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Inside Cabin vs Balcony


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When my wife and I started cruising, we were young and were always trying to save money, so the first few cruises where in an inside stateroom. I know everyone says that they don't spend much time in the stateroom anyway, so it doesn't matter. But after a couple of times of being in a CAVE, we moved to a balcony and have for all of our cruises since. I love being able to come back to the cabin and relax on the balcony in the afternoon or any time at night. 

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There are all types of people who cruise with all different levels of disposable funds to spend on their vacations.

Some people have arrived at the point where a suite is a must have to cruise.

Many people, the majority, don't cruise several times each year.  For many it remains a special annual event or every two year event, something worth spending a bit more on.

Some people are retired and have some money for cruising but need to be more aware of how they spend their retirement to make it go the distance.

There is no wrong way to cruise. 

At the moment I am willing to go in an interior cabin sometimes if it means I can get in an additional cruise given my annual cruise budget being near it's limit.  I've gone from a loft suite to an inside guarantee cabin a month later.  I certainly enjoy the good life in a suite but it isn't a requirement for me.  Same goes with a balcony.  If it's close in price, why not.  If the balcony upgrade is the cost of another whole cruise, nope.

To each their own.  

My "lifetime" stats:

Interior: 19.7%

Ocean View: 11.5%

Balcony: 44.3%

Suites: 24.6%

Twice in Alaska in interior cabins that saved me thousands which I put into expensive excursions including a helicopter flight so I could walk on glacier.  That remains one of my best cruises and most memorable experiences.  Over five Alaska cruises I could have put more money into my cabin and cut back on excursions for the same budget.  So glad I didn't.  

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We normally book ocean view or, on the ships that have them, promenade view. A balcony has never been worth the extra money to us and on the couple of occasions when the now sadly demised upgrade fairy gave us one we were notoriously ungrateful, using it only to hang swimwear and other unmentionables out to dry!

However, now that Covid has come on the scene, we are a bit leery about not having a balcony, in the near future at least. Plus, having reached Diamond, the balcony discount often makes a balcony cabin cheaper than one without, so I think that is the way we will be going for the time being. Once Covid is past we may rethink our strategy.

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I think it is a situational thing. I love sitting on a balcony, relaxing with a drink and occasionally catching glimpses of sea life. However, if I am going solo on a port heavy sailing, then an interior cabin is perfect. The space might not work for two people but its perfect for a solo, who isn't in the room as much. Covid won't stop me from booking interiors if the need arises;  I booked an interior for my 2022 Independence sailing. Saved me money so i can do extra excursions.

 

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I have always had a balcony or suite but I don't get many vacations a year so it has been 1 to 2 a year.  I am increasing my cruises as I near retirement and I have it on my list to try an inside.  If I can get the wife onboard, it will mean we can cruise more often.

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My first cruise in 2008 was in an oceanview room I was a great room at wonderful price. For my second cruise I splurged and decided I wanted a balcony and every cruise since has been either in a balcony or a suite.  Living in the Midwest I appreciate waking up in the morning on a cruise opening the balcony door sitting out on the balcony and just listening to the sound of the waves as the ship move through the water or sitting on the balcony on a cruise during a full moon. (Out of all the cruises my husband and I have done I have only been blessed to be on a cruise during a full moon twice.  The moon looks so much better out on the ocean than in the Midwest LOL)   Some people depending on where they live are able to hear or experience the ocean any time they want.  I can only hear or experience the ocean when I'm on cruise so for me it is worth the additional price for a balcony or a suite.

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As you can see below, we’ve had a mix of rooms, but generally go for the cheapest we can get.  We’ve upgraded a few times to a GTY version of a room when the price was negligible, or even cheaper with a rebate  via AAA.  We’re considered “cheapskates” by many family members since we don’t do speciality dining since “we already paid for food” and won’t “pay extra” for a balcony when  we can sit on one of the decks for free :).

 

like @twangsterstated earlier, there is no wrong way to cruise and people change over time.

 

basically, do what you want and don’t let other people bother you about it.

 

the only rooms I would “probably” never pick is an “ocean view” or “promenade view”  I’d probably just stay interior or upgrade for the balcony. I just can see myself standing and looking out the window very much, but I’ve also never had one of those rooms so….

 

Cruise Safe!

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To me, value is the key thing. With 100+ cruises of my own, I still book a variety of cabins (from a promenade view to a Loft suite). Summer of 2022 will wrap up 15 years as a cruise travel agent but I always love to share my 2 cents with other cruisers.

So for this topic I'll repeat a tidbit;

When the cruise has been taken, did I get a good value? 

Lazy itinerary- what is the largest accomodation your budget would like to spend?

Busy itinerary-what is smallest accomodation you will be happy with?

Sure it's a generalization, but a good starting point.

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We started out on Carnival cruises with our two daughters in a bunk bed cabin with a porthole. When we switched to Royal, we got our first balcony cabin on the Mariner and loved it. We enjoy stargazing at night and watching the ship dock in port. We now get a Junior suite and like them although we have a few cruises booked in grand suites. I would not hesitate to go back to a standard balcony room though.

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Just being on a ship sometimes is enough. Personally I’m a morning person and need light lol. 
 

In college I did an interior that fit 5 girls, 2 years in a row. At $137, that left plenty of beer money! 
 

Our (hubby and me) first Royal cruise was on Song of America (corporate cruise) and we had an ocean view. We were in our 20’s and after an interior, this was HIGH DOLLAH! 
 

Now we are regulars with plain old balconies because we do love sitting watching the water and mimosas in the morning. 
 

We have our first Aft Junior Suite next may in Alaska only because our 22 year old is graduating college and she wants to come. 
 

Bottom line, pick what you most enjoy. Life is short. 5 years ago I was given a 15% of making it to 2021. I’m here and have my bucket list cruises booked! Of course we eat a lot of chicken at home! ?

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We have only been in an inside cabin once on our very first cruise on the Majesty (our daughter was 15 at the time).  I felt like I had to go out in the hall to change my mind as I felt it was so tiny and I didn't like not having at least some natural light.  However, we had a fantastic time and fell in love with cruising.  We then got an Ocean View and loved seeing daylight; however, once we got our balcony - it's been balcony ever since.  I absolutely love being out on the balcony and watching the sun rising daily and in the evening just relaxing.  I have looked at the various suites and just can't justify to extra cost for us. 

We don't pay extra to have the dining plan either as we have always enjoyed the main dining room.  We aren't retired yet so our cruising is limited for a few more years. 

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We vary in our stateroom between interior, oceanview and balcony dependent on price and itinerary.

For instance, booked an interior for our next cruise but with the latest sale it was $150 total to upgrade to a balcony and minimal savings to stay in an interior. No brainer and we will appreciate the balcony especially with 5 sea days. 

For our other cruise to Iceland, it is $2500 more for a balcony.We would rather book another entire cruise or be able to afford incredible excursions.

Even with a balcony we use if only for a few minutes in the morning and evening since we are so busy with activities. We mostly use it just for drying our bathing suits and laundry ! 

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No way could I ever do an interior. My wife and I determined after the first time we cruised that it was balcony or nothing. If we couldn't afford a balcony, we couldn't afford that trip. We can't relate to the "you never spend time in your cabin" folks...we like people, but we also like escaping people and having a place to chill on our own that doesn't feel like a jail cell. It's the same reason we rarely do large group excursions - I see 4,000 people on the damn ship, I don't need to see them on land too. 15-20 is about our max, but we prefer doing our own thing completely. 

Folks also talk about using interiors as a way to cruise more often. To each their own, I get it, but to us that's a "quantity over quality" thing and that's not how we roll. We don't cruise often anyways, so when we do, we ball out. 

Nothing better than running out of drinks on your balcony and having to run to a busy bar for a refill...and then immediately leaving said busy bar with the drinks to enjoy a quiet balcony. 

 

 

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Only a few cruises under my belt, but so far all have been balcony / JS level. My wife and I love being able to sit on the balcony with a beverage in hand, looking out over that deep cobalt blue of the deep ocean and hearing the water gently lapping along the side of the ship.

That said, I was perfectly ready to sail an inside cabin for the Iceland & Greenland cruise we were supposed to take in 2020 before Covid happened. Was going to be a very port-intensive cruise and the climate wasn't going to make staying out on a balcony for extended periods worthwhile in our minds. Eventually upgraded to an ocean view cabin before it was finally canceled, but only because the pricing got close enough to our original inside rate that it wasn't a deal (or bank) breaker. We wanted the daylight and to avoid that cave-like feeling.

I'm in an OV cabin right now for my Vision sailing, because it's what my budget allowed and I really wanted to take this itinerary. Plan to stay outside on the deck most of the time anyway, so the cabin will be mostly for sleeping and cleaning up. But our Med cruise in 2020 is in an aft balcony, and I'm sure that future sailings will be balcony as well. We just like having that space too much to pass it up.

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