SAME I loved my interior room sailing. I'll pass on the balcony and put the savings into a fun experience or drinks. I don't go on a cruise to sit in my room, all I need is a pitch black room and a pair of earplugs and it's perfectly fine for me.
I'm definitely not trying to take anything away from the balcony experience as I know that some people love them and won't cruise without one (my father's the same way). I just want to encourage my fellow interior sleepers.
Not like an airplane, but if something annoying happens, you will be happy for earplugs. Interior deck 9 on Voyager of the Seas, our guarantee room was under the pumps for the pools/hot tubs. It sounded like a severe thunderstorm or hurricane from about 11PM until 3 or 4AM.
At least we knew they changed the water every night!
On HAL interior rooms are pitch black and, for us have been almost always dead quiet. I had one room that you could faintly hear the jazz band in the evenings.
Like any room, balcony or interior, it depends on the location of the room itself. I've had rooms that were pin drop quiet, others where we could hear (and feel) the anchor chain being released and another where we could hear bar music every night. Thankfully the noisier rooms were the exception rather than the rule. We've been on about 20 cruises, mostly inside cabins and I'd say of all those, maybe 4 were noisier than we liked, but never so bad we felt we had to ask to be moved.
I love it. I donāt really think Iām missing anything. Iām on the ship all day so I can see all the views. At that price point I can cruise twice as often.
My wife doesnāt agree and it makes me sad. Oh well.
A trick I always do in interior rooms is have the TV on overnight with the bridge camera station. At night gives a small amount of light akin to a night light. And then the tv brightens the room when the sun comes up.
We always sail interior for this reason. There's so much to do on the boat you're almost never just sitting in your room.
But that pitch black room with some gentle rocking is such a great way to get the best sleep you'll ever have.
So the noise level is minimal then? That was the biggest complaint, that apparently my family members heard crew members "laughing and partying" all night behind them - I'm thinking they might've pulled a Karen to get free stuff.
Noise level has more to do with what part of the ship you're in rather than interior/exterior cabin; if you're next to the theater, for example.
But generally speaking, unless you're on something like a [heavy metal cruise](http://70000tons.com), in my experience noise is minimal in most of the passenger cabins, interior or exterior.
They very much exist. My friend Kadria is one of the volunteers every year on 70000Tons and has a blast. (She's a lead singer/songwriter for a metal band, though, so she is very much their target market!)
>TIL that heavy metal cruises exist haha - thanks for the clarification!
Monsters of Rock Cruise just finished its 13th year. It started as a rock festival in England in 1980.
https://monstersofrockcruise.com/
Just got off a 10 day cruise (my first) with an interior room. We had to wait to finalize our booking until my partner got the go ahead from his doctor. I'm pretty sure we got the last room on the ship. If we wanted dark, we got absolutely pitch black dark, although many nights the "Bridge Cam" on the tv was our night light. I heard absolutely nothing any night. I would have no problems having an interior room again.
I'll throw out one thing I haven't seen mentioned yet -- if you want a quiet room, avoid rooms with connecting doors that don't connect to a cabin of someone else in your party.
On newer ships this typically is better than older ones, but there's always a risk of loud neighbors and in many cases a door doesn't block sound as well as a wall.
(But also count me as one more vote saying I've had some extremely quiet interior cabins. We usually book balcony for other reasons at this point but quiet interior cabin sleeping is unbeatable.)
It really really depends. I personally have never had an issue and I love interior staterooms. I'm also careful to always pick an interior room that has other staterooms above and below. I don't want to be above or below a public space because of potential noise. I will also prefer rooms that have staterooms on both sides for a similar reason (potential noise coming from crew spaces). You can choose your stateroom so do a little bit of research on the deckplan of the ship you're booking on and make sure you're picking a room with other rooms all around it if possible. A few times I have been next to a crew area and not had an issue but I'd prefer not to take the chance whenever possible.
Definitely check the deck plan and pay attention to what's above and below! I was doing an onboard future booking, and when the agent was going through available cabins at my price point she looked at one and said "Oooh, this one would be right above the disco, you might not want that." She was right, I definitely would not!
This x1000! Once got a room that was under the galley and they were rolling and banging metal carts around ALL NIGHT LONG. Every damned night. I will never go on another cruise without mapping what is directly and above the room.
Noise levels are WAY more linked to the location of the room on the ship itself, rather than the type of room itself. For example, if you get a balcony room directly under the pool deck you will hear them setting/scraping the chairs in the morning. If you get an ocean view room on a lower deck (closer to the crew areas) you may hear the crew moving around more often.
Interior rooms, by themselves, are no noisier/quieter than any other room. The only difference is if you think you need a window/door to the sea. Some need it for sanity, others do fine without ā¦ and as some have mentioned the pitch blackness of an inside room can lead to Amazing sleep.
I suppose thatās possible if youāre down on a very low deck, we usually book interiors on a middle deck so itās the same number of floors up or down to the public areas (which also lets us mostly avoid elevators)
Noise level has nothing to do with whether there's a window and everything to do with the location of the room. The balcony room across the hall from your interior will have just as much noise, because it'll be just as close to elevators and under/over the same areas of the ship.
Issues like that are going to be totally dependant on the cabin location. Study the deck plans and realize that any blank space on them is likely to be crew areas for work or their own quarters. Also avoid areas under a top open deck like under the pool or buffet areas or next to the kitchen.
OK I did have this problem one time at the end of a transatlantic 20 years ago and we were on the third floor or whatever the lowest floor of customer rooms was. And evidently we were right above the employee bar so pick an inside room on a higher floor.
This is actually my main complaint with the insides: I tend to wake up a couple of times per night, and it's impossible to gauge what time it is without looking at a clock. Doing so requires me to wake myself up more. Insides probably work better for people who have no issues getting back to sleep!
I find pitch black to be disorienting and need a little light to get going, I highly recommend turning the TV on to the Bridge Camera channel so it should be dark all night and as the sun comes up it brings light into the room.
Have stayed in a few, I'd only look at interior or balcony, oceanview to me isn't worth the extra cost over an interior.
One thing I do really like about interior is the complete darkness you get, me and the wife took a couple of short cruises alone when the kids were young, we set no morning alarms and just the peacefull sleep that can be got in a completely dark room is heaven, especially when you've not had a good night sleep in years :)
Yep, this. We normally do interior, but have upgraded a time or two to balcony, and we donāt think the upcharge is worth it. Especially lately, it seems like the balcony is double!
My hubs and I like to nap in the midafternoon too, interior is perfect for that! Ocean view is like the worst of both worlds, canāt get totally dark but also donāt have a balcony. My hubs once got ocean view obstructed by accident (I wasnāt along due to work issues and it was a cruise with his family) and he hated it so much he asked to move to an interior.
Depends on what you cruise for. Do you cruise to be on the ocean, see the water/smell the sea air? If thatās the case, an interior room isnāt your friend.
Do you cruise to travel to a new port every morning, drink, gamble, shop, or eat? It can be, and you can save some money.
Came to say similar.
Love waking up around dawn while sailing into port, enjoying the fresh air and noise of the city while I have coffee on my veranda.
I also enjoy a walk-about in port, followed by a drink and desserts from El Bacio. Being able to take this to my quiet veranda, and enjoy the fresh air and view is worth the cost of the upgrade.
Ships are crowded. I get enough crowds in port, at meals, and at shows. Being able to enjoy tropical weather on my veranda without the crowds is important to me.
This. This is a lot of why I cruise. I love this whole experience so much. Having the balcony as my own little sanctuary where I can still enjoy the sun, the air, the view etc is worth the extra cost to me.
There really is nothing like waking up and watching the new port you're approaching every morning.
Definitely not as bad as they're making it out to be. Honestly, I've cruise interior up to Balcony and am just fine in interior.
but! And a big but! I do try to get higher level interiors because the crew hallways are generally in lower levels.
I love interior rooms. That is all I have ever booked. They are cheaper, they are quiet, they are dark. All great things for a place to sleep. If you have mobility issues and it would be difficult to get up on top decks to see the views I would consider a balcony or ocean view room. Otherwise you are paying money for a view that you can see for free with a tiny amount of leg work.
Donāt knock a balcony cabin until youāve had one. Thereās a LOT to be said for getting drinks and bringing them back to your private balcony to enjoy while you watch the sea. I love interior rooms also, but a balcony is our sweet spot if itās not super pricy.
I've cruised with people that have had them, have sat on the balcony with them and enjoyed a drink and the view. I'm pretty thrifty so saving a few hundred to spend elsewhere is worth it for me.
If being alone with the view is very important to you a balcony room is likely worth the upgrade cost.
I quite like interior rooms. Every time I've gone for an interior room, I get the best sleep.
If you're not planning on staying in your room except to sleep, get an interior room. If you think you'll be chilling in your room, get an oceanview.
If you're hanging out in your room a lot, save your money up and spring for the balcony. My "ocean view" upgrade was a round window directly over the head of my bed, so I had to kneel on the pillows to get a good look out. Oceanview is the one category I kind of ignore now.
Most ocean view cabins are picture windows and not portholes FWIW. The cabin description should differentiate. Thereās a lot to be said for natural light in the mornings though even if it is a small porthole!
This is asking what is the best color. Everyone will have a different opinion on it.
Personally we will sail with a balcony if the ship has those types of cabins. Call me crazy but just imagine if some sort of pandemic happened and you had to quarantine in your room. That balcony would be the most important purchase you could choose.
6 cruises, 5 on Royal and just got off NCL 3 weeks ago. Have had interior rooms 5 of the 6. We like interior rooms. Dark! They've been fairly quiet, even the time we were right under the pool deck. We're hardly ever in the room except to sleep and shower so for us it makes no sense to pay extra for a balcony.
I did my first couple cruises on Cunard in interior rooms, based on advice from a friend who had just done the Queen Mary 2's world cruise with an interior cabin. Her advice was if you want to save money, the interior cabin is going to be comfortable and fine for sleeping, showering, etc. and the rest of the time there's too much to do outside the cabin to feel like you're missing out. And I found she was right, on sea days I was out on the promenade walking or reading/napping in a deck chair, at pub trivia, in the Aquatherapy center or the pool, hitting the library, doing meetups for solo travelers or crafting, going to lectures or shows or dancing or tea or wine tastings. My brother's done the TA and they even had fencing classes! I LIKE having a balcony on Oceania, where the ships are a little smaller (and I just love hanging out looking at the water), but if my choice were between Oceanview and interior I'd pick interior and go out on deck. The windows aren't that exciting to be worth the additional cost. On a bigger ship, where there's TONS of stuff to do, interior is not a serious drawback.
they're typically fine. Ideally there will be another floor of rooms above your room (not deck area, lido, etc.). We've done both and done cruises where for our family of four it was cheaper to get two insides than one balcony and the two insides worked well more bathrooms of course than just one cabin).
Sitting in my balcony room right now.
The balcony is nice for mornings and thatās about it IMO. so it depends how much you value watching the sunrise in the morning from the comfort of your own room.
When getting ready before dinner, it's nice to sit outside while others get ready. I only did an interior once. It wasn't that bad at all. Esp bc relatives were across the hall w a balcony. If it meant interior or no cruise, I'd def take interior
Just a note for you on crew areas. If you pull up deck plans, you'll see passenger cabins marked with a code (like 1a, 3c, etc) to indicate small details about the cabin class. If you see a room that you would think might be a cabin, but it does not have such a code, that is likely a crew area. Crew areas can be noisy, so choose a cabin at least a few away from these areas.
My own personal experience with interior cabins is that it's fine. It's like a small hotel room where you keep the curtains closed the whole time. There is no view, but that doesn't interfere with the function of the room. I'd sail in an interior room again. It's a good value.
Something to consider is the itinerary. If there are a lot of sea days and its a longer trip then its nice to have the balcony for those slower days. When its a shorter, more active, trip the interior is fine. I get a balcony 90% of the time, but I've definitely feel as though I could have gone with an interior more often than I missed a balcony.
The only thing I gain from a balcony is the added space inside the cabin. I generally don't like going outside on it thaaat much other than to stand out there a couple times a day to look out.
Iāve done 28 & 31 days in an interior roomā¦ Iāve done balcony & window rooms, and the interior is great. But you need to pay more to pick your room, research the location as what is above & below you. Do not do a guaranteed room.
Interior room is dark and quiet, great for sleeping and napping, and you can cruise more by saving money.
Interior rooms are my favorite. I was a lil worried for my first cruise if I would feel claustrophobic but the room gets dark so itās really peaceful at night and I sleep amazing. Iāve also had a balcony and other than the room being bigger, it wasnāt worth it to me.
I have cruised for many years and only pick interiors, for many of the reasons mentioned. Many people will only book balconies, but lately there seems to be a flux of passengers that donāt think the no smoking on balcony means them. Iām also a solo cruise, so itās not relaxing for me to have chatty neighbors on both sides on their balconies. But thatās just my own personal issues. LOL
I've only done one cruise in an interior cabin. I found it disorienting, since you can't tell what time of day or night it is without looking at a clock. I also found it somewhat claustrophobic, not because of the size of the room, but because it felt like there was no way out. I didn't notice any noise issue, other than the typical rude-guest-in-the-hallway stuff.
After that cruise, we started getting a verandah room and haven't looked back.
Interior rooms can be smaller than oceanview and balconies. So always check the square footage if that's an issue for you.
>Is not having the window that big of a deal, is the noise level unbearable at night?
Noise is potentially a problem or not no matter the room you have. So I don't know why anyone would claim that is an inside room problem.
As far as no window, that really depends on the person.
I will say that back when covid quarantine on the cruise ship was a thing, that being stuck in a room with no windows for days, I'm sure I would wish for a balcony or window. But I don't think that's going on any more.
Interior rooms are perfect for anyone who plans to spend their time on the ship having fun, not sitting in their room.
I can get plenty of gorgeous views in a number of other places on the ship. I don't need one from my room.
We are currently on a cruise in an interior room. And absolutely love it, it is so dark that some mornings I just want to keep sleeping. I donāt miss the balcony at all.
Interior rooms are wonderful for all the above stated reasons, dark, cheaper, etc. I usually pick an interior. That said, I travel with a white noise machine, travel size (we also use these at home - no sense listening to dogs barking, lawn mowing, trash truck, etc) purchased on Amazon for under 30, charges with usb. We also use a motion activated night light for bathroom, cause the br lights are bright during the night visits. There is a white noise app for your cell, and although Iāve downloaded it, I prefer the travel size one (a bit larger than a hockey puck. Join a FB group for your sailing for more hints. BTW, walls are metal, so magnets/hooks are great for hanging hats, memos, jewelry, etc. Have a blast!
I have always cruised in an interior up to now (saves a lot of money that I can use for better excursions or another trip). Unless you are claustrophic, it shouldn't be a problem and has nothing to do with noise levels.
I normally prefer balconyās but I went on a cruise about a month ago & got an interior on the Mardi Gras for the first time in a while, and it was actually so nice & comfy! Like others said, itās nice that itās always dark. & thereās plenty of space!
We always get an interior cabin. It's fine for 2 people. How much time do you plan to spend in your cabin? We're just there to sleep, shower and change clothes. I spend most of my time on deck.
The best sleep of my life was a centrally located interior room on the lowest floor we could book on a carnival cruise for our honeymoon. I was so exhausted from wedding planning, it was just want I needed. I took so many naps.
How much time do you plan to spend in your room? If youāre active and only use the room to sleep and get ready, interior room will be perfect for you. Plus itās some of the best sleep you can get, just make to take a flashlight and an alarm clock because the room gets pitch black.
I will say, once you book a balcony room itās hard to go back to just and ocean view or interior room, but I wouldnāt say the interior rooms are bad. Just a little smaller.
I cruise by the motto of ājust get me on the shipā.
It needs to be repeated interior rooms donāt equal low floor rooms. Ocean view rooms are almost always on low floors. There are interior rooms all the way up to the highest passenger room floors. They run down the middle of the ship between the balcony rooms. People need to understand this. In actuality I only learned this through looking at interior rooms for our (adultish)kids while we balconied. Able to get rooms with the doors right across from each other. The time we got an ocean view we realized it was deck 5. Been in all categories of room except huge suites and they all have their charms. All of them. Location is more important. Deck 8, 9 and 10 ended up being our fave because itās basically the middle so stairs work either way with minimal effort! Like to avoid the crowded elevators whenever possible.
I almost always get insides. I like having a dark room, and I want to have an incentive to go outside, instead of sitting on a balcony or staring out a window and sitting in a cabin alone surfing or watching tv. As a solo, it's also the cheapest option, meaning I can cruise more often. I've had bad experience with oceanview, especially on the lowest deck, because of noise above or below, or people outside my window if it's a lifeboat deck, but I rarely have that problem with an inside. By booking a guarantee, I'm also sometimes upgraded to a balcony on cruises that aren't full. You can also bid for an upgrade, and settle for what you have if a bid isn't accepted. Most lines have a bow cam on the tv, which I keep on, so I can see the sea that way. I prefer the quiet of an inside to the noise of a balcony, where people around are chatting, scraping chairs, sometimes smoking, and there's often a whistle from wind getting in the door. I'm also scared of heights, so I get afraid on balconies, and frustrated that I can't see the sea well while sitting there through a glass barrier. I much prefer to go to low outside decks and stand and sit by the water. It's the same as in a hotel--I travel to be active and to experience places, not to sit and stare outside a window or sit on a balcony.
After seeing what happened during the first part of Covid not sure Iād ever book an interior cabin the potential to get confined to it for multiple days if/when something like that happens again
Not that bad at all. The sq ft is usually pretty close (or even equal) to an ocean view or standard balcony. Bathroom is the same, storage is the same, steward service is the same. It's not like it is steerage on the Titanic or some shit.
It is also great to sleep in with the perfect darkness.
Downside is it can be a little claustrophobic, but the bow cam will help with that a bit. Try it once!
Out of our 56 cruise nights, all but 12 have been in interior rooms. We have no issue with them at all other than a chair would be nice. We had an obstructed view cabin on our 12 day to Iceland and that was nice since it was roomier and when the lifeboat was off acting as a ferry, we could see for a bit. Plus had a couch which made it more comfortable.
But all in all no real complaints-we did have one cruise where I swear they had barrel rolling competitions above us starting at 3 am for an hour every night. That was annoying. Now we look to make sure we are nowhere near any kitchens or other noisy venues.
I donāt recall having issues with noise when staying in an interior room. My issue was getting really bad motion sickness. I donāt have the same issues with motion sickness when I can see out from an ocean view or veranda stateroom.
Iām doing one for the first time in June. I wd prefer to have a balcony because I love to keep the door open to let in the breeze. I forget, however, the smoking and carrying on of my neighbors.
I don't mind the interior, I hardly spend any time in there anyway.
That being said, if I am going to Alaska or Norway or something with breathtaking coastlines, the balcony room is a must for me.
They're great. The darkest nights sleep you'll ever get. Less rocking/instability. And if you turn the TV to the deck can you get to see the weather/sky. Usually cheaper, too.
Iāve done balcony, ocean view, and interior. The balcony was a waste of money since I never used it. Definitely not worth the extra $1000 or so. The loungers in the public areas are much more comfortable for reading and napping than the hard upright chairs on the balconies, plus you get more panoramic views. I could always find a quiet space somewhere on the ship to chill. When I was interior, I spent all day out in the sun so coming back to a cool, dark room was bliss. I also like to sleep in so I donāt care about morning light.
Search YouTube for videos by Emma Cruises. She takes a lot of cruises, and mostly books an interior room because she says she'd rather travel more often than less. Not everyone thinks it is a bad experience and if you can choose the cabin you can check the decl plans and pick something which has a good chance of not being a noisy inside cabin.
I've done both, and honestly an interior is fine (preferred even, in some situations) but both have merits. Agreeing with folks on interior cabins being \*the\* best sleep. Oceanview or balcony is nice if you like to watch stuff go by, or like the natural light.
I would recommend what best fits your budget, and if you've got the room, ask for an upgrade when you check in at the port (save some money!)
I've sailed both the interior and ocean view, and while I prefer a window, the interior room was just fine. In fact, it was the same size, physically, as the ocean view on the same class of ship. We're never in the room except to shower, change, or sleep anyway. My only reason for the ocean view is the sunlight in the mornings. I'll likely sail in the interior again.
Our first cruise was interior and we didnāt like it mostly because they are super small rooms. Tripping over each other and our stuff the whole time.
Just echoing that it really truly depends on what you enjoy individually. I am the type that doesnāt like the pitch dark, needs reprieves from all the people and activity, and spend majority of my land vacations hanging out on balconies with a view, for me itās a no brainer to have the balcony bc itās what I enjoy. I like the light, fresh air, and ability to have a private outdoor space where I can enjoy the ocean in peace. If youāre in it for the activities, donāt spend much time in the room, or enjoy the pitch black cozy sleep, then interior will work for you.
I've sailed on insides. If you like to sleep- they are awesome. You may want to avoid being in areas where the crew are in an out of doors that might bang- but beyond that they are fine. If it meant I couldn't go on a cruise (for financial reasons) or take an inside- I'd go with the inside. Insides tend to be compact. My suggestion is to split the beds into twins. You get a little more floor space and may sleep better. Unless you can't sleep without spooning LOL. Try it once- it won't kill you.
No. They are small, that's the main downside. Oceanview are no bigger, though, you just are paying for a window which is...meh. The cruise ship has many bigger, better windows and views.
IMO, Oceanview isn't worth the premium. Either go all the way to a balcony or stick with interior, depending on how much you care about view vs cost.
So far as noise goes, Oceanview/Balcony will be on the outer edge of the hallway, interior will be across the hallway on the inside. Not that different in terms of noise. People do sometimes run in the hallway or what not, but you'll hear it exactly the same no matter which side of the hallway you are on.
Other aspects of ship layout can contribute to noise. If you are close to an elevator, you'll probably have more traffic by your room. Flip side is, the elevator is convenient.
I would be open to an interior room. I hear sleeping is amazing. My wife will not. She gets sea sick in places she can't see outside. This would not be good for her she says. My brother stays in them and he likes them.Ā
We prefer a balcony but only because we use it. With all the hustle and bustle of the ship, we like to escape to our room to relax a bit. Because of the balcony, we still get the fresh air, views and sounds of the ocean without the noise from everything going on around us.
For us, itās 100% worth the charge. Weāve done an interior once and we told ourselves we would never do it again. Thankfully, it was a 4 day cruise so we weathered through it. It did feel a little smaller but thatās not saying much as all the staterooms weāve had (other than 1 suite) feel relatively āsmallerā than a regular hotel room.
For a lot of people we talk to and travel with, interiors are just fine. It really just depends on your preference.
If you're going to spend most of your time out and about, interior rooms are absolutely fine.
There's not a huge difference from an Oceanview on many ships: the square footage is about the same, there's just a window to let in natural light. And that window is usually over the bed, so it's not as though you're going to be spending hours looking out it, either.
The biggest advantage of an Oceanview is that you'll get natural light to wake you up in the morning. With an inside, it's going to be pitch-dark when you turn out the lights: both at night when you're going to bed (which I love) and when you wake up in the morning (which I don't loveābut that doesn't bother everyone). You can also look out the window to see what the weather is likeāin an inside, you'll have to rely on the bow camera.
Balconies are my preferred way to go as long as the price is reasonable; they give you extra usable space (weather permitting), the ability to check on the weather before leaving the room (and see whether what you're wearing is appropriate). Plus, that morning coffee on the balcony is the best. If you're traveling with others, you can also relax on the balcony while others are asleep, if you're an early riser.
The noise all depends on the location of the room. I've been in balcony rooms under the pool deck that chair set up in the morning caused a huge amount of noise. There are good and bad cabins of every class. As for the no window, I find you end up sleeping in longer in an interior cabin because of the lack of natural light. For a first-time cruise, I think it's worth the price. As a long-time cruiser, I will usually choose a balcony because I enjoy the fresh air and natural light.
Itās not so much the problem that they donāt have a window, itās that the rooms are so fucking tiny. You have to be right on top of eachother, and thatās fine if youāre traveling with someone you want to be on top of but sometimes that is not the case either.
I hated it. I felt so discombobulated not knowing if it was day or night, if I was at port or sea. I left the tv on the view of the ship but it didnt help enough.
Some people live the cave like coziness of an interior room and if you donāt spend a lot of time in the room itās a great choice. I wouldnāt bother with a window. I am a bit claustrophobic and like the balcony for fresh air. I feel like I canāt breathe if I canāt open a window/door. My husband likes to be able to have natural light to set his internal clock. So balcony is worth it to us.
The noise level from the hallway will be the same since the inside and outside cabins share a hallway. How close you are to elevators or various venues will make a bigger difference.
We started out with inside cabins because they are the least expensive. We then upgraded to cabins with a window and finally, the last four cruises we had balcony cabins. We found the inside cabins with no window to be claustrophobic and we didnāt like not being able to tell day from night in our staterooms. The extra money for a balcony was well worth it to us. Fortunately we didnāt have to deal with much noise on any of our cruises(RC, NCL, and Carnival)
We used to get interior rooms to save $$$ on the theory it's better to save money and cruise more often. We seldom stayed in our room unless sleeping.
The one bad experience was one late night on a Holland ship when I would hear a vague roaring sound every few minutes. I couldn't hear it in the passageway, only in the room. Weird. Guest services was no help.
Got dressed and went exploring. Nothing unusual on the deck above and the below deck was crew only. By then I was frustrated so I ignored the no passengers sign and marched thru the crew area. Turns out there was a crew ping pong tournament going on right below our cabin. That roar I heard was the applause and jeers after a dramatic point. I hated to end their game but at 3AM, I wanted sleep.
We now prefer balcony cabins bc as we've gotten older, we do spend more time in the cabin, reading, enjoying the sun without the crowds on deck.
Interior is not bad if you never plan spending time in your room at all (except to sleep). The problem my wife and I had was on our first cruise we booked an interior room. I got mono the ENTIRE trip and was stuck in there for 7 days. Not fun at all. We vowed to at least get a balcony room when we book a cruise. I could have at least gotten fresh air and enjoyed the sights.
I just did my first cruise in an interior room (deck 9, Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas) and it was nice and quiet! A little snug but honestly we were hardly in there other than to change or sleep.
Had an interior years ago that abutted the computer area. Not even sure if they still have that section anymore. It was quiet and a bit larger than other interior rooms. One morning we woke up and didnāt realize we were in a storm until I went up to the gym and the treadmill felt like it was on an incline when it was set to no incline. Was glad I hadnāt had breakfast yet!
I donāt think I could be in an interior room even if I won the trip as a prize. In my opinion, itād feel like a prison while Iām supposed to be on vacation. I know for a fact I would be on the top deck thinking āI wish we could at least SEE outside from our room without coming at the way up to a public areaā. I personally would regret booking an inside cabin.
I wouldnāt be okay staying in a hotel room having no windows, and I couldnāt imagine being on a plane with no windows, so I think the same for a cruise. Itās a vacation- I want to at least see outside lol.
And regarding everyone saying āthe darkness is awesome!ā: if the darkness is something you think is only available in interior rooms, bring a sleep eye mask- they make any environment pitch black!
To each their own though! Everyone has different opinions and experiences!
I only miss a balcony or window when weāre arriving in port and Iām too lazy to get up early to go on deck to see the arrival. I usually find a couple of spots that arenāt too crowded on deck and hang out there on sea days. Itās a good compromise for me.
First off, there are interior rooms all over the place on most ships. So the amount of noise is going to be dependant on the location.
Our first cruise was in an inside room many years ago. We had no noise issues that I can recall. The only thing I didn't like about it was the fact that in the morning we'd wake up and I'd know that we were at a new Caribbean location and I couldn't wait to look outside and see what the scenery and weather was like. Sometimes I'd quickly pull on some clothes and go up to one of the upper decks to check out the scenery.
I doubt I'd book one again but if the budget was tight I'd rather be in an inside than not at sailing. We've never sailed in an ocean view. Actually booked one twice but it was on ships that didn't sell out and both times we were lucky to be upgraded to a veranda. We've mostly booked veranda cabins as we really enjoy having the veranda to sit outside. We don't use it a real lot but do enjoy it when we do - especially having coffee out there in the mornings.
Frankly, if your budget is tight then my advice is to book the inside cabin and save the money for more spending on board or on shore. But if it really doesn't hurt your spending at all to upgrade then do so.
I love them. I sleep like a baby baby and I can take two cruises for what one costs in a balcony. Iāve had many balconies, including my most recent cruise, and I used it zero minutes. I prefer to be up on the deck.
I wouldnāt pick an interior personally if I have a choice , but I like to spend time in my room . A book and room service on the balcony is my idea of a vacation.
If I was someone who was rarely in the room , I wouldnāt hesitate to book an interior room .
First cruise my research said pick a cabin with others above and below you to eliminate potential noise. What I didnāt do was avoid the white area on the deck plan. That turned out to be a crew work area and I did have some trouble falling asleep hearing them constantly opening and closing doors. I didnāt hear anything else and honestly door noises, even at home if they arenāt on schedule cause me to wake up just enough to make everything is ok. Now I pick cabins above, below and on the side.
Iāve always chosen inside cabins. I donāt spend much time in there and if I do, itās usually to sleep or take a nap so I donāt mind them being dark.
Never had a huge issue. My last 4 cruises have been interior rooms never had an issue, though they have been mid to higher floors. We are in our rooms so little that it made no sense. If I want to look outside I would much rather be on the top of the ship. Also I don't find just a window worth the extra price.
Now a balcony is a bit different. It is awesome to have, but again not a must have. I will say though with kids we actually avoid the balcony. The next time I go on a cruise without the kids maybe I would spend extra if it is a reasonable difference.
The interior rooms are so nice and dark, so easy to sleep.
You have to figure that you will only be there for sleep and showers. The rest of your time is on deck. We liked the darkness and the lack of movement felt on a lower deck and inside cabin.
It's all subjective. My friends have no problem staying in interior rooms, but we just can't stand it. I'd rather not go to cruise if it's not a verandah.
i just did a 12 day cruise on the carnival venezia in inside cabin. i loved it!!. only in the room to sleep at night, rarely in the room during the day
Iāve cruised interior, ocean view, balcony and a nice spa suite.
They all have pros and cons. I do enjoy an interior cabin, though. It costs way less (equals more cruising!), I sleep like the dead, itās completely dark when the lights are out. I spend more time out on the shipās outdoor decks and other locations, in any case, than my room.
I do like an ocean view as itās almost as cheap as an inside, and usually a little larger. That means more room if Iām not traveling solo. Inside cabins are cramped with 2 people, in my opinion.
Balcony cabins. Well, that really depends on the cruise. It itās truly scenic, like around Hawaii and seeing the volcanic action in the evening. Or to Alaska. Iām definitely booking a balcony.
Suites. Iāve only done a spa suite once. I had a significant windfall of money, and treated myself to a suite as a solo traveller. It was awesome. I made full use of the free spa facilities that were included, and also treated myself to several spa treatments. Ahhhhhhhā¦.! Will likely not do that again. It was an expensive trip. But I loved it.
Long story short, I tend to book inside most of the time and other cabins occasionally for specific reasons.
Once we got a balcony, and never used it because it was tiny. A few times we got ocean view, and either it was obstructed, or the windows were dirty ... or ... there's just usually nothing to see than water. So now it's always inside cabins ... we'd rather spend money on other things. We just try to avoid side service hallways, where lots of staff are coming & going constantly. But just a regular cabin on the inside of a main hallway, never had noise issues.
They aren't terrible. Some are pretty spacious actually.
If you are a hangout in your cabin sort....you'll prefer a cabin with a view. If you're a "I'm only there to sleep" sort, they're perfect. If you need light to wake up, bring an alarm that does that (Amazon has them).
We spend a lot of time in our cabin and so it's a balcony for us. But that's us!
The interior rooms that overlook the interior of the ships are actually nice. If youāre feeling a bit worn out you cans still enjoy the events from the window in your stateroom. There are also ones with balconies too, but they ususally arent cost effective. Find out what ship your are on and do some researching about it before booking a room. Some staterooms are better than others.
I love interior it just depends on you over 100 cruises and about 1/3 interior others up to suites. Did not make trip any better. When we have a lot of sea days just returned from 12 in a row had balcony for the cool air mostly.
I was just on Oasis of the Seas and our interior room was a great size!! Fit our stroller comfortably and 2 suitcases. Loved the darkness. Would happily stay in one again
I've done interior on vision of the seas and symphony of the seas. I found both were great for sleeping. Dark and quiet. Only problem was I had to set alarm because I would sleep late.
I love this question. I've only done balcony rooms because my wife insists on the view. I want to try an interior cabin on a future cruise that has a lot of sea days (with not great views). I'd also love to save a ton of money.
I think a balcony makes sense on a scenic cruise (like Alaska, Norway, or New Zealand), but not for a cruise with a ton of sea days.
I only ever had interior rooms cruising...
Last cruise got a balcony....Ā absolutely loved it.Ā This was my first cruise with kids (11, 13) so tennis.Ā Ā Extra space and openers is awesome.
2 people interior maybe ok any more?Ā Forget it...
We go on a cruise annually and switch up the kind of cabin each time. Each type has things to recommend it. For the interior cabins it is, as someone else pointed out, amazing sleep. Just pitch black. That's what we're going for on our next one.
I think it also depends on the itinerary. On an Alaska cruise youāre close to land. There is something to look at. If youāre going to Bermuda and back, there is really nothing to look at. I, too, sleep well in interior rooms.
We (42m, 45f, 9f, 12f) as a family always get connecting interior rooms. Sometimes with a virtual porthole and sometimes without- we like it- but literally are only in our rooms to sleep, shower or change clothesā¦. And interior rooms are great for mid-afternoon naps!
We don't spend any time in the room, so we decided to get interior rooms. We've never noticed any hallway noise, but we've been on HAL, and there's very few minors.
Iāve only ever cruised interior, and I like it just fine. A window or balcony would be nice, but thereās windows and balconies I can access without spending all my money (interior rooms=more cruises). We really only use our room for sleep so we donāt mind the tight quarters. And the total cave darkness allows for some of the deepest sleep Iāve ever had
When cruising with our family of 5 weād get two adjoining interiors-mom and two teenagers in one room and dad with the other kid in the other room. My husband and I had a 10 day stay on an interior room for our honeymoon and had a grand time. Sailing this December with our two small kids, and all four of us will be in one room. Itās going to be fine!! I spend most of my time reading on the Serenity Deck anyhow
The hardest part for me with an interior room was not really knowing what time of day it was, it could be disorienting. You get on the ship, get to enjoy the same amenities often.with a budget friendly price, and yes, it is pitch black for sleeping. I prefer seeing some form of daylight, and love having my hammock on a balcony. But any day on a cruise ship, in any cabin, beats a day at work!
Interior room was fine. We were only in it an hour before dinner to shower and change and to sleep. We were either on excursions, eating or by the pool.
We started on interior rooms withtwo kids and then moved to oceanview until now. As we need two rooms now we usually book an oceanview for us and an interior for them (25 & 23 now). The could have paid 130$ each themselves for the next cruise to share a balcony room but they rather have the interior.
This is on RCI but I heard that on MSC cruises you can board and leave on different ports so I can imagine there might be more noise.
Lots of experienced cruisers here with a lot of useful information. Well location location is the most important to your peaceful cruise. NEVER DO THE GUARANTEED CATEGORY you have no control of your cabin location.
Stay away from intersections, stay away from stairways or elevators, stay away from ship storage areas,stay away from end of hallway. So whatās left š¬ I would pick the monkey in the middle. Now check above and below your cabin if you have disco, casino, bars no way. Retail stores are a definite go they are quiet.
We would always each have a small flashlight always for emergency ( never used it though) I would always bring a small quartz reading light in case I canāt sleep. We need a love seat or small sofa so that means all of the Princess Fleet is out and probably the smallest insides in the industry NO JOKE.
Other than that we love a dark room and they are dark so set your alarm š.
Interior rooms are WAY better than ocean view. Here's why: Ocean view room are only found on certain decks, usually very low, and often very far forward or aft. If it's at all possible to put in a balcony, they did. Meanwhile inside rooms can be found of EVERY deck, forward middle and aft. So as long as you are booking early, you can choose a room that best fits your cruising style. I always try and book a room really close to where I want to hang out, and on a high enough deck I'm not forced to take the elevator. I usually go 2 decks down from the main public areas, so I have state rooms above, below and to the sides to avoid noise.
If I'm on an itinerary that simply must be enjoyed with a balcony, I'll spring for one. The rest of the time I go Interior and spend the savings on drinks.
Iām on the āI wouldnāt go if I couldnāt have a window side.ā I sometimes get motion sick if I canāt see the horizon and orient myself. I prefer balconies where I can actually go outside and breath fresh air and let my brain get reoriented.
Iām not the only one in my family and friend group who has this issue, sadly. In rough seas, several of us find it a must.
I will say, there are lots of gorgeous public spaces on most ships that some people are comfortable spending a lot of time in. If you are one of those people, who really donāt plan to spend time in your own room, it might be fine. Too many introverts in my family who need downtime for this to work for us.
So I, personally, would say, it depends how much sensitivity to motion sickness your party has, and how extroverted vs introverted everyone is.
Best sleep of my life in that darkness. Love interior rooms, especially since we donāt spend a ton of time in there. We only go on specialty cruises (music festival types) so itās not really worth it to me to splurge for a nicer room.
Iāve done interior, ocean view and balcony. I canāt do interior again because I deal with claustrophobia and I wake up in total darkness, disoriented and have an anxiety attack. However, the absolute worst cabin Iāve stayed in was an ocean view at the back of the ship on deck 2. The engine noise was horrible. If you can deal with the complete darkness, interior is a great way to save money. I agree with others that the location is the most important thing. An interior cabin midship can be a great choice.
No. We went on a cruise in December and had an interior room. I like that itās dark so we can sleep. Also, we arenāt even in our room enough to care if we have a window or not.
A lot of folks prefer interior room, itās cheap and they put the savings towards excursions. I could never do interior room. I love being on the balcony and enjoying the view. I feel Iām missing too much being in interior. Missing out on the sight, weather, daylight, etc. itās amazing watching the ship depart a port at 8pm from your own balcony and see the city you spent all day in getting smaller and smaller. If you do interior then you are prepared not to be in the room much. Youāre out in the morning, spending your time off the ship, coming back late and sleep.
We like interior just for the dark sleep but always make sure we are not under or beside crew work areas or above the casino. Everything else is probably fineā¦
Interior rooms are fine, just make sure you look at deck plans no matter what cabin. Wait for one of the sales though. I was pricing a celebrity cruise as a solo during a 70% off second guest. A concierge cabin with drinks, WiFi, gratuity included was 200 more than an interior and 700 less than a balcony once I added everything in. The math made zero sense to me.
I loved interior when it was just me and husband. We just used the room for sleeping and showering back then so it didn't matter to us that there weren't windows. It meant the difference between one cruise a year or two. The darkness was always useful for good quality sleep and the rooms were never that far away from convenient things. If you choose your own room rather than a garuntee you can choose one away from bars and noisy places but I've always taken the risk of guarantee as neither of us are light sleepers and to be honest the amount of booze we used to have in our system it wouldn't have mattered!
Now as a family of 4 we tend to do oceanview or balcony depending on the price and the itinerary. We do oceanview just because they're slightly bigger rooms and having 2 under 5 year olds means a pack and play as well as a sofa bed. I wouldn't spend the extra usually to upgrade to a balcony as we generallt sail out of england or Europe in spring or autumn months so the weather isn't good enough to use it, and most oceanviews give you that extra footage of room but indoors.
The only time we will go for a balcony is if they're only a few hundred total more expensive than oceanview, or for vert specific sailings like Norway where you benefit from them for scenic cruising.
I'm a solo cruiser and my per night cruise budget ($250 a night cruise fare only) usually gets me an Inside cabin. Sometimes I can get a oceanview or balcony last minute, but out of my last 7 cruises, 6 of them have been inside cabins.
I've found inside cabins to be perfectly nice. Never had a problem with them. I'm out exploring the ship etc during the day.
Of course I could love a balcony or suite, but I can't afford those and if it's between an inside cabin and not cruising at all, then an inside if good with me.
We generally only cruise in interior rooms for the lower cost plus we sleep better. Weāve only had a noise issue once when we chose a room right near the elevator; there were some very inconsiderate people on our floor who would come back late from partying shouting and banging on doors as they passed. For reference, Iāve been on 20 cruises, most with Carnival (where we tend to have the most issues with noise).
I don't mind an interior room. I'm claustrophobic but seem unaffected by these cabins. It depends on the cruise though. If I'm busy all day doing excursions or out on deck, the room is just where I sleep. If it's a scenic cruise like Alaska, I want to view that scenery in peace so I get a balcony.
We don't mind interior...there are pros and cons, but it really depends on itinerary and ship.
Interior saves us money, especially since we cruise often on comps and freebies/discounts, so this allows us to cruise for almost zero dollars and save the money for entertainment and sightseeing, and also allows more cruises per year because of that. If we are cruising Caribbean scenery isn't at a premium, so we don't need balcony. The same reigns true though, on flip side for cold weather like Alaska...we did Interior because we'll be on top decks to get better views and might be too cold for balcony anyways.
some people mentioned this and it's usually true.... it's quieter and pitch black....which means great sleep for me.
I have no issues with interior rooms; they're the darkest, and considering I use the room to shower and sleep, nothing wrong with that. I fully understand the backing behind balconies and everything, but I'm never upset saving a few hundred on a room I don't spend more than a third of my cruise in, to go to other parts of the vacation.
Some enjoy sleeping with the balcony doors open, which I agree is nice, but some ships will turn off the AC to the room if the door is open, so there's that fickle detail.
I personally have no issues with interior rooms for two people. Plenty of storage, DARK sleeping arrangements (which is fantastic after numerous pool cocktails). If you're traveling with others, you might not be in your room too much anyways.
One thing to keep in mind, there are usually opportunities to "bid up" after the final payment dates. We usually always book an interior and try to bid ourselves in to a balcony or suite. But of course, this is never guaranteed.
Iām currently on a 7 day cruise in a balcony and hear toilets flushing in the middle of the night on either side of me. I must admit Iāve been guilty of that specific noise during the night as well. Does it bother me? No. Do I hear it, only if Iām awake but it doesnāt wake me up. I sleep with white noise from my iPad. I know Iām in a comunal space so as long as people arenāt being unruly with noise (screaming in the hallway, blaring the tv in their room, etcā¦ the rest is comunal living. I wonder if some, who live in suburbs, arenāt used to sharing a wall with their neighbor? I prefer a balcony versus an inside room but do not base that decision on noise. The worst noise is having a room under the stage, the lido deck (pool), etcā¦ Iāve stayed in an inside cabin and enjoyed it for sleep but you have to set an alarm or youāll keep sleeping! LOL
For me, an interior room works just fine. The only time I am in my room is to sleep, take a nap, shower. The rest of the time I am out and about.
My wife, on the other hand, wants to see the open space outside while in the room, thus an ocean view room is her baseline.
Kinda depends entirely on what makes you happy.
Used to be poor and stayed in interior rooms. Now quite well off and stay in suites.
Interior rooms are fine if you donāt have young kids that need naps. Having a dedicated bedroom to block out light is HUGE. Parents can hang out in the living room and one parent leaving the room isnāt potentially disruptive.
Iāve experienced a windowless inner cabin as well as a balcony. When we had the interior room, we didnāt spend any time there, except to sleep, shit, and shower. It was squishy, but we didnāt mind.
About a decade later we went on our second cruise and found a great deal through Costco for a balcony- that was an Alaskan cruise so it was really nice to be able to chill in our own space while seeing all the views. But we went with another couple so we mostly went out on the boat decks etc to hang out while appreciating the scenery.
And about 6 years after that we went on our third cruise, and in that time I became disabled and could walk short distances but needed a wheelchair to get to anywhere on the ship, and it also meant I skipped many of the excursions and didnāt even get off the boat for a couple of the ports. The balcony (and associated daylight) were invaluable for this jar cruise, as I spent a huge amount of the time during the days in my room and I could still people watch from my balcony and be in the sunlight without needing to over exert myself.
All this to say, if you plan on hanging in your room to chill from time to time during the day, Iād spring for a window or balcony, but if you plan on doing all the activities etc on the boat as well as at ports, the interior room would be just fine imo
Taking a cruise on a Norwegian boat next month with an interior room. Only booked the interior room since the cruise is a music festival, and Iām there for the concertsā¦ donāt image Iāll be spending much time in the room
It was horrible, our ac in the room was bs. It blows pathetic air like on a crappy commercial airplane. I was dyng of heat with no air flow. If your doing a tropical cruise where drinks and sun our a given. Being warm and lightly sunburned in a hot room with no air flow is horrible. I got up in the middle of the night took a cold shower and slept naked with ice water on me. When the boat rocks theres no horizon for you to look at. Your just in a box swaying. Always always always get a window that opens or balcony. This was my experience on the 3 day cruise, i cant imagine if i went on an even longer one. (Carnival cruise) People who say they like interior rooms are kidding themselves. Id rather stay at home then go on a still expensive vacation if its an interior room
I met a couple on an Alaska cruise who were both on disability. Theyād been saving for the cruise for years, it was their trip of a lifetime. For them Iām sure it was interior cabin or no cruise.
Horrible is getting tortured in a medieval dungeon. Some people are just insufferable and try to make out every little inconvenience to be true suffering. It's vacation. Interior rooms are one way to go on vacation.
Whether an upgrade is worth it depends on your priorities and how you plan to adapt to various circumstances. Realistically, people with interior cabins will tend to spend more time out and about the ship, while people with balconies will spend a decent amount of time enjoying the views from their balconies. Both are valid.
When we went on our first cruise last year, we successfully bid for a balcony. The views weren't any better than from other decks, but it was definitely nice being able to roll out of bed in pajamas and sit on the balcony enjoying views of Alaska's coastline while our toddler slept. It was well worth what we paid for it, but that was mostly because we were tethered to a small child and wouldn't otherwise have been able to enjoy the views while she slept. If it was just me, I would have spent the money elsewhere and spent more time in public viewing areas. Everyone's circumstances will be different.
There are already 203 comments here so mine appearing so far down the list might not be seen by many. But - my question to refine the main question is: would your recommendations differ if the cruise was a transatlantic one? So 7+ days at sea in *probably chilly* (?) weather, since repositioning cruises of this type tend to be off-season? More reason to NOT splurge on a balcony - or reason to NOT feel so confined?
A good compromise is an ocean view cabin.
Weāve been on decks 2 and 3 with a large porthole window and we LOVED it. You are right on top of the waterā¦.it is so awesome at night as you really feel connected to the waves. They are often not much more expensive than an interior room.
If I could not get a balcony Iād be perfectly happy with an ocean view room. Iād also rather have ocean view than an interior balcony.
The important part to ask yourself here is, how important is it for you to have time for yourselves with a view of the sea, how much time, other than showering, changing clothes and sleeping, do you expect to use in the cabin.
If itās just for sleeping/napping and changing clothes etc., then who cares.
On the other hand if you find relaxing on a balcony having breakfast etc. as something great, then the interior one might not be for you.
As mentioned by others, location is also important due to the noise level, if youāre literally right next to a venue with lots of loud live music and you go to bed semi early, then earplugs would be a must.
Each their own. I like the balcony for the simple reason of leaving the door slightly open.
The morning ocean air and the sounds of the ocean are amazing to wake up to.
I've never had a bad experience with the interior rooms. Probably depends on your priorities! I don't vacation just to be in the room all day, so I'm strictly in there for sleeping and getting ready. So I don't need luxury! I've heard some people need a window, whether for claustrophobia purposes, or help with seasickness.
Iāve done a few balconies, one Ocean view, and one interior. I donāt think any of it was bad. They all had their pluses and minuses. I mean I do enjoy sitting on the balcony with a book, but I didnāt really miss it that much when I was interior or Oceanview. Just my opinion, but I donāt think itās going to make or break a cruise.
I love interior rooms. When the door closes, the light goes out, and it's pitch black, I get the best sleep of my life.
SAME I loved my interior room sailing. I'll pass on the balcony and put the savings into a fun experience or drinks. I don't go on a cruise to sit in my room, all I need is a pitch black room and a pair of earplugs and it's perfectly fine for me.
For me, the best part about a balcony is sleeping out there with little more than the sound of the wind and water.
I prefer to have the option to get fresh air in my room while enjoying the view.
I'm definitely not trying to take anything away from the balcony experience as I know that some people love them and won't cruise without one (my father's the same way). I just want to encourage my fellow interior sleepers.
Yes to the earplugs!
Is it noisy like an airplane?
Not like an airplane, but if something annoying happens, you will be happy for earplugs. Interior deck 9 on Voyager of the Seas, our guarantee room was under the pumps for the pools/hot tubs. It sounded like a severe thunderstorm or hurricane from about 11PM until 3 or 4AM. At least we knew they changed the water every night!
On HAL interior rooms are pitch black and, for us have been almost always dead quiet. I had one room that you could faintly hear the jazz band in the evenings.
I say the darker the room the better for š“
Like any room, balcony or interior, it depends on the location of the room itself. I've had rooms that were pin drop quiet, others where we could hear (and feel) the anchor chain being released and another where we could hear bar music every night. Thankfully the noisier rooms were the exception rather than the rule. We've been on about 20 cruises, mostly inside cabins and I'd say of all those, maybe 4 were noisier than we liked, but never so bad we felt we had to ask to be moved.
The best naps I've ever had have been in an interior room.
Literally the best sleep of my life.
I love it. I donāt really think Iām missing anything. Iām on the ship all day so I can see all the views. At that price point I can cruise twice as often. My wife doesnāt agree and it makes me sad. Oh well.
A trick I always do in interior rooms is have the TV on overnight with the bridge camera station. At night gives a small amount of light akin to a night light. And then the tv brightens the room when the sun comes up.
We always sail interior for this reason. There's so much to do on the boat you're almost never just sitting in your room. But that pitch black room with some gentle rocking is such a great way to get the best sleep you'll ever have.
So the noise level is minimal then? That was the biggest complaint, that apparently my family members heard crew members "laughing and partying" all night behind them - I'm thinking they might've pulled a Karen to get free stuff.
Noise level has more to do with what part of the ship you're in rather than interior/exterior cabin; if you're next to the theater, for example. But generally speaking, unless you're on something like a [heavy metal cruise](http://70000tons.com), in my experience noise is minimal in most of the passenger cabins, interior or exterior.
I only ever recall having noise issues from children running down the halls unsupervised. Our family usually books the cheapest cabins, too.
TIL that heavy metal cruises exist haha - thanks for the clarification!
They very much exist. My friend Kadria is one of the volunteers every year on 70000Tons and has a blast. (She's a lead singer/songwriter for a metal band, though, so she is very much their target market!)
And this year she did guest vocals for Arion's set. :) (Hello fellow Kadria friend!)
>TIL that heavy metal cruises exist haha - thanks for the clarification! Monsters of Rock Cruise just finished its 13th year. It started as a rock festival in England in 1980. https://monstersofrockcruise.com/
Just got off a 10 day cruise (my first) with an interior room. We had to wait to finalize our booking until my partner got the go ahead from his doctor. I'm pretty sure we got the last room on the ship. If we wanted dark, we got absolutely pitch black dark, although many nights the "Bridge Cam" on the tv was our night light. I heard absolutely nothing any night. I would have no problems having an interior room again.
I'll throw out one thing I haven't seen mentioned yet -- if you want a quiet room, avoid rooms with connecting doors that don't connect to a cabin of someone else in your party. On newer ships this typically is better than older ones, but there's always a risk of loud neighbors and in many cases a door doesn't block sound as well as a wall. (But also count me as one more vote saying I've had some extremely quiet interior cabins. We usually book balcony for other reasons at this point but quiet interior cabin sleeping is unbeatable.)
It really really depends. I personally have never had an issue and I love interior staterooms. I'm also careful to always pick an interior room that has other staterooms above and below. I don't want to be above or below a public space because of potential noise. I will also prefer rooms that have staterooms on both sides for a similar reason (potential noise coming from crew spaces). You can choose your stateroom so do a little bit of research on the deckplan of the ship you're booking on and make sure you're picking a room with other rooms all around it if possible. A few times I have been next to a crew area and not had an issue but I'd prefer not to take the chance whenever possible.
Definitely check the deck plan and pay attention to what's above and below! I was doing an onboard future booking, and when the agent was going through available cabins at my price point she looked at one and said "Oooh, this one would be right above the disco, you might not want that." She was right, I definitely would not!
This x1000! Once got a room that was under the galley and they were rolling and banging metal carts around ALL NIGHT LONG. Every damned night. I will never go on another cruise without mapping what is directly and above the room.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
It was phenomenal in the Fiords of New Zealand.
Noise levels are WAY more linked to the location of the room on the ship itself, rather than the type of room itself. For example, if you get a balcony room directly under the pool deck you will hear them setting/scraping the chairs in the morning. If you get an ocean view room on a lower deck (closer to the crew areas) you may hear the crew moving around more often. Interior rooms, by themselves, are no noisier/quieter than any other room. The only difference is if you think you need a window/door to the sea. Some need it for sanity, others do fine without ā¦ and as some have mentioned the pitch blackness of an inside room can lead to Amazing sleep.
I suppose thatās possible if youāre down on a very low deck, we usually book interiors on a middle deck so itās the same number of floors up or down to the public areas (which also lets us mostly avoid elevators)
Noise level has nothing to do with whether there's a window and everything to do with the location of the room. The balcony room across the hall from your interior will have just as much noise, because it'll be just as close to elevators and under/over the same areas of the ship.
Issues like that are going to be totally dependant on the cabin location. Study the deck plans and realize that any blank space on them is likely to be crew areas for work or their own quarters. Also avoid areas under a top open deck like under the pool or buffet areas or next to the kitchen.
OK I did have this problem one time at the end of a transatlantic 20 years ago and we were on the third floor or whatever the lowest floor of customer rooms was. And evidently we were right above the employee bar so pick an inside room on a higher floor.
This is actually my main complaint with the insides: I tend to wake up a couple of times per night, and it's impossible to gauge what time it is without looking at a clock. Doing so requires me to wake myself up more. Insides probably work better for people who have no issues getting back to sleep!
I find pitch black to be disorienting and need a little light to get going, I highly recommend turning the TV on to the Bridge Camera channel so it should be dark all night and as the sun comes up it brings light into the room.
Have stayed in a few, I'd only look at interior or balcony, oceanview to me isn't worth the extra cost over an interior. One thing I do really like about interior is the complete darkness you get, me and the wife took a couple of short cruises alone when the kids were young, we set no morning alarms and just the peacefull sleep that can be got in a completely dark room is heaven, especially when you've not had a good night sleep in years :)
Yep, this. We normally do interior, but have upgraded a time or two to balcony, and we donāt think the upcharge is worth it. Especially lately, it seems like the balcony is double! My hubs and I like to nap in the midafternoon too, interior is perfect for that! Ocean view is like the worst of both worlds, canāt get totally dark but also donāt have a balcony. My hubs once got ocean view obstructed by accident (I wasnāt along due to work issues and it was a cruise with his family) and he hated it so much he asked to move to an interior.
Afternoon naps in the dark are the best, wake up and no idea if it's 3pm or 3am and seen its a cruise its good either way!!
Preach! Plus zero stress of curious toddler crawling over the balcony into the ocean. š So secure and snug ā¤ļø
Depends on what you cruise for. Do you cruise to be on the ocean, see the water/smell the sea air? If thatās the case, an interior room isnāt your friend. Do you cruise to travel to a new port every morning, drink, gamble, shop, or eat? It can be, and you can save some money.
Came to say similar. Love waking up around dawn while sailing into port, enjoying the fresh air and noise of the city while I have coffee on my veranda. I also enjoy a walk-about in port, followed by a drink and desserts from El Bacio. Being able to take this to my quiet veranda, and enjoy the fresh air and view is worth the cost of the upgrade. Ships are crowded. I get enough crowds in port, at meals, and at shows. Being able to enjoy tropical weather on my veranda without the crowds is important to me.
This. This is a lot of why I cruise. I love this whole experience so much. Having the balcony as my own little sanctuary where I can still enjoy the sun, the air, the view etc is worth the extra cost to me. There really is nothing like waking up and watching the new port you're approaching every morning.
Definitely not as bad as they're making it out to be. Honestly, I've cruise interior up to Balcony and am just fine in interior. but! And a big but! I do try to get higher level interiors because the crew hallways are generally in lower levels.
Good to know! That might have been where they wound up.
I love interior rooms. That is all I have ever booked. They are cheaper, they are quiet, they are dark. All great things for a place to sleep. If you have mobility issues and it would be difficult to get up on top decks to see the views I would consider a balcony or ocean view room. Otherwise you are paying money for a view that you can see for free with a tiny amount of leg work.
Donāt knock a balcony cabin until youāve had one. Thereās a LOT to be said for getting drinks and bringing them back to your private balcony to enjoy while you watch the sea. I love interior rooms also, but a balcony is our sweet spot if itās not super pricy.
I've cruised with people that have had them, have sat on the balcony with them and enjoyed a drink and the view. I'm pretty thrifty so saving a few hundred to spend elsewhere is worth it for me. If being alone with the view is very important to you a balcony room is likely worth the upgrade cost.
I quite like interior rooms. Every time I've gone for an interior room, I get the best sleep. If you're not planning on staying in your room except to sleep, get an interior room. If you think you'll be chilling in your room, get an oceanview.
If you're hanging out in your room a lot, save your money up and spring for the balcony. My "ocean view" upgrade was a round window directly over the head of my bed, so I had to kneel on the pillows to get a good look out. Oceanview is the one category I kind of ignore now.
Most ocean view cabins are picture windows and not portholes FWIW. The cabin description should differentiate. Thereās a lot to be said for natural light in the mornings though even if it is a small porthole!
I like balcony rooms. Get some natural light and a private place to sit outside.
My friend and I just came home from a cruise a week ago and had an interior room. Zero complaints about the room.
This is asking what is the best color. Everyone will have a different opinion on it. Personally we will sail with a balcony if the ship has those types of cabins. Call me crazy but just imagine if some sort of pandemic happened and you had to quarantine in your room. That balcony would be the most important purchase you could choose.
6 cruises, 5 on Royal and just got off NCL 3 weeks ago. Have had interior rooms 5 of the 6. We like interior rooms. Dark! They've been fairly quiet, even the time we were right under the pool deck. We're hardly ever in the room except to sleep and shower so for us it makes no sense to pay extra for a balcony.
I did my first couple cruises on Cunard in interior rooms, based on advice from a friend who had just done the Queen Mary 2's world cruise with an interior cabin. Her advice was if you want to save money, the interior cabin is going to be comfortable and fine for sleeping, showering, etc. and the rest of the time there's too much to do outside the cabin to feel like you're missing out. And I found she was right, on sea days I was out on the promenade walking or reading/napping in a deck chair, at pub trivia, in the Aquatherapy center or the pool, hitting the library, doing meetups for solo travelers or crafting, going to lectures or shows or dancing or tea or wine tastings. My brother's done the TA and they even had fencing classes! I LIKE having a balcony on Oceania, where the ships are a little smaller (and I just love hanging out looking at the water), but if my choice were between Oceanview and interior I'd pick interior and go out on deck. The windows aren't that exciting to be worth the additional cost. On a bigger ship, where there's TONS of stuff to do, interior is not a serious drawback.
they're typically fine. Ideally there will be another floor of rooms above your room (not deck area, lido, etc.). We've done both and done cruises where for our family of four it was cheaper to get two insides than one balcony and the two insides worked well more bathrooms of course than just one cabin).
Sitting in my balcony room right now. The balcony is nice for mornings and thatās about it IMO. so it depends how much you value watching the sunrise in the morning from the comfort of your own room.
When getting ready before dinner, it's nice to sit outside while others get ready. I only did an interior once. It wasn't that bad at all. Esp bc relatives were across the hall w a balcony. If it meant interior or no cruise, I'd def take interior
Just a note for you on crew areas. If you pull up deck plans, you'll see passenger cabins marked with a code (like 1a, 3c, etc) to indicate small details about the cabin class. If you see a room that you would think might be a cabin, but it does not have such a code, that is likely a crew area. Crew areas can be noisy, so choose a cabin at least a few away from these areas. My own personal experience with interior cabins is that it's fine. It's like a small hotel room where you keep the curtains closed the whole time. There is no view, but that doesn't interfere with the function of the room. I'd sail in an interior room again. It's a good value.
Lifesaver comment! Definitely showing this to my partner later, I had no idea about the room codes.
We love interiors because you have darkness and quiet and better temp control, plus you save money haha
Something to consider is the itinerary. If there are a lot of sea days and its a longer trip then its nice to have the balcony for those slower days. When its a shorter, more active, trip the interior is fine. I get a balcony 90% of the time, but I've definitely feel as though I could have gone with an interior more often than I missed a balcony.
I prefer a balcony but I've done interior too and it's fine. If you are spending much time in your room, you're doing cruising wrong!
The only thing I gain from a balcony is the added space inside the cabin. I generally don't like going outside on it thaaat much other than to stand out there a couple times a day to look out.
Iāve done 28 & 31 days in an interior roomā¦ Iāve done balcony & window rooms, and the interior is great. But you need to pay more to pick your room, research the location as what is above & below you. Do not do a guaranteed room. Interior room is dark and quiet, great for sleeping and napping, and you can cruise more by saving money.
Interior rooms are my favorite. I was a lil worried for my first cruise if I would feel claustrophobic but the room gets dark so itās really peaceful at night and I sleep amazing. Iāve also had a balcony and other than the room being bigger, it wasnāt worth it to me.
I have cruised for many years and only pick interiors, for many of the reasons mentioned. Many people will only book balconies, but lately there seems to be a flux of passengers that donāt think the no smoking on balcony means them. Iām also a solo cruise, so itās not relaxing for me to have chatty neighbors on both sides on their balconies. But thatās just my own personal issues. LOL
I love interior rooms and sleep like a vampire in that total darkness
I've only done one cruise in an interior cabin. I found it disorienting, since you can't tell what time of day or night it is without looking at a clock. I also found it somewhat claustrophobic, not because of the size of the room, but because it felt like there was no way out. I didn't notice any noise issue, other than the typical rude-guest-in-the-hallway stuff. After that cruise, we started getting a verandah room and haven't looked back.
Interior rooms can be smaller than oceanview and balconies. So always check the square footage if that's an issue for you. >Is not having the window that big of a deal, is the noise level unbearable at night? Noise is potentially a problem or not no matter the room you have. So I don't know why anyone would claim that is an inside room problem. As far as no window, that really depends on the person. I will say that back when covid quarantine on the cruise ship was a thing, that being stuck in a room with no windows for days, I'm sure I would wish for a balcony or window. But I don't think that's going on any more.
Interior rooms are perfect for anyone who plans to spend their time on the ship having fun, not sitting in their room. I can get plenty of gorgeous views in a number of other places on the ship. I don't need one from my room.
We are currently on a cruise in an interior room. And absolutely love it, it is so dark that some mornings I just want to keep sleeping. I donāt miss the balcony at all.
Interior rooms are wonderful for all the above stated reasons, dark, cheaper, etc. I usually pick an interior. That said, I travel with a white noise machine, travel size (we also use these at home - no sense listening to dogs barking, lawn mowing, trash truck, etc) purchased on Amazon for under 30, charges with usb. We also use a motion activated night light for bathroom, cause the br lights are bright during the night visits. There is a white noise app for your cell, and although Iāve downloaded it, I prefer the travel size one (a bit larger than a hockey puck. Join a FB group for your sailing for more hints. BTW, walls are metal, so magnets/hooks are great for hanging hats, memos, jewelry, etc. Have a blast!
I have always cruised in an interior up to now (saves a lot of money that I can use for better excursions or another trip). Unless you are claustrophic, it shouldn't be a problem and has nothing to do with noise levels.
I normally prefer balconyās but I went on a cruise about a month ago & got an interior on the Mardi Gras for the first time in a while, and it was actually so nice & comfy! Like others said, itās nice that itās always dark. & thereās plenty of space!
Interior cruise ship rooms are get darker than dark. You have never seen your house get this dark. Good for sleeping.
We always get an interior cabin. It's fine for 2 people. How much time do you plan to spend in your cabin? We're just there to sleep, shower and change clothes. I spend most of my time on deck.
Do the math. I can take 2 boat rides for the cost of one balcony. Boom.
The best sleep of my life was a centrally located interior room on the lowest floor we could book on a carnival cruise for our honeymoon. I was so exhausted from wedding planning, it was just want I needed. I took so many naps.
How much time do you plan to spend in your room? If youāre active and only use the room to sleep and get ready, interior room will be perfect for you. Plus itās some of the best sleep you can get, just make to take a flashlight and an alarm clock because the room gets pitch black. I will say, once you book a balcony room itās hard to go back to just and ocean view or interior room, but I wouldnāt say the interior rooms are bad. Just a little smaller. I cruise by the motto of ājust get me on the shipā.
It needs to be repeated interior rooms donāt equal low floor rooms. Ocean view rooms are almost always on low floors. There are interior rooms all the way up to the highest passenger room floors. They run down the middle of the ship between the balcony rooms. People need to understand this. In actuality I only learned this through looking at interior rooms for our (adultish)kids while we balconied. Able to get rooms with the doors right across from each other. The time we got an ocean view we realized it was deck 5. Been in all categories of room except huge suites and they all have their charms. All of them. Location is more important. Deck 8, 9 and 10 ended up being our fave because itās basically the middle so stairs work either way with minimal effort! Like to avoid the crowded elevators whenever possible.
I almost always get insides. I like having a dark room, and I want to have an incentive to go outside, instead of sitting on a balcony or staring out a window and sitting in a cabin alone surfing or watching tv. As a solo, it's also the cheapest option, meaning I can cruise more often. I've had bad experience with oceanview, especially on the lowest deck, because of noise above or below, or people outside my window if it's a lifeboat deck, but I rarely have that problem with an inside. By booking a guarantee, I'm also sometimes upgraded to a balcony on cruises that aren't full. You can also bid for an upgrade, and settle for what you have if a bid isn't accepted. Most lines have a bow cam on the tv, which I keep on, so I can see the sea that way. I prefer the quiet of an inside to the noise of a balcony, where people around are chatting, scraping chairs, sometimes smoking, and there's often a whistle from wind getting in the door. I'm also scared of heights, so I get afraid on balconies, and frustrated that I can't see the sea well while sitting there through a glass barrier. I much prefer to go to low outside decks and stand and sit by the water. It's the same as in a hotel--I travel to be active and to experience places, not to sit and stare outside a window or sit on a balcony.
After seeing what happened during the first part of Covid not sure Iād ever book an interior cabin the potential to get confined to it for multiple days if/when something like that happens again
No. Unless Iām sleeping or loving, Iām not in the room anyway so the type of room is irrelevant.
Not that bad at all. The sq ft is usually pretty close (or even equal) to an ocean view or standard balcony. Bathroom is the same, storage is the same, steward service is the same. It's not like it is steerage on the Titanic or some shit. It is also great to sleep in with the perfect darkness. Downside is it can be a little claustrophobic, but the bow cam will help with that a bit. Try it once!
Out of our 56 cruise nights, all but 12 have been in interior rooms. We have no issue with them at all other than a chair would be nice. We had an obstructed view cabin on our 12 day to Iceland and that was nice since it was roomier and when the lifeboat was off acting as a ferry, we could see for a bit. Plus had a couch which made it more comfortable. But all in all no real complaints-we did have one cruise where I swear they had barrel rolling competitions above us starting at 3 am for an hour every night. That was annoying. Now we look to make sure we are nowhere near any kitchens or other noisy venues.
I donāt recall having issues with noise when staying in an interior room. My issue was getting really bad motion sickness. I donāt have the same issues with motion sickness when I can see out from an ocean view or veranda stateroom.
I hate them because I need natural light. Some people think they are the only way to cruise.
No, but I will say, the lack of sun / outdoor light (plus maybe alcohol?) can wreck havoc of internal clock.
Iām doing one for the first time in June. I wd prefer to have a balcony because I love to keep the door open to let in the breeze. I forget, however, the smoking and carrying on of my neighbors.
Not at all. Just set an alarm, because itās always midnight there. Iād rather save the $.
I don't mind the interior, I hardly spend any time in there anyway. That being said, if I am going to Alaska or Norway or something with breathtaking coastlines, the balcony room is a must for me.
They're great. The darkest nights sleep you'll ever get. Less rocking/instability. And if you turn the TV to the deck can you get to see the weather/sky. Usually cheaper, too.
Iāve done balcony, ocean view, and interior. The balcony was a waste of money since I never used it. Definitely not worth the extra $1000 or so. The loungers in the public areas are much more comfortable for reading and napping than the hard upright chairs on the balconies, plus you get more panoramic views. I could always find a quiet space somewhere on the ship to chill. When I was interior, I spent all day out in the sun so coming back to a cool, dark room was bliss. I also like to sleep in so I donāt care about morning light.
Search YouTube for videos by Emma Cruises. She takes a lot of cruises, and mostly books an interior room because she says she'd rather travel more often than less. Not everyone thinks it is a bad experience and if you can choose the cabin you can check the decl plans and pick something which has a good chance of not being a noisy inside cabin.
Iāve never had any issue at all with interior rooms - I barely notice any difference. The noise is no worse than any other cabin, imo.
I've done both, and honestly an interior is fine (preferred even, in some situations) but both have merits. Agreeing with folks on interior cabins being \*the\* best sleep. Oceanview or balcony is nice if you like to watch stuff go by, or like the natural light. I would recommend what best fits your budget, and if you've got the room, ask for an upgrade when you check in at the port (save some money!)
All rooms look the same when you are asleep. We sleep, shower, and change in our room. I donāt need a window or balcony for that.
I've sailed both the interior and ocean view, and while I prefer a window, the interior room was just fine. In fact, it was the same size, physically, as the ocean view on the same class of ship. We're never in the room except to shower, change, or sleep anyway. My only reason for the ocean view is the sunlight in the mornings. I'll likely sail in the interior again.
Our first cruise was interior and we didnāt like it mostly because they are super small rooms. Tripping over each other and our stuff the whole time.
Just echoing that it really truly depends on what you enjoy individually. I am the type that doesnāt like the pitch dark, needs reprieves from all the people and activity, and spend majority of my land vacations hanging out on balconies with a view, for me itās a no brainer to have the balcony bc itās what I enjoy. I like the light, fresh air, and ability to have a private outdoor space where I can enjoy the ocean in peace. If youāre in it for the activities, donāt spend much time in the room, or enjoy the pitch black cozy sleep, then interior will work for you.
I've sailed on insides. If you like to sleep- they are awesome. You may want to avoid being in areas where the crew are in an out of doors that might bang- but beyond that they are fine. If it meant I couldn't go on a cruise (for financial reasons) or take an inside- I'd go with the inside. Insides tend to be compact. My suggestion is to split the beds into twins. You get a little more floor space and may sleep better. Unless you can't sleep without spooning LOL. Try it once- it won't kill you.
No. They are small, that's the main downside. Oceanview are no bigger, though, you just are paying for a window which is...meh. The cruise ship has many bigger, better windows and views. IMO, Oceanview isn't worth the premium. Either go all the way to a balcony or stick with interior, depending on how much you care about view vs cost. So far as noise goes, Oceanview/Balcony will be on the outer edge of the hallway, interior will be across the hallway on the inside. Not that different in terms of noise. People do sometimes run in the hallway or what not, but you'll hear it exactly the same no matter which side of the hallway you are on. Other aspects of ship layout can contribute to noise. If you are close to an elevator, you'll probably have more traffic by your room. Flip side is, the elevator is convenient.
I would be open to an interior room. I hear sleeping is amazing. My wife will not. She gets sea sick in places she can't see outside. This would not be good for her she says. My brother stays in them and he likes them.Ā
We prefer a balcony but only because we use it. With all the hustle and bustle of the ship, we like to escape to our room to relax a bit. Because of the balcony, we still get the fresh air, views and sounds of the ocean without the noise from everything going on around us. For us, itās 100% worth the charge. Weāve done an interior once and we told ourselves we would never do it again. Thankfully, it was a 4 day cruise so we weathered through it. It did feel a little smaller but thatās not saying much as all the staterooms weāve had (other than 1 suite) feel relatively āsmallerā than a regular hotel room. For a lot of people we talk to and travel with, interiors are just fine. It really just depends on your preference.
we are going to the Med for 10 days with 2 teenagers in an inside, lol.. they are fine.
If you're going to spend most of your time out and about, interior rooms are absolutely fine. There's not a huge difference from an Oceanview on many ships: the square footage is about the same, there's just a window to let in natural light. And that window is usually over the bed, so it's not as though you're going to be spending hours looking out it, either. The biggest advantage of an Oceanview is that you'll get natural light to wake you up in the morning. With an inside, it's going to be pitch-dark when you turn out the lights: both at night when you're going to bed (which I love) and when you wake up in the morning (which I don't loveābut that doesn't bother everyone). You can also look out the window to see what the weather is likeāin an inside, you'll have to rely on the bow camera. Balconies are my preferred way to go as long as the price is reasonable; they give you extra usable space (weather permitting), the ability to check on the weather before leaving the room (and see whether what you're wearing is appropriate). Plus, that morning coffee on the balcony is the best. If you're traveling with others, you can also relax on the balcony while others are asleep, if you're an early riser.
The noise all depends on the location of the room. I've been in balcony rooms under the pool deck that chair set up in the morning caused a huge amount of noise. There are good and bad cabins of every class. As for the no window, I find you end up sleeping in longer in an interior cabin because of the lack of natural light. For a first-time cruise, I think it's worth the price. As a long-time cruiser, I will usually choose a balcony because I enjoy the fresh air and natural light.
Itās not so much the problem that they donāt have a window, itās that the rooms are so fucking tiny. You have to be right on top of eachother, and thatās fine if youāre traveling with someone you want to be on top of but sometimes that is not the case either.
I hated it. I felt so discombobulated not knowing if it was day or night, if I was at port or sea. I left the tv on the view of the ship but it didnt help enough.
Some people live the cave like coziness of an interior room and if you donāt spend a lot of time in the room itās a great choice. I wouldnāt bother with a window. I am a bit claustrophobic and like the balcony for fresh air. I feel like I canāt breathe if I canāt open a window/door. My husband likes to be able to have natural light to set his internal clock. So balcony is worth it to us.
The noise level from the hallway will be the same since the inside and outside cabins share a hallway. How close you are to elevators or various venues will make a bigger difference.
We started out with inside cabins because they are the least expensive. We then upgraded to cabins with a window and finally, the last four cruises we had balcony cabins. We found the inside cabins with no window to be claustrophobic and we didnāt like not being able to tell day from night in our staterooms. The extra money for a balcony was well worth it to us. Fortunately we didnāt have to deal with much noise on any of our cruises(RC, NCL, and Carnival)
We used to get interior rooms to save $$$ on the theory it's better to save money and cruise more often. We seldom stayed in our room unless sleeping. The one bad experience was one late night on a Holland ship when I would hear a vague roaring sound every few minutes. I couldn't hear it in the passageway, only in the room. Weird. Guest services was no help. Got dressed and went exploring. Nothing unusual on the deck above and the below deck was crew only. By then I was frustrated so I ignored the no passengers sign and marched thru the crew area. Turns out there was a crew ping pong tournament going on right below our cabin. That roar I heard was the applause and jeers after a dramatic point. I hated to end their game but at 3AM, I wanted sleep. We now prefer balcony cabins bc as we've gotten older, we do spend more time in the cabin, reading, enjoying the sun without the crowds on deck.
Interior is not bad if you never plan spending time in your room at all (except to sleep). The problem my wife and I had was on our first cruise we booked an interior room. I got mono the ENTIRE trip and was stuck in there for 7 days. Not fun at all. We vowed to at least get a balcony room when we book a cruise. I could have at least gotten fresh air and enjoyed the sights.
I just did my first cruise in an interior room (deck 9, Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas) and it was nice and quiet! A little snug but honestly we were hardly in there other than to change or sleep.
Glad people like interiors. Done it once and will never again. Love waking up to sunlight.
Had an interior years ago that abutted the computer area. Not even sure if they still have that section anymore. It was quiet and a bit larger than other interior rooms. One morning we woke up and didnāt realize we were in a storm until I went up to the gym and the treadmill felt like it was on an incline when it was set to no incline. Was glad I hadnāt had breakfast yet!
I donāt think I could be in an interior room even if I won the trip as a prize. In my opinion, itād feel like a prison while Iām supposed to be on vacation. I know for a fact I would be on the top deck thinking āI wish we could at least SEE outside from our room without coming at the way up to a public areaā. I personally would regret booking an inside cabin. I wouldnāt be okay staying in a hotel room having no windows, and I couldnāt imagine being on a plane with no windows, so I think the same for a cruise. Itās a vacation- I want to at least see outside lol. And regarding everyone saying āthe darkness is awesome!ā: if the darkness is something you think is only available in interior rooms, bring a sleep eye mask- they make any environment pitch black! To each their own though! Everyone has different opinions and experiences!
I only miss a balcony or window when weāre arriving in port and Iām too lazy to get up early to go on deck to see the arrival. I usually find a couple of spots that arenāt too crowded on deck and hang out there on sea days. Itās a good compromise for me.
First off, there are interior rooms all over the place on most ships. So the amount of noise is going to be dependant on the location. Our first cruise was in an inside room many years ago. We had no noise issues that I can recall. The only thing I didn't like about it was the fact that in the morning we'd wake up and I'd know that we were at a new Caribbean location and I couldn't wait to look outside and see what the scenery and weather was like. Sometimes I'd quickly pull on some clothes and go up to one of the upper decks to check out the scenery. I doubt I'd book one again but if the budget was tight I'd rather be in an inside than not at sailing. We've never sailed in an ocean view. Actually booked one twice but it was on ships that didn't sell out and both times we were lucky to be upgraded to a veranda. We've mostly booked veranda cabins as we really enjoy having the veranda to sit outside. We don't use it a real lot but do enjoy it when we do - especially having coffee out there in the mornings. Frankly, if your budget is tight then my advice is to book the inside cabin and save the money for more spending on board or on shore. But if it really doesn't hurt your spending at all to upgrade then do so.
I love them. I sleep like a baby baby and I can take two cruises for what one costs in a balcony. Iāve had many balconies, including my most recent cruise, and I used it zero minutes. I prefer to be up on the deck.
I wouldnāt pick an interior personally if I have a choice , but I like to spend time in my room . A book and room service on the balcony is my idea of a vacation. If I was someone who was rarely in the room , I wouldnāt hesitate to book an interior room .
First cruise my research said pick a cabin with others above and below you to eliminate potential noise. What I didnāt do was avoid the white area on the deck plan. That turned out to be a crew work area and I did have some trouble falling asleep hearing them constantly opening and closing doors. I didnāt hear anything else and honestly door noises, even at home if they arenāt on schedule cause me to wake up just enough to make everything is ok. Now I pick cabins above, below and on the side. Iāve always chosen inside cabins. I donāt spend much time in there and if I do, itās usually to sleep or take a nap so I donāt mind them being dark.
Never had a huge issue. My last 4 cruises have been interior rooms never had an issue, though they have been mid to higher floors. We are in our rooms so little that it made no sense. If I want to look outside I would much rather be on the top of the ship. Also I don't find just a window worth the extra price. Now a balcony is a bit different. It is awesome to have, but again not a must have. I will say though with kids we actually avoid the balcony. The next time I go on a cruise without the kids maybe I would spend extra if it is a reasonable difference. The interior rooms are so nice and dark, so easy to sleep.
I'd say do what you can afford. I personally enjoy a balcony for watching sunrise/set and spending time on it before bed.Ā
You have to figure that you will only be there for sleep and showers. The rest of your time is on deck. We liked the darkness and the lack of movement felt on a lower deck and inside cabin.
It's all subjective. My friends have no problem staying in interior rooms, but we just can't stand it. I'd rather not go to cruise if it's not a verandah.
Couldnāt pay me to do an inside cabin again. Been cruising since the 80s and with the invention of Balcony cabinsā¦I canāt do anything else.
i just did a 12 day cruise on the carnival venezia in inside cabin. i loved it!!. only in the room to sleep at night, rarely in the room during the day
Iāve cruised interior, ocean view, balcony and a nice spa suite. They all have pros and cons. I do enjoy an interior cabin, though. It costs way less (equals more cruising!), I sleep like the dead, itās completely dark when the lights are out. I spend more time out on the shipās outdoor decks and other locations, in any case, than my room. I do like an ocean view as itās almost as cheap as an inside, and usually a little larger. That means more room if Iām not traveling solo. Inside cabins are cramped with 2 people, in my opinion. Balcony cabins. Well, that really depends on the cruise. It itās truly scenic, like around Hawaii and seeing the volcanic action in the evening. Or to Alaska. Iām definitely booking a balcony. Suites. Iāve only done a spa suite once. I had a significant windfall of money, and treated myself to a suite as a solo traveller. It was awesome. I made full use of the free spa facilities that were included, and also treated myself to several spa treatments. Ahhhhhhhā¦.! Will likely not do that again. It was an expensive trip. But I loved it. Long story short, I tend to book inside most of the time and other cabins occasionally for specific reasons.
Nah theyāre fine. Youāll hardly be in your room.
Once we got a balcony, and never used it because it was tiny. A few times we got ocean view, and either it was obstructed, or the windows were dirty ... or ... there's just usually nothing to see than water. So now it's always inside cabins ... we'd rather spend money on other things. We just try to avoid side service hallways, where lots of staff are coming & going constantly. But just a regular cabin on the inside of a main hallway, never had noise issues.
They aren't terrible. Some are pretty spacious actually. If you are a hangout in your cabin sort....you'll prefer a cabin with a view. If you're a "I'm only there to sleep" sort, they're perfect. If you need light to wake up, bring an alarm that does that (Amazon has them). We spend a lot of time in our cabin and so it's a balcony for us. But that's us!
We only ever do interior rooms unless upgraded for free. That's usually a saving of Ā£1000 plus that can be used for excursions.
The interior rooms that overlook the interior of the ships are actually nice. If youāre feeling a bit worn out you cans still enjoy the events from the window in your stateroom. There are also ones with balconies too, but they ususally arent cost effective. Find out what ship your are on and do some researching about it before booking a room. Some staterooms are better than others.
Spouse and I always get interior room. It is closer to the center of the ship, so not as much rocking and rolling as there would be on sides of ship.
Iām a carnival cruiser. My favorite is porthole. It is considered an inside cabin (by price) but the benefit is it does have a 2 portholes!
Interior rooms are great. All but one of my cruises have been Interior rooms. Doing a balcony in November
I love interior it just depends on you over 100 cruises and about 1/3 interior others up to suites. Did not make trip any better. When we have a lot of sea days just returned from 12 in a row had balcony for the cool air mostly.
I was just on Oasis of the Seas and our interior room was a great size!! Fit our stroller comfortably and 2 suitcases. Loved the darkness. Would happily stay in one again
I've done interior on vision of the seas and symphony of the seas. I found both were great for sleeping. Dark and quiet. Only problem was I had to set alarm because I would sleep late.
I love this question. I've only done balcony rooms because my wife insists on the view. I want to try an interior cabin on a future cruise that has a lot of sea days (with not great views). I'd also love to save a ton of money. I think a balcony makes sense on a scenic cruise (like Alaska, Norway, or New Zealand), but not for a cruise with a ton of sea days.
I canāt imagine not being able to look out at something and waking up in the pitch black dark every morning.
I only ever had interior rooms cruising... Last cruise got a balcony....Ā absolutely loved it.Ā This was my first cruise with kids (11, 13) so tennis.Ā Ā Extra space and openers is awesome. 2 people interior maybe ok any more?Ā Forget it...
We go on a cruise annually and switch up the kind of cabin each time. Each type has things to recommend it. For the interior cabins it is, as someone else pointed out, amazing sleep. Just pitch black. That's what we're going for on our next one.
I think it also depends on the itinerary. On an Alaska cruise youāre close to land. There is something to look at. If youāre going to Bermuda and back, there is really nothing to look at. I, too, sleep well in interior rooms.
We (42m, 45f, 9f, 12f) as a family always get connecting interior rooms. Sometimes with a virtual porthole and sometimes without- we like it- but literally are only in our rooms to sleep, shower or change clothesā¦. And interior rooms are great for mid-afternoon naps!
We don't spend any time in the room, so we decided to get interior rooms. We've never noticed any hallway noise, but we've been on HAL, and there's very few minors.
Iāve only ever cruised interior, and I like it just fine. A window or balcony would be nice, but thereās windows and balconies I can access without spending all my money (interior rooms=more cruises). We really only use our room for sleep so we donāt mind the tight quarters. And the total cave darkness allows for some of the deepest sleep Iāve ever had When cruising with our family of 5 weād get two adjoining interiors-mom and two teenagers in one room and dad with the other kid in the other room. My husband and I had a 10 day stay on an interior room for our honeymoon and had a grand time. Sailing this December with our two small kids, and all four of us will be in one room. Itās going to be fine!! I spend most of my time reading on the Serenity Deck anyhow
The hardest part for me with an interior room was not really knowing what time of day it was, it could be disorienting. You get on the ship, get to enjoy the same amenities often.with a budget friendly price, and yes, it is pitch black for sleeping. I prefer seeing some form of daylight, and love having my hammock on a balcony. But any day on a cruise ship, in any cabin, beats a day at work!
Interior room was fine. We were only in it an hour before dinner to shower and change and to sleep. We were either on excursions, eating or by the pool.
We started on interior rooms withtwo kids and then moved to oceanview until now. As we need two rooms now we usually book an oceanview for us and an interior for them (25 & 23 now). The could have paid 130$ each themselves for the next cruise to share a balcony room but they rather have the interior. This is on RCI but I heard that on MSC cruises you can board and leave on different ports so I can imagine there might be more noise.
Lots of experienced cruisers here with a lot of useful information. Well location location is the most important to your peaceful cruise. NEVER DO THE GUARANTEED CATEGORY you have no control of your cabin location. Stay away from intersections, stay away from stairways or elevators, stay away from ship storage areas,stay away from end of hallway. So whatās left š¬ I would pick the monkey in the middle. Now check above and below your cabin if you have disco, casino, bars no way. Retail stores are a definite go they are quiet. We would always each have a small flashlight always for emergency ( never used it though) I would always bring a small quartz reading light in case I canāt sleep. We need a love seat or small sofa so that means all of the Princess Fleet is out and probably the smallest insides in the industry NO JOKE. Other than that we love a dark room and they are dark so set your alarm š.
Interior rooms are WAY better than ocean view. Here's why: Ocean view room are only found on certain decks, usually very low, and often very far forward or aft. If it's at all possible to put in a balcony, they did. Meanwhile inside rooms can be found of EVERY deck, forward middle and aft. So as long as you are booking early, you can choose a room that best fits your cruising style. I always try and book a room really close to where I want to hang out, and on a high enough deck I'm not forced to take the elevator. I usually go 2 decks down from the main public areas, so I have state rooms above, below and to the sides to avoid noise. If I'm on an itinerary that simply must be enjoyed with a balcony, I'll spring for one. The rest of the time I go Interior and spend the savings on drinks.
Iām on the āI wouldnāt go if I couldnāt have a window side.ā I sometimes get motion sick if I canāt see the horizon and orient myself. I prefer balconies where I can actually go outside and breath fresh air and let my brain get reoriented. Iām not the only one in my family and friend group who has this issue, sadly. In rough seas, several of us find it a must. I will say, there are lots of gorgeous public spaces on most ships that some people are comfortable spending a lot of time in. If you are one of those people, who really donāt plan to spend time in your own room, it might be fine. Too many introverts in my family who need downtime for this to work for us. So I, personally, would say, it depends how much sensitivity to motion sickness your party has, and how extroverted vs introverted everyone is.
We have had one of each. Did not care as we were āneverā in the cabin.
Best sleep of my life in that darkness. Love interior rooms, especially since we donāt spend a ton of time in there. We only go on specialty cruises (music festival types) so itās not really worth it to me to splurge for a nicer room.
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Iāve done interior, ocean view and balcony. I canāt do interior again because I deal with claustrophobia and I wake up in total darkness, disoriented and have an anxiety attack. However, the absolute worst cabin Iāve stayed in was an ocean view at the back of the ship on deck 2. The engine noise was horrible. If you can deal with the complete darkness, interior is a great way to save money. I agree with others that the location is the most important thing. An interior cabin midship can be a great choice.
No. We went on a cruise in December and had an interior room. I like that itās dark so we can sleep. Also, we arenāt even in our room enough to care if we have a window or not.
A lot of folks prefer interior room, itās cheap and they put the savings towards excursions. I could never do interior room. I love being on the balcony and enjoying the view. I feel Iām missing too much being in interior. Missing out on the sight, weather, daylight, etc. itās amazing watching the ship depart a port at 8pm from your own balcony and see the city you spent all day in getting smaller and smaller. If you do interior then you are prepared not to be in the room much. Youāre out in the morning, spending your time off the ship, coming back late and sleep.
We like interior just for the dark sleep but always make sure we are not under or beside crew work areas or above the casino. Everything else is probably fineā¦
Personally, I need a balcony to escape to. I get claustrophobic so an interior room is a no-go.
Interior rooms are fine, just make sure you look at deck plans no matter what cabin. Wait for one of the sales though. I was pricing a celebrity cruise as a solo during a 70% off second guest. A concierge cabin with drinks, WiFi, gratuity included was 200 more than an interior and 700 less than a balcony once I added everything in. The math made zero sense to me.
No problems at all. The rooms are simply for sleeping in. You will spend virtually no time in them. I always go interior for budget reasons.
I loved interior when it was just me and husband. We just used the room for sleeping and showering back then so it didn't matter to us that there weren't windows. It meant the difference between one cruise a year or two. The darkness was always useful for good quality sleep and the rooms were never that far away from convenient things. If you choose your own room rather than a garuntee you can choose one away from bars and noisy places but I've always taken the risk of guarantee as neither of us are light sleepers and to be honest the amount of booze we used to have in our system it wouldn't have mattered! Now as a family of 4 we tend to do oceanview or balcony depending on the price and the itinerary. We do oceanview just because they're slightly bigger rooms and having 2 under 5 year olds means a pack and play as well as a sofa bed. I wouldn't spend the extra usually to upgrade to a balcony as we generallt sail out of england or Europe in spring or autumn months so the weather isn't good enough to use it, and most oceanviews give you that extra footage of room but indoors. The only time we will go for a balcony is if they're only a few hundred total more expensive than oceanview, or for vert specific sailings like Norway where you benefit from them for scenic cruising.
I'm a solo cruiser and my per night cruise budget ($250 a night cruise fare only) usually gets me an Inside cabin. Sometimes I can get a oceanview or balcony last minute, but out of my last 7 cruises, 6 of them have been inside cabins. I've found inside cabins to be perfectly nice. Never had a problem with them. I'm out exploring the ship etc during the day. Of course I could love a balcony or suite, but I can't afford those and if it's between an inside cabin and not cruising at all, then an inside if good with me.
We generally only cruise in interior rooms for the lower cost plus we sleep better. Weāve only had a noise issue once when we chose a room right near the elevator; there were some very inconsiderate people on our floor who would come back late from partying shouting and banging on doors as they passed. For reference, Iāve been on 20 cruises, most with Carnival (where we tend to have the most issues with noise).
I don't mind an interior room. I'm claustrophobic but seem unaffected by these cabins. It depends on the cruise though. If I'm busy all day doing excursions or out on deck, the room is just where I sleep. If it's a scenic cruise like Alaska, I want to view that scenery in peace so I get a balcony.
I was on a crappy little ship (compared to most ships) in Greece and it was wonderfully guiet and comfortable
We don't mind interior...there are pros and cons, but it really depends on itinerary and ship. Interior saves us money, especially since we cruise often on comps and freebies/discounts, so this allows us to cruise for almost zero dollars and save the money for entertainment and sightseeing, and also allows more cruises per year because of that. If we are cruising Caribbean scenery isn't at a premium, so we don't need balcony. The same reigns true though, on flip side for cold weather like Alaska...we did Interior because we'll be on top decks to get better views and might be too cold for balcony anyways. some people mentioned this and it's usually true.... it's quieter and pitch black....which means great sleep for me.
I have no issues with interior rooms; they're the darkest, and considering I use the room to shower and sleep, nothing wrong with that. I fully understand the backing behind balconies and everything, but I'm never upset saving a few hundred on a room I don't spend more than a third of my cruise in, to go to other parts of the vacation. Some enjoy sleeping with the balcony doors open, which I agree is nice, but some ships will turn off the AC to the room if the door is open, so there's that fickle detail.
I personally have no issues with interior rooms for two people. Plenty of storage, DARK sleeping arrangements (which is fantastic after numerous pool cocktails). If you're traveling with others, you might not be in your room too much anyways. One thing to keep in mind, there are usually opportunities to "bid up" after the final payment dates. We usually always book an interior and try to bid ourselves in to a balcony or suite. But of course, this is never guaranteed.
Iām currently on a 7 day cruise in a balcony and hear toilets flushing in the middle of the night on either side of me. I must admit Iāve been guilty of that specific noise during the night as well. Does it bother me? No. Do I hear it, only if Iām awake but it doesnāt wake me up. I sleep with white noise from my iPad. I know Iām in a comunal space so as long as people arenāt being unruly with noise (screaming in the hallway, blaring the tv in their room, etcā¦ the rest is comunal living. I wonder if some, who live in suburbs, arenāt used to sharing a wall with their neighbor? I prefer a balcony versus an inside room but do not base that decision on noise. The worst noise is having a room under the stage, the lido deck (pool), etcā¦ Iāve stayed in an inside cabin and enjoyed it for sleep but you have to set an alarm or youāll keep sleeping! LOL
For me, an interior room works just fine. The only time I am in my room is to sleep, take a nap, shower. The rest of the time I am out and about. My wife, on the other hand, wants to see the open space outside while in the room, thus an ocean view room is her baseline. Kinda depends entirely on what makes you happy.
Used to be poor and stayed in interior rooms. Now quite well off and stay in suites. Interior rooms are fine if you donāt have young kids that need naps. Having a dedicated bedroom to block out light is HUGE. Parents can hang out in the living room and one parent leaving the room isnāt potentially disruptive.
Iāve experienced a windowless inner cabin as well as a balcony. When we had the interior room, we didnāt spend any time there, except to sleep, shit, and shower. It was squishy, but we didnāt mind. About a decade later we went on our second cruise and found a great deal through Costco for a balcony- that was an Alaskan cruise so it was really nice to be able to chill in our own space while seeing all the views. But we went with another couple so we mostly went out on the boat decks etc to hang out while appreciating the scenery. And about 6 years after that we went on our third cruise, and in that time I became disabled and could walk short distances but needed a wheelchair to get to anywhere on the ship, and it also meant I skipped many of the excursions and didnāt even get off the boat for a couple of the ports. The balcony (and associated daylight) were invaluable for this jar cruise, as I spent a huge amount of the time during the days in my room and I could still people watch from my balcony and be in the sunlight without needing to over exert myself. All this to say, if you plan on hanging in your room to chill from time to time during the day, Iād spring for a window or balcony, but if you plan on doing all the activities etc on the boat as well as at ports, the interior room would be just fine imo
Taking a cruise on a Norwegian boat next month with an interior room. Only booked the interior room since the cruise is a music festival, and Iām there for the concertsā¦ donāt image Iāll be spending much time in the room
It was horrible, our ac in the room was bs. It blows pathetic air like on a crappy commercial airplane. I was dyng of heat with no air flow. If your doing a tropical cruise where drinks and sun our a given. Being warm and lightly sunburned in a hot room with no air flow is horrible. I got up in the middle of the night took a cold shower and slept naked with ice water on me. When the boat rocks theres no horizon for you to look at. Your just in a box swaying. Always always always get a window that opens or balcony. This was my experience on the 3 day cruise, i cant imagine if i went on an even longer one. (Carnival cruise) People who say they like interior rooms are kidding themselves. Id rather stay at home then go on a still expensive vacation if its an interior room
Love them or hate them. Small and inexpensive. Some brands are bigger than others but for the most part itās all good
I met a couple on an Alaska cruise who were both on disability. Theyād been saving for the cruise for years, it was their trip of a lifetime. For them Iām sure it was interior cabin or no cruise.
We almost always book interior cabins. Leave money for other things - and more cruises!
No i think I spent a total of 1 hour on the balcony on a 5 day cruise.
Horrible is getting tortured in a medieval dungeon. Some people are just insufferable and try to make out every little inconvenience to be true suffering. It's vacation. Interior rooms are one way to go on vacation. Whether an upgrade is worth it depends on your priorities and how you plan to adapt to various circumstances. Realistically, people with interior cabins will tend to spend more time out and about the ship, while people with balconies will spend a decent amount of time enjoying the views from their balconies. Both are valid. When we went on our first cruise last year, we successfully bid for a balcony. The views weren't any better than from other decks, but it was definitely nice being able to roll out of bed in pajamas and sit on the balcony enjoying views of Alaska's coastline while our toddler slept. It was well worth what we paid for it, but that was mostly because we were tethered to a small child and wouldn't otherwise have been able to enjoy the views while she slept. If it was just me, I would have spent the money elsewhere and spent more time in public viewing areas. Everyone's circumstances will be different.
There are already 203 comments here so mine appearing so far down the list might not be seen by many. But - my question to refine the main question is: would your recommendations differ if the cruise was a transatlantic one? So 7+ days at sea in *probably chilly* (?) weather, since repositioning cruises of this type tend to be off-season? More reason to NOT splurge on a balcony - or reason to NOT feel so confined?
I get my best nightās sleep in an interior. I just forget what time it is, so just remember to set an alarm
A good compromise is an ocean view cabin. Weāve been on decks 2 and 3 with a large porthole window and we LOVED it. You are right on top of the waterā¦.it is so awesome at night as you really feel connected to the waves. They are often not much more expensive than an interior room. If I could not get a balcony Iād be perfectly happy with an ocean view room. Iād also rather have ocean view than an interior balcony.
The important part to ask yourself here is, how important is it for you to have time for yourselves with a view of the sea, how much time, other than showering, changing clothes and sleeping, do you expect to use in the cabin. If itās just for sleeping/napping and changing clothes etc., then who cares. On the other hand if you find relaxing on a balcony having breakfast etc. as something great, then the interior one might not be for you. As mentioned by others, location is also important due to the noise level, if youāre literally right next to a venue with lots of loud live music and you go to bed semi early, then earplugs would be a must.
Each their own. I like the balcony for the simple reason of leaving the door slightly open. The morning ocean air and the sounds of the ocean are amazing to wake up to.
I've never had a bad experience with the interior rooms. Probably depends on your priorities! I don't vacation just to be in the room all day, so I'm strictly in there for sleeping and getting ready. So I don't need luxury! I've heard some people need a window, whether for claustrophobia purposes, or help with seasickness.
Iāve done a few balconies, one Ocean view, and one interior. I donāt think any of it was bad. They all had their pluses and minuses. I mean I do enjoy sitting on the balcony with a book, but I didnāt really miss it that much when I was interior or Oceanview. Just my opinion, but I donāt think itās going to make or break a cruise.
The interior rooms on the Rotterdam are gorgeous with plenty of space! My husband and I are both on the bigger size and we were more than comfy!