Nemo, Alan, and anyone else who's done transatlantic repositioning cruises.

[rodi]

The hubster and I are tentatively planning a trip for next spring. We'd fly to FL and visit family, then leave there via cruise ship to Europe. We've got a couple cruise itinerary's identified as possibilities.

The big question is how claustrophobic will and interior stateroom feel? Big price difference and lots of days at sea with nothing to look at make this seem like the right choice... Lots of windows/decks on the ship if we want to see the ocean/view.

Any advice appreciated.

 

[brett]

I am somewhat claustrophobic. When flying I want the aisle seat which sometimes means not sitting with my spouse who likes the window seat. I do not like small, contained spaces. Especially on longer flights.

We have never had an inside cabin. Out of 20 plus cruises we have only had three outsides-the rest have been balcony cabins.

We have done one TA cruise. A balcony cabin. An inside would not work for me. Because of the number of sea days I would always want a balcony.

We would not do another TA. The cruise was excellent however after three sea days we were ready to jump ship. Some people enjoy many consecutive sea days. It comes down to personal preference. We were fortunate. We crossed in late Oct/Nov. Weather was perfect, seas were like glass. We had a port balcony and some days it was too hot to sit out on the balcony all afternoon.

Most of our cruises have been purchased inside the final window after prices have been reduced hence the difference in price is often small or nil.

I am certain others will have different perspectives.

We typically have breakfast on our balcony. Coffee, fruit, pastry. In the later afternoon we are often on our balcony-red wine and a good book.

 

[Happyras]

I once and only once, had an inside state room. I was cheap, and took a GF on a cruise in the Caribbean. Bad choice..... Since then my wife and I have done nearly 40 cruises. We always get either a suite or at least upper class balcony.

Even with the cheap fare, the inside is going to be small, and not relaxing to be in. BTD, blow the dough and get a suite if you can, the amenities are well worth it. A repositioning cruise could get boring, and definitely go on a larger newer ship like the Apex or Edge on Celebrity! My opinion, and life is short!

 

[Aerides]

I'm also claustrophobic - MRI's are fun! If you know you aren't claustrophobic at all that's one thing, but a lot of people don't find out until they are in some fluke situation and had no idea before that.

I always remember this thread because I've never cruised and had no idea full interior cabins were a thing.

The OP got to go interior, for free, and two key things they mentioned after they came back would make it a no go for me:

Lack of a balcony

What if one of you gets ill. Not get-off-the-boat-ill, but a cold or flu where you'd depend on the cabin for more than just sleeping at night

https://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f28/this-is-not-so-much-about-travel-91473-6.html

 

[Dtail]

I have gone on many cruises and clearly do prefer having a balcony, but will state that the inside room did not feel claustrophobic, so would consider one again if there was a large enough discount.

 

[NW-Bound]

I'm also claustrophobic - MRI's are fun! If you know you aren't claustrophobic at all that's one thing, but a lot of people don't find out until they are in some fluke situation and had no idea before that.

I always remember this thread because I've never cruised and had no idea full interior cabins were a thing.

The OP got to go interior, for free, and two key things they mentioned after they came back would make it a no go for me:

Lack of a balcony

What if one of you gets ill. Not get-off-the-boat-ill, but a cold or flu where you'd depend on the cabin for more than just sleeping at night

https://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f28/this-is-not-so-much-about-travel-91473-6.html

Ooh, the above was a fun thread.

And I miss my friend redduck. He disappeared a couple of years ago, all of a sudden.

 

[Souschef]

I would never consider an inside stateroom, as they are small AND claustrophobic.
Go the cruise website, pick your ship, look at the deck plan, and click on an inside stateroom to see the layout.

 

[Alan]

We have done inside staterooms several times on transatlantic crossings. With a transatlantic you are at sea for 5 or 6 days with nothing to see except sea. With transatlantic cruises we have done then the cruise line, Cunard, Princess, put on plenty of activities, lectures, shows etc during the day. We really spent very little time in the cabin.

For other cruises we do like to have a balcony, or windows.

 

[Ready]

Are cruise ships sailing again? I thought they were still on hold, at least for US departures.

I would not feel comfortable with an inside cabin. It’s like staying in someone’s closet. A balcony is a big part of the cruise ship experience.

 

[RetireAge50]

I like the inside room just fine as it is pitch black so perfect for sleeping. On our transatlantic cruise, other cruises, and even other resorts we are rarely in our room. However if I had money to blow would be great to have more space and fresh breezes the balconies and suites provide.

 

[RetireeRobert]

Did an Alaska cruise from Seattle. Seven days, and since route hugged the shoreline lots of scenery. Even so, we found we actually spent very little time in the room. We had an outside room with window. Our kids had an inside room right across the hall.

Given all the other places on ship to lounge and sit and look out, and given we basically just slept in our room, and for a significant discount for inside room, I would actually suggest the inside room. Spend your fare savings on excursions or other fun things or keep that saved dough in your IRA awhile longer.

On a trans ocean cruise especially, with nothing to see out your window except sea, and all the alternative places on board to sit and lounge and stare at the sea if that's what you want, I think outside rooms are not worth it.

 

[Sunset]

We've done a bunch of inside cabins and some balcony cruises.

We get up in the morning , have breakfast, and are out all day, if we want to read/sit then on a deck is better than in the room.
Sitting on a deck is better because: if someone bugs you by talking/etc you can move , You can order drinks/food, You can move in/out of the sun as needed, Can change sides if the view/wind is better on 1 side vs the other.

Inside is great for:
Saving $$
Really dark at night/day for sleeping
We don't spent any time in room during the day, except to come back to change and go out again.
You need a watch to know what time it is.

Balcony great for:
Sit and watch the water
Fresh air if going to spend time in room.
Have to close the curtains if changing/etc as neighbors can peek in.
You hear the neighbors if they are out as well.

Ignoring Covid, my personal preference would be a balcony if it's only $20/day total more, so in general the inside ones win for me.

Years ago, we did a Med cruise so I picked a balcony to see the sites, turned out it was not much use.
We had a TA cruise and I picked interior room as nothing to see on ocean, they upgraded us to balcony for free, the balcony was still not much use, maybe used it 1/2 hour per day on avg.

 

[RetireeRobert]

We've done a bunch of inside cabins and some balcony cruises.


We had a TA cruise and I picked interior room as nothing to see on ocean, they upgraded us to balcony for free, the balcony was still not much use, maybe used it 1/2 hour per day on avg.

So, another minus for deliberately getting a balcony room --- you have no chance to be upgraded!

 

[brett]

Never count on being upgraded other than within the cabin type. It does happen but in 20 plus not to us.

Select a cabin that you are happy with. If you go with a guarantee, which we often do, assume that you will get the worst gty in the cabin class. Having said that, we have never been unhappy with any guarantee assignment.

On our TA we sat on our balcony every single day. But we really did luck out with the fall weather.

 

[Sunset]

Never count on being upgraded other than within the cabin type. It does happen but in 20 plus not to us.

Select a cabin that you are happy with. If you go with a guarantee, which we often do, assume that you will get the worst gty in the cabin class. Having said that, we have never been unhappy with any guarantee assignment.

On our TA we sat on our balcony every single day. But we really did luck out with the fall weather.

Perhaps we got the upgrade as we were doing a back to back cruise 10 Med + 14 TA, its not like we are top level cruises as we switch companies all the time.

You bring up a good point, on our TA end of May, it was cool on the balcony some days, DW called it chilly.
If the sun was shining on it it was fine, but during the shadow times it felt too cool to use.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

While I prefer balcony cabins, probably half or more of my cruises have been spent in an inside cabin. I shower, sleep and nap in my cabin and not much more than that, so the inside cabin suits me fine if I've chosen to save some money on that cruise.

When I have a balcony, I probably spend less than one hour on it per day. I prefer to be out and about on the ship. Even if that means napping in the shade somewhere.

I would have no problem with an inside on a TA cruise. That said, I hope my 16 days of back-to-back cruises in the Mediterranean with a balcony actually takes place in October.

 

[Sunset]

W.... That said, I hope my 16 days of back-to-back cruises in the Mediterranean with a balcony actually takes place in October.

I was silly thinking a balcony would allow me to see sites as we cruised along. Turns out the Med, is huge and we were dozens of miles out of sight of land for the most part.
So I just saw water

 

[braumeister]

Speaking of Nemo2, I'm a bit concerned since he hasn't posted here in a month and a half. That's not like him, so I hope he's OK.

As to cruises, I have no experience with cross ocean cruising (except for the Drake Passage to get to Antarctica and back), but I just can't imagine the problem about an inside cabin. Looking out at the ocean is not exactly sightseeing IMHO. We were perfectly happy to go to another deck and look out the big windows. Time spent in our cabin was minimal, to say the least.

 

[rodi]

To put it in perspective.... We are not FAT fire... Definitely have a budget and there are limits on what we can spend. The suite is NOT going to happen... Struggling with the $600 price difference PER PERSON for a balcony.

We went on a Baja cruise in Jan 2020 and had a balcony. It was nice - but most of the time we were watching the shore we were on the deck, not in the room.

Obviously, if funds were unlimited I'd be in that fancy owners suite with separate bedroom, a butler, and multiple seating areas. But that's not the case for me.

The trip is going to be fun... Florida to visit family, cruise that ends in Italy, then a week in Cinque Terra. Lots of interesting stops at the beginning and end of the cruise.

 

[tulak]

Speaking of Nemo2, I'm a bit concerned since he hasn't posted here in a month and a half. That's not like him, so I hope he's OK.

+1. I noticed that about a week ago. I also hope he’s ok.

 

[W2R]

I haven't been on a (non-work, recreational) cruise in 50 years, although I spent a lot of my childhood on cruise ships due to my father being quite the "travel addict".

But you know me, I've gotta "chime in".

I don't think ANY of us spent more than 10 minutes/day in the cabin, other than sleeping. If we had had a balcony, I doubt any of us would have noticed. We usually had reserved deck chairs, where I remember spending a lot of time reading, and there are so many other activities available on cruise ships.

Edited to add... As Souschef says below, YMMV!

 

[Souschef]

This really is a YMMV. We just booked a Hawaiian cruise that has sea days on each side. We love them, sitting on our balcony, reading and listening to music with privacy.
There are some people who are out and about all day, and just use the cabin to sleep or change clothes.

 

[NW-Bound]

I was silly thinking a balcony would allow me to see sites as we cruised along. Turns out the Med, is huge and we were dozens of miles out of sight of land for the most part.
So I just saw water

Or you can be on the wrong side of the boat.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

The trip is going to be fun... Florida to visit family, cruise that ends in Italy, then a week in Cinque Terra. Lots of interesting stops at the beginning and end of the cruise.

Sounds like a fantastic trip. Book your inside cabin and save the money to spend on other things -- like gelato!

 

[Souschef]

This is the suite we will be in on our next cruise. It is at the stern of the ship.