Booked inside cabin - having regret.....

[dizzyr]

My daughter (20) and I will be on the May 20th Mariner of the Seas sailing and I have booked an inside cabin. The only time I have booked an inside cabin before was on one night turn around sailings on Princess - I usually book a balcony. My reasons for booking an inside cabin this time were:

 

1. $$ - we are doing a few days in Disney first and I booked this trip right after a trip to Europe and right before a trip to the Cayman Islands so I was feeling a little strapped for cash but I'd rather spend the extra money if I'm going to end up regretting it.

2. My daughter will end up spending more time than me sleeping so I figured I'd be out and about the ship most of the time anyway.

3. The inside cabins on Princess are well designed for storage so based on that I thought it would be enough room for the two of us and my daughter doesn't care about the balcony like my husband and I do. 

 

This is our first cruise with RCI (Princess and Disney before) and I read an article that said to avoid the inside cabins and now I'm rethinking my decision especially since I don't yet know what cabin we've been assigned. 

 

If you've been on the Mariner in an inside cabin how are they? Is it worth it upgrading? Can I even do that without losing my deposit (is it considered a new booking?). How long before they assign the cabins? 

[ARandomTraveler]

I think you'll be fine. You have good reasons for choosing the inside cabin and your reasons for wanting to switch to a balcony aren't convincing me that you should (more storage space?).

 

I've sailed on Mariner, we were in a balcony, but we met some friends on that trip and they were in an inside. I couldn't believe the amount of stuff the woman was able to store in all the nooks and crannies and shelving in that room. She had so many outfits and accessories, so much makeup and stuff all over the place, and yet, the room felt fine, at least for the 10 minutes we stepped into it to wait for her to finish getting ready. 
 

If you're gonna be out and about on the ship, and your initial feeling was that the inside cabin would be sufficient, stick with it.
 

I went on a cruise last week with my 20 year old daughter and she never stepped foot on our balcony even once. We wore ourselves out pretty well on that trip, and by the time we got back to the room and showered, she was out like a light in the bed.
 

I used the balcony and enjoyed it, but she could have cared less about it. Usually I think it's too cold on the balcony and that it makes the room too humid. For some reason this time it didn't and I liked it, but I probably didn't get $2000 worth of extra enjoyment out of it, and if I were wanting to use that $2,000 on something else, I would have been ok with an inside room. 

[gumshoe958]

Assuming you didn’t book with a big box TA that doesn’t take part, you can always try bidding for an upgrade with RoyalUp.

 

Look out for an email nearer the time (usually about a month out). Upgrades from insides to balconies tend to be the easiest to get so you may get lucky, and get a relative bargain.

[yes!yes!yes!]

2 hours ago, dizzyr said:

My daughter (20) and I will be on the May 20th Mariner of the Seas sailing and I have booked an inside cabin. The only time I have booked an inside cabin before was on one night turn around sailings on Princess - I usually book a balcony. My reasons for booking an inside cabin this time were:

 

1. $$ - we are doing a few days in Disney first and I booked this trip right after a trip to Europe and right before a trip to the Cayman Islands so I was feeling a little strapped for cash but I'd rather spend the extra money if I'm going to end up regretting it.

2. My daughter will end up spending more time than me sleeping so I figured I'd be out and about the ship most of the time anyway.

3. The inside cabins on Princess are well designed for storage so based on that I thought it would be enough room for the two of us and my daughter doesn't care about the balcony like my husband and I do. 

 

This is our first cruise with RCI (Princess and Disney before) and I read an article that said to avoid the inside cabins and now I'm rethinking my decision especially since I don't yet know what cabin we've been assigned. 

 

If you've been on the Mariner in an inside cabin how are they? Is it worth it upgrading? Can I even do that without losing my deposit (is it considered a new booking?). How long before they assign the cabins? 

I have stayed in an inside cabin a few times on Mariner. They are the same size as a balcony cabin but without a balcony.  They are much bigger than a Princess balcony cabin.

I don't like balconies, I would take a free upgrade for the bigger window, but I wouldn't step out on it.

 

[FamilyCruiserUK]

We love inside cabins. Never had any issues with them and the floor space seemed to be bigger then my moms balcony cabin on our recent brilliance of the seas trip. We always pick inboard cabins simply as they are cheaper which means i can cruise more often or spend my money elsewhere. 

Also we are only in it for a few hours when awake and not one to sit on balcony. 

[superduper123]

I've sailed many times with an inside cabin. I don't mind them at all, because I don't spend any time in there, other than sleeping.

[Merion_Mom]

I do not like inside cabins.

[orville99]

8 hours ago, dizzyr said:

How long before they assign the cabins? 

This sounds like you booked an inside guarantee cabin. They can assign the actual cabin anytime right up to just before you sail. As long as you are outside of the final payment date, you can upgrade your cabin to any category you want without any penalty (you just pay the additional cost of that cabin over what you already booked). If you booked through a TA, they will have to do that for you. If you booked directly with RCL, you can do that yourself by calling them directly. There is no need to cancel and re-book, you are just changing the cabin on your original booking. We do that all the time if we find a cabin that we like better than the one we originally booked.

[Sarvowinner]

My mother and my daughter (78 & 17 at the time) did the Hornblowers 49 day cruise around South America on the Mariner (along with Merion_Mom Hi Carol!) yonks ago.  Mum was going to book an inside but we upgraded them to an OV as my daughter would never have out of bed without the natural light.  They had stacks of room for a very long cruise.

[SargassoPirate]

I love insides.  I only use it to shower and sleep. Once I step out of the inside cabin, I'm on the same ship as those who paid a lot more for their cruise. 

[Mapleleafforever]

We did an inside cabin once, will never do it again. Yeah, it was cheap but that's where the positives end. 

[LuCruise]

9 hours ago, dizzyr said:

How long before they assign the cabins? 

Also note that if you booked a guarantee, then once they assign your stateroom, you can call and have them switch to any other available one in the exact same category if you don't like the location.  

 

We've never done a straight inside, but have booked a promenade (not Mariner), and even for four of us.  It can be tight but honestly wasn't an issue for the amount of time we spent in it.  And there was enough storage space.

Edited December 4, 2022 by LuCruise

[Plum Happy]

If you are paying for this trip, why should she complain what type of room she's getting.  She's 20, if she wants a balcony, just have her hand over the difference to get a balcony.  Otherwise, I sure wouldn't worry since you are doing more than enough with the trip to Disney as well.

[erinsmom03]

I personally hate inside cabins, my family doesn't care one way or the other. Since I do the booking, I win lol. Have you looked at videos of the inside rooms on Mariner or other Voyager class ships? That could help you know what the room is like.

 

[Another_Critic]

56 minutes ago, Plum Happy said:

If you are paying for this trip, why should she complain what type of room she's getting.  She's 20, if she wants a balcony, just have her hand over the difference to get a balcony.  Otherwise, I sure wouldn't worry since you are doing more than enough with the trip to Disney as well.

The OP actually said the exact opposite ... "and my daughter doesn't care about the balcony"

[BonTexasNY]

We've stayed in Inside cabins on Voyager and Mariner with no complaints.  Lots of storage.  I would, however, check where they place you when your cabin is assigned.  I would not want to be located on the bottom deck, far from the elevators.

 

[Lane Hog]

When you're asleep or in the bathroom, all cabins look the same.  The food and excursions also feel and taste the same.

I'd rather have an inside near the stairs and elevator than a balcony halfway in between them...

For those who need the view, there's also the virtual balcony option.

[Deeliteful]

I tend to book balcony cabins but have no problem with an inside one. Always sleep really well in them.

[dizzyr]

1 hour ago, Lane Hog said:

When you're asleep or in the bathroom, all cabins look the same.  The food and excursions also feel and taste the same.

I'd rather have an inside near the stairs and elevator than a balcony halfway in between them...

For those who need the view, there's also the virtual balcony option.

What's the virtual balcony option? 

[dizzyr]

Thanks all I feel better about the inside now and I'm going to keep it. I like sitting out on the balcony and reading in the morning but I can easily do that up on deck especially since it will annoy me less that my daughter is sleeping if I'm out of the cabin LOL!  I promised her that she could sleep in as long as she wanted on sea days because I'm making her get up early on Disney and excursion days!

 

I may try for a Royal bid just for fun.  

[dizzyr]

5 hours ago, orville99 said:

This sounds like you booked an inside guarantee cabin. They can assign the actual cabin anytime right up to just before you sail. As long as you are outside of the final payment date, you can upgrade your cabin to any category you want without any penalty (you just pay the additional cost of that cabin over what you already booked). If you booked through a TA, they will have to do that for you. If you booked directly with RCL, you can do that yourself by calling them directly. There is no need to cancel and re-book, you are just changing the cabin on your original booking. We do that all the time if we find a cabin that we like better than the one we originally booked.

 

Yes it was an inside guarantee which was another reason I was having second thoughts - on Princess it's the same price to pick your room or not so I was a bit surprised at the pay to pick option on Royal. I figure that since my daughter is way less picky than my husband this is a good cruise to roll the dice on and go with the flow! 

[dizzyr]

 

4 hours ago, Plum Happy said:

If you are paying for this trip, why should she complain what type of room she's getting.  She's 20, if she wants a balcony, just have her hand over the difference to get a balcony.  Otherwise, I sure wouldn't worry since you are doing more than enough with the trip to Disney as well.

 

3 hours ago, Another_Critic said:

The OP actually said the exact opposite ... "and my daughter doesn't care about the balcony"

 

Thanks Another_Critic for responding 🙂 Plum Happy my daughter has not requested a balcony - I'm the one who usually wants it, she's more than happy with the plans we have made. 

[Another_Critic]

16 minutes ago, dizzyr said:

What's the virtual balcony option? 

Not an option on Mariner, but ...

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/sgp/en/faq/questions/what-is-a-virtual-balcony

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/sgp/en/faq/questions/are-virtual-balconies-available-on-all-ships

 

Edited December 4, 2022 by Another_Critic

[dizzyr]

Oh those sound cool - if we do another RCI it's something to consider for sure!

[Scotty G]

Mariner has inside cabins overlooking the Promenade through nice Bay windows. I believe they are on decks 6, 7 and 8. When we use them I choose deck 7. Can hear music, etc.

during parades and other activities on the promenade.