Argue /Correct me if I'm wrong ....

[roswellmom]

The high tier cabins on the ships are destinations in and of themselves.

 

When we cruised inside, we did the same as you...sleep, shower, leave. Although we took one of the best naps in our lives in an inside.

 

Relaxing on an aft balcony suite trancing on the ship's wake is a ritual revered by many, for example.

 

There's a reason not to spend much time in your cabin if it's an inside cabin. I can guarantee you will never find a reason to rush out of an aft balcony. Don't try it if you don't want to get hooked.

[cliffd64]

I wish I could convince my wife to go back to inside cabins... but no way... she is hooked on at least balcony cabins.

 

She expresses she has a need for outside light and air so the inside cabin would not work for her.

[tymike]

If you want to join a roll call for your and if there is a cabin crawl perhaps you can go and actually see how it feels to be in different cabins (albeit only for a few minutes or so). That way you can get a first hand experience of whether it might be better/more fun for you.

 

I've sailed on four NCL cruises, always with cabins that had balconies but I have to say that I'm thoroughly intrigued by the thought of an inside cabin...not only for the price but for the experience of having a smaller space that can be pitch black for sleeping!

 

As nearly everyone else has said, go with what works for you and enjoy cruising!!!

[griz400]

Wow, alot of nice replies, we love learning from all you guys experiences ..The price of it all is not really an issue, we normally vacation 3 times a year, living in Fla., we go to the keys alot, and really cruising is cheaper than staying at a nice resort for a week, add a rental car and buying all of your own meals and paying for stuff to do, like deep sea fishing, snorkel trip or 2, etc. etc ....

We are going on the Sun on Nov 9, to Roatan, Belize, Costa Maya, and Cozumel, and have Excursions at Maya Key, Barrier Reef & Snorkel Island Beach Break, Almaplena , and Nachi Cocum all arranges, wifes b/day is on the 11Th, ship said she gets a free cake and bottle of white wine, did anyone ever buy the birthday package ?? is it worth it ?? so, all of this will keep us somewhat busy ..

She wants some Junco baskets, maybe some Mexican silver,last trip we bought from jewelry store at port in Cozumel, and i got a turquoise/silver bolo tie, also some rum in Belize I'm looking for, They make some nice higher end wooden stuff

(bowls, carvings ) in Belize and Honduras ...

Will check into the rooms if we can look at some , wife doesn't want to get sick by getting a balcony though .. balcony may be a "hard sell" with her .. lol

Growing up, the both of in southwestern Pa. we have pretty much blue collar roots, we married in 82 and moved to Fla. after all mines a coal mines shut down in 83, and been in Tampa ever since .. last cruise we didnt even use room service, i went and got 2 buckets of ice at pool deck, but, they seen me and made sure they filled them couple a times a day .. they spoil you like that :)

Edited September 17, 2014 by griz400

[SuiteCruisin14]

Cabins are subjective and we all have our favorite choices. Our first, a cruise to nowhere was out of NYC in the early 80's. I booked the lowest price cabin, an inside. When we boarded and entered the cabin both of us just started laughing. We had an inside cabin with 2 sets of bunk beds. The cruise was awesome and we were hooked.

We have done every type but the Haven style in 24 cruises since then and our choice always has to do with affordability for the next cruise we want.

Our next cruise is a Transatlantic and we are in an Ocean View so we can spend the rest of the money on a week in Europe before.

Go with what suits you best and never look back.

 

Lynda

[griz400]

From what I gather is, if you continue to stay in the inside cabins, it is good, but, when you tend to get a balcony or better room, an inside cabin wont suit your taste anymore ?? Like the old saying, You will never miss what you never had ?? :) I think a balcony cabin would be nice, but, wife has a tendency to get a little seasick .. she wasn't on previous cruise, but once we took a gambling cruise from Palm Beach Fla. to Freeport (was like a day cruise) it was like a large boat instead of a ship, and really, it was pretty bad .. This was like 20 years ago, and this is why we finally tried cruising .. :)

Edited September 19, 2014 by griz400

[Homosassa]

My husband and I have been cruising since 1976. Our favorite cabin is an inside, lower deck and amidships. We can afford any cabin category we want, but after trying ocean views and balconies, we stick to the inside.

 

We found we didn't spend any more time in our cabin with a balcony than with an inside. If we are in our cabin, we are watching a movie, reading, getting ready for the next event on our schedule or sleeping, and, once your eyes are closed, all cabins are the same.

[TheCruisingBrewers]

Interesting conversation.

 

I would say it depends a great deal on the persons, and the cruise in particular.

 

We have cruised, balconies, insides and suites. Part of the reason we chose balcony's is because one in my family is a bit claustrophobic and we needed them. I admit I love sitting on the balcony and watching the sea. We also used the balcony as an extra space buffer while our kids were young, that gave us more cabin room.

 

That being said though I prefer a balcony for daytime scenic or warm weather trips, but never saw the value in a balcony breakfast in Glacier bay! It is just too cold. Plus half the time you miss things on the announcements if you camp on the balcony. It is much better to be up where you can hear the naturalist in Alaska. We have done it both ways. I prefer to be up on deck.

 

We are now heading to Europe and the Med. MANY posters state how port intensive these cruises are, and you travel for one port to another overnight mostly. So for us we could not see the value in a balcony or suite. We will barely be in our room, just like the OP described.

 

Careful choosing of the inside to be close enough to an outdoor deck is pretty easy and saves thousands of dollars you can use for port excursions. This would also hold true to Alaska where you are gone more than you are on ship and excursions there also tend to be long. Now were I cruising the French Polynesian islands I would likely pick a balcony. On NCLs Pride of America there were many days that cruising the islands was just gorgeous. Balcony on that one too.

 

So it comes down to where you are sailing, the weather you are sailing in, how much time do you plan to be off ship and how you want to spend your money.

 

Oh and DH has long gotten over his cruise cabin claustrophobia.... Do things enough and they become comfortable.

[triptolemus]

That being said though I prefer a balcony for daytime scenic or warm weather trips, but never saw the value in a balcony breakfast in Glacier bay! It is just too cold. Plus half the time you miss things on the announcements if you camp on the balcony. It is much better to be up where you can hear the naturalist in Alaska. We have done it both ways. I prefer to be up on deck.

 

On the contrary, I find the solitude of the balcony exactly what I am looking for when watching Alaska go by. To be up on deck with everyone fidgeting with plates and drinks, kids running everywhere, complaining (oh, the complaining!) about this or that, the 824 camera tripods lining the rail... I prefer to be on my aft balcony.

 

As an aside, the park ranger who does the narrated guide in Glacier Bay can be found on one of the TV channels.

[swedish weave]

I find that staying on your balcony in Alaska (inside passage) or Panama restricts your view to half of what is available to see.

Edited September 19, 2014 by swedish weave

[kcwingwalker]

I'll go with the basic balcony. Aft really sounds great, but it's not for me. We did the OS and it was nice yet I found myself missing the basic balcony. So for our next cruise we booked a mini suite (no perks) so DD has the extra room she likes and I'll have the balcony that is so important to me..............just might be the cabin that is right for us.

[jkgourmet]

I'll go with the basic balcony. Aft really sounds great, but it's not for me. We did the OS and it was nice yet I found myself missing the basic balcony. So for our next cruise we booked a mini suite (no perks) so DD has the extra room she likes and I'll have the balcony that is so important to me..............just might be the cabin that is right for us.

 

Id like to hear more about what you didn't like about an aft balcony. All I ever hear is raves, so I'm genuinely curious.

[SissasMomE]

Id like to hear more about what you didn't like about an aft balcony. All I ever hear is raves, so I'm genuinely curious.

 

My husband loves it. I can take it or leave it. You do not get a breeze back there. While that is mostly a plus, I do miss feeling the wind while I am out on the balcony. Another plus with the aft-facing is much less foot traffic in the hallway; hence a quieter cabin.

Edited September 19, 2014 by SissasMomE

[Barb Nahoumi]

Having at least an oceanview is a must for me. The beauty of a cruise is the ability to look out at a vast expanse of ocean.

 

Being cooped in an inside would be similar to sleeping in a closet. Ships provide so many variations of cabin space, that there is something for everyone.

[rhinomike]

I find that staying on your balcony in Alaska (inside passage) or Panama restricts your view to half of what is available to see.

 

Exactly how I feel. We have always got an inside cabin. We got a balcony for our 12 day Europe cruise. On our balcony I felt like I could only see half of what I could see out on deck. We spent our time up on the top deck. 360 view and I usually walk back and forth. We wil stick to inside cabins. Nice and dark.

[teseo]

We are exactly just like you guys, we are mid 40's, and we like to be on the go go go. We have cruised 8 times comped by CAS, all but the last one in inside cabins and we loved, last cruise we only qualified for comped cruise in any ship but the BA to Bermuda or an Alaska cruise, since we had to change our land vacation plans we opted for a cruise to Bermuda, but we since was not comped and I was able to get a 20% discount from CAS we decided to book a balcony. we loved it too, but the truth is, we were barely in that room. usually we are kinda the first ones to get off the ship and the last ones to get on. I sat at the balcony only the last seaday and had a cup of coffee just to say i did it, but not really because i need it or wanted, and even at night never felt like doing it. but as many others had said, is not a right or wrong answer, to each their own. We can afford any cabin we want, but i love the pitch black darkness of the inside cabins at seadays, so i do not know what time is it and i do not have to rush to go anywere, yeah is great to have fresh air in the room, i agree, and as others said, once you get a balcony you are hooked, we did, our next 2 cruises are in a minisuite and a balcony, and is because they are comped as well, but if i have to pay full price i probably would go back to inside cabin again and save the money for tours.

 

I disagree with that. We have a 3 bedroom / 3 bathroom suite booked for our upcoming vacation in a resort. We do not plan to spend time indoors, but rather at the beach, pools, etc. I just can't fathom staying "inside" no matter how nice the suite is.

 

This is exactly how i feel about spending too much time in a cabin, when is so much to do on the ship or at ports, is like being in a 5 star all inclusive hotel and barely leave the room, definitely not for us, but is it for many others and make them happy and ultimate that is what it matters, what suit your needs and personality.

[griz400]

As of now, we have an Oslo deck room, and from what we have heard, this deck is pretty quiet .. Not sure how long it will take to get to different places, but, I guess it will be close to some as well ...

We are fifty days out now, our edocs are ready, but, we will wait to print em, I hear they may change rooms sometimes, and when / if prices change, they may upgrade as well ...

[LAatl]

Just wondering what we are missing out on when it comes to rooms ... I know we are rookies when it comes to cruising, but, we just book an inside room and seem to have a whole lotta fun ... We went over our first cruise and found we spent minimum amounts of time in our room .. like sail off day, just put up stuff, showered and slept later ... around midnight or so ..then 1st cruise day, woke at 6 am. quick shower, coffee on pool deck, breakfast at 8, then changed clothes, swimming and buffet lunch, room at 5 ish, showered, back out , casino, exploring, ate dinner at 8 ish, lounge, comedy club, etc, etc, then sleep around midnight or 1 am, then, in am, shower, breakfast, excursion, back on ship later, shower, dinner, relaxed on deck, comedy club, karaoke laughs, etc, sleep midnight or so...

Was day after day like that, maybe it's us, but we really didn't spend much time in room .. is it cause we are new at it ?? Wife said she would sooner have a watch or some jewelry instead .. lol

what are missing out on ?? :)

You're not missing much...I've been in all kinds of cabins. Yes, the suite perks are amazing if you want to pay for them...balconies are great if you like to sit out there (my husband loved sleeping with the balcony door cracked to hear the water, but most ships have it rigged to shut off the air conditioner when you do that now). But, truth be told, most of the time, we're hardly in our rooms...so why pay for that? I'd rather spend my money elsewhere.

[scopewest]

We've had OV, balcony, and suites on various cruise lines over the years. We finally tried an inside cabin on our last cruise because of all the raves. We can now say been there done that. Once was enough. I really missed not being able to see the ocean from our cabin. After all, that's why I cruise in the first place. Otherwise I'd take a land vacation.

 

Luckily ships have enough cabins to suit everyone's taste and $$.

[griz400]

Prices have dropped and we got an upgrade to an inside vicking deck (8), 8114 actually, now has been a few more days and prices dropped more, and now have an offer to an oceanview room, dont know what floor ... but, really seem to like mid ship room we have i believe ...

[lisakoivu]

If we go with the kids, we do an inside for them and an aft for us, so that everyone can congregate on the enormous balcony of the aft.

 

If we go alone, my husband whines and begs for an aft and about 50% of the time, that works - if we can get a deal - 50% of the time it's a last minute inside. It's easier for 2 people to find a quiet nook elsewhere on the ship, but with four of us (DD 22 and DS 17) it's just nice to have the aft for that family time.

 

The only way I can afford to go twice a year is to have at least one inside. You just have a different kind of cruise that way, and you get your mind ready for that before you go.

[chloemonkey]

Just wondering what we are missing out on when it comes to rooms ... I know we are rookies when it comes to cruising, but, we just book an inside room and seem to have a whole lotta fun ... We went over our first cruise and found we spent minimum amounts of time in our room .. like sail off day, just put up stuff, showered and slept later ... around midnight or so ..then 1st cruise day, woke at 6 am. quick shower, coffee on pool deck, breakfast at 8, then changed clothes, swimming and buffet lunch, room at 5 ish, showered, back out , casino, exploring, ate dinner at 8 ish, lounge, comedy club, etc, etc, then sleep around midnight or 1 am, then, in am, shower, breakfast, excursion, back on ship later, shower, dinner, relaxed on deck, comedy club, karaoke laughs, etc, sleep midnight or so...

Was day after day like that, maybe it's us, but we really didn't spend much time in room .. is it cause we are new at it ?? Wife said she would sooner have a watch or some jewelry instead .. lol

 

 

:)[/quot

Different "strokes" as they say! I would rather stay home than not have a suite....as I LOVE being in my own space, with my own balcony....BUT also truly admire those that can have just as great a time being booked in an inside cabin! Just NOT my cup of tea....

 

We deal with the public on a daily basis in our business....so that may have something to do with it....but just enjoy being off to ourselves...preferably in the Haven.....or GV....but do enjoy the balcony and not having to be around so many other passengers.

 

Again...I am in AWE of people that can book an inside and have a great time.....just not for us. But this is what makes the world go "round" right?

what are missing out on ??

[medicalma'am]

Griz, after the M&G you can come see our cabin. We have an aft cabin for the Ma'ams. You can see that aft wake view.

 

We (DH and I) love the aft, but we have sailed insides, OVs, balconies and suites. We have a suite booked on our next cruise, one of the family suites on deck 12 of the Dawn. Those cabins are HUGE.

 

We are spoiled by the suite perks, but it all depends on the cruise and who we are traveling with. If it is just DH and I we don not mind an inside. If we are traveling with a large group, it is nice to have a balcony or suite to get away by ourselves and enjoy that balcony. I do like to spend time on a balcony in the early morning and late at night. We have had relaxing cruises and we have had those go go go cruises where we are never in the cabin. I would not rule anything out for the future.

 

[ma_t_gus]

wifey doesn't want to cruise unless it is a balcony. she likes to stay in balcony to get fresh air, read or play her games. My teenage kids and I could care less and we have cruised without her a few times on inside cabins. We go on the cheapest rate possible. :D

[Kimberlyr22]

The room is the most important part of cruising for us for many reasons: 1.) my husband hates traveling and wants to be comfortable and not at all imposed on if he has to be out of his comfort zone for seven days, 2.) my husband hates crowds and mass amounts of people, so we avoid the pool deck and buffets, and 3.) my husband loves working on his tan and hanging out in a hot tub, just not in public.

 

While it sounds like my husband is a grouch -- he's not. He never went on vacations as a child, and I'm the first person that's made him do it, so it's very out of his comfort zone. If he's not working (which he loves, he's one of those crazy people that only uses 1/5th of his vacation time every year) he wants to be relaxing. He doesn't want to be on a schedule, and he doesn't want to be trekking all over the place. We've found cruising to be the best middle ground for us. He can do nothing and relax, not have to drive in strange places and get lost, dinner is just down (or up) the steps, and he can just chill out. Unfortunately, an interior or ocean view room doesn't provide much ambiance to relax in -- that's where the suites comes into play.

 

We are fortunate that we can have a choice of rooms (cashing in the 4 weeks of vacation he refuses to use allows it without guilt) and we book cruises based on the room, not the itinerary. He's very much looking forward to being in the Haven next year -- I'm not sure I'll get him to go below the 14th deck b/c everything he needs to relax is right there. We've been jumping around trying different cruise lines, but from things he's read, he thinks that Norwegian may be the right fit.