Is an ocean-view room that much nicer than an inside cabin to justify the higher cost?
Both types of staterooms are typically the least expensive Royal Caribbean rooms you can book, and usually the price difference is negligible.
I've stayed in both kinds of cabins across different ships, and there's a justification to picking one over the other. Like all cabin choices, it comes down to your budget and how you like to cruise.
I also base my decision to book an ocean-view or an inside room based on cost. In many cases, how much more an ocean-view costs will play a major role in my decision.
If you're debating which cruise ship room to book, here is what to consider before making a decision.
Having natural light is more important than it sounds
You might think it's not that big of a deal to have a window, but I think it's the difference between feeling like you're in a cave or not.
Ocean-view cabins on Royal Caribbean ships generally don't have portholes, but usually a larger window. Depending on the ship, the size of this window will vary.
Having a window of any size means daylight can pour in, making your stateroom feel less small and dark.
If nothing else, I've booked an ocean-view room purely to have the light so I know when it's daytime or nighttime out.
Plus, you can also peek outside to see what the weather looks like. While none of the ocean-view cabin windows open, being able to see what it looks like outside helps.
That view is also helpful to enjoy the passing scenery. Admittedly, I don't think it's nearly as good as having a balcony to enjoy the passing views. In many cases, the window is behind the bed, which makes active viewing outside cumbersome.
I book inside cabins because I'd rather save the extra cost
Having light and a view is great, but I usually rationalize the decision of going with an inside room based on cost.
The actual square footage of an inside room vs an ocean-view room is minimal. On Wonder of the Seas, an inside room measures 172 sq. ft., whereas an ocean-view cabin is 179 sq. ft. of space. That's a barely noticeable amount of space.
Ultimately, I'll consider the costs to make a decision.
Inside rooms have exactly the same amenities as ocean-view rooms (minus the window). There is a king size bed that can be split into two, a vanity, sitting area, and a private full bathroom.
My thought process is I'd rather save the $50-$200 to upgrade to an ocean-view cabin for something else on my cruise, like a drink package.
Bidding to upgrade to an ocean-view room would probably work too
Royal Caribbean allows its guests to bid for a cabin upgrade, and this might be a good workaround.
Because inside rooms are the cheapest option, and balcony rooms and suites cost the most, they each get a lot of attention from people on opposite ends of the budget spectrum.
I've observed ocean-view rooms typically are overlooked because it's not as glamorous an upgrade. I doubt many people day dream of going from an inside to a slightly larger room that has a window. People dream big, and look immediately to a balcony.
For that reason, you might get lucky by putting a bid for an ocean-view room and then moving up to that for less than it might have otherwise cost to book it initially. Of course, that's more of a theory than a rule.
After you have a cruise booked, you can check if you are Royal Up eligible and place a bid on a higher category room.
One downside to this strategy is you won't be able to pick your room location if your bid is accepted. Royal Caribbean does allow you to choose if you're willing to pay $30 extra, but at that point I doubt you're saving money with a RoyalUp bid.
How much time do you think you'll spend in your room?
No matter which cruise room you book, the real question you ought to ask is how much time you will actually be in the cabin.
Royal Caribbean ships are designed to have so much to see, do, eat, and experience. That leaves little downtime to sit around your cabin.
I think people overestimate how much time they will actually spend in their rooms during a cruise because of how much else there is to do onboard.
In reality, cruise ship rooms become a place to sleep, shower, and change clothes. It's not like a hotel or resort where you might spend the bulk of your day in them.
Of course, everyone cruises differently and some people do stay in their staterooms more. My parents love to go on cruises and relax in their room much more than I ever do.
Inside rooms have an advantage with their locations
One thing to keep in mind about choosing an inside room is that you can find inside cabins on low and high decks, but ocean-view rooms tend to be only on the lower decks.
On some ships ocean-view rooms will be on a higher deck, like the ones that are at the very front of the ship overlooking the helipad.
I tried one of those cabins on Utopia of the Seas and instantly regretted it because it was more prone to more motion.
There’s nothing wrong with booking an ocean-view room on a lower deck, but a lot of people prefer a room on higher decks and closer to other kinds of cabins.
How much nicer an ocean-view than an inside?
You're not making a mistake by booking an ocean-view or inside room, so it really depends on how much more it will cost.
If you're sailing a more scenic itinerary, such as Alaska, you can better justify an ocean-view room. Heck, you might just decide to splurge for a room with a balcony instead and get the full outside experience to go with your stateroom.
Ultimately, I will look at the price difference and make a decision based on that. If it's less than $50 total, I'd probably go for an ocean-view so my room feels less like small. Otherwise, I'll save the money and opt for an inside room.
