A Mediterranean cruise feels like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so how important is your cabin choice for this itinerary?
A Mediterranean cruise offers a cruise that has visits to places to a captivating blend of history, culture, and landscapes. Naturally, you'll want to take full advantage of the experience.
One of the first decisions you'll make while preparing for your cruise will be choosing which cabin to book.
Depending on your personal preferences and budget, it can be a tough call to choose which type of cabin is best for your cruise. Is it worth saving money to book a cheaper, windowless inside cabin? Or should you splurge for a balcony cabin instead?
The Mediterranean is not like a Caribbean cruise that you may have experienced many times. If it's your first cruise ever, you might be debating if the money saved with an inside cabin is going to lead to regret later.
To help you make your decision, I’ll delve into the pros and cons I experienced when I booked an inside cabin for my Mediterranean voyage.
Inside Cabin vs. Balcony
In my case, I knew pretty quickly that I could rule out purchasing a balcony cabin (or a suite).
The cost is steep, ranging from $1,000-2,000 more than an inside cabin.
Since I was traveling alone, it also didn’t make as much sense to spend a lot of money on a room I wouldn’t be sharing with anyone.
I didn’t need the extra space or privacy, and a balcony isn’t as fun without someone to stargaze with you!
Traveling solo also comes with a single supplement fee, meaning I was charged extra for traveling with just one person in a stateroom. It wouldn't make sense for me to make an even higher leap in price.
In addition to the extra cost, my Mediterranean cruise also took place in early November, meaning we were already entering winter.
While the weather wasn’t extremely cold, it was windy and cloudy, with some choppy seas.
On those windy days, I got too cold to even enjoy the sun on the pool deck.
In hindsight, this tells me that I would not have spent time on a balcony, where a roof blocks off from the sunlight but still exposes you to the wind.
However, if it’s still important that you have a private outdoor space, you may want to consider booking a balcony.
For my personal needs, it didn’t make sense to shell out that extra money.
Inside Cabin vs. Oceanview Cabin
With a balcony ruled out, I could next consider whether I wanted to book an oceanview cabin.
Cruise pricing can vary from ship to ship and sailing to sailing, but a standard oceanview cabin costs about $25-40 more per night than an inside cabin.
For my 7-night cruise, this would have added at least $200 to the price of booking.
Since an inside cabin is more budget-friendly than an oceanview cabin, this made my cabin a smart choice.
While the cost wasn’t that significant of a difference, it made enough of a change that I could allocate money to other aspects of my cruise.
For example, saving $200 is $200 more than I could spend on a shore excursion or souvenirs at our destinations.
In the end, I chose to book a windowless inside cabin. I used several categories to determine if this decision made the most sense for my cruise.
Read more: I always stay in an inside cabin on a cruise ship. Here's why I actually like these rooms
Time spent in my stateroom
One unique aspect of a Mediterranean cruise is its frequent port stops at new locations. A Mediterranean cruise usually focuses on the destinations and cultural experiences.
With the close multitude of islands in the Mediterranean Sea, you can expect your cruise to be port-intensive.
If you plan on taking advantage of time at the ports of all, a cheaper cabin is a more practical choice.
With so much time spent off the ship, your cabin preferences can take a backseat since you’ll only be returning to sleep.
It makes more sense to spend time enjoying shore adventures and onboard activities than to waste money on a cabin.
Better locations for seasickness
For those of us prone to seasickness, the location of your cabin may be more important than having a nice view.
Some find that being in the middle of the ship and on a lower deck helps minimize the feeling of motion and ease seasickness.
Inside cabins are more often located in the center of the ship, away from any windows and balconies. Not only that but there are also more to choose from on Royal Caribbean ships, making it easier to choose your cabin location when you book one.
For my cruise, my cabin was located midship on Deck 2, which is a perfect location when it came to seasickness and noise level.
Read more: The 5 best cabin locations on a cruise ship
Plenty of space
For a Mediterranean cruise, which requires days of travel from the U.S., taking a longer cruise is the best way to maximize your travel time.
I chose a 7-night sailing to get full advantage of my time in the area.
And for this longer sailing, it makes sense to want a larger room with more space for all your luggage.
Space was an important factor for my Mediterranean cruise cabin, but an inside cabin still made the most sense for this situation.
Most standard oceanview cabins are about the same size as inside cabins. For an even larger room, I would have had to upgrade to a spacious or ultra-spacious oceanview cabin.
Since that would raise the cruise price even further, an inside cabin was sufficient space for me in the end.
Even though I was traveling alone, I felt that my stateroom would have had more than enough floor and storage space for two people traveling over a period of 7 days.
Ideal sleeping conditions
After a long day of walking around the pebbled streets in places like Greece and Spain, you’re going to want a good night of sleep.
For me, the best conditions for a sound 8 hours of sleep are the dark, cool, and quiet inside cabins on a Royal Caribbean ship.
Especially in a quiet location, I can sleep soundly without waking up at all through the night. It’s the perfect way to relax after a long day.
Read more: 9 ways to sleep better on a cruise ship
