What's the best cabin for a first-time cruiser?
Planning your first cruise feels daunting because of all the decisions you'll have to make.
It can take a considerable amount of time to navigate all the nuances of choosing your first sailing, from picking the ship to the itinerary.
When you book your first cruise, you'll also have to select a stateroom category.
Royal Caribbean ships have countless stateroom categories that allow the cruise line to cater to a variety of passengers.
Icon of the Seas, for example, has 28 unique stateroom categories.
So how do you pick the best cabin for your first cruise?
Your choice will depend on your budget, preferences, and itinerary.
Interior cabins are the cheapest option
If your goal is to find a stateroom that offers a quiet, simple place to sleep, an interior cabin is your best bet.
Interior, or inside cabins, are windowless, small staterooms located in the center of the ship (not against the vessel's sides).
These cabins are the quietest, darkest places to sleep onboard, and as a bonus—usually come at a cheaper price.
Because they are small, and without amenities like a porthole or balcony, these cabins are often the least expensive on any given cruise.
If you'd like to save your budget for drink packages, shore excursions, WiFi, or any other add-ons, interior cabins are a great option.
These are especially a smart choice on port-intensive itineraries, such as a European cruise. Since you'll be busy, and only returning to your cabin to sleep, booking a cheaper, smaller stateroom makes sense.
Read more: Is it worth booking an inside cabin for a Mediterranean cruise?
Guarantee staterooms give you a better price in any category
If you book your first cruise on the Royal Caribbean website, you'll see two options in the stateroom section.
You can either select your specific cabin or select "We pick."
This is also known as Stateroom GTY, or a guarantee stateroom.
Read more: What are the different types of cabins on a cruise ship?
With a guarantee stateroom, you can select your preferred cabin category. You'll choose from a suite/deluxe, a balcony, a neighborhood view balcony (on Oasis and Icon Class ships), an oceanview cabin, or an interior.
Royal Caribbean will then assign you an unpurchased cabin within that category.
In rare cases where your preferred category is sold out, you'll be upgraded to a higher one. Usually, you'll receive your selected category.
Flexible cruisers who want to save money while staying in their preferred category prefer booking stateroom GTY.
While you can't control the cabin's specific location, you achieve a good deal and a mystery cabin.
Choose a larger cabin if your cruise has more sea days
While booking an interior cabin is better if you only need a place to return to sleep, the reverse is true on an itinerary with more sea days.
If you're taking a shorter cruise, a sailing with fewer port days, or you just plan on staying on the ship a lot, you might want to consider splurging on your cruise cabin.
Because your cruise ship stateroom becomes your home on the seas, booking a bigger, more luxurious one makes sense if you'll be spending a lot of time onboard.
Royal Caribbean has luxurious cabin categories that can greatly improve your sailing.
First-time cruisers especially, who want to make the most of their experience, should consider booking a balcony or suite stateroom.
A balcony is most popular on an Alaska cruise
If a cruise to the Last Frontier is on your bucket list, a balcony cabin is the most popular stateroom category.
Cruises to Alaska offer breathtaking scenery, including mountains and glacier views.
Cruising in the region is so popular because of the beautiful, untouched natural panoramas.
However, the weather in Alaska can also get a little chilly, making it difficult for cruisers to go out-of-doors and enjoy the scenery.
Booking a balcony cabin is the best way to enjoy the natural landscapes from a private outdoor space.
Most balcony cabins are around 180 square feet, providing more room for families to spread out and stay indoors.
Read more: Guide to balcony staterooms on Royal Caribbean
Glimpse the suite life in a Junior Suite
Suite cabins are luxurious accommodations onboard Royal Caribbean ships.
They come with extra amenities like exclusive lounges and restaurants, concierge service, complimentary robes, free VOOM internet, and more.
However, suites also sell the fastest before a cruise. Only a few are available on each ship, and—despite the high price tag—there's a growing demand for suite staterooms.
If you're considering booking a suite cabin, but are unsure of the type or price tag, you don't want to rush a thousand-dollar decision.
Instead, you can book a Junior Suite.
These cabins are a great, affordable preview to the suite life on a cruise ship.
Read more: 5 best cruise ship suites on Royal Caribbean
A Junior Suite doesn't have all the full suite benefits, but it's still a great experience.
Guests staying in a Junior Suite will receive a larger living area, a balcony, luxury bathroom amenities, a bathroom with tub, an in-room coffee machine, priority boarding, and double Crown and Anchor Society points per night.
Booking one of these suites is a great way for new cruisers to glimpse what a Royal Caribbean suite can offer.
Two connecting cabins for families
First-time cruisers traveling with kids or a larger group can book connecting cabins for more room.
Some interior, oceanview, and balcony categories come with connections, where two cruise cabins have a door in between.
With the door kept open during the day, you can create a multiple-room cabin.
The cost of two separate staterooms is often cheaper than booking four or more guests in one room.
Besides the price benefit, connecting staterooms also provide more space, more privacy, and two bathrooms.
Connecting staterooms are available on all Royal Caribbean ships, so you should have no problem finding one for your big group.
