first time in an inside cabin...what to expect

[tripman]

I have been on several cruises in the past few years, all with a balcony. I will be in an inside cabin next year for the first time. I will not be disappointed because a cruise is a cruise. But is it difficult to go from a balcony to an inside room?

[oskidunker]

Decided I didn't want to spend alot of money this time. Have had insides before when the kids were little. Didn't mind them at all, as long as the A/C worked.Dawn seems to have alot of insides so maybe I won't get the upgrade, but thats ok.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Never had a balcony but did have a couple of oceanview. We get the inside because we rather have more money for another cruise. and we try to spend lots of time outside of cabin anyway. try leaving the bathroom light on and the door ajar when you go to bed. If anyone gets up in the middle of the night, they will thank you.

[donna5]

Make sure you have an alarm, it is easy to oversleep. I think going to sleep in an inside, especially a nap during the day is easier in an inside.

[gambit57]

Just don't stay in there much? Most cruise spots allow you to just sit up on the deck or elsewhere on the ship. I've never actually been in anything other than an inside cabin before. Still had a fabulous time on every cruise.

[seattlekckckc]

It is definately hard to go from a balcony to an inside, but I am always fine doing it, for the same reason you stated - a cruise is a cruise!!!!

 

GOod idea to bring an alarm clock, not only for oversleeping purposes, but so you dont get mixed up on day and night, if you wake up at an odd time. I also bring a nightlight, as I hate being in the total darkness.

 

I usually do oversleep during the day in an inside, I made sure to read my book on the promenade deck watching the water, rather than on my bed where I will 9 x out of 10 will fall asleep.

 

Same great size closet, and comparable bathroom to other balcony rooms. They do a really nice job of makig it seem roomy, with the space the planners have to work with!

 

Have a great cruise!

 

Casey

[kryos]

Make sure you have an alarm, it is easy to oversleep. I think going to sleep in an inside, especially a nap during the day is easier in an inside.

A nap during the day is HEAVENLY in an inside cabin.

 

I always book inside cabins. Never had a problem. In fact, I love them. But, I would imagine that if you tend to spend a lot of time in your cabin, an inside will get old after a couple of days. Also, if your cruise is very "scenic," I would imagine a balcony could come in very handy.

 

My feeling has always been that since I generally cruise alone, the cabin doesn't matter much. I'd rather be up on deck amongst people viewing the scenery than sitting on a balcony by myself. So the inside cabins have worked out great for me ... not to mention the money saved that I can use to book another cruise.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[coiran]

It is NOT hard going from a balcony to an inside - look back - How much time do you spend in your room - we use it for sleeping and showers!

 

Ron

[WCAB]

I love having a balcony. I get up in the morning and have my coffee there and like to sit outside close to evening. At home the first thing I do is open up the drapes and let the light in. That is not to say we would not book an inside cabin and we have, if the price is right and we are wanting to take a cruise.

We just spend more time out of our cabin.

 

Carol

[nhcruiser]

I for one would have a very hard time booking an inside cabin after having had a balcony each cruise recently.

We really enjoy getting up in the morning and having coffee in our robes on the balcony before getting ready for breakfast.

That said, I could get used to an inside cabin a lot easier than not cruising at all!

[DroopySails]

Insides are nice. Balconies are nice. Getting away from work and onto a ship where you're wonderfully taken care of and you visit a series of great places is...nice!

 

We book insides when balconies are way more expensive (on some itineraries they're not, on some they are), and on very port-intensive cruises. If you're in port every day, how much will you use your balcony?

 

The lack of light is an adjustment, but not an unpleasant one. You'll have a fine time.

[Rusty]

When you go to sleep and close your eyes ALL the cabins are exactly the same !

 

 

It's what you do on the ship and off the ship that matters. Insides are fine and on most ships they are the same size as outside standard cabins. Save the money and spend it on excursions, bar bills, gifts, etc.

 

Sometimes if you book a guaranteed inside, you may be upgraded to an outside cabin. This has happened to us three times in nine cruises.

[susancruzs]

I sail single and have inside cabins alot! I've had outsides, even balconies, going back to an inside doesn't bother me when I consider, stay home or cruise, which would I rather do???

 

I'm on the Sea Princess Sept. 3-24, inside cabin for 21 days. I could not afford to do this cruise in anything but an inside cabin, I'll just deal with it! Bring a few things from home to decorate the room, my cruise girl magnet, birthday beenie baby bear, my little Susan's Cruisin' photo frame and I'll be fine!

 

Susie

[CTP]

Although I do prefer the balcony, we have stayed in one of each ... balcony, oceanview and inside .... and for the time that we spend in our cabin the inside cabin was just as nice. Only thing you can't see what the weather is doing when you first get up. In the future I would rather pay the extra couple of $s for an oceanview.

[PescadoAmarillo]

I am shamelessly plagiarizing here, from someone on this board, but I can't find their post and it's worth repeating:

 

Cruise 1x a year in a suite

Cruise 2x a year in a balcony cabin

Cruise 3x a year in an oceanview cabin

Cruise 4x a year in an inside cabin

 

Me, I'd MUCH prefer the latter! We feel a lot more "cruisey" at the end of a cruise if we've been in an inside cabin, because we take advantage of everything else the ship has to offer. And inside cabin sleep is the BEST.

[relevart]

Years ago I went inside. I hated it and have never gone back to it. I would rather not take a cruise. I did not like the dark and no view. One thing I really enjoy on a cruise is to look out the window and see the sea and sit out on the balcony and read or just look at the water, listen to the water, eat breakfast, have a drink before dinner or see the stars at night. I know you can to that on deck but I really prefer the privacy and calm of the cabin.

[Dreamer333]

While I would love my cruise, no matter what type of cabin I booked, I must say that having a cabin with a balcony extremely ENHANCES the cruise!!!

 

It would have to be a BIG price difference for me to choose an Inside over a Balcony cabin!

 

However, like I said, I absolutely LOVE cruising, and would still thoroughly enjoy myself.

[sunsetme]

i have found some of the princess inside cabins to be tiny whereas on carnival they are the same size as the oceanviews and balconies. I dont mind an inside but the tiny ones are hard to live with.

[callajl]

I would say it would be hard to go from a balcony to an inside BUT if I had the choice of an inside and cruising or NOT CRUISING, I would take steerage if I had too!

[susancruzs]

I see the point and would love to have an outside or balcony but it isn't a matter of a few hundred dollars difference when you are talking single fares. I refuse to spend a thousand extra or more for a window and that is not an exageration.

 

Susie

[FredS]

Might depend on where you are sailing. If the weather is going to be cold and likely to have rain then the balcony is not much good. Having been in an inside to Alaska we found we used it for sleeping. The rest of the time we were on deck or in a lounge where we could see the sights and talk to others about what we were seeing. Sharing the experiences at the time we were seeing it was important to us. But then only being in our early 60's we are still young enough to be active and get out and do things. This sitting around just does not do a thing for us.

[cruznliz]

No one has mentioned that you can always turn the TV on to the "front of the ship" channel to see what the weather is like and what time of day it is. :eek: I've even read that people leave the TV on all night with the sound off, so they can see the sea. ;)

 

We've had 6 insides, 3 windows, 4 balconies and 1 mini-suite. Our upcoming cruises are an inside guarantee for Antarctica and a balcony for the coastal. I'd love a balcony for Antarctica, but all we could get was the inside guarantee. I've got my fingers crossed for an upgrade to a window!! But I'll tell you, we are saving a bundle of $ by getting the inside! :D

[nho9504]

And actually find we rather enjoy the inside - for it is quite good to take an afternoon nap on longer cruise, such as the 14 days Panama Canal.

 

We dont care for having coffee on the balcony. Hubby doesn't even ever put on his robe once, on all cruises. To us, the only advantage of having a balcony would be the added space (and not on all ships - some older ships the balcony actually cut into the room space).

[Jane110]

Years ago I went inside. I hated it and have never gone back to it. I would rather not take a cruise. I did not like the dark and no view. One thing I really enjoy on a cruise is to look out the window and see the sea and sit out on the balcony and read or just look at the water, listen to the water, eat breakfast, have a drink before dinner or see the stars at night. I know you can to that on deck but I really prefer the privacy and calm of the cabin.

 

I agree with you. Also, we sleep with the balcony door open so we can hear the waves.......there's nothing like that.

 

Yes, if you have an inside cabin, you're never in it, other than for sleeping and showering. Why would you want to be?

 

I like to get up before dawn and go out to the balcony and watch the sunrise and then grab a few extra winks of sleep before fully awakening to a nice cup of coffee on our balcony.

 

In the evening, DH and I enjoy a drink alone on our balcony before going to the bar or dinner to join our friends. It's a special and relaxing time to enjoy a few moments together and talking about our day.

 

But, there's no wrong or right. It's just whatever is comfortable for the people involved.

 

Jane

[Sailaway...Sailaway]

I've been in 4 insides, 2 outsides and more recently, our first balcony. I would have no problem going back to an inside cabin. In fact, my next cruise will probably be another interior cabin. It's either that or no cruise at all. For me, it's a no-brainer! :) As the Italians quote when visiting their restaurants:

"If you don't see what you like, then like what you see". It's something like that! :p In other words, even if I don't see that lovely balcony, I still see a comfortable and nicely decorated room. And, it becomes my retreat for the next week. :cool:

 

 

 

I have been on several cruises in the past few years, all with a balcony. I will be in an inside cabin next year for the first time. I will not be disappointed because a cruise is a cruise. But is it difficult to go from a balcony to an inside room?