Inside or Oceanview Cabin

[Zydebearsmom]

I am in the process of trying to reserve a cruise the Disney cruise is so expensive I can only really afford an inside cabin (no windows) if we travel Disney. Does it really make a difference if I have a window or not. This is my first cruise, please help.

 

[kcashner]

I've been inside, had a window, and had a balcony. DO I like a balcony--sure. Do I need it--NO.

Personal experience--the shorter the cruise, the less time you spend in a cabin. Also, there are plenty of places that you can be outside and enjoying the ocean breezes. If money is the issue, I'd book the cheapest inside stateroom you can (and I've done that). Enjoy the cruise.....and you might even get sprinkled with pixie dust and get an upgrade.

DO NOT book a cabin thinking you'll be upgraded. Book where you will be happy, and if you get the dusting, be thrilled.

 

[jilljill]

You didn't say if you were looking to book a cabin on the Magic, Wonder of the Dream. If looking to book a cabin on the Dream for 2011 the inside cabins will have virtual portholes in 'real time' - still not a porthole but certainly a good substitute.

 

[NancyIL]

I usually book whatever cabin is cheapest. I booked a cat. 12 GTY cabin (inside) for my Wonder cruise in December, and was upgraded to a cat. 9 on deck two with a large window. It was a nice cabin, but I prefer the room layout of inside cabins. I like having the beds on the far end of the room because it makes the room seem more spacious. Oceanview and balcony cabins have the beds closest to the door, where they are kind of in the way, with the sofa and desk near the balcony or window. I also don't care for the split baths in the higher-priced cabins.

 

[mindy327]

If you are asking if you'll regret not getting a verandah, I would say no. I have done both... and the inside rooms are great. You are ON the ship. No, there arent any windows but the decks make up for outside time. I liked having a verandah but was it worth the extra 1000.00? To me no. Ill stick the inside staterooms and spend my money else where. Like a spending spree in the Mickey's Mates Store! Just my thoughts.

 

[inkkognito]

I love a verandah but it's not a necessity. My favorite stateroom on the Magic and Wonder has a verandah but there is no equivalent room on the Dream. We got a balcony for the first sailing but all the rest of our Dream cruises throughout 2011 are in inside staterooms. We won't spend a lot of time in there anyway, although we do make time for some "quality verandah time" when we have one.

 

[Anal Annie]

I don't need a balcony but I do need a window...and I do really like the split bath that you get when booking at least a Cat 10 or above on the Magic & Wonder. But like another poster said, if you're booking on the Dream the inside cabins will have "virtual portholes" so that should be a good substitute. And if you're booking a shorter cruise you truely won't be in the room THAT much!!

My philosophy is if you want to enjoy yourself and not stress over the cost then you should book what you can afford or wait & keep saving. Last fall we orig. booked a 10 night Med for 2011 and then in January DH's car blew up (literally - the oil pump stopped which broke the timing chain which bent the cylinders and damaged all kinds of other stuff....$7K repair)!!! Even though the cruise isn't until 2011 I couldn't sleep knowing we had all this money flying out the window so we switched to one of the 7 night ones. It was about a $2,100 difference to drop the extra 3 nights but I just knew we had to do SOMETHING different 'cuz I was stressing. Not repairing the car was not an option... As much as I wanted that 10 night cruise at least I could sleep again after we changed it. So IMHO you have to be comfortable with what you're spending.

 

[lmb]

We like to travel as often as possible so we usually go with the least expensive option rather than putting a lot more money into a single trip. We've always done 7 nights and we stilll didn't find ourselves in our room enough to justify spending more on the cabin. I think you'll be fine in an inside if you are looking to save money. We even booked a cat 12 on the EBTA but fortunately we were upgraded to a cat 9. The only time we booked an oceanview was when we used our DVC points for the dream next year. The family oceanview was a significantly larger room so it wasn't just the porthole that was appealing.

 

[scootch]

I booked an ocean view(cat 9 ) on the wonder and got upgraded to a verandah(6). We spent about 20 min total out there. It was a 3 night cruise and we were only in the room to change or sleep. So we are going with an 11b for the dream. Location of the ship(we liked being in the middle... was on deck 5 for wonder, will be on 7 for Dream) is more important to us than the window/verandah. Will use that extra for an excursion.

 

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

I have only been on one cruise and really had no idea what to expect. We were in a Cat. 11 and I was very worried for my claustrophobic father across the hall also in a Cat. 11. Everyone was so surprised at how much not having a window didn't bother us! Like others have said, we were not in the room that much on a 4-night cruise.