By Sarah Pruzansky, Cruise & Travel Writer | May 06, 2019 ( Comments)
When booking your cruise, you'll see all kinds of cruise ship cabin types, but one that has probably caught your eye from its low price is the inside cruise ship room. But what does this low cost entail, and what are the major differences between an inside cabin, oceanview and balcony?
Here are the main things you should consider when booking your first cruise:
Interior Room Cruise vs. Other Cruise Ship Cabin Types
An inside cabin is essentially a windowless cruise cabin inside the ship. This is unlike oceanview cruise ship cabins (which offer a glimpse of sunlight and scenery through a window or porthole) and cruise ship balcony rooms (which give you your own personal place to sit and watch the view). Keep in mind, in oceanview ship cabins, you often cannot open the window. Aside from the lack of a window, inside cabins on a cruise ship have no other major differences from outside cruise ship rooms - they are often the same size and have the same furniture, amenities and services.
Pros & Cons of Inside Cabins
So why book a more expensive room just to have a window?
Well, some people feel claustrophobic without windows or portholes. These staterooms get incredibly dark and the lack of natural light can make the room feel smaller than it is. Imagine standing in a closed closet with no lights on - an inside cabin has a similar feeling.
It can also be hard to tell the time of day, meaning you could easily sleep in and not realize it.
And those who suffer from seasickness, not being able to see outside a window or get fresh air on a balcony, would likely not do well contained in an inside cruise cabin.
(L) Navigator of the Seas inside stateroom with virtual balcony. (R) Harmony of the Seas large interior stateroom.Didn't quite sell it, did I?
Well, just like there are reasons people prefer paying for outside ship cabins or cruise balcony rooms, there are plenty of reasons booking an inside cruise cabin would be a good option for you:
1. If you're not planning on spending much time in your cabin, aside from sleeping and getting ready for the day, then you may get more value for your money by booking an inside cabin.
Why spend more on something you're barely going to use? You'll likely spend most of your time outside of your room to dine, sit by the pool, attend events onboard, enjoy all of the other amenities offered on the ship, and explore the ports of call on the itinerary.
2. Because they're so dark, inside cruise ship rooms are great for catching up on sleep.
While some may need daylight to wake up, others may prefer the darkness to so they can get as much sleep as they can during their vacation. You are on the cruise afterall to relax and escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
3. While inside cabins aren't always the best for those with seasickness that need the fresh air to relieve symptoms, they can also at times help with seasickness.
Odd, but it depends on the placement of the room. Balconies and outside rooms are often higher up and on the sides of the ship, so they feel more movement than those rooms in the lower, center. Inside cabins in the front and back of the ship will also feel movement though, so make sure you're either getting a center room on the lower deck (the best deck on cruise ships for motion sickness), or book a cruise ship balcony room (also not toward the front or back of the ship) for fresh air.
4. These are often the cheapest cabin options on a cruise.
When you book an inside cabin, you usually get all of the same amenities, food, entertainment and fun as outside cabins. So when you book an inside cabin, you end up saving a lot of money for shore excursions, drink packages, and more cruises!
Celebrity Solstice Interior Stateroom and stateroom schematic.5. You've never been on this particular cruise line or ship so you want to "test the waters" first.
Realistically, most people don't want to spend a lot of money on something they've never tried before. If it's your first time trying out this ship, then you can spend less and see how you like the ship first before committing to a cruise ship balcony room in the future.
6. On certain cruises you can get a guaranteed cabin, starting with an inside cruise ship room.
If other rooms don't sell out, such as outside cabins, you could receive a free or affordable upgrade into one of those rooms. Therefore, if you don't care very much about your room type, a guaranteed room gives you the chance to maybe enjoy an outside room, but regardless be guaranteed a spot on the ship.
Ultimately the decision relies on why you're going on the cruise. If you'd prefer to have plenty of privacy on the ship to enjoy the view, read, and relax, then a cruise balcony room may be worth paying for. Or if you plan to spend a lot of time outside of your room but would like to be up bright and early every morning to enjoy the events onboard, then you may want to book an oceanview to get natural light into your room. But if you don't care so much about the room and care more about the amenities and entertainment on the ship, then you may want to stick with the most budget-friendly room and book an interior room.
And if you're still not sure, contact us today and speak with one of our travel agents who will gladly help you find the best, most personalized cruise experience for you!
