Most cruisers steer clear of inside cabins. No windows, no views, and some say it feels like sleeping in a shoebox at sea. So why does Cruise Like a Pro keep booking them over and over? After more than 30 cruises and thousands of dollars saved, the creator calls inside cabins one of the most underrated travel hacks in cruising.
Inside cabins are not glamorous or scenic, he says, but they have let him travel farther, cruise more often and enjoy his vacations more. He picks one even when he could afford something bigger, and he has a list of reasons, plus a story about a balcony upgrade that backfired.
The Cheaper Room Saved $900
He says he could not cruise half as often if he did not choose inside cabins. On one occasion he compared two identical sailings on the same ship with the same itinerary, and the inside cabin was $900 cheaper. That is enough to cover a Caribbean shore excursion package, a flight upgrade and a drink package, all paid for by skipping a view he would barely be in the room to enjoy.
His money tip is to book early, then reprice often. Cruise prices can drop in the weeks before departure, and if you have not hit final payment, you can usually rebook at the lower rate. He says that is how he has saved hundreds of dollars mid-booking, sometimes without lifting a finger.
Quiet And Dark Beat A View
Inside cabins can be some of the quietest places on the ship. On one cruise he stayed in a promenade view room, a window cabin looking over the ship’s interior boardwalk. Midnight karaoke echoed through the walls, kids screamed, glasses clinked and the hallway lights never dimmed, and he and his companion barely slept. The next cruise he went back to his trusty inside cabin and got the darkest sleep he had had in years.
His advice is to pick an inside room sandwiched between other cabins, away from the theater, elevators and nightclubs. That way there are no footsteps overhead and no thumping bass, just blackout-level silence.
Light is the other half of the story. On a balcony cruise with a gorgeous ocean view, the sun blasted through the curtains at 6:00 every morning, and he could not sleep in even when he wanted to. Back in an inside cabin he slept 9 hours straight. He says that whether it is 3:00 in the afternoon or 3:00 in the morning, your body thinks it is midnight, which means easy naps and more energy on port-heavy cruises where you are up early and walking around 10,000 steps a day.
Small Rooms, Smart Design
He admits he was nervous before his first inside cabin, picturing a closet at sea with nowhere to put his things. When he walked in, he was shocked. The closet was full-sized, the bed was huge, the nightstands had drawers, the vanity doubled as a desk and there was hidden shelving he did not notice at first.
He describes it as a tiny, perfectly engineered spaceship. Cruise lines know these rooms are small, he says, so they design them down to the centimeter, and you are getting a space optimized for actual travelers rather than just a cheaper cabin.
The Suite That Made Him Feel Guilty
His first suite taught him something odd. The room was gorgeous, with a massive balcony, a comfy couch and perks like priority check-in. Halfway through the cruise he started stressing about whether he was using it enough, asking himself whether he should skip a show to enjoy the balcony or stay in to get his money’s worth.
In an inside cabin, he says, he sleeps, showers and leaves. Because he is not paying for luxury, he feels no obligation to use it, so he can spend his days exactly how he wants, from sunrise at the buffet to late-night karaoke.
Inside Cabins With A Virtual View
Some inside cabins even come with a view of sorts. On some of Royal Caribbean’s newer ships you can book an inside cabin with a virtual balcony, a floor-to-ceiling screen showing the live view from outside the ship, including waves, sunrises and port arrivals in real time. The first time he stayed in one, he thought he had walked into the wrong room, because it felt like a balcony cabin at inside cabin prices.
He adds that Norwegian has gone a step further with solo cabins that have built-in virtual windows for one person. It does not feel exactly like a real balcony, since you cannot step out, smell the ocean or hear the wind, but it gives the illusion of space for anyone worried about feeling boxed in.
The Iceland Upgrade That Backfired
On a cruise around Iceland, with glaciers and fjords all around, he decided he deserved a treat and paid an extra $300 for a balcony cabin, picturing morning coffee with a view. As soon as the ship sailed, he says, he realized his mistake. His neighbors ignored the no smoking policy and the ban on marijuana aboard, lighting up on their balcony constantly.
Every time he stepped outside, he got smoke instead of ocean breeze. He reported it, and the cruise line handled it professionally, but for the first few days his expensive upgrade was wasted. Inside cabins, he points out, have no balconies, no smoke drifting in and no awkward eye contact through glass dividers.
Who Should Book What
He closes with a simple guide. If you are cruising on a budget, skip the balcony and use the savings on excursions, drinks or even another cruise. If your itinerary is port intensive and you are off the ship nearly every day, paying more for a view you will not be there to enjoy makes little sense.
On the other hand, if you are sailing through Alaska, Iceland or Norway, where the view is the experience, he says a balcony may be worth it. Waking up to glaciers and fjords is once-in-a-lifetime stuff. Travelers who love slow mornings, private downtime and room service in robes may also enjoy a balcony or suite. But if you want to explore every deck and hit every show, he says you need a charging station, a shower and a place to crash, because the ship and the journey are the destination.
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