Our 7 favorite inside cruise cabins and 3 we’d never book

You might be surprised, but sometimes, booking a windowless inside cabin on a cruise makes sense.

Maybe you’re trying to squeeze in one last vacation for the year and are on a tight budget. Perhaps you’re traveling with young children and prefer a cabin without access to a balcony. Or you might require a cozy space and total darkness to get a good night’s sleep. Whatever your reason for booking one, inside cabins are generally the lowest-priced accommodations on a ship and offer the best value in cruising.

Not all inside cabins are created equal, however, so we’re here to let you know about the best and worst inside cruise cabins that we’ve come across as we’ve sailed. The best are smartly designed with modern decor, ample storage and spacious bathrooms. The worst are cramped, aren’t couple-friendly or are subject to distracting noise well into the night.

Here are our picks for the best and worst inside cruise cabins.

Celebrity’s Deluxe Inside Staterooms: Best for living space

At 202 square feet, the Deluxe Inside Staterooms on Celebrity Cruises’ four Edge Class ships — Celebrity Edge, Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Beyond and Celebrity Ascent — feature everything that these ships’ pricier Infinite Veranda cabins have, minus the 42-square-foot veranda.

These inside rooms accommodate two to four people, with a king-size bed (that converts into two twins), a trundle bed and a sofa bed. The neutral decor features pale gray wood and carpeting with a modern gray-and-white geometric pattern, while throw pillows and artwork add a punch of color.

Many inside cabins lack living space, but these Deluxe Inside Staterooms feature a sitting area with a chaise-lounge-style sofa, a desk/vanity area with a USB charging box and a minifridge. A large wall-mounted flat-screen TV opposite the bed is also viewable from the sofa. Plus, guests will find ample hanging and drawer storage for their belongings.

What gets the biggest wows, however, is the bathroom. It’s a truly generous space with a large glass-enclosed shower, a wide troughlike sink and multiple shelves and drawers for toiletry and makeup storage.

Related: Everything you want to know about Celebrity cabins and suites

Disney’s Deluxe Inside Staterooms with Magical Porthole: Best for families with little kids

For a family-friendly inside cabin that gives you a “magical” peek at the view outside, it’s hard to beat the Deluxe Inside Stateroom with Magical Porthole on Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream.

Cabins in this category measure a roomy 204 square feet and sleep three to four guests (on a queen-size bed, pull-out sofa and pull-down bunk). The inside rooms feature Disney’s signature split-bath design (one bath with a sink and tub-shower combination and the other with a sink and toilet) and cheerful red, white and blue decor.

The Magical Porthole on the wall above the bed adds a touch of practicality and whimsy. It looks like a real porthole but actually features a live video feed from outside, which lets you check the weather and get a peek at the destination. Plus, every now and then, different Disney characters appear in the porthole to the delight of young and young-at-heart cruisers. Don’t love light distraction? The Magical Porthole can be turned off.

Disney Magic and Disney Wonder also feature the Deluxe Inside Stateroom category at an even roomier 214 square feet, but minus the Magical Porthole. Don’t expect the same square footage, however, on Disney’s newest ships, Disney Wish (launched in 2022) and Disney Treasure (debuting in December 2024). Both vessels offer only 169-square-foot Standard Inside Staterooms that sleep up to four guests, alas a bit more snugly.

Carnival’s Havana Interior rooms: Best for pool lovers

If you like the idea of having access to an exclusive pool deck without having to pay a premium for a suite, Carnival Cruise Line’s three Vista Class ships — Carnival Vista, Panorama and Horizon — have an affordable interior cabin category with Havana Pool privileges.

Havana Interior rooms are 185 square feet and feature a queen-size bed (or two twins) with a Caribbean-colonial-style headboard. Rooms also feature a desk/vanity, minifridge, wall-mounted flat-screen TV and plenty of closet storage.

The cons? These rooms have no sofa and the curtained shower is on the small side. That said, for a budget-friendly fare, you’ll enjoy exclusive daytime access to the Havana Sundeck Pool and Bar area, an atmospheric space located aft on Deck 5 that features two hot tubs, an infinity pool and a more upscale vibe than Carnival’s often boisterous main pool area. Spend all day at this exclusive sun deck, and you only really need to be in your inside cabin to sleep.

The same Havana Interior category is available on Carnival’s three Excel Class ships — Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration and Carnival Jubilee — but these cabins are notably smaller (158 square feet). They do, however, have a roomier glass-walled shower. It’s also worth noting that the Havana Sundeck, located forward on Deck 8, is far less impressive than on Vista Class ships and has a small pool that’s closer to a large hot tub in size.

Related: What’s a cruise cabin guarantee — and will it save you money?

Holland America’s Large Interior Staterooms: Best for spacious bathrooms

If you’re a fan of large walk-in showers, Holland America Line’s three Pinnacle Class ships — Rotterdam, Nieuw Statendam and Koningsdam — have an inside cabin category that will make you a happy sailor.

These Large Interior Staterooms (category I) vary in size but can be as roomy as 225 square feet. (Standard Interiors on the same ships can be as snug as 143 square feet.) The rooms feature a bathroom with a spacious glass-enclosed shower and a single large vanity and sink with ample storage underneath.

The living space in the roomiest Large Interior Staterooms features a queen-size bed (or two twins) as well as a sofa, bar area with additional shelf storage and ample closet space and drawers. One negative is that in some configurations, the TV is awkwardly placed and not viewable from the sofa. On the positive side, this layout features an alcove closet that’s a convenient area for getting dressed.

Also worth pointing out: Some Large Inside Staterooms on Deck 1 (J and K categories) of Holland America’s Signature Class Eurodam and Nieuw Amsterdam are more spacious than average and feature a large curved sofa and generous closet storage. Alas, the bathroom is smaller and has a curtained corner shower. These cabins are also directly below noisy, late-night venues — including the casino and music venues Billboard Onboard and Rolling Stone Lounge — certainly not ideal for anyone who heads to bed early.

Royal Caribbean’s Interior Plus rooms: Best for storage

It’s a fact of life that the newest cruise ships command the highest prices, which can be a deal-breaker if your vacation dollars are tight. If you’re eager to check out Royal Caribbean’s latest vessel, Icon of the Seas, which set sail in January 2024 as the world’s largest cruise ship, you can save hundreds over the cost of a balcony room by booking an inside cabin. We recommend the ship’s Interior Plus category.

These new and uniquely configured inside cabins might be a snug 157 square feet, but they’re smartly designed. They feature a modern arm chair and ottoman and a roomy walk-in closet with a wall of storage space and a vanity, creating a great area for getting dressed and doing makeup.

The bathroom is also a winner, with a glass-enclosed shower plus ample shelves and a vanity drawer and under-sink cabinets for storage. This category would work well for two friends or a couple looking to save money while enjoying everything Icon of the Seas has to offer.

Related: 8 cabin locations on cruise ships you should definitely avoid

Norwegian’s Solo Studio Cabins: Best for single cruisers

If you’re planning to vacation solo and want an affordable cruise cabin option that doesn’t require a single supplement — but does offer an exclusive lounge for socializing with other single travelers — consider booking with Norwegian Cruise Line. Its Studios are inside cabins designed to accommodate one person — and at just 94-100 square feet they channel efficiently designed Japanese pod hotel rooms.

Each studio has a full-size bed (roomier than a twin) as well as a desk set between a wardrobe and a unit featuring open shelves and drawers. You’ll also find a wall-mounted flat-screen TV and a convenient recessed storage cubby over the bed with charging ports. Studio bathrooms are open concept with only glass dividing them from the sleeping space — but you’ll be alone, so you can let it all hang out.

Studio accommodations are available on nine Norwegian ships: Norwegian Epic, Breakaway, Getaway, Escape, Bliss, Joy, Encore, Prima and Viva, with a 10th, Norwegian Aqua, debuting in March 2025. Every Studio cabin enjoys access to the Studio Lounge, where you can mingle with other single guests and perhaps find a new friend to ask to dinner or pal around with on shore excursions.

Want to cruise Hawaii? Norwegian’s Pride of America, which sails the islands year-round, also has four Studio cabins as well as several other solo Inside cabins. What’s missing is the full Studio Lounge concept — there is a tiny windowless living room on Deck 13, but without the amenities offered on the other ships.

Related: These 8 cabins are great for travelers cruising alone

Oceania’s Inside Staterooms: Best for upscale cruising

Oceania Cruises’ Riviera may have debuted in 2012, but a 2022 refurbishment has given the inside cabins on this ship a new look that jettisoned heavier dark wood furnishings for lighter pieces with a contemporary Parisian flair. (Sister ship Marina also received a refurbishment in May 2024 but its inside rooms were not renovated and retain the classic decor.)

A compact 174 square feet, Riviera’s Inside Staterooms are now elegant and airy with a palette of white and gray; wainscoting and contemporary artwork elevate the space. Rooms feature a queen-size bed (or two twins), a large floor-to-ceiling mirror, a wall-mounted flat-screen TV and a desk/vanity area with a chair (although there is no sofa). The entryway offers ample closet and drawer storage.

The bathroom is equally inviting, clad in white-and-gray European stone and featuring a generously sized vanity with drawer storage and a roomy glass-walled shower.

Even though inside cabins are the lowest-tier accommodations on Riviera, booking one grants you access to everything on the ship, including eight restaurants (all complimentary), a gorgeous pool and spa and a library stocked with more than 2,000 books and periodicals.

Related: The best luxury cruise lines for elegance and exclusivity

Royal Caribbean’s Promenade View Interior: Lacks privacy

When is an inside cabin not a true interior? When it’s a variation on an Ocean View with a window and inviting window seat that overlooks an interior space. If you’ve been on any of Royal Caribbean’s Voyager, Freedom or Oasis Class ships, you’ll likely have noticed that there are windows overlooking the Royal Promenade, the buzzy central social space that’s home to multiple bars and restaurants.

These interior accommodations with a Promenade view might seem like a fun idea, especially for guests who want to people-watch or spy on the action below. However, they are known for being noisy, both during the day and at night, but especially when lively theme parties with loud music are taking place around 11 p.m.

They also have another drawback: Unless you keep the curtains closed, everyone below and in rooms across the Promenade can peer into your cabin — like you’re in a department store window display.

The Promenade View cabins on Royal Caribbean’s eight Voyager and Freedom Class vessels are also rather snug at 160 square feet with beds for two. The rooms are more decently sized at 193 square feet on the line’s six Oasis Class ships; they also can sleep up to four.

Carnival’s 1A Upper Lower with Fixed Bunks: Not couple-friendly

Size isn’t the issue with Carnival’s category 1A cabins — found on multiple ships, including Carnival Freedom, Carnival Liberty, Carnival Radiance and Carnival Horizon — because they’re a rather generous 185 square feet. What can be a problem is the sleeping arrangements for unsuspecting couples. These budget-priced cabins have two beds, either fixed bunks or a twin bed and a sofa bed, that cannot be pushed together into a queen- or king-size bed.

These rooms can be an excellent budget solution for a solo traveler or two friends (if one is willing to occupy the upper bunk or sofa bed), but couples will not be pleased unless they normally sleep in separate beds back home.

Norwegian’s Family Inside Stateroom: Too tight for most families

Available on Norwegian Breakaway, Getaway, Escape, Joy, Bliss and Encore, Family Inside Staterooms are just 135 square feet (about half the size of a balcony cabin) and sleep up to four guests. Talk about closeness — or, more likely, claustrophobia! Is saving money really worth feeling like you’re crew members on a submarine?

How do the sleeping arrangements work? The main bed is queen-size (or two twins), and two Pullman bunks drop down on either side of the master bed and require ladders to access. When the room is set up bunk bed-style with two twins and two bunks above, the guests in the two lower beds have hardly any headroom. You can set up the room with a queen bed and one bunk, but getting out of bed from under the bunk will require contortionist moves.

The closet and bathroom are equally compact, so unless you’re used to minivan camping, this might not be the cabin for you.

The Family Inside cabins on Norwegian’s two newest ships, Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva, have a bit more breathing room at 160 square feet, with more abundant storage and a significantly improved bathroom with a glass-walled shower. But when both upper bunks are down, getting into and out of the lower queen-size bed is still a challenge, so mom and dad might need to opt for a lower twin configuration. This setup will work, however, for three or four friends on a budget.

Bottom line

Inside cruise ship cabins offer great value for travelers planning to mostly sleep there and spend the rest of their time in the ship’s public areas and in port. Still, checking the square footage, room layout and bed configuration of any inside cabin before booking is always a good idea. You might find that some rooms offer greater or lesser value despite the affordable rates.

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