Many cruise passengers insist on sailing with a balcony.
They enjoy the outdoor space and often talk about having coffee on their balcony in the morning or enjoying a drink there in the evening.
And for many of these cruisers, not being able to see the outside world is a deal breaker. If they can't get a balcony, they can settle for an ocean view (a cabin with a window), but they won't sail in an inside cabin.
Related: Carnival Cruise Line bans the practice on board, explains menu changes
Newer cruise ships have balconies and windows in about 70% of their staterooms. These may include inward-facing balconies like those offered by Royal Caribbean, which on Oasis Class ships overlook the Central Park and Boardwalk neighborhoods.
Those cabins let in light and have a view, but they don't give passengers a view of the ocean.
The rest of the cabins are the cheapest: interior cabins with no views to the outside. Some cruise passengers appreciate the total darkness, which allows them to take a nap or sleep in after a night without any lights telling them it's time to be awake.
Carnival Cruise Line brand ambassador John Heald recently shared a post extolling the virtues of inside cabins, and his followers responded with their not-always-pleasant thoughts on the topic.
Image Source: Dan Kline/Come Cruise With Me
Carnival's Heald shares the joy of indoor cabins
With cruises selling incredibly well, some cruisers may need to consider inside staterooms so they can affordably book the cruises of their choice. This could be because the balcony and ocean view cabins sell out first or because the prices for those cabins are prohibitive.
“So, with our 2025 pre-orders selling out faster than signed photos of me in a mankini and a jumpsuit, I thought I'd share a different cabin style each day,” Heald posted on facebook. “This will help those thinking about staying before booking to see what others think.”
Inside cabins are almost always the cheapest cabin class, although in some cases ocean view prices may be the same or very close.
“We'll start with the INDOOR CABINS. They may not have a window, but they are very cozy and guarantee a good night's sleep,” Heald shared.
Again, some passengers like complete darkness, as the blinds and curtains on most cruise ships let in light as soon as the sun rises. Heald attempted to further enhance the benefits of indoor cabins.
“They can have two single beds or those two beds can be put together,” he added. “They can have bunk beds, beds that come out of the ceiling and that are prepared by the person in charge of the state room. They can sleep one person, two people or three (or) four with the bunk prepared.”
Carnival passengers make noise in interior cabins
Passengers' feelings about interior cabins are mixed.
“We've stayed indoors before, but we prefer natural light from a window, so if the cruise is 7 days or longer, we book staterooms with windows,” shared Leonia Wallace.
Others look for indoor cabins for one key reason.
“I love them! I can keep my fee costs low for other expenses elsewhere and we love how dark the cabins get,” April Lopes posted.
Susan Woods Fox echoed that point.
“When I started sailing, I had an ocean view or a balcony,” he said. “Now I love the interior. I'm only in the cabin to sleep and change. I get up at 5 in the morning to go to the gym or work out somewhere. I prefer to cruise more frequently and I can do it while saving money on the choice of cabin. Especially if I save money while traveling alone from time to time.”
Many passengers changed their minds about the interior after Covid.
“Great for sleeping, but a little small, especially for more than 2 people,” wrote Debbie Flach. “Personally, I like a sea view room with that nice big window or, better yet, a balcony. Since Covid, I book a balcony so that if we get stranded somewhere like before, I'll have fresh air and sunshine when necessary.”
Karen Stevens Olson shared a common opinion about the interiors.
“Oh, not for me. I'm claustrophobic, but my children and older granddaughters love them,” she wrote. “I think they're vampires because they love how cold and dark they get, haha.
“I want a balcony, preferably a cove, I love being closer to the water and I feel like I have an escape route in case of a dire emergency, you know, zombies or whatever.”
And Joe Vitelli shared a non-zombie opinion on why he likes having a balcony or at least an ocean view:
“We stayed in one once. Too small for us. Plus, you spend more time in your cabin than you think. We don't like not having at least one window. Plus, I always enjoy morning coffee on my balcony. Like see the ship arrive at various ports without being shoulder to shoulder in a crowd.”
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