Many people ask us about cruise ship staterooms/cabins, what they are like and what we would recommend.
So we figured that we would do a breakdown of the stateroom room categories with additional information and tips.
Firstly, your room onboard a cruise ship is known as the stateroom and or cabin. This will be your “en-suite bedroom + living room” for the duration of your trip so it’s very important to choose the right option for you.
There are four main categories of staterooms with additional room selections within those categories:
1. Interior: smallest room category with no windows; however, depending on the ship and room type, it may have a virtual balcony (ship-mounted cameras are used to project HD imagines in real-time on the virtual screen in you room)
2. Outside: a cabin with a window; there are a few different selections with various sizes
3. Balcony: a cabin with an outdoor private deck
4: Suite: these are the largest cabins with all of the bells & whistles
Sizing & price will vary between each room category, in addition to its location on the ship whether it is fwd, mid or aft (front, middle or rear).
In addition, you can also save money buy opting to let the cruise line choose your room for you instead of picking it yourself. This is known as a “guaranteed cabin”. In this scenario, once all of the rooms have been selected, the cruise line will issue you a room that remains available within your selected category.
When selecting a room, you need to consider a few things such as how much time you will be spending in your cabin vs the rest of the ship (sun decks / pools) are you prone to sea sickness, will there be children with you etc.
For example, we would rather spend the additional money doing excursions, sightseeing etc. As we’re hardly ever in the room except to shower, get ready and sleep, we generally go for the basic interior room and opt for the cruise line to select and assign us a stateroom. By doing this, we save a lot of money. Keep in mind that this is feasible only if this category isn’t sold out.
Stateroom Size
There is a vast array of options to choose from when it comes to stateroom size and amenities onboard a cruise ship. There are interior / balcony cabins all the way to 2 storey suites with separate bedroom and dinning areas, suite slides, activities area (gaming tables, video game consoles), private balcony with jacuzzis and much more. Luxury at sea is as grand as you can possibly imagine.
The outside cabins can be equipped with either a porthole or large frame for a window, all the way to balconies with outdoor seating areas.
The options are endless, it’s just a matter of figuring out what suits your personal style and needs along with your budget.
Cost
Prices will vary depending on the cruise ship, ship class, cruise length, sailing date and cruise line.
Booking as far in advance can definitely aid in securing the best deal for the cruise you would like to take. For example, avid cruisers will book anywhere from 8 months to 2 years in advance of their desired sailing.
Interior / Window / Balcony?
In addition to your personal preference, the cruise destinations will play a major part in determining your stateroom category. Will you be cruising through a particular scenic area? Ie. Panama Canal. Is it an Alaska sailing?
In these cases, you will want to make the most of your sailing by having a view from your window or balcony. Keep in mind, the direction of the ship, which side of the ship will have the best views. Ie. It won’t matter if you have a balcony stateroom facing the opposite side of the ship to the scenic views.
Refundable Deposit vs Non Refundable
Refundable Deposit: You can book a stateroom with a refundable deposit for specific room categories. This allows you to book with the ease of knowing that you can get your money back before the final payment due date. Keep in mind, you will pay a slightly higher price and will probably not be offered any OBC (onboard credit) for this option.
Non Refundable Deposit: The deposit is not refundable at any time after the deposit has been paid. Generally, the cruise line will offer you onboard credit to book this option in addition to the base fare being a little cheaper.
Deposit requirements will vary based on the length of cruise & stateroom category. Generally, it can range from $200 – $900 per stateroom.
Gratuities, Taxes & Port Fees
In addition to the cruise base fare, you will need to add the taxes & port fees for the selected cruise Ie. $150 per person (this cost will vary depending on the sailing)
Gratuities are charged per day, per person and are based on your selected room category.
For example, Royal Caribbean charges all guests $14.50 USD for junior suites or below and $17.50 USD for grand suites and above.
You can choose to prepay the gratuities ahead of time or during your sailing at the customer service desk.
Personally, we like to prepay the gratuities in CAD prior to sailing so that it’s out of the way and we don’t have to worry about currency exchange rates.
Click on the link so see a stateroom tour from our recent sailing on Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas. Central Park View Stateroom
We had the “Central Park View Interior Stateroom” which is located on deck 9 and 191 Sq Ft.
This stateroom has two twin beds that convert to a King bed with a view of Central Park, a sitting area, and a private bathroom.
We hope that you found all of the aforementioned useful and would love to hear your thoughts!
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Until next time, keep dreaming, traveling, exploring and spreading your footprints.
📸 Thetravelingfootprints ♥️