Inside Cabin for the First Time. Advice Requested.

We have booked an inside cabin for the first time after 20+ years of cruising. We started in oceanview cabins, tried a balcony and never looked back, then the same with mini suites and suites...never looked back. We decided late to go on a Canada / New England cruise and are now booked on the Zuierderdam departing October 3 from NYC. As a last minute cruise, with 2 more already booked (December 2018 and February 2019) I wanted to keep the cost down and decided to try an inside cabin. I was able to reserve a J Cabin on the main deck, so at least it will be roomy. As the time comes near, I’m getting nervous. I really have no way of knowing how we will handle no natural light, but I’m about to find out. Anyway, please offer me your best inside cabin ideas, things that make it more livable. Also, I have looked extensively, and can not find a video of a J Cabin. Has anyone had better luck finding a video? Thanks in advance for your help.

Night lights like we use at home might help at nighttime. There should be a plug in the bathroom or somewhere for the hairdryer/elec. shaver that can handle plug-in night lights.

Those little battery-operated LED tea lights found at JoAnn's, Michael's, etc., don't put out a lot of light, but might help create ambiance.

I've cruised in an inside cabin, and the small size (dodging the furniture) was the only issue I recall with the cabin, itself. Our cabin was lowest level of cabins and must have been right above the machinery, engine, or some heavy equipment (on the Maasdam) because there was horrible clanging all night long and it was difficult to sleep. That was the pits. No sea days on that cruise, so we were only in the cabin at night. Oh, and the twin bed was hard as concrete. I let HAL know.

I normally sail with an inside cabin. (I was blessed only once by the upgrade fairy). I am only in the cabin at night (or briefly to change my clothes). Who sits in their cabin all day anyway???? Granted if you have a real nice balcony... but most of the time I am on deck, or on excursions.

I found an inside cabin brilliant for sleeping .. the only problem I found was not quite knowing what the weather was up too...

We love those inside J/K cabins on main deck. We leave the TV on the bridge cam channel all night and the glowing HAL logo in the corner makes an excellent nightlight. When daylight comes, the TV screen tells you. EM

Your cabin TV is your friend. Turn it on to the ship's bow camera, when you want to see what is happening outside.

If the nightlight does not work in the bathroom, you can leave the bathroom light on all night with the door closed for a hint of light to find your way.

You will always have enough darkness to sleep well.

Enjoy your cruise!

Barbara

Take a little clock so that you can see what time it is, the lack of daylight can be disorientating (even with the bridge cam).

We have sailed in most types of cabins, but now are usually in an inside cabin. As others have said, you aren't in the cabin for long. There are lots of places to be other than in the cabin. I always leave one of the candle lights in the bathroom at night. Just enough light so you don't have to turn on the bathroom light. If the total darkness bothers you, you might want one in the cabin too. The J cabins are nice. Enjoy your cruise.

While I love a balcony, inside cabins are just as nice,not to mention cheaper.

I've found HAL inside cabins great. Roomy, great space and the best of sleep.

There is one channel that shows outside and I use as a guide. I also have a nightlight to prevent bumping around.

Like someone else stated,overall not in my cabin alot but either about the ship or on shore.

We were in one of these cabins on the Oosterdam and it is larger than one of the ocean view cabins and more storage. If we want to see what it going on outside we do the same as others and just turn on the TV to the bridge cam.

The J cabins on Main Deck were my favorite cabins. We, however, avoided those cabins under what use to be the Northern Lights Night Club (now the Gallery Bar) as one could heard loud music on the Main Deck under the club.

I was afraid to book a J cabin on a recent Zuiderdam cruise because I was afraid with the changing of the Queen's Lounge to BB King's, the same problem would occur with cabins under BB King's.

All of the above..........and request a fan. When oscillating, it actually mimics the sound of an ocean breeze while keeping the air moving in the cabin. I find insides generally warmer than outsides, so this is a necessity for me.

We never spend a lot of money on hotel rooms, as we'd rather put our money into shore excursions :)

Night lights like we use at home might help at nighttime. There should be a plug in the bathroom or somewhere for the hairdryer/elec. shaver that can handle plug-in night lights.

 

Those little battery-operated LED tea lights found at JoAnn's, Michael's, etc., don't put out a lot of light, but might help create ambiance.

 

I've cruised in an inside cabin, and the small size (dodging the furniture) was the only issue I recall with the cabin, itself. Our cabin was lowest level of cabins and must have been right above the machinery, engine, or some heavy equipment (on the Maasdam) because there was horrible clanging all night long and it was difficult to sleep. That was the pits. No sea days on that cruise, so we were only in the cabin at night. Oh, and the twin bed was hard as concrete. I let HAL know.

i can only sleep on beds as hard as concrete and because the HAL beds were not that hard I gave up cruising on that line.

Re inside cabin ,we too booked one after 20 years of OV and balcony cabins .My suggestion is to spend limited time in the cabin and bring a few night lights.

I’ll be trying a white-noise app with a portable speaker on my next cruise. It might be nice especially for an inside stateroom. (Wish I could find an app of this type that has “bow wave”!)

Once in a great while we go for a inside cabin to humble ourselves lol;p;p;p

:')

We too have booked a J inside cabin on the Zuiderdam. I've always sorta wanted to try one, and when DH didn't want to spring for a very nicely located verandah, I said this was the time -- rather than an obscured oceanview on the upper promenade (behind a tender).

I intend to find that bridge cam channel and bring a couple LED nightlights. And find all the good spots for reading during the day, hopefully near the Exploration Cafe, drinking my EX4 included lattes.

I like the inside cabins on the lower promenade deck on some HAL ships so that I can get outside in a few seconds and use the wrap around deck as my personal outdoor space. I have never brought a night light but I have left the bathroom light on with the door open a crack. I know aboout the TV channel bur I haven’t used it because I prefer the absolute darkness.

Inside cabin is great. Just completed 14 day cruise in an inside cabin. It was really dark and slept well. If you see any light through the walls someone is spying on you :eek:

Hello all,

We always book inside room (love the dark cabin & never spend time in by cabin but it is us) as we do B2B and pre-post cruise instead than spending $$ on a veranda.

We only booked a veranda once when we took 2 of our grand children on a 7-night Caribbean cruise. We wanted the extra room of the balcony. We spend a few minutes on the balcony when we left Miami and that was the extent of it. The kids (12 and 9 at the time) truly enjoyed Celebrity kids club and the game room which was by chance located very near our cabin...

Now the secret is out, travel longer in an inside room over shorter stay in a veranda room. A cruise is great and you always need to do a pre and post cruise when you start exploring distant countries I never the world.

We all have a budget and this is how I stretch it! But please, cruisers, keep buying verandas pleaser.;p

The Canadians!:cool:

Tried an inside recently since I was going "solo" on the Cuba cruise on the Veendam - for me the one major drawback for an inside cabin was not waking up to sunlight. I looked for "sunshine" alarm clocks that gradually lighten a room and I would bring one of those next time - $40-90 -some can program bird songs, white sounds etc.

Except for that, the inside cabin was fine. There was sufficient light coming in from the hall way in the ventilation gap at the bottom of the cabin door that it was not complete darkness. I tried to keep the TV deck webcam on - was not bright enough to wake me up in the morning so I was constantly checking my small travel clock to see the time if I woke up during the night. That was what I liked the least.

I had an inside cabin on the Navigation deck near the Neptune Lounge and had no noise issues from the galley prepare area up stairs

We love those inside J/K cabins on main deck. We leave the TV on the bridge cam channel all night and the glowing HAL logo in the corner makes an excellent nightlight. When daylight comes, the TV screen tells you. EM

We also sailed on Zuiderdam in larger inside cabin.

It was a very nice cabin.

Welcome to the Cavedwellers Club -- and the best naps at sea. Shhh, please don't tell everyone, or they'll all want in, leaving fewer inside cabins for the rest of us. :D

Tried an inside recently since I was going "solo" on the Cuba cruise on the Veendam - for me the one major drawback for an inside cabin was not waking up to sunlight. I looked for "sunshine" alarm clocks that gradually lighten a room and I would bring one of those next time - $40-90 -some can program bird songs, white sounds etc.

If you bring a cell phone or tablet, there are many sunrise alarm apps that provide the same functionality at a fraction of the cost. I don't know if any include little birds chirping in the background. :)

Good morning. I have only been on about 5 cruises, one with Holland America. This thread is very interesting. Are some inside J/K better than others? One post stated there was a lot of noise in their cabin. I can look at deck plans but would like suggestions if possible. Hoping to cruise again next year. Thank you.

Good morning. I have only been on about 5 cruises, one with Holland America. This thread is very interesting. Are some inside J/K better than others? One post stated there was a lot of noise in their cabin. I can look at deck plans but would like suggestions if possible. Hoping to cruise again next year. Thank you.

Good morning!

I think one step that may help, is to look at the deck plan directly above a cabin of interest. I’m not sure if that will definitely show a galley (or not), but I think it can (others will correct me if necessary).