lets hear it for the "cheap seats"

[ozarkmama]

Often as I cruise these forums I feel like DH and I are the only ones that are perfectly happy in a "cheap" cabin. Our first cruise was in an interior and the only reason I prefer an ocean view is the natural daylight to help wake up in the morning. We are only in our cabin to shower, change, sleep and ;)

 

Am I all alone? Sometimes reading these forums I feel like I am in steerage class on the Titanic. :o

[kborth]

Nope that's how we manage to cruise. Last year we booked a guarantee 12 night inside cabins on Silhouette for a very good price, did't have beverage package ,used bar set up and frequented Captains Club events. Five years ago booked a TA on Royal for unheard of price of $500 and got to be in Bermuda overnight and had 4 other stops in Spain, Portugal,France and England,one of our best cruises ever. I think the cruise in the spring will probably be our last as prices are climbing for Europe and I love a deal.

[stoddaj1]

Our first cruise was in an outside cabin and we didn't mind it. Friends we were cruising with got balconies though the cost increase was significant. We elected to do the inside because we were able to pay for one of our flights with the amount we saved. Flight prices can be crazy from Nova Scotia to anywhere hot.

 

Our subsequent cruises have all been balconies which we love. While this would certainly be our preference, we are not ruling out insides. If we could get two trips for the price of one we just might do the inside again. They are not as convenient in terms of fresh air, views and sun but we do get a great sleep in the dark.

 

I can't see us take an outside just to look out a window.

[patty1955]

I'm a cheap traveler. I like travel even better when it doesn't cost a lot. I prefer inside cabins, but my husband prefers the CC and AQ. I give in on the cabin because I have veto on all other expenses. He teases me but knows that's why we can afford two vacations a year.

[Kathamo]

Good for you and good for your wallet!

 

My husband and I are basically introverts, so it is worth it for us to pay for the space to enjoy the fresh air and the sea - on our own - without the crowds from time to time.

 

I never look down on people with interior cabins or ocean views; I understand that everyone has different priorities.

Edited January 16, 2015 by Kathamo

[az_tchr]

Yup. Have stayed in everything from interior to suites. Really usually makes little difference as we spend little time in our cabin anyway. Having a complete dinner served in our suite was indeed special but that was a 30th anniversary. Usually we are veranda or below. Works just fine. In fact the most fun we ever had was an outside cabin on the lowest deck forward going to Antarctica. Watching the wake come over our window - magnificent!

[dkjretired]

I do the same thing, start with an inside and proactively look for upgrades, got some nice deals that way but wife and I are happy with inside, we are rarely in the cabin anyway. Its not a matter of what we can afford, its our choice and I have no use for a Butler.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Our first four cruises were Inside cabins and we were very happy with them. We never missed the daylight (in fact DW found the darkness conducive to sleep and rest). Then for our fifth ocean cruise we got a good deal on a balcony, and we were corrupted for life. We love the daylight (DW manages to sleep with the curtain drawn), and DW especially loves to spend time out on the balcony in the afternoon or early evening [me, I still prefer Air Conditioning ;)].

 

So be very very careful about upgrading from your Inside cabins. It can be very expensive!

[herbanrenewal]

I usually travel with my best friend, and we will usually start with an interior, but if opportunity arises to upgrade to oceanview we will.

But cost is definitely a driving force on our travels.

 

When I travel with my husband I'm more likely to upgrade to a balcony.

[kahoosbt]

We're fans of the "cheap seats", too! We don't have a huge budget, but love to travel so this helps us do it! :D

 

We just started traveling / cruising a couple of years ago (work, elder parent care, etc. prevented it until then.) And I'd say we've done very well on where we've been and what we've seen, for the total amount spent. I *always* look for great deals and we don't mind the inside cabins at all. In fact, hubby prefers them, both because he doesn't sleep well (and the darkness helps) and also because he can tend to get seasick (at least when we've taken our own little 21' boat in the ocean--so far never has on a cruise), so likes mid-ship lower deck cabins. These are also among the cheapest! :cool:

 

Shelley & John

[kborth]

Our first four cruises were Inside cabins and we were very happy with them. We never missed the daylight (in fact DW found the darkness conducive to sleep and rest). Then for our fifth ocean cruise we got a good deal on a balcony, and we were corrupted for life. We love the daylight (DW manages to sleep with the curtain drawn), and DW especially loves to spend time out on the balcony in the afternoon or early evening [me, I still prefer Air Conditioning ;)].

 

So be very very careful about upgrading from your Inside cabins. It can be very expensive!

 

Love your pictures of Santiago ,amazing . Were there 5 years ago and I have always wanted to do the Camino!

[ozarkmama]

So glad I am not alone. :D

[dmk]

Our first four cruises were Inside cabins and we were very happy with them. We never missed the daylight (in fact DW found the darkness conducive to sleep and rest). Then for our fifth ocean cruise we got a good deal on a balcony, and we were corrupted for life. We love the daylight (DW manages to sleep with the curtain drawn), and DW especially loves to spend time out on the balcony in the afternoon or early evening [me, I still prefer Air Conditioning ;)].

 

So be very very careful about upgrading from your Inside cabins. It can be very expensive!

 

I totally understand what you have said. On our very first cruise with Celebrity, back in 2002, we booked an inside room. When we got to the ship, we were upgraded to a balcony. This never really happens anymore. But we were spoiled and never booked an inside since. Exactly, corrupted!

[davekathy]

We book inside or ocean view only. Never a balcony. Personal reasons. We Cruise every year. We always Cruise March/April time frame and longer Cruises. Another cost factor for us is we always have to fly into the port of origin and with that comes all the associated costs. All well worth it though. So in our opinion it’s not being cheap it’s being frugal. At least that sounds better.

[Sapphire723]

You're not alone. We've sailed insides, suites, and everything in between (well, coming up will be our first AQ). I like insides, and we still sail in one occasionally. We sailed in them more often when hubby had more vacation days, so we could cruise more often for a lower price.

 

Mostly, I balance the cost of upgrading vs other things I'd rather spend the money on. If it's a small price to upgrade, we'll do it. If it's twice as much, we'd rather cruise twice as often!

[NLH Arizona]

Hey, I've never been in an inside cabin, but as far as I'm concerned everyone is the same no matter what category they are in and if you think about it, no one knows your category unless you tell them or they follow you back to your cabin.

[phoenix_dream]

For many years we sailed either outside (usually) or inside cabins (occasionally). At the time, the ships did not even have balconies ( I am talking Zenith, Horizon, etc..). Then one day the economy started to crash and the fares came down and we decided to try a balcony. That was it - it would be very, very hard for us to go back to inside. To me, the balcony makes the room seem so much larger, even if the actual size of the cabin itself is the same, because of the large balcony doors. And then one day DH and I were cruising alone (we usually cruised with our son, and other family) and we decided to try AQ. Oh boy - now we are spoiled with that!

 

Honestly, I am willing to sail in whatever I can afford that allows me to vacation often. I admit I am not sure I could do inside again, but for me that is more a bit of claustrophobia and an exaggerated fear of coming down with noro and being confined to the cabin for three days. I literally would probably need tranquilizers to get through that! For me that would be like visiting the seventh level of hell.

 

I think the reason you hear more about higher level cabins is that these days there are just so many more of them. Percentage-wise, insides have to be near the bottom of the count. Same for outside. There also have been more changes to things like suite perks, and 123 perks that apply more freely to higher level cabins. That generates conversation.

[DancerOT]

I typically book either an inside or an outside. I was in a balcony once when I traveled with an ex-boyfriend but haven't been since then. That one time was only because of how inexpensive it was. I will continue to choose insides and oceanviews as that allows me to travel. I couldn't afford to book anything higher as I often can only go when schools are on break, which is also a pricier time for cruises.

[GUT2407]

Often as I cruise these forums I feel like DH and I are the only ones that are perfectly happy in a "cheap" cabin. Our first cruise was in an interior and the only reason I prefer an ocean view is the natural daylight to help wake up in the morning. We are only in our cabin to shower, change, sleep and ;)

 

Am I all alone? Sometimes reading these forums I feel like I am in steerage class on the Titanic. :o

 

 

As I tell people all the time, you need the right cabin and the right ship for YOU.

 

I would hate an inside, I'd miss the light and the view, but I'm one who actually spends a lot of time in my cabin so not for me, but I also don't think a suite is right for me, I feel that I'm paying for a lot of things that I have no real desire for, Butler, free drinks priority disembarkation:eek: [OMG the last thing I want is to get off early].

 

But likewise some want ships with rock walls, waterslides, flow riders and mega mall shopping arcades togther with round the clock music, others want a quiet place to curl up with a good book and watch the ocean go by and somewhere to sit and have a chat with new or old friends. And of course some want a little from column A and a little from column B.

 

So no need to feel 3rd class because of what's right for you. Likewise no need to think you're special if you have the owners suite others may well be able to afford it:D but choose something else.

[GUT2407]

I might add that I don't recall ever having a discussion with other PAX about what cabin types they or we had.

[Queen of Oakville]

SAVE MONEY! is one of our family rules.

 

I look at all my options when i book. If it wasn't for a visit from the upgrade fairy when we sailed FOTS, we might never have tried a balcony.

 

To be honest, I'm perfectly happy on an inside. I LOVE the blackout. I also like saving money :D

 

I'd rather do two holidays a year then spend it all on one. We shop around and wait for deals or promotions. We also don't spend a lot when we are on board. If we don't have OBC, we don't spend it.

 

We still walk away with a perfectly enjoyable holiday.

[donaldsc]

I have never done an inside camera because I need the light from outside. I do not think that I could cruise in an inside cabin.

 

That said, although I have done outside, outside obstructed and balcony cabins, I think that except for special circumstances or cruises, a balcony is a waste of money. When I need to sit in the open air, I can always find a comfortable spot somewhere on deck.

 

As long as I have my daylight, I am good.

 

DON

[middlehaitch]

Our go to cabins are Ocean View by the Passport Bar. We love the location.

 

Our first cruise was a hump veranda cabin, Used it twice.

 

Our last cruise we had a visit from the upgrade fairy. Moved from our fav cabin to CC deck 9. Never took advantage of the CC perks, I did drink the bubbles, and hated the location (stuck in the middle of nowhere).

 

Our next cruise we chose CC because it is just below the sunset bar (accessible by exterior stairs), and our TA offered us enough perks that it was a lower price than the OV.

 

So all being said, we gravitate toward an OV, but if the location (most important) and price is right, we will go for a higher catagory.

 

Cheers, h.

[Duanerice1]

I might add that I don't recall ever having a discussion with other PAX about what cabin types they or we had.

 

Agree, I've never know what cabins fellow passengers have unless they are next door and I really don't care.

 

I've had inside a few times but only for weekend cruises. I don't think I could take an inside for more than 4 nights and that is pushing it. I must admit that I do sleep well in an inside. I envy those that can be happy in an inside.

 

Unlike a lot of folks here I spend a lot of time in our cabin, specifically on our balcony. Way too many people around the pool for me.

 

And yes it is a bit more expensive but I'd rather take a better vacation, to me that is, than more vacations. Inside just wouldn't cut it, we'll take less vacations.

 

enjoy

[surebeatssailing]

We usually sail verandas but next month we will be in OV. And we are doing a Baltic/Russia cruise in August that is port intensive so we will try an inside cabin for the first time. Probably not wise to try inside for a 14 day cruise but there is a $1000 bump up to OV at this time so we shall see how it goes.