Inside or Outside Cabin for Med Cruise?

[imawanderlust]

:confused: Hi there! First time cruisers are looking at a Med Cruise in October 2008. The difference between inside and outside cabins is $500.

 

So, I'll put it to you folks: Do you prefer inside or outside cabins? Why?

[cb at sea]

If your cruise is really port intensive, and whenever the ship is stopped, you be off on an adventure, many will say the cost of an outside cabin is silly. It really depends on YOU!

Personally, I want a balcony on EVERY cruise--no matter where we're going! Not having one would be like going on a beach vacation, and staying a mile inland! What is the point of that! But--that's just me!

[barbarah33]

I have certainly sailed in both - though I will admit that I am now, over 30 cruises later, into suites.

 

I would take the outside cabin for sure. First they tend to be larger than the inside cabins and a Med cruise is usually a 'longer' one. A window is a nice thing to have and in the Med even more so than the Caribbean where the weather is pretty predictable. In the Med you could have sun, rain, clouds, etc. and it's nice to be able to tell what it is before you get dressed and 'head out.'

 

Also it's nice to have the window to watch as you sail in and out of places - like Venice which is not to be missed. It is a lot of money but if you can swing it I would take the outside cabin.

[jrose35]

We leave on our Med cruise next week and we got an outside cabin with window. If you can swing it in your budget I would definitely try for a window cabin on a Med cruise and my husband gets claustrophobic so he has to have a window cabin. I like the window I can look out and see the port we are going into. It is also a longer cruise at 12 days so the window will be really nice to look out onto the world for that time.

[Linda74]

We were on a Mediterranean cruise last month (Splendor of the Seas). We took an inside cabin. We knew we would be off early in ports all day, and be on the top deck enjoying sailaways with drink in hand. We had upgraded to a larger inside cabin on a higher deck but I don't regret the choice at all. I always sleep like a log in an inside because of how dark it is. You will find your dollar does not go too far in Europe these days so if saving $500 makes a difference, go for the inside.

[Rock Chick]

The Med can be a bit rocky in October, so maybe an inside cabin in the centre of the ship would be more comfortable. Is the $500 saving per person or per cabin? If you can afford it and don't get seasick, then it's lovely to have a window/porthole but I personally prefer an inside cabin for the Med and outside cabins, preferably with balcony, for the Caribbean and on a TA.

[Morgsmom]

Ok, basically I knew that my dollar was not going to go far on land, and we have 4 days on land (3 pre and 1 post) for our Med cruise, so we are midship, inside cabin, fairly low deck on our upcoming cruise because the OV would be just shy of $500 more for the two of us. Preferable? Heck, no, but versus staying at home -- count me in! DD will tell you she loves inside cabins and sleeps like a dream; if we are in the Caribbean I always get an Oceanview, but just couldn't justify the $500 extra (vs maybe $200 more in the Caribbean) for this trip.

[chasetf]

:confused: Hi there! First time cruisers are looking at a Med Cruise in October 2008. The difference between inside and outside cabins is $500.

 

So, I'll put it to you folks: Do you prefer inside or outside cabins? Why?

Hard to say... how long is your cruise :confused: ..... and this outside.... is it a window or a balcony. :confused:

 

One thing about the Med is it is port intensive. You will want to maximize your time ashore which means minimum time in your cabin. We also like to find a good vantage point for the sail away (we eat late).

 

It also depends on your budget and whether you will be happy with an inside. In our case we have done lots of insides because they are obviously the best buy. We will upgrade if the price is right... or if in a warm weather itinerary like Tahiti where a balcony is the way to go.

[eandj]

We enjoy taking our time in the mornings with coffee on the balcony before getting dressed and out and about. I'd get a window at least, if you are not a very early riser. The ship often is pulling into a port by 6:30 a.m. But if it's not in your budget, just throw on some sweats early and head to the outside decks. You can always change for the day later.

[julieanne]

I'd save the $500 and take the inside. Keep an eye on the price as the sail date draws near. We got a 4 category upgrade when RCI decided they would price all the inside cabins at the same fare to clear them out. They may do this with the OV as well. I can easily have coffee on deck while pulling into port.......:D

[Fessler]

Well, I usually like balconies, and if I can't have room service breakfast outside I don't see that much difference between cabins. So, as I see it, $500 is a nice chunk of change to apply toward shore excursions.

 

I think the biggest benefit is that natural light helps with jetlag. I had the hardest time getting up the first few mornings of my last Med cruise. Sleeping with the curtains open really helped.

 

As for size, this really depends on the exact category. Often, oceanview cabins are the same size as inside cabins.

 

And when it comes to view, I find that the configuration of most cabins, with the beds flush against the window, makes it hard to sit in your cabin and enjoy any view. (Example of a standard outside cabin on RCI's Serenade of the Seas.) IMHO, unless you have a balcony, you still need to go out to the public decks to enjoy the view.

 

So, personally, I'd go for the inside and spend the extra money on shore excursions.

[UlvaZell]

Many cruisers spend almost no time in their cabins. For those people spending premium dollars for a balcony may not make sense.

 

For our Greek Isles trip I booked a balcony room. While our trip is very port intensive (11 ports in 12 days) DW and I love to have coffee on the balcony in the morning, wine and cheese in the evening. Additionally, the pictures I've seen of the Aegean are amazing and I want to take in as much of it as I can...

[infinnity]

We prefer outside cabins but it's really just a matter of taste and it sounds like the money you could save could be put towards better things. In the Med you're probably likely to spend a lot of time in port / on deck anyway with very little time in your cabin so go for the saving if it suits you. I'm sure you'll enjoy the cruise greatly whatever.

[Essiesmom]

Since I'm always going to be on deck for arrival in port...and sailaway..A balcony is a waste. And since I have to pay single supplement, I usually end up with an inside cabin, lowest grade. However, I am looking at a 32 day trans canal with transAtlantic, so I may go for an OV, if the price is right. EM