When you're trying to decide which cruise ship cabin to book, you might be better off in an inside cabin.
I go back and forth sometimes what type of stateroom is best because each room has its own advantages. However, I've found there are signals that you should lean in one direction or another.
Picking an inside cabin can sometimes question if you're doing it for a good reason or simply to save money. Besides budget, certain considerations might be a reason to pick an inside stateroom.
Before you decide on a stateroom to reserve, here are four compelling reasons to go with an interior cabin.
You booked a ship because of all the things to do onboard
Royal Caribbean is known for having giant cruise ships packed with so many things to do. So if you booked a ship like Icon of the Seas or Wonder of the Seas because it has so many fun activities, perhaps an inside stateroom is a good choice.
Considering how much there is to do on the ship, how much time will you really spend in your stateroom?
I've found that when I go on the big ships, I'm instantly drawn to the activities around. In fact, I often have a lot of FOMO when I'm in my stateroom because it seems there's a lot happening around the ship.
One of the rationales for booking an inside stateroom is in reality, you use your cabin to sleep, shower, and change. So why spend extra on a nicer room that you won't fully take advantage of?
If one of the reasons you chose a specific ship were all the activities available to try, you might find the stateroom to be an afterthought. And that's a good reason to stick with an inside room/
You're a light sleeper
No matter how fun a cruise ship is, if you can't get a good night's sleep, it might be frustrating.
Say what you will about the benefits of being in an larger stateroom with a beautiful balcony, but I always sleep so darn well in an inside stateroom.
First, there's no outside light to wake you up in the morning.
When I was in Europe on Independence of the Seas this summer, the sun would rise at around 4am and it messed with my brain because the light would wake me up too early.
Another advantage of an inside cabin is noise from outside the ship, especially when docking.
When our ship docked in Southampton, there was an incessant beeping noise from a truck that was backing up constantly to move items off the ship, and it began at around 5am.
Because we were in a balcony, that truck disrupted our sleep. But if we had been in an inside room, it wouldn't have been an issue.
You'll often hear noise on the dock when a ship docks, and it can wake you up too early.
Without daylight pouring in, there's no natural cue to get up. If you’re the kind who loves hitting the snooze button and skipping breakfast, an inside cabin is your best ally.
There is no such thing as a room being too cold
Do you immediately crank the air conditioning to its coldest setting as soon as you walk into a hotel room? An inside cabin might be for you.
Inside rooms are easily the coldest cabins because there's no natural light or heat emanating from outside to warm it up.
During summer cruises, I'll often keep the curtains drawn in my balcony room because the ambient heat from the sun on my balcony heats up the room.
To be clear, the air conditioning works fine in balcony rooms, but some people prefer their cabins feel like a meat locker.
If you love curling up in a chilly, dark space, this is your cruise cocoon.
You’re planning a port-heavy itinerary
If you're going to book a cruise that has a lot of port visits across 7 nights, such as in the Mediterranean or Alaska, you're going to be off the ship all day.
When you have full day activities, I come back to the ship and immediately shower, nap, and get ready for dinner.
I think having 4, 5, or 6 ports on a single sailing means you'll value the itinerary over what you can see from the ship. In my experience, balcony rooms are best on sea days primarily. The value of having it if you're going from start to finish each day in port is kind of lost.
Speaking of places like Alaska, if you choose an early or late season cruise, that might be another reason to go with an inside room because of the weather.
Typically the shoulder seasons in Alaska or Norway can be cold and rainy, thus reducing the usefulness of the balcony.
