Our First Interior

[trueblue91652747]

Hi everyone!! We are looking forward to our upcoming cruise on Sunshine. This will be our first interior and need any info concerning these types of cabins. My biggest concern is how I will do since I am claustrophobic. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

[Princess Nancy]

I am claustrophobic. Our first cruise I stood just off the boat crying as the rest of my extended family (22 people) including my children began boarding. My husband said "what are you going to do?" I took a deep breath, pulled myself together and took my first step aboard! We had a balcony. Our next 2 cruises we did ocean Views. This last cruise was just DH and I and I wanted to do a Spa room. In the interest of saving $$, I book an inside room!

 

I did great and actually liked the dark for sleeping. I was pleasantly surprised that I was not bothered at all.

 

Relax and enjoy all that extra $$$$$$$!!!!

[trueblue91652747]

Thanks Princess Nancy, that makes me feel better.

[Hoosierpop]

We love interior rooms. Love how dark they are when we want to sleep. But, I'm not claustrophobic, so not sure how you will like it. Bring a nightlight if you want. The TV trick is also good, if you want to wake up early.

 

Also, other than sleeping, changing, showering/toilet.....we don't spend much time in the room. Which is why we like interiors.

 

I understand why people like balconies, so not trying to say interiors are better. But interior rooms sometimes get a bad rap.

[Sooner-Cruisers]

The nice thing about interiors is they tend to be cooler since they don't have the heat from the sun. I don't mind not having a window as much as the size of the rooms. They tend to be quite a bit smaller. They do provide a nice savings. Good luck. :)

[freedomcruiser891]

I completely agree with all above. We love interiors mainly because they get colder and are pitch black at any time of day (perfect for naps) and the savings can be huge as well. Configurations of interiors vary by ship so you may want to look up pictures of your cabin on the sunshine first

[surfjock27]

We have only ever booked balconies, up until the cruise we are taking in December.

After thinking about how little time we spend in the cabin, we decided to save the money.

 

I like the dark, and I've heard it's very comfortable to sleep in an inside.

Leaving your TV on the front of the ship camera helps you wake up with the outside in your cabin.

 

I'm sure you'll be fine.

Just have fun, that's what's important.

[skrufy]

After 8 Ovs and onr balcony we are trying our first interior. With no sunlight to lighten up the cabin we are not sure how we will like it. So used to waking up to the early sun, and looking out the window watching the waves go by.

[simplelife]

Some people like them, some hate them, and some think they are fine considering the savings. It's certainly worth a try, particularly if you're planning to spend most of your waking hours elsewhere. We have done an inside once, when we cruising on a tight budget. I thought it was ok, but DH hated not having natural light. It just depends on individual preferences. Let us know how you do.

[Crusin6]

I've done one balcony and truly....once and done....not worth the price to me

 

I've done ovs.......I like them for natural light .....but......since I travel very often.....

 

It will now always be the cheapest insides!!!!

 

 

I've done a total of 19 days so far in an inside with 10 days coming up

 

 

Are they the best? Nope

 

Are they the cheapest? Yep

 

Do you get the same overall onboard experience less a balcony seat? Yep

 

 

Do I really love the close quarters? No and that's why I don't need to or want to spend excessive time in the cabin

 

Would I book it if I was truly a diagnosed claustrophobic? Um no because if I truly am claustrophobic and it would upset me to be in a small enclosed space then I would know to cough up the cash and get a balcony or if I couldn't afford it I wouldn't go

 

 

Sorry it's not what you want to hear but a fake warm and fuzzy response from me just to reassure you isn't going to help imho

 

 

 

 

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[berrieh]

DH is claustrophobic and can deal with but doesn't love interiors, but for him, natural light is really important, not just space. He felt he had enough space in the room, just felt kind of imprisoned because of the lack of light. He used the ship channels a lot (the ones in real-time) in the night or got up and went for night walks when he couldn't sleep (he's also an insomniac) but he said it wasn't too bad, really.

 

I can sleep anywhere that's private basically. I don't need a window or total dark or any light or total silence or even a bed - a mat on the floor? Yeah, I've slept on that plenty of times traveling Asia. So it really doesn't matter to me. Definitely spend more time in the room if it's not an interior, but if you're not going to be there except to sleep, it won't matter much unless you have sleep problems like my DH. And even he said it didn't really impact his good time.

[ConshyCrock]

On our very first cruise we booked an interior. We had no idea what to expect and never thought about how dark it would be. We didn't like it because, while we don't spend a ton of time in the cabin, we both need the natural light. If we ever went with an interior again we would definitely do the TV trick. I hope you enjoy your cruise!!!

[kublaieod]

We were hesitant on our first inside as we had first 3 cruises on a balcony. LOVED it. We spend very little time in our room and as long as you are close to your roommate everything will be good. Also noticed that I have never had issues with temp on an inside room.

 

GREAT for SLEEPING too. Just bring a watch so you know what time it is as it can slip away in a dark room.

[clambert1273]

We have done one interior previously and didn't mind it but then booked balconies. Can't smoke there any more so we saw no justification to get them any more.

 

Feb cruise is an inside but since we have 5 in a room in Aug, had to get deluxe oceanview. We are NEVER in our room except maybe a few min in the morning and when we go to bed lol

 

 

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[jjmsbu09]

We did our 1st interior last month on the Sunshine. Most restful 8 days we've ever had and the room was cooler then any previous ocean view we've had. We brought a clock so we would know the time if we rolled over in middle of night/morning. I'd do it again.

[Sweet Dutch Girl]

My very first cruise, eons and eons ago, we did an interior at my brother's "save money you are only going to sleep there" recommendation. Well, needless to say, my brother almost lost me as a cruise companion for future vacations. I was beyond miserable, with a number of shin bruises. Even with the bathroom light left on I felt so discombobulated at night, and my internal clock went all haywire on me to the point I was tired and irritable during the day because I never got a good night's sleep.

 

For me they are little prison cells...

 

I love natural light and "light" nights. I always sleep with the drapes wide open. I want the "morning" to wake me up instead of checking every hour on the hour to see if it is actually morning.

[firemanbobswife]

I am EXTREMELY claustrophobic to the point where I take the stairs wherever I go if I can instead of the elevators. I try not to use public restrooms where you have to lock the outside door, etc. I could go on and on.

 

I was very hesitant to even book an OV thinking "What or something happens, I can't get out of the room except for the door." So I booked the biggest OV (2470 on Glory) and tested it out. Loved it so much I booked that same room two more times on Glory and once on Conquest. Then after a cabin crawl, one of the participants let me come into her inside room for a few minutes to check it out. We stood and talked and I was thinking it wasn't too bad. Next cruise, we had two rooms - 2470 for me and DH, and the inside directly across the hall for DS. I spent a lot of time in there, even laying down to take a nap to see if I could tolerate it. Yep! Not panicked in any way. The temp was good and I didn't feel closed in at all. Next cruise and every one after has been in an inside!

 

I think you will be fine :)

[OKC Cruisers]

Well, as always, the opinions vary greatly on this topic. We have done 17 cruises and in those, 1 balcony and 1 OV. Our motivation is cost. With an inside room we have often had 7 day cruises where the total cost was less than $1000.00.

 

Now, here's the caveat: The size and layout of inside rooms vary as much as the opinions here on Cruise Critic. On Magic, our inside was actually very spacious. On Triumph, not so much...when the beds are put together to form one king, one side of the bed was up against a wall. Didn't like that too much! Our next cruise is also on Sunshine and we booked an inside, so we are in the same boat (pun intended) as you about the room size and layout. But, it is after all, a cruise. As for me, I'll sleep on deck if I have to! :D

 

Pete

[sarmat1]

Hi everyone!! We are looking forward to our upcoming cruise on Sunshine. This will be our first interior and need any info concerning these types of cabins. My biggest concern is how I will do since I am claustrophobic. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

TV on the bow cam is your free "window". Nightlight plugged into a power strip is your light at night. We only book interiors - mid ship, lowest levels (4B all the way for us). Private, quiet, no motion. Carnival has no reason to upsell us. We book interiors by choice. :)

[maldenmusic]

I'm claustrophobic but we once got a great deal on an interior on the Triumph so we went for it. Really didn't bother me as much as I thought it would. Plus it was very dark which made for great sleeping.

[ANGELSwithANGLES]

Hi everyone!! We are looking forward to our upcoming cruise on Sunshine. This will be our first interior and need any info concerning these types of cabins. My biggest concern is how I will do since I am claustrophobic. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

Just be prepared for the dark. Like sleeping in your closet dark.

[trueblue91652747]

Thanks to everyone for all the great information, suggestions, and comments. I'm definately looking forward to trying this cabin out. I hope each of you have a terrific "next" cruise. Thanks again!!

[isaiahsnana]

Hi everyone!! We are looking forward to our upcoming cruise on Sunshine. This will be our first interior and need any info concerning these types of cabins. My biggest concern is how I will do since I am claustrophobic. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

Turn on your tv before you go to bed with the sound off to the bow camera view. You will wake up with the morning light coming onto the tv and you will see the beautiful ocean or port ahead of you. I really like interiors and have stayed in all sorts - balcony, ocean view and interior.

[cruzinlisa]

I can be claustrophobic- ish. (My fear is more of being trapped somewhere and lack of oxygen). I had no issues with our inside rooms. My DD was 2 and 3, respectively, on those cruises so we spent a fair amount of time in the room and it was fine. LIke others I really liked the dark, because I was able to sleep in. I am one of those that once the morning light hits my eyes, its like an on switch. We were able to sleep in until almost 10 on port days which is unheard of with a small child! THey can be a little cramped for floor space though if you have more than 2 in the room.

[Drazil65]

Not a fan, had one on very first cruise years ago, last one, too closed in feeling and just weird with no natural light/window, OV are good but balcony's are better (OS even better).

 

We still get good deals so we do not feel like we overspend for our balcony's, and as our cabin is a part of the overall experience for us, the balcony has become important in many aspects. We love it!