There's nothing better than securing a great cruise fare, even if staying in an interior cabin.
I recently returned from a 4-night cruise on Allure of the Seas from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to CocoCay and Nassau.
Booking just two weeks in advance as part of a "Going, Going, Gone" sale, the fare was $834.36 for two people in a guaranteed interior stateroom. This breaks down to around $104 per person, per night, including gratuities and port fees.
I could have reserved a neighborhood balcony for less than $100 more. However, having just returned from an expensive 3-night Disney cruise, I wanted to keep my costs as low as possible.
My dad and I were assigned cabin 8133 in the ship's forward. I appreciated the location, as it was close to Central Park. Even so, I prefer mid-ship staterooms on vessels as large as Allure of the Seas. Still, the location wasn't a deal-breaker by any means—it was nice to step outside and take in the greenery while at sea without wandering far from our "home away from home."
Typically, cabins in the front of the ship tend to feel more movement. I'm thankful we didn't experience significant motion during our voyage, even though we were near the bow. However, we weren't going far on our short cruise to the Bahamas from Florida.
The cabin was spacious enough for the two of us, and I liked how the layout maximized every inch of space. My dad remarked how roomy it felt compared to our inside stateroom on Quantum of the Seas earlier this year.
With Allure approaching her 14th birthday, she isn't the newest ship in the fleet. As such, a few elements felt outdated, such as the radio with two 30-pin dock connectors. Apple replaced these chargers in 2012 with the lightning connector.
Moreover, I wish there would have been at least one bedside outlet. I had to rely on my portable charger each night, as the other charging options were found exclusively near the vanity.
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Speaking of outlets, there were far fewer available than on newer ships, with just one European and four standard American plugs.
There’s usually more flexibility when it comes to charging on newer vessels; however, with my dad just needing to charge his phone, it wasn't an issue. In fact, we never even used the outlets underneath the vanity.
We didn't bring any bottles of wine onboard, but we used the mini-fridge to keep our four complimentary bottles of water cool. I appreciated how the fridge's door was bolted to the cabinet, a feature not found in all cabins.
As far as the cabin itself, it had everything we needed for a short cruise. The bed was comfortable enough for the 4-night stay, and there was ample closet space to hang our clothes. My dad even overpacked, easily bringing enough clothes for a weeklong sailing.
Read more: 115-item Ultimate Cruise Packing List
While there were just two empty vanity drawers, the closet's built-in cubbies allowed for additional storage to place things like folded t-shirts, shoes, and jeans.
The spacious vanity was great for getting ready after spending the day at Thrill Waterpark or Blue Lagoon Island. I could spread out my makeup products and easily locate my mascara, eyeliner, and eyeshadow brushes that often play hide-and-seek in my bag.
We also loved the full-sized couch as opposed to our single chair on Quantum. Though we both unpacked for the 4-night cruise, the couch quickly became our catch-all spot where we'd throw everything from beach bags to towels.
It was much more comfortable than the chair on Quantum of the Seas, too. Even with all our miscellaneous stuff on the couch, it was a nice area for the dad to relax and wait while I finished getting ready without having to awkwardly stand around or sit on the bed.
When we arrived, the beds were placed together, despite our request to have them separated. However, it wasn't an issue. Our cabin steward quickly took care of the situation and separated them as soon as we pointed out the mix-up.
This made the room feel even more spacious, giving us a dedicated walkway between the beds. It also helped create a sense of personal space.
The bathroom, though compact, was functional. Like the closet, there was built-in shelving to store toiletries.
However, I didn't use any since I brought my hanging toiletry organizer, keeping everything from hair cream to moisturizer and deodorant organized and easily accessible. It's my favorite travel product and has been used over 13 times since I received it for Christmas last year!
Whenever I sail on a Royal Caribbean ship, I hope the shower will have two shelves, allowing families additional space to store their toiletries—from different shampoos and conditioners to face washes—and keep them organized. This, however, wasn't the case on Allure of the Seas.
It's a minor detail, but one that can make a big difference when you're sharing a small space with another person, especially if you travel with full-sized products.
Staying in a standard cabin meant we weren't provided with upgraded toiletries. Instead, we were provided with a single bar of soap and a shampoo-body wash hybrid in the shower.
Having recently cruised on ships like Disney Magic and Sun Princess, I've become accustomed to liquid hand soap in the bathroom and regretted not bringing one of my travel-sized goat's milk soap bars, which I bought purposefully for ships like this!
The shower had great water pressure, and I had no issues adjusting the temperature to my liking. There was even a small ledge to make shaving easier.
Typically, I never use my stateroom's telephone; however, one afternoon, the Chef's Table was calling to provide details about where to meet for our 6:30pm reservation.
When I picked up, I could hear the crew member speaking, but he couldn't hear me. He hung up and called back, but the issue wasn't fixed. The next time, I decided to let the phone ring and simply listened to the voicemail instead.
Despite this small inconvenience, our cabin provided everything needed for a comfortable and relaxing cruise.
Although we spent just $830 on our cruise fare, we splurged on other add-ons to enhance our experience, such as admission to the Thrill Waterpark, a Blue Lagoon Island excursion, two specialty meals, and Wi-Fi—all of which made an otherwise ordinary cruise especially memorable.
Of course, booking a cruise at the last minute comes with risks. For example, last-minute airfare can be costly, negating the cost savings of the cheaper fare.
Not only that but some experiences can sell out in advance, so if you are hoping to book a certain excursion or specialty restaurant, you may find that availability is limited or even completely booked by the time you get on board.
Thankfully, we utilized credit card points to save money on airfare and the pre-cruise hotel. If we had paid for them out-of-pocket, our flights from Charlotte to Fort Lauderdale would have totaled over $1,000.
Moreover, we scored a great discount on our Chef's Table dinner thanks to a Cruise Planner sale the week before our departure. The onboard price is advertised at around $99/person; however, after applying our onboard credit, we only paid $57 each for the 6-course meal, which included wine and espresso martinis with dessert.
Would I book a last-minute cruise fare again? Absolutely. Because of my job, I can leave home at a moment's notice, and when the opportunity arises to snag such a great deal, I’m all in—even if it's in an inside cabin.
