The Joy of the Interior Stateroom

[RMLincoln]

For us, the greatest attraction of an interior cabin is the $aving$ :) When we have time to do longer itins, and more exotic itins, I'm pretty sure Mr. Frugal and I will be choosing interiors. If it is "get on the ship and have an interior cabin" or "can't afford a cruise" we will choose interiors every time :D

 

Same here.

 

I'm sure if we had a balcony I would spend more time in the cabin and enojy it a lot:). But we'd rather take longer cruises with our dollars. We don't go unless it's a really good deal partly becasue we have to factor in the costs and drudgery of travel to ports so we won't cruise for just a week and probably not even for just 2 weeks anymore, it's just too much hassel vs. cruise time.

 

But when I get onboard I feel like royalty even in my inside cabin. We have bought some OV rooms plus gotten a fabulous OV upgrade a time or three and enjoyed the windows but we will only pay a small increase for the benefit. Usually the cost of a balcony is way more than we will consider, especially on the smaller ship which have a high premium on their few balconies.

 

Funny story: Early in our cruising I found an offer for $399 a week Inside, $699/wk balcony. I thought it would be good time to try a balcony, but DH suggested that for only $100 more than the balcony we could go for 2 weeks! Yea to that! And that's been our mode of operation since.

 

I get the same food, the same entertainment, the same ports, and the fabulous service or at least mostly the same (I realize there are perks for the suites etc and you deserve them for what you pay and I truly hope you enjoy them to the hilt!) so "thank you" to all those who pay far more for your cruise experience and help keep my costs down, and I can keep the ship filled up so you can enjoy your excellent cruise service too. I think it's a win-win. :)

 

We're heading out soon for 35 days on Massdam at the super flash fare of $2299 inside guarantee! (Minus some OBC bonuses too.) And wherever they put us I'll be a happy cruiser. All this detail about where is the best room, what noise will I hear, how high is the this or that doesn't enter our planning; thankfully all we need to worry about is getting to the ship on time! The rest of it is all good! We've never had a bad room, all locations have pluses and minuses.

 

PS: You may laugh but I wear an eye shade even in an inside cabin... there's all those little lights you know, on the smoke detector, the chargers, the TV, the light under the door... I like it really dark! :D m--

[Mary Ellen]

We've been cruising for over 30 years now. We've booked every type of cabin there is except the PH. In the early days we even had cabins with upper/lower berths.

 

You see here postings that claim 'once you've booked a suite you'll never go back to anything else'. Nope, not us. For our needs now the inside cabins are great. We want a shower, not a tub. Once we had 40+ seas for a few days. I was SO glad that we didn't have to deal with a tub in those seas. One of the reasons we love the Prinsendam is that we can book an outside and get a shower stall. Not so on the other ships. The Prinsendam is also the only ship where the insides are smaller than the outsides, so we do prefer to book outside cabins on her. On the Vista/Signature ships there are insides that are larger than the outside and verandah cabins. That's a BIG plus for the insides, but we prefer to sail the other class ships anyway.

 

We are also non-smokers who gave up balconies years ago due to this. We're not about to ask a neighbor to work out a schedule to be on the balcony. Smoking is allowed there. We don't see any sense in booking one we may not be able to use. That and we've known friends who had the smoke enter their cabin through the closed door anyway. Can't see paying extra for that.

 

Lets see, no tub and no verandah. On all but the Prinsendam that leaves the insides for us.

 

It's a matter of priorities and the inside cabins meet our most important needs. It's just a bonus that they are less $ and we can cruise more.

[smilealot1882]

We prefer to book interior cabins and use the savings for excursions. :) We like sitting in the common areas of the ship and seeing the views from there.

[nothriver]

I've only cruised once, with an amazing aft baclony on in a family view aft cabin on Celebrity Millnnium. When I booked that cabin, I thought I'd be spoiled forever. But it was a cold wet week in Alaska, and I probably spent less than 30 minutes ALL WEEK on that wonderful balcony. We've booked connecting J's on main for our upcoming cruise. I'll let you know how it goes, but they seem to be the perfect cabins for our family, at an amazing price!

[erewhon]

I usually travel solo, so most of the time I book an inside because of the single supplement. I do sleep better in the inside because it is nice and dark inside. On longer cruises with lots of sea days I do a lot of reading and relaxing. I like to read outside in the fresh air so I am either on the promenade deck or one of the other open decks. I have a very boring routine on sea days. Read a book, take a nap, read a book, take a nap, read a book take a nap. The inside cabins work very good for my napping schedule.

 

A really relaxing schedule:)

[bob brown]

I am another booking mostly insides (14 inside, 3 ocean view, 2 balcony), for all the reasons mentioned.

One little tip....we leave the cabin TV on the bridgecam channel all the time. It is our 'porthole' by day, and the dim glow our night light....:cool:

[scraplady]

We are going on our 1st cruise in July and have booked an inside cabin. It was in the interest of economy, but as we are people persons, I doubt we will spend much time there. I already have my eye on 2 other cruises and will probably book inside again.

[hamrag]

We have cruised 23 times, with 9 different cruiselines, itinery is the key driver for the line/ship we select. We booked an outside cabin on our first cruise, and all others booked inside. However we have had balcony experience on every cruise......the whole ship being our balcony!

 

On one cruise we were upgraded to balcony, and honestly did not like it. The balcony space is extremely tight, and we felt "walled in" with the barriers, and the cabin space itself is usually identical to inside and outside cabins. The most pleasing thing about insides is, because of the lower cost involved, we can cruise two or three times each year. We intend to continue in that vein!

[HealthyTouch101]

You know, a friend asked about cruising and I was very excited for her. But after talking to her husband, she said they decided to wait until they were old and not very active, to take a cruise. I think she is missing the point. We are so active on the cruise, that we often lose weight or come back the same at the very least. There is so much to do outside your cabin.

 

Not everyone is a cruiser. Our dearest friend loves traveling with us (her husband hates to go, he farms) and we recently learned on an adventure that she gets crazy- seasick even on a ferry. The idea of a cruise ship is ruined for her now. I am sad about that.

[lovetocruise2020]

I would book any cabin, with a sofa and a bathtub.

 

that being said, insides rarely have tubs, and sofas... J & I cat insides have sofas, but no tubs... :(

 

You can always get a "suite perks" package to give you some of the fun stuff...

 

We mostly cruise suites now. Need that nice bathroom.

 

Love the quiet and great sleep of an inside...

 

if we could get away for b2b voyages, we would do an inside and deal with no tub, but for limited time it has to be luxury all of the way...

 

Its a hard choice!

Edited February 25, 2012 by surfergirle

[travelnap]

A really relaxing schedule:)

Yes, those sea days are very relaxing. I usually take a tour when we are in port unless it is a port I have been to before, but I do enjoy those relaxing sea days too. Plus it helps keep me out of the casino.

[Cruising-along]

I'm enjoying reading the opinions and experiences of all of you "insiders"! :)

 

Of our 9 cruises we have had 5 outsides and 4 verandah cabins. Two of those verandahs were free upgrades from guarantee outsides.

 

But in April we have booked a guarantee inside (category I) on the Maasdam. I'm sure we'll be happy wherever we end up, and we couldn't see spending the extra $$ for a verandah this trip, as most of it will be very chilly (New England/Canada).

 

Like others have said, we sail for the itinerary, and our cabin doesn't matter all that much. Having said that, there are some itineraries where we do prefer having a verandah, if there are enough sea days and good weather to enjoy it. Just not this time. ;)

[luv2travel06]

We have nothing against inside cabins. But when the cruise line is selling outside cabins for the same price as inside, or we are able to get an upgrade to an outside cabin when prices change after final payment has been made, we much prefer paying the price for an inside cabin and getting an outside cabin. :)

[Himself]

I love and interior room. There is plenty of lighting when I need it and lots of darkness

when I am sleeping.

[solocanadian]

My late husband and me did a couple of 3 night toots in inside cabins. I didn't mind it at all since I had him to talk to. Today I would go stark raving mad in an inside with no one to talk to [padded cell syndrome]. Wish I could stand an inside since I travel solo - the difference in price might even pay half my bar bill.:D

[tomc]

I'm an insider because it's cheaper. When I bed down for the night, I turn the tv on to the bow camera which, naturally, is black. But the set itself acts like a very dim night light, which is good when you wake up in a strange place and need to find the bathroom without tripping over the furniture and/or ending up in the hallway.

 

Additionally, when the sun starts coming up, the tv also slowly comes to life and as I wake, there is a picture of either the North Atlantic, or one of the ports. A nice view, better than what I get at home.

 

If you are alone and like classical music, you can turn the sound up just a bit to soothe the cares away.

[Seago2]

I'm enjoying reading the opinions and experiences of all of you "insiders"! :)

 

Of our 9 cruises we have had 5 outsides and 4 verandah cabins. Two of those verandahs were free upgrades from guarantee outsides.

 

But in April we have booked a guarantee inside (category I) on the Maasdam. I'm sure we'll be happy wherever we end up, and we couldn't see spending the extra $$ for a verandah this trip, as most of it will be very chilly (New England/Canada).

 

Like others have said, we sail for the itinerary, and our cabin doesn't matter all that much. Having said that, there are some itineraries where we do prefer having a verandah, if there are enough sea days and good weather to enjoy it. Just not this time. ;)

 

I am doing the way back on October 6:). Currently booked in an interior. I was going to upgrade last week but I am starting to worry about $$$$$:eek:. The heavy port days will force me to be up on deck more- and that's a good thing. Nothing more isolating for me than a verandah:o.

[Typhoon1]

When I first started cruising, I always booked inside cabins. Then, traveled with a friend who wanted an outside. I thought outsides were great.

 

DH and I started in an outside, then graduated to a veranda. It was a slow progression from inside to outside to veranda. Now, it has to be a veranda.

[Cqis]

The only time I had a balcony was on an Alaskan cruise. It was soooo cold and windy that I only went out once and that was because I be darn if I wasn't going to get what I paid for. Pepper never did come on the balcony, he hates being cold. If anyone saw a towel flying off a balcony that was me.

 

I also enjoy an inside cabin, but I can not get up until outside light gets in my face. We usually book a window. On an inside cabin Pepper shines a flashlight on my face, and then he reminds me that I have extra money to go to the spa or casino . We have been lucky to get am obstructed view for the same price as an inside.

 

I agree with all of you. All of our cabins will get to the same port at the same time. It really is "whatever floats your boat." I just hate cabin snobs.

[jrzebird]

My first cruise was in the owner's suite; several years later I sailed in a veranda cabin, the following 2 years it was an ocean-view, and last year, an interior. Next cruse .. dinghy behind the ship?? Crew quarters? Lifeboat??

 

Seriously my upcoming cruise, I do have a balcony but for my b2b in October/November I'm going solo so it will be an interior again. I love that I can sail more than once a year and on longer sailings with the money I save in an interior. I did miss the ocean-view but not enough that it's a deal killer for me. And, I slept like a baby.

 

Now I have to work myself back up to owner's cabin. LOL

[jimmysgrl]

I liked my first interior but there was only two of us in the room. My last one was with two adults and two kids and will never do an interior with more than two again! My DH says he still has dents in his head from banging on the top bunks and the tv stand....lol! :eek: Just not enough room. He always had to leave while my girls and I were getting ready.

[HealthyTouch101]

I would have to agree that adding two extra beings to a regular interior might make even me bonkers!

 

I often wonder how parents do that. Or any bonus family members. It would be a challenge.

[1of4]

Our family of 4 sailed in an inside (L2664) on the Volendam to Alaska last summer. I was worried as the last time we were on Princess in a minisuite. But I shouldn't have. We had no issues with room, going crazy or with space for putting clothes.

 

We didn't hang out in the room. The kids always wanted to be in Club HAL and we went to the library or pool if club hal was on a break. We loved the quiet and dark at night (also turned the TV on to the bow camera).

 

It may be different if the kids were older teens, but for the money we saved we would do it again in a heartbeat. I would love to try the bigger J cabins on the larger ships. But we have no reservations for the cabin we had and would book it again.

[Seago2]

I would have to agree that adding two extra beings to a regular interior might make even me bonkers!

 

I often wonder how parents do that. Or any bonus family members. It would be a challenge.

 

Not an interior but an OV. Quad cabin with a rollaway. Me, the supposed adult, and four of my five sons. We had two twins, two bunks going at angles to the twins, and a rollaway cot made of mesh. The best highlight was when one kid tried to pull another off of a bunk with the lanyard that was around his neck. Another highlight- when the youngest (at the time 7- and OBSESSED with cruise ships) was in the shower and someone turned off the light and yelled "oh look! It's the Queen Elizabeth 2 meeting the Queen Vic for a horn showdown!" right after piling all the suitcases in front of the bathroom door.

 

Flame all you will ;), you will never take away the happiest 7 days of my life. I will never get them all together like that again. Moms of boys- you know how it is:D.

 

In return, every time I cruise with DH and your kids press all the elevator buttons or push by me on the way somewhere, I actually look at them with fondness and amusement:). Same with the random poundings against the wall. Love kids!

[Roz]

I usually book an interior cabin, unless HAL is offering outside cabins at the same price or even less. I did have one bad experience in an inside cabin on the Noordam. You have to be careful on the Vista class ships, as I found out. There are a few microscopic sized cabins, and I got one of them. First time I ever had trouble with claustrophobia on a cruise ship.

 

To the OP, I think you have a misunderstanding about the Deluxe Suites. My sister and I booked one, and there's no butler that keeps bugging you. :D There's a concierge in the Neptune Lounge that did things for us at our request. We either called her on the phone or went to see her in person when we were in there for a coffee or snack. She did follow up with us on things (again, by phone), but she never bothered us as in hovering around.

 

I enjoyed my suite experience so much I booked a deluxe suite for my upcoming 4-day solo Pacific Coastal cruise on the Zuiderdam.

 

Roz