Is this the answer for inside cabins?

[SwissMyst]

My one big hang-up with an inside cabin though I love the price and the thought of doing more cruising because of their lower prices is missing those early morning wake-up moments of natural light.

I struggle with this small quirk and its large economic impact on our cruise budget. I googled to see if there was anything that could be a remedy and actually came up with some possible solutions, equally quirky.

Anyone have experience with these "natural light" alarm clocks? Do you think this could transform the experience of an inside cabin into the feeling you were actually waking up beside a babbling brook with the smell of fresh coffee wafting in the early morning breezes? :p

http://www.hammacher.com/product/70460?cm_ven=HS&cm_cat=ProductSEM&cm_pla=AdWords&cm_ite=70460

http://www.sharperimage.com/si/view/product/Rise-and-Shine-Natural-Alarm-Clock/200218?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=NonBranded&Keyword=Natural%20Alarm%20Clock&cm_mmc=CPC-_-Google-_-NonBranded-_-Natural%20Alarm%20Clock&gclid=CMiMt6b4uqoCFaUZQgodA3adVg

[Hawaiidan]

But consider the total blackout also in Alaska, South America, North Cape, where day light is sometimes 18 to 20 hours per day and that trying to black out a window at 11pm dosent work that well when you like to turn in at 9 after a long day.

Also the total black promotes deep sleep which you need and light is not good. Adapting to Jet lag, time changes are all easier too,

I took the jump from penthouses with balconies and all the trimmings and found the extra size of an inside plus the vast reduction in cost ( like a savings of $700 a day) convinced me.

Third law of life... no free lunch.

I know you can do it.... just turn on the TV to see whats going on outside..thats free.... maybe put a timer on the TV !!!!:rolleyes:

[SwissMyst]

But consider the total blackout also in Alaska, South America, North Cape, where day light is sometimes 18 to 20 hours per day and that trying to black out a window at 11pm dosent work that well when you like to turn in at 9 after a long day.

....

Very good point. Thanks for the reminder about that Midnight Sun.

[Wayfairers]

I've always thought one of the perks of an inside cabin is the total darkness - great sleep and you wake up when your body is ready, not when the sun comes up. :)

I have heard others say that turning the TV on to the channel that is the camera works because it is dark at night but gets light when the sun is up. Wonder if you can see the sun rise that way when the camera is pointed east???

[tomc]

I keep the tv on the bow camera (partly because I can have soft classical music playing as I go to sleep, although you can mute this). The "blank" tv screen provides a very soft night light in case you need to get up in the wee small hours. Then as the sun rises, the tv slowly comes to life and you can see what's going on -- but it's easy to avoid if you just roll over.

[1of4]

sorry to bust in on this post but the TV left on overnight viewing the web cam is a great idea. I have been a bit worried about what to do as we are in an inside and leave for Alaska in 2 weeks. I wake at 4:00 for work but Dh and the kids just wouldn't rise until noon if there was no light!

[SwissMyst]

sorry to bust in on this post but the TV left on overnight viewing the web cam is a great idea. I have been a bit worried about what to do as we are in an inside and leave for Alaska in 2 weeks. I wake at 4:00 for work but Dh and the kids just wouldn't rise until noon if there was no light!

In Alaska this time of the year there will probably be plenty of light at 4:00 am so your cabin TV may glow this Midnight Sun welcome perhaps a lot earlier than your family's vacation schedule desires? :cool:

However, agree is more "normal" latitudes, leaving the view from the bridge TV on for access to the "morning sun" sounds like a good idea,..... but for the electricity drain it also creates. Probably not enough inside cabins wanting to do this to significantly matter in the Big Picture but waste is waste. Too bad HAL doesn't offer those "natural light" alarm clocks as a standard inside cabin fixture.

RE: Midnight sun cruises, I could not figure why inside cabins were selling for almost as much as ocean view cabins, but this prior poster's reminder for those cruises one more likely wants to keep extended daylight out of the cabin than try to find it within.

So it finally "dawned on me" why this fairly similar price differential existed between inside and oceanview pricing existed on these types of cruise.

[Wayfairers]

I'm afraid others are learning our secret.... we always book inside cabins. Sure, they are cheaper and we don't spend much awake time in the room, but, more importantly, we get great sleep because it is so dark.

[GeriatricNurse]

I'm afraid others are learning our secret.... we always book inside cabins. Sure, they are cheaper and we don't spend much awake time in the room, but, more importantly, we get great sleep because it is so dark.

Oh, I thought that it was my secret!! :D I could not have stated it any better! :)

[scopewest]

I tried leaving the TV on but it was too bright :)

We found battery operated lights that cast a softer glow that I could sleep through.

[tomc]

SwissMyst ...but for the electricity drain it also creates ... Probably not enough inside cabins wanting to do this to significantly matter in the Big Picture but waste is waste. Televisions these days do not draw a lot of juice and since they are always on (Instant On = always on, but in a sort of "Sleep Mode") you aren't really wasting much.