Is a window ocean view room worth the extra cost (vs. an interior room)?

I'm going to be booking my first cruises (3-4 day cruises, maybe a longer one later), so I have no sailing experience. Question: Do you feel it is worth it to pay more for exterior rooms with ocean views? Not a balcony, but just a window - even a small circular one?

We book Interiors when it's just my husband and myself cruising. When we bring our teenage daughter, we book Ocean View....not because of the window, but because we can get a sofa-bed for her instead of a ceiling bunk. The size of the cabin is almost the same in both types, so the only benefit is the window....how much is it worth to you? We find Interiors to be just fine for the two of us, in regard to size and amenities. We don't miss the window when we don't have it.

I'm going to be booking my first cruises (3-4 day cruises, maybe a longer one later), so I have no sailing experience. Question: Do you feel it is worth it to pay more for exterior rooms with ocean views? Not a balcony, but just a window - even a small circular one?

Since you've never been on a previous cruise, an inside cabin may indeed be just fine for you. Many will say that they only use the cabin to sleep and shower in so they feel no need to get an ocean view or balcony cabin. This may, to some degree depend on your age and the amount of activities that you're planning to enjoy.

I have never had an inside cabin and only a few times made the choice of just ocean view. I do use the cabin and especially the balcony where I often enjoy reading or just relaxing. However that is just me.

I say go for the inside cabin if it helps your finances but if possible at least consider an ocean view cabin.

I assume you're taking a VERY short cruise to see if you like it. Be aware that short cruises produce a different type of environment, tend to have younger fellow passengers and some go just to drink and party. Nothing wrong with that, just be aware. I would never take a cruise of less than 7 days, but again that's just me.

Regardless of your cabin choice, hope you have a grand time. :)

"Worth it" depends a great deal on you. If you aren't going to spend much time in your cabin (just sleeping, dressing, etc.) and you don't mind four walls with no windows, then the cost of an oceanview is probably not worth it. Some people love interiors because they need almost total darkness to sleep.

Since this will be your first cruise and it will be a short one, you might want to try an interior and see how you like it. If you do, you will save money on your future cruises. If you don't, then you know an oceanview will be "worth it" for you on subsequent cruises.

I've never had an ocean view room, but depending on the ship, it appears that some of those windows don't offer any kind of view unless you stand on the bed to look out. It's not like you have a big window to look out while you're sitting on the couch, and I can't imagine they let in much light either. I would go for inside, promenade, or skip straight to balcony. I wouldn't even consider an ocean view because it seems odd to me that they charge more money for them than an inside when they are the same size as an inside AND at the bottom of the ship. None of that is a bad thing, but small AND bottom of the ship seems to me like it should cost less, not more.

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I Recently booked my first cruise, and I had an oceanview as my minimum cabin choice. I just feel that not having the window to subconsciously tell you it's night or day would screw up my bodyclock.

Have cruised inside -- with three people yet -- on the HAL Statendam, which had v.large interior cabins with a sofa/bed. I simply spent most of the time out of the room. There are many places to go around a ship, many things to see or experience.

Many even most of HAL interiors still have a sofa (which may or may not make a bed). Subsequently, dr'spin and I were going to do a transAtlantic+Mediterranean cruise of 26 days, in a large interior... it was a guarantee, that is a booking without a room number that is 'guaranteed' to be of a certain category or higher. I thought "Large interior or maybe a poor-view exterior, no problem with either." THEN I found out that some *very* small insides with no sofa and only one chair (a desk chair!) were considered higher category than the large interior I thought we were guaranteed, solely because they were on a higher deck! Yes, some lines have changed the rating system so that undesirable cabins are rated higher than nice ones, just so they can palm them off on people booking guarantees!

In that case, we changed our guarantee to oceanview or higher and got a nicely arranged room with an un-blocked view... but sonic vibrations until midnight from the blues band's venue overhead! However, we learned that, at least on a longer cruise with numerous sea days, dr'spin does better with the natural light.

I guess my message is, decide where you want to be and book a specific room. Mark it no upgrade (otherwise some lines will move you without asking!). Whether that should be inside or oceanview, I agree with some of the above posters, on a short first cruise I would suggest that the interior is a fine choice, that you can spend the difference on a nicer shore excursion, or a few more boat-drinks!

We don't spend an awful lot of time in the room until getting ready for dinner but I always try and book oceanviews as long as it isn't too pricey.

The main reason is natural light is a comfort and makes the cabin feel roomier and more welcoming as well as letting you wake up and sleep naturally.

Did an inside as a test once and even though I coped ok I am in no rush to do it anytime soon. I felt odd not knowing what it was like outside. Even with a obstructed OV you get an idea.

My husband liked the inside htough and said it was the best sleep he had experienced on a cruise.

For us it is worth the extra for an oceanview

I like to have some natural light

spent 18 days in an inside would not do that again but that is me

I've never had an ocean view room, but depending on the ship, it appears that some of those windows don't offer any kind of view unless you stand on the bed to look out. It's not like you have a big window to look out while you're sitting on the couch, and I can't imagine they let in much light either.

depends on the ship

We cruise Carnival and I have cruised interior, window, and balcony. Here's my thoughts.

We did balcony (had a sofa and a desk chair) for our first and it was nice but we hardly used it. For our next one we were on a tighter budget and decided to go with an interior (only a chair, no sofa.) We loved how dark it was. It was definitely smaller but we didn't use it much and it was fine, we chose an interior for our next cruise together to save the money for fun stuff. In between those last 2 trips I went on a girls trip with my mother in law and sister in law, we were in a window room and it was the biggest of the 3 and I slept on the sofa. It is technically the same size as a balcony except part of the space on a balcony room is outside and not inside the cabin. So the ocean view is larger inside. It was nice but my husband and I still chose an inside room for our next cruise.

Now 6 years later we're planning our next cruise and this time we'll have our almost 5 year old. We knew we'd book a window room so he can sleep on the couch instead of a bunk, plus more space and the excitement of him getting to see the water. Added bonus, the ship we boxed has deluxe window rooms with a second bathroom that has a sink and a mini tub with shower. Perfect for our son who is afraid of showers! It means the room will be slightly smaller than a regular window room but still bigger than the interior room.

depends on the ship

Oh well there you go, I stand corrected :) I actually thought I was on the Royal Caribbean board when I replied to this and was thinking in terms of the majority of Royal ships, which use a small round porthole that is up higher on the wall and can't really be used to see outside. Not all ships, but many. In regards to your picture, I can see an ocean view going for more money than the insides.

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What is the price difference? If it is much more expensive, I would have to agree with the posters that say take the inside cabin. It is a short cruise and not worth the extra money. Your first cruise, I think you'll find yourself out of your cabin more than in. Too much to do, explore and learn.

I need to have light and a window (not a porthole) so I would not cruise in an inside cabin regardless of how much I might save. On the other hand, I consider a balcony a waste of money unless the increased cost for the balcony over the outside view is very little. Obviously, different strokes etc.

DON

To me, no. I like the darkness of an inside cabin at night as I am a poor sleeper, and I'm rarely in the cabin during the day. If I'm going to have outside views then I want a balcony that I can walk out on and enjoy the sea air as well. An oceanview cabin would be frustrating to me.

The size of the cabin (depending on ship) will be comparable....a window lets in light...but even a big picture window doesn't give you the view a balcony would...

My mom is perfectly happy with inside cabins...I need a balcony! It really depends you YOU!

I'm going to be booking my first cruises (3-4 day cruises, maybe a longer one later), so I have no sailing experience. Question: Do you feel it is worth it to pay more for exterior rooms with ocean views? Not a balcony, but just a window - even a small circular one?

It's worth it to me.......having the natural light is important to me. I don't know whether it will be important to you or not.

They are worth it to us. Insides just feel too closed in and we tend to feel any motion more. And depending on the cruise line/ ship, an ocean view may be larger. They are on Carnival.

We started cruising in an inside and will still book them when it makes financial sense. I love sleeping in the very dark room. We also started with a 5 night cruise, wanted to make sure DH would like it. That was a perfect length to get the cruise feel without the weekend "party hard" atmosphere. We weren't ready to leave when it was over and knew it was only the first of many.

I've had every sort of cabin except a full suite, and would definitely choose a oceanview over an inside whenever my travel budget allowed. An inside cabin, to me, feels like being in a deep underground cave because it is so totally dark, 24/7.

It's much nicer to have a window, even a porthole, for the light coming in during the day. In an inside you have to turn on the cabin lights the moment you walk in the door because the room is pitch black.

Some say you can compensate by leaving the TV on all night tuned to the channel that shows the bridgecam view, so that when you awaken in the morning you can tell that it's daylight outside. I found the flickering on the TV screen interfered with my sleep.

I'm not sure which cruise line you'll be taking, but I found Royal Caribbean's interior virtual balcony cabins to be nice. They let in a lot of light, but it doesn't have the expense of a balcony.

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"Worth it" is not just variable -depending upon the cost differential, it is also subjective - depending upon how important natural light is to you.

I have sailed inside a couple of times - when it was all I could afford; I did not like it much. Our recent cruises have mainly been with balconies - because that wide sliding glass door, plus the outdoor space gives so much to the cruise. Now, depending upon season and itinerary, we might settle for an ocean view if it is much less than a balcony - but never again an inside, no matter how cheap.

It's worth it for us, since my DH can't tolerate an inside. It gives him claustrophobia. I'm a cheapskate and would still be booking insides if not for that.

I don't really care about having an ocean view from my cabin, but not knowing day from night bothers me a lot. I brought a clock on my last cruise, so that helped. I prefer some natural light. I like being on an upper deck, so booking a lower deck cabin with an ocean view isn't something I am interested in doing simply because of the location. Lower decks have advantages, but for me the upper decks work better. It's really a personal choice and probably something a person who has never been on a cruise can decide until they go on their first cruise.

Given the choice of an ocean view on a lower deck or an inside on a higher deck, I would suck up not having natural light and book an inside cabin because of my preference on location. An ocean view on a higher deck would be ideal for me.

Since this is your first cruise - no matter which type of room (window or inside), please be careful when selecting the room and what is around, above, and below your room!

Being below/above a kitchen/dining area may provide a night's worth of rattling pots, pans and/or dishes, while a bar/lounge area may keep one up until the wee hours of the next morning! Pick a room next to a bank of elevators or across from the laundry may led to a lot of sleepless time.

If you may be upset by the rocking motion of the ship, the lower and middle (central) rooms may go easier on motion sickness.

The above items you may control by selecting your room carefully. What you can't control will be the fellow cruisers in the nearby rooms!

Best wishes for a great cruise!