Suites/Insides? Which is best?

Fifteen minutes or so in the evening, alone on the balcony enjoying the sea and sky, was a favorite part of the cruises on which we had that cabin type. Other than that, I like OV, especially on lower decks close to the water. Insides are nice for sleeping (I like it dark) and you never lose the sensation that you are sailing thanks to the motion. To have the experience I'm glad we took the upsell to an aft wrap on our Alaska cruise but that was surely a one-off for us (Neptune, etc. just didn't mean that much to us). Public outdoor areas of the ship are fine for us, especially if at least some of those areas are relatively peaceful (e.g. free of other people's choice of music).

 

RMLincoln summed things up well.

We have done one inside, one ocean view, two Veranda, and one Signature Suite. I will never do an inside again. I have to see what the weather is at all times. I have to know where we are at all times. Are we docked? Are we moving? I have to know. I hated running up to the deck to see what the weather was like. The Signature Suite was actually an upgrade from a Veranda Cabin and we loved having the extra room. However, we only paid $349 for the upgrade. I would not pay the normal price (whatever that is) for a Signature Suite. I would be able to take another cruise with savings off the normal price of a Signature Suite. I like having a balcony but I have noticed that I don't always use it. Ocean View is fine for Alaska and the Baltics.

As for "seeing" the weather we use the bow cam as our window on the world, but I can understand that may not work for others.

I do like seeing the ocean from a very low deck cabin window! Especially if the waves are up! I can really enjoy the waves up close, and the stability of being low in the ship without the swaying of the upper decks. I"ve been known to take a pillow up in the window ledge and sit up there just enjoying the waves, maybe watching for flying fish. Can't wait! Oct 20th.... m--

We live right on the beach, so I have no need of a suite. We've usually had a verandah, but depending on the length and cost of a cruise, I can be perfectly happy with a mid-ship ov. I really enjoy the loungers on the Promenade and with a good book, I'm in heaven! We will also be on the Atlantic Adventure and I can't wait. We took the same trip 3 years ago but there were different ports of call. We loved every minute.

Someone mentioned that you should book whatever you can afford. But, your cabin choice may be determined by how you choose to spend your money, not a lack of it--your priorities. No one should ever assume that those who book inside cabins can't afford anything better.

Someone mentioned that you should book whatever you can afford. But, your cabin choice may be determined by how you choose to spend your money, not a lack of it--your priorities. No one should ever assume that those who book inside cabins can't afford anything better.

Perfect.

After sailing in both suites and balcony cabins - on our last cruise on the Eurodam through the Panama Canal and up to Seattle we tried an experiment. We booked an inside cabin (a J ) and then a Retreat Cabana for the entire cruise. It was terrific! The cabin was very spacious and we kept the TV on to the "bow" view most of the time so we could feel like we were outside. The Cabana was awesome. We were up there very day (even when it was cold and windy!) and spent a lot of time there. The cabana stewards were great and very personable. I loved the personal service all day long. My DH and I agreed if we did another cruise on either the Eurodam or the NA we would do the same thing. Won't on the K-dam because of the small size/lack of furniture in the Cabanas.

An alternate reason for having a balcony: My DH has to have dialysis every 2-3 hours, and each session lasts about 30-45 minutes. Being "trapped" in the cabin so frequently, we make sure that we have a balcony to still feel like we're enjoying a cruise. I bring him a specialty coffee in the mornings, a plate of cheese and fruit in the afternoons, or a dessert from the main dining room in the evenings. He enjoys using binoculars to search for other ships or sea creatures, and we don't feel like we are missing out by being in the cabin so often.

On a recent Holland Alaska cruise we selected an inside cabin on a higher deck to save money (had been on a Viking river and a carnival cruise during the prior 6 months to this cruise). I selected a cabin located near friends but was talked into the cabin next door to it by Holland consultant-higher category, larger room, amenities. Turned out it was the same size as the other-very small and cramped. Looked nothing like sample photo. Steward said only a couple of those on board. Holland said they would take my forward my complaints to the appropriate people and I said I would forward my future cruise dollars to another cruise line.

We've sailed in insides, ocean views, and balconies. We have never been lucky to be upgraded to a suite--and that's the only way we'd ever sail in one. When I look at the difference in price, I always think of all the things we could spend the money on. My threshold is generally $100 per person to move us up to a higher type of cabin on a 7-day cruise (from inside to ocean view, then ocean view to balcony).

We had our first inside cabin in several years last month on a Princess cruise around Great Britain. It was fine for that port-intensive itinerary.

Sorry to say but bigger is better. I just did my first suite on Konigsdam two week R/T from Amsterdam (Scotland, Iceland, Norway) and it was fantastic. Storage was incredible, plenty of places to hang other than bed and small sofa in other cabins -- and the bathroom -- to die for. Double sinks and jetted. long, deep tub. Plus roomy shower. Doing it again -- at much, much reduced rate -- for Thanksgiving cruise on Eurodam. Was it stretch financially, not really when my wife and I decided the goal in life is not how much you leave your kids but how little. Bottom line though is money. If you can't afford it, don't do it. If you can, why not. All the rationalization about I still get this and I don't need that is just that - rationalization. You don't have the dough, you don't go. And that is just fine. But please don't tell me that the driving experience of a Chevy is the same as an Audi. What is true, as far as cruising is concerned -- with rare exception -- no matter what cabin you are in you are going to have a wonderful, relaxing, virtually tension free vacation. And that is why all of us cruise.

I look at the different cabin choices from the value perspective. The affordability is not an issue, but I can see that the same number of dollars will give me 21 days cruising as opposed to 7 days in a suite, so I choose inside.

I am perfectly happy with any cabin type, and feel that I get much more for my money by booking insides.

We don't stay glued to our cabin...we like to be "out and about"...however, when we ARE in the cabin, I like to be AT LEAST as comfortable (if no more so) than I am at home. An inside cabin is nothing I'd ever book...I HATE using lights in the daytime! I like having fresh air and a quick way to get to it. We mainly book mini-suites or smaller suites.....don't need the "Presidential Suite" or a "Penthouse", but I do want some space. Cabins are not as spacious as even a hotel room....I want to be comfortable!

I look at the different cabin choices from the value perspective. The affordability is not an issue, but I can see that the same number of dollars will give me 21 days cruising as opposed to 7 days in a suite, so I choose inside.

 

I am perfectly happy with any cabin type, and feel that I get much more for my money by booking insides.

For some people, affordability IS an issue. I see far too many people on the Alaska forum telling people who dream of a cruise to Alaska "oh you have to have a balcony, don't bother going to Alaska if you can't have a balcony". Well you know what? Some people will never be able to afford a balcony. Does that mean they should miss out on a cruise they may have dreamed of? Not in my opinion. Life is short. Go after that dream cruise, even without a balcony.

I spend time on my balcony to start my day sipping coffee, all during the day to get away from people (introvert), to have a meal, to enjoy sunrises or sunsets, and to help alleviate seasickness. For me, it's a must. So I look for off season cruises and deals.

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I tried an inside cabin once and found it very claustrophobic

I ask myself what would happen if, god forbid, there was a Noro virus outbreak and I was quarantined to my cabin.

I would rather cruise less often in a balcony cabin - preferably a suite

I ask myself what would happen if, god forbid, there was a Noro virus outbreak and I was quarantined to my cabin.

We're all have different perspectives. When I had what appeared to be noro once (not on a ship), it was all I could do to lie flat on the couch or bed. Not only did I not care what was around me, I didn't have the energy to look and see.

Inside cabin would definitely work for me, even if confined there.

As a smoker we always booked a midship verandah cabin. As we all know, HAL changed their smoking policy the beginning of this year. We had already booked a verandah for our 28 day Asia cruise this past March. The prices had gone up so much that it would have cost us more to change it than to keep it. I found that over the course of that cruise I went out on the verandah about 5 times either to check the weather or see if we had docked. So we decided to experiment. Since we live in Florida, fairly close to Port Everglades, we booked a 6 day cruise on Carnival in a midship OV cabin on deck one. I am the person that has every light on in the house all the time so having light in the cabin was important. As it turned out...we loved it. The cabin was bright and sunny and we couldn't feel any movement on the ship. I loved watching the water thru the window when we were inside. We had plenty of room. What we did realize is that we won't sail Carnival again unless they give us a free cruise. HAL has definitely spoiled us. We were once upgraded to the cabin that everyone would kill for - aft Neptune suite with wrap around balcony. While the extra room was lovely there was too much movement for me in the aft location. We have two cruises coming up where again we booked a verandah and because of pricing it will cost more to change to a OV. I'm looking at a Thanksgiving 2018 cruise on the Koningsdam and will look to book an OV while we're on the Zuiderdam this Thanksgiving. Not sure I could handle an inside with no light. If they want, at some point, to upgrade me to a Pinnacle Suite I'd be happy to give it try!!!

Helen

As a smoker we always booked a midship verandah cabin. As we all know, HAL changed their smoking policy the beginning of this year. We had already booked a verandah for our 28 day Asia cruise this past March. The prices had gone up so much that it would have cost us more to change it than to keep it. I found that over the course of that cruise I went out on the verandah about 5 times either to check the weather or see if we had docked. So we decided to experiment. Since we live in Florida, fairly close to Port Everglades, we booked a 6 day cruise on Carnival in a midship OV cabin on deck one. I am the person that has every light on in the house all the time so having light in the cabin was important. As it turned out...we loved it. The cabin was bright and sunny and we couldn't feel any movement on the ship. I loved watching the water thru the window when we were inside. We had plenty of room. What we did realize is that we won't sail Carnival again unless they give us a free cruise. HAL has definitely spoiled us. We were once upgraded to the cabin that everyone would kill for - aft Neptune suite with wrap around balcony. While the extra room was lovely there was too much movement for me in the aft location. We have two cruises coming up where again we booked a verandah and because of pricing it will cost more to change to a OV. I'm looking at a Thanksgiving 2018 cruise on the Koningsdam and will look to book an OV while we're on the Zuiderdam this Thanksgiving. Not sure I could handle an inside with no light. If they want, at some point, to upgrade me to a Pinnacle Suite I'd be happy to give it try!!!

 

 

 

Helen

Helen...mostly, we've had verandas. I find that we rarely use our veranda; we prefer to sit at the pool. Tried an OV a couple years ago on Noordam and loved it. That's what I'm looking at for our TA next October.

On 2 occasions, on S class ships, we had an Inside. Too claustrophobic for me unfortunately.

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We enjoy suites and all the amenities that come with them. We especially enjoy the balconies or verandas as they are called on a HAL cruise. Last year we were on the Maasdam in August and spent a lot of time on it. It's a preference, but certainly not a necessity. Happy Travels everyone!

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I have been on every category (other than inside) and every category has it's pluses.

I do think if you have more space you probably tend to be able to spend a bit more time there or on the balcony.

My friends always did OV's and then got an upsell to a balcony which they took. When they boarded they found themselves in a Signature Suite. They loved it and yes, she said they did spend a bit more time there, sharing drinks with friends, enjoying their balcony, etc.

They were still out and about but she did see a huge difference.

My attitude - whatever suits you is what is right. And after all, you are cruising, right?;)