To be cheap, or not to be cheap?

[Birdie dog]

I'll start by saying that I'm platinum and I've never sailed in a "non SPH" inside room, so I'd love some opinions.

I'm hoping to sail on the EBTA next May. I was booked on the cancelled 2020 in adjoining SPH rooms with my best friends. We booked the rooms on platinum opening day. Of course, when we switched to 2021, SPH rooms were long gone. We booked adjoining outside rooms on deck 6. I know these are nice rooms as my BFFs sailed in one when we sailed Norway in 2015 - for that cruise we booked a balcony.

Anyway, we could save about $1200 by booking adjoining deluxe inside rooms. The $1200 would be a nice SBC, but I've never not at least had a window. Are the virtual portholes worth having? I mean, we won't be spending much time in the room either way, we always have adjoining rooms, we keep the connecting door open during the day and spread out in two rooms. I've sailed in multiple categories from Cat V on the Dream and the Fantasy to SPH rooms on the Magic and have been fine with all. My only "must haves" are adjoining and a split bath.

Would you save the $1200 and do adjoining insides or would you keep what I have (window on deck 6) and why? Thanks.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Are the virtual portholes worth having?

The Magic doesn't have the virtual portholes.

 

[Birdie dog]

The Magic doesn't have the virtual portholes.

Ohhh.. good to know. I had no clue. Hmmm, I don't know how much I care except it's even less natural light. (though I love the total dark to sleep). Thanks.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Ohhh.. good to know. I had no clue. Hmmm, I don't know how much I care except it's even less natural light. (though I love the total dark to sleep). Thanks.

For me, personally, I usually need some sort of natural light. Did do a Dream 4 night cruise in an inside room, just so I could experience the virtual porthole, and I felt I could handle just 4 nights in there.

 

[princessmommyx3]

I would save the money. I have sailed in connecting interiors, connecting ocean views, verandahs and one bedroom suites. I don’t feel like my cruise experience is diminished when I have interior rooms, and I would rather use the money saved on onboard experiences or towards another cruise.

 

[lorimay]

I would need at least a window, too dark otherwise.

 

[cedricandsophie]

I can’t stand an inside room. I’m very claustrophobic. But I agreed to do it once because my husband thought it wouldn’t be a big deal. We booked Two inside rooms once with the family. When we got into the room and started to unpack once luggage started arriving, my husband said I’ll be back. Unbeknownst to me he went to guest services and upgraded our two rooms to windows. The stewards on our new floor came down to help us move our belongings. I Was forever grateful although I had not complained once.

 

[monkeydawn]

That's a long enough cruise where I think I would want the option to relax in my nice room. I'd probably go for a balcony.

 

[cvjw]

We normally sail in the extended verandah cabins on the fantasy. We decided to try inside cabins on the magic for a 5 night cruise. We hated it. We realized we need outside light coming in and a place to watch the ocean when the public decks are too crowded.

We might try an ocean view, but no more inside cabins for us.

 

[mevelandry]

I'll start by saying that I'm platinum and I've never sailed in a "non SPH" inside room, so I'd love some opinions.

I'm hoping to sail on the EBTA next May. I was booked on the cancelled 2020 in adjoining SPH rooms with my best friends. We booked the rooms on platinum opening day. Of course, when we switched to 2021, SPH rooms were long gone. We booked adjoining outside rooms on deck 6. I know these are nice rooms as my BFFs sailed in one when we sailed Norway in 2015 - for that cruise we booked a balcony.

Anyway, we could save about $1200 by booking adjoining deluxe inside rooms. The $1200 would be a nice SBC, but I've never not at least had a window. Are the virtual portholes worth having? I mean, we won't be spending much time in the room either way, we always have adjoining rooms, we keep the connecting door open during the day and spread out in two rooms. I've sailed in multiple categories from Cat V on the Dream and the Fantasy to SPH rooms on the Magic and have been fine with all. My only "must haves" are adjoining and a split bath.

Would you save the $1200 and do adjoining insides or would you keep what I have (window on deck 6) and why? Thanks.

I’ve had all kinds of cabins in the past and honestly, it’s not that bad since there are so many opened spaces on a cruise ship where you can sit quietly and watch the ocean.

1200$ is a lot of money that you can save for another cruise later or splurge in little extras you (maybe) could not afford otherwise.

 

[braysmommy]

The other option is to wait and see if you can move to deck 2 as people cancel near PIF date still oceanview but cheaper by a lot. This will be our 4th TA and we always book oceanview on deck 2.

 

[mareed]

SPH (secret porthole) cabins are the exact same layout as the oceanview cabins - the only difference is the view in SPH is obstructed due to the lifeboats. While SPH cabins are priced as deluxe inside 10A, they are a different layout than the oceanview cabins.

Oceanview cabins (SPH that you've been in) have the bed as you enter just past the bathrooms and the living area is furthest inside the cabin close to the window. Oceanview cabins have cabinets/storage in both parts of the cabin so that if you close the curtain between bed and living area then both parts have some storage. This should sound familiar to you as this is what you've been in before!

Deluxe inside cabins have the opposite layout. The living area is just past the bathrooms and the bed is the furthest inside the cabin close to the opposite wall. There is no storage/dresser/cabinets other than nightstands in the section with the bed. If you close the curtain, then all the storage is in the living area.

For me, when I'm travelling with anyone other than my husband (i.e. with my Mom or a girlfriend), this is significant because the Oceanview cabin works great for us in dividing the cabin space and storage between us. The division of space and storage wouldn't work in the deluxe inside because all of the storage is in the living area.

There are different classifications of Oceanview cabins, and the 9A on decks 5 & 6 are the most expensive. Have you considered deck 2? 9C oceanview on deck 2 have always been less than the 11A deluxe inside when I've checked. Even the 9B oceanview on deck 2 in the middle may be only slightly higher than the 11A.

 

[wombat_5606]

My personal opinion is to keep the ocean views but really I think you need to decide what kind of cruiser you are and what you’re going to do.

If you plan to participate in every thing that’s going on, pick the inside.

If you want some downtime, pick the OV.

 

[gotomu212]

I wasn’t crazy about our inside room as I like to have some natural daylight and some kind of connection (are we at sea? Is that a port?) For me, the EBTA has so many sea day and so many time changes (almost every day) that without the sunlight I might have slept to noon.

This also may not be a factor for many, but after following the Diamond Princess story my husband said theres no way he‘ll ever be comfortable in an inside if there’s even a 1% chance we get confined to quarters.

 

[DCLCruiseFan09]

This also may not be a factor for many, but after following the Diamond Princess story my husband said theres no way he‘ll ever be comfortable in an inside if there’s even a 1% chance we get confined to quarters.

Funny... even though I wouldn't usually consider an inside room this exactly what my husband said too.

I sailed in an oceanview once and enjoyed it but overwhelmingly prefer verandahs. If you plan to spend a lot of time outside of the room, I say go for it. On a longer sailing like that, I would expect to spend time in the room though so I would spend the money on the upgrade or try and get one of the obstructed inside rooms if they are available.

 

[FigmentSpark]

You said for the EBTA, right? That means the majority of your trip is sea days? Will you honestly be out of your cabin most of the time? Just something to consider.

 

[Melissa S]

The other option is to wait and see if you can move to deck 2 as people cancel near PIF date still oceanview but cheaper by a lot. This will be our 4th TA and we always book oceanview on deck 2.

I don’t recommend that. We had an ocean view on our WBTA and the seas were so rough that midway through they closed our porthole. Although it was the right thing to do I was so annoyed that I essentially overpaid for what became an inside room.

 

[fredandkell]

I like the inside rooms for port-heavy cruises. But for cruises that have lots of sea days, I want a balcony. Personally, I consider an ocean-view the "worst of both worlds." Either I want to save $$ so I go for the inside, or I want the outside/fresh air/balcony. I always feel like I have my nose pressed against the glass in the O/V.

 

[monkeydawn]

I don’t recommend that. We had an ocean view on our WBTA and the seas were so rough that midway through they closed our porthole. Although it was the right thing to do I was so annoyed that I essentially overpaid for what became an inside room.

How do they close a porthole? What did they do with the balcony rooms?

 

[Birdie dog]

I like the inside rooms for port-heavy cruises. But for cruises that have lots of sea days, I want a balcony. Personally, I consider an ocean-view the "worst of both worlds." Either I want to save $$ so I go for the inside, or I want the outside/fresh air/balcony. I always feel like I have my nose pressed against the glass in the O/V.

I find that I rarely stay on my balcony. The one big exception was Norway, due to the fact that every moment was gorgeous, I just don't use them. I've had CL extended balconies, regular balconies, navigator verandas, and SPH rooms. I like the fact that I have some natural light in the SPH room without paying for balcony I don't really use. I think for a lot of people balconies are a must have. But, with two rooms if my DH is taking a nap. (and he does way more often than I do) I go next door to my friends room and hang there until he wakes up. I just don't think I need one- unless I go back to Norway or Alaska.