Recently, I sailed on my first-ever Vision Class cruise ship and stayed in the cheapest stateroom possible: a standard interior cabin.
Costing just $1,396.76, my friend and I jumped at the opportunity to book a 5-night cruise to Bermuda from Baltimore, Maryland. Not only was this our first time visiting the beautiful island of Bermuda, but it was her first cruise in general!
My travel agent assigned us Cabin 3543, a category 2V interior stateroom located in the forward of the ship, extremely close to the elevator bank.
I remembered my motion sickness patches at the last minute, and I'm glad I didn't leave home without them! Since we weren't in the middle of the ship, we felt quite a bit of movement from our cabin. In general, our sailing was quite rocky, with the Solarium pool being closed for the first two days!
We boarded a little later than usual embarkation day, enjoying a quick lunch in the Windjammer before making our way to our stateroom to drop off our carry-on bags.
Overall, I was impressed by the size of the cabin. I assumed since Vision of the Seas is an older ship, the cabin would feel tight and cramped. To my surprise, it felt more spacious than some interior cabins I've had on newer vessels, namely Symphony of the Seas and Carnival Celebration!
Though certain aspects of the cabin certainly felt dated, I wouldn't go as far as saying it felt like it was a 26-year-old ship. However, you may think otherwise if you're used to sailing exclusively on Oasis Class ships.
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In particular, there wasn't a mini-fridge. While not a huge deal, I was disappointed that I didn't have a place to chill my wine.
In retrospect, we could have asked our cabin steward for ice; however, I'm so used to having a mini-fridge in my cruise ship cabins that I forgot this was an option. Hindsight is 2020, though.
Read more: 16 things to ask your cruise ship cabin attendant
Personally, I found the storage space to be pretty average, especially for an older vessel. We didn't struggle to comfortably unpack for our 5-night cruise, and my suitcase weighed over 40 pounds!
There was just one closet, but it came stocked with more than enough hangers for our clothing.
I'm thankful for the amount of floor space, too. My suitcase was a little too large to fit underneath the bed, so I had to keep it in the closet during the cruise.
Had the floor space been tight, I would have had to squeeze it between the loveseat and my bed, and that became my favorite spot to store my shoes for easy access.
That said, while the closet lacked built-in shelves, there were enough drawers to help keep our stuff organized.
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However, one of the drawers in the nightstand lacked a proper back. We were afraid if we stored anything that it might accidentally slide out.
Moreover, the top drawer of my nightstand had issues staying shut—though this could have been caused in part by the choppy seas.
On a positive note, I appreciated how there wasn't anything taking up space on the nightstands. This became a catch-all place for our books, water bottles, glasses, etc.
Each bed had a wall light placed directly above our heads. I didn't use mine too often, but my friend utilized it nearly every evening to read before bed.
I appreciated the small light, as I could fall asleep unbothered while my friend was winding down from the day's adventure. If the overhead light had been on, I'm sure I would have had more issues drifting off.
I've stayed in a few inside cabins—mostly on Carnival Cruise Line—without a small couch, and I hate having to sit on the bed in my dirty clothes. Thankfully, that wasn't a concern in my stateroom on Vision of the Seas.
Throughout the 5-night cruise, the couch became another catch-all place. Truthfully, we were too lazy to put our souvenir bags and raincoats away, so they found a home on the small loveseat before being packed away in our suitcases.
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The vanity area was standard. There were two hidden compartments behind the mirrors that we used to store jewelry, sunscreen, and other miscellaneous things. For an older ship, the lighting was pretty good, too.
As expected, there were limited outlets in our cabin, with just two American and two European plugs near the desk. Perhaps this is one area where I'm more fond of Carnival's older ships, as many have been outfitted with extra charing options near the bed, whether an American outlet or USB plug.
Still, it wasn't an issue, as I brought three (not two!) European power adapters, so we could take advantage of all four available outlets.
Above the television was a cabinet that housed the safe, which is where I immediately put my passport, wallet, and other important valuables on embarkation day.
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The vanity area was also where the cabin's telephone and thermostat were found.
On embarkation day, I was worried we'd have issues with the temperature, as the room stayed relatively warm, even after we set sail. Within a few hours, the room had cooled down substantially, though.
In addition to the absent mini-fridge and lack of outlets, the cabin's true age was evident in the tiny bathroom. Although it served its purpose, I really, really (did I say really?) despise clingy shower curtains.
I have no complaints about the showerhead or pressure. In fact, when comparing my experience on Carnival Elation to Vision of the Seas, well, there's no comparison!
The showerhead on Carnival Elation was, for lack of better words, completely and utterly disgusting. It desperately needed to be replaced months before I stepped on board.
Not only that, but the showerhead broke during my cruise! The small piece that attached the showerhead to the rod fell off. It took over a day before it was fixed, so whenever we showered, water went everywhere!
Read more: 4 things I loved about Carnival Elation (and 4 I didn’t)
Since the bathroom was slightly more compact than those on newer ships, there wasn't as much storage.
That said, between my hanging toiletries organizer and my friend's ability to pack light, we didn't need to use the cubbies beside the mirror!
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Overall, our inside cabin was the perfect home away from home during our short getaway to Bermuda
All in all, it was your standard interior stateroom. It was functional and practical, allowing us to cruise on a budget and splurge on a fun shipwreck snorkeling excursion in Bermuda, as well as a specialty meal at Izumi.
I would have preferred a location that was more midship or closer to the aft, as we spent the majority of our time in the Solarium (which, yes, is located in the back of the ship on Vision of the Seas!). Those are just minor complaints, though.
Being on Deck 3 meant we were close to many important venues, such as the Main Dining Room on Deck 4, the Casino on Deck 5, and—most importantly—Cafe Latte-tudes on Deck 6. Since we had the Cafe Select Coffee Card, Cafe Latte-tudes was our first stop every morning while onboard.
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Would I book another interior cabin on Vision of the Seas? Absolutely! In fact, I was a bit hesitant to sail on such an old ship, loving the variety of dining options and Broadway-style entertainment on newer vessels.
However, the experience completely surprised me. Everything from the dining to the relaxed Solarium and friendly staff made me understand why these small ships remain a beloved favorite within the fleet.
