exterior cabins to be slightly larger than inside cabins, with cozy seating areas.
If this is the case, you might not be happy with an inside cabin. A balcony, mini-suite, or full suite that fits your vacation budget will add a bit of luxury to your trip, and will give you more space to relax in the privacy of your own stateroom. A few cruise lines (notably Norwegian) offer a limited amount of solo studio staterooms, which are smaller than the average inside cabin.
I’d hesitate to say that I wouldn’t take a 7-day cruise in an interior room, but I certainly avoid it when possible. On these longer cruises, I find there is much more downtime where I might just relax in the room. In that case, spending a lot of time in a small cabin without natural light can wear out quickly. But if you’re staying in one of these cabins, that smaller space can be felt. Interior cabins definitely feel smaller, making them not ideal if you plan to spend a lot of time in your room. That may not sound like much of a difference, but it’s significant.
I booked an inside cabin on a recent cruise and found it worth the savings - Business Insider
I booked an inside cabin on a recent cruise and found it worth the savings.
Posted: Sat, 10 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Deluxe Ocean View staterooms sleep up to five and come with an extra half-bath. Any time you’re in your room, you’re steps away from your own personal outdoor oasis… designed for maximum sea breeze and the most stunning views. Already we’ve covered many of the perks of having a balcony cabin on your cruise. Balcony rooms carry a premium price tag on them, and the difference in cost between the two cruise cabin types can be significant, measuring hundreds and even thousands of dollars.
Although inside cabins are cozy, there’s no view to admire outside, and I’d much prefer spending my day in other, more interesting areas of the ship. Whenever I’ve cruised in a balcony room or suite, I find myself spending a significant amount of time in my cabin instead of exploring the ship. Instead of attending trivia, seeing a show, or watching live music, I frequently choose to hang out on my balcony instead.
Newer ships often feature "night mode" lighting in cabin bathrooms, offering a soft light on the floor for safely navigating your cabin when the lights are out. Inside rooms offer nearly the same amount of cabin space as ocean-view rooms. Both are much smaller than the hotel rooms you might be used to, but ship designers optimize the space to pack a lot in and make the rooms not feel cramped.
Norwegian's pint-size studios (100 square feet) are found on Norwegian Bliss, Breakaway, Getaway, Escape, Epic and Pride of America, and they make a big impression for numerous reasons. The staterooms feature funky, multicolor lighting effects and a round window that looks onto the corridor. Each offers a full-size bed and lots of storage you can hog all to yourself.
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