More cruises or nicer cabins?

[rrraydon]

15 minutes ago, grandgeezer said:

We don’t have to make the choice, we can afford to choose any cabin category and go as often as we want. The problem we have is it has to be at a price that gives us value for our money. Before the pandemic we had cut our cruising back 80% because we couldn’t find much that met that requirement. Since the start up, we can’t find any cruises, on any lines that will get us on the sea again. At first we missed going but now, every day that goes by makes it that much easier to stay home.

I'm confused as to why you can't cruise now that the pandemic is behind us?

[FamilyCruiserUK]

For us it all about getting away on holiday. We work hard, save hard but have to go during school holidays where all the prices are expensive. So we are happy to grab a cheap room and go on more cruises. 

[Nunagoras]

18 hours ago, ARandomTraveler said:

Depends on the ship and sailing route. If you're on a ship with a lot to do (Oasis class) or a sailing route with lots of port stops (southern Caribbean out of Puerto Rico for example), then cheaper cabin for sure. 
 

If you're sailing for quiet relaxation, maybe go for the more expensive cabin.

 

Personally, I get a mid grade cabin, and use the rest of my vacation money to take other types of vacations. There are so many things to do and paces to see in this world, I can't imagine spending all my vacation time and money on one type of trip (cruising). I cruise about every other year give or take, and go on multiple land based trips in between. Cruising is the cheapest vacation option and I really enjoy it, but I can't imagine making it my only vacation option. 

This, exactly! Many thanks! Even though I can to be considered such a cruise cheerleader, I would never to spend all my holiday and travel money just on cruising. So many places to see and experiences to do outside of cruising!... 🙂

 

That said; I'm just wondering what I could to do if just I lived near a main cruise port with tonnes of sailings per week... Maybe: now that I'm retired I could certainly to join several of those 3-5 nights, middle aged to old ships, cheap "no frills" cruises on an inside, just to enjoy the seas go by and the unique ambience cruise ships would to bring me. At low season that would perhaps to be even cheaper than to stay same days at home!... So; now; my conclusion is that one just needs to adequate cabin type to what they really want from said sailing. And mix up holiday time and money once they're one or the other way limited.

 

Have a nice day!...

Edited July 10, 2022 by Nunagoras

[Cruise a holic]

We sail 4 x a year-  We sail in suites.  If I had to choose, I would consider a balcony cabin- but I wouldn't be comfortable in an inside cabin.  However, we have had central park view cabins on Royal oasis class ships, deck 9 and those work.  Need the light from outside-  A great compromise.

 

If I had to shower in the spa, not have any ability to eat in cabin- No outside light I would find that depressing- part of the cruise experience, IMO is a decent cabin.  I would take one less cruise if I had to.

Edited July 10, 2022 by Cruise a holic

[time4u2go]

6 hours ago, grandgeezer said:

We don’t have to make the choice, we can afford to choose any cabin category and go as often as we want. The problem we have is it has to be at a price that gives us value for our money. Before the pandemic we had cut our cruising back 80% because we couldn’t find much that met that requirement. Since the start up, we can’t find any cruises, on any lines that will get us on the sea again. At first we missed going but now, every day that goes by makes it that much easier to stay home.

You can't find any cruise anywhere in the world that gives you value for your money? 

[Bound4Bermuda]

16 hours ago, Garycruz said:

Cruising in an inside cabin was great. Until I booked my first balcony cabin. I sometimes consider booking an inside but could never pull the trigger. I don't know if booking that first balcony was the smartest thing I could have done or the dumbest. Because now I feel like I can't go back.

This is what I was thinking. You need to “stay low-budget” for as long as possible, because once you move up, there’s no going back! I was perfectly happy with an inside for my first couple of cruises “because you’re never in the room anyway.” Then we tried an oceanview—and how could you ever go back to the solitary confinement, sensory deprivation chamber of an inside? Now I’m about to try an ocean balcony this coming week, and I booked it fully prepared that, whelp, we’re going to be balcony people now.  For all the people saying “just try a suite”—I’m not falling for that trick! 😉  It’s one thing if it was just hundreds more, but thousands more per person?! That brings me right back to my original mantra that “you’re never in the room anyway.” (I realize many suites come with extra perks, but again, no loss since I don’t know what I’m missing.) So, at this point in my life, I’m both a cheap and a sporadic cruiser, but I’m definitely inspired by you all on this site. I tell my husband all about the retirees on Cruise Critic who are continually cruising; you have the life we aspire to have someday. Right now, we’ll keep it cheap to save more money for retirement just so we can someday cruise more like many of you!

[barbeyg]

10 hours ago, lazydayz said:

The only way I will do an interior is if that is the only cabin left on a cruise I really want to go on.  Hubby is fine with an interior but I find it uninviting.  When I walk in, I want to be excited to spend a week there.  With the interior I dreaded going back to the cabin.  So I would cruise less often to have a cabin I like, which needs to at least include a balcony. 

Agree wholeheartedly. If I’m going to spend a week or more on a vacation, I want it to be a place I enjoy going to, or spending time in.  I’m an introvert at heart, and need quiet time. 

 

And then there is my hubby, who pouts if it is lower category than a JS. 😂  For him, the lowest category is a balcony, and that is only grudgingly acceptable. Spoiled brat. 😉

[Jam0610]

We always book a balcony cabin. Never use Royal Up. Pick the cabin we want and stay with it.

Rather use funds for booking our next cruise. Room is secondary.

[rolloman]

I have found the beds to be far superior when staying in a suite.  Often those inside cabins tend to have a worn, bowed out mattress.

[cruisin from florida]

3 hours ago, Nunagoras said:

This, exactly! Many thanks! Even though I can to be considered such a cruise cheerleader, I would never to spend all my holiday and travel money just on cruising. So many places to see and experiences to do outside of cruising!... 🙂

 

That said; I'm just wondering what I could to do if just I lived near a main cruise port with tonnes of sailings per week... Maybe: now that I'm retired I could certainly to join several of those 3-5 nights, middle aged to old ships, cheap "no frills" cruises on an inside, just to enjoy the seas go by and the unique ambience cruise ships would to bring me. At low season that would perhaps to be even cheaper than to stay same days at home!... So; now; my conclusion is that one just needs to adequate cabin type to what they really want from said sailing. And mix up holiday time and money once they're one or the other way limited.

 

Have a nice day!...

That's us... We live in Florida, so it's really easy to cruise a lot.... cruise plus gas and parking. And an inside cabin can be a great little inexpensive getaway.

[vjmatty]

I definitely don't need the daytime darkness....if my body insists on napping, the lighting conditions won't prevent it.  That being said, while I prefer a balcony now during the 1-2 cruises we take in a year, I'm sure once we're both retired in a couple of years our priorities will change in order to sail more frequently. 

[vjmatty]

27 minutes ago, rolloman said:

I have found the beds to be far superior when staying in a suite.  Often those inside cabins tend to have a worn, bowed out mattress.

That's understandable.....what else are you going to do in an inside? 😉

 

 

[deliver42]

For me, the balcony is the only way I'll cruise.

[Mum2Mercury]

2 hours ago, Bound4Bermuda said:

... You need to “stay low-budget” for as long as possible, because once you move up, there’s no going back! ... I tell my husband all about the retirees on Cruise Critic who are continually cruising; you have the life we aspire to have someday. Right now, we’ll keep it cheap to save more money for retirement just so we can someday cruise more like many of you!

Disagree!  We've cruised low budget, and we've cruised in nicer cabins -- doesn't mean I'm not open to going back to a less expensive room.  In fact, that's sensible:  now it's just the two of us, we don't need so much space.  

 

I just retired a few weeks ago, and we're weeks away from our first retirement-cruise (can't wait!).  We're quite comfortable for retirement, but we are sensible of the need to keep realistic about our spending moderate -- we're only mid-50s and (hopefully) need to stretch that money over a lot of years.  

[cruisin from florida]

9 hours ago, grandgeezer said:

We don’t have to make the choice, we can afford to choose any cabin category and go as often as we want. The problem we have is it has to be at a price that gives us value for our money. Before the pandemic we had cut our cruising back 80% because we couldn’t find much that met that requirement. Since the start up, we can’t find any cruises, on any lines that will get us on the sea again. At first we missed going but now, every day that goes by makes it that much easier to stay home.

If money were no object, we'd probably be cruising on Celebrity or other luxury lines when the ship (such as Oasis) wasn't the destination. Royal hits our sweet spot of price and service/accommodations/atmosphere.

[neverbeenhere]

More cruises

[DukeASUGirl]

My husband and I both work, and we have kids, so more cruises isn't an option for us. But I must say how much I really like interiors. And yes, we do have the money for balconies.

 

I personally don't really care about the cabin. It really is just a place to sleep for me.  I'm out and about doing things otherwise. And I'm extremely light sensitive. I actually sleep phenomenally on cruises in interior cabins. Best sleep of my life - way better than at home. I LOVE how dark it gets!

 

My parents are the opposite. They won't cruise if they can't have a balcony.

[rudeney]

5 hours ago, Bound4Bermuda said:

This is what I was thinking. You need to “stay low-budget” for as long as possible, because once you move up, there’s no going back! 

 

You are 100% right about that!  DCL totally screwed it up for us.  We had booked a balcony room to take our granddaughter over Spring Break.  But then they moved and the new school district break was different.  When I called DCL to change it, the ship was full that week, so we had to look at alternative dates, and switched to her fall break.  The price we paid for a balcony over Spring Break was more than a 1BR suite in October.  That seemed like a no-brainer, but in hindsight, it has cost us so much more money over the years to cruise in suites!

[topnole]

23 hours ago, rrraydon said:

Yup...plus, can always shower in the spa bathrooms. They're nice, too.

Or you could stay in a hostile and share a shower and bathroom there as well.  😂😂😂

 

I struggle to understand who would use a public shower when you have one in your cabin.  To each their own I guess, but for me, now way.  

[Spif Barwunkel]

More cruises or nicer cabins?

• Why not both? Them that has...and all that.
•  
•  

[George C]

The thing about suites is not just the size of the cabin, it’s suite restaurant, suite lounges, priority in boarding, sometimes specialty restaurants, etc etc.

[island lady]

21 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

In the middle of our condo remodel, dust got unbearable for the wife. I put her on Harmony for a week. It was cheaper than a hotel and food for a week

 

We have two remodel projects going at our house as well.   All being done while in Maine this summer.  😉  We don't cruise in the summer anyway.  

 

As to subject of this thread...First and only inside cabin was our first cruise in the 80s I think it was.  Never again, felt like living in a cave.  Not for us.  

 

 

 

 

Edited July 10, 2022 by island lady

[grandgeezer]

5 hours ago, time4u2go said:

You can't find any cruise anywhere in the world that gives you value for your money? 

That’s correct. My money, I determine what value I place on the experience. One very smart person, when talking about houses to a seller, “It’s not what you think it’s worth, it’s what someone is willing to pay for it.” Same thing can be said about almost everything else.

We used to cruise 40+ days a year, in the last six years we’ve done 56 total, 14 on RCL, 14 on Celebrity, and 28 on MSC, all in suites. The cutbacks and dramatic rise in pricing, not including the economic period we are in now, have taken something we used to love to do to something we probably won’t do again. The only current positives we have with cruising now is the beautiful ships, and only having to unpack and pack once although you get to visit several different ports in different countries. Everything else is meh.

 

[sandebeach]

4 hours ago, barbeyg said:

Agree wholeheartedly. If I’m going to spend a week or more on a vacation, I want it to be a place I enjoy going to, or spending time in.  I’m an introvert at heart, and need quiet time. 

 

And then there is my hubby, who pouts if it is lower category than a JS. 😂  For him, the lowest category is a balcony, and that is only grudgingly acceptable. Spoiled brat. 😉

My husband is the same! I spoiled him with all the incredible suite deals we got when sailing resumed post-Covid (we did Star Class 4 times). We sailed two weeks ago in an OV balcony on Symphony, and it took almost the whole cruise for him to admit that the cabin was actually "okay". He thinks JSs are actually the very best value for the money, and I tend to agree. 

[DukeASUGirl]

12 hours ago, rrraydon said:

I'm confused as to why you can't cruise now that the pandemic is behind us?

Sounds like they aren't interested in any of the itineraries or find the COVID restrictions to onerous to make cruising interesting to them.