Automatically booking the cheapest room on a cruise ship without doing proper research first can ruin a trip.
As someone who’s been going on cruises for over a decade, I’ve learned that the price tag for these vacations can vary based on a number of factors, from cruise line to trip duration to room category.
Staying in the most standard-level cabin seems like an obvious way to keep costs down. However, after trying out three different room categories, both with and without my kids, I’ve found that a ship’s least-expensive option is almost never worth it.
Based on my experience in three different cruise-room categories, here are the ones I recommend skipping and the ones I suggest splurging on.
Interior staterooms are limited in space and privacy
The standard — and least expensive — cabin on any cruise ship is typically called an inside or interior stateroom.
These often sleep up to four people and are located in the middle of the ship, with no exterior view of the vessel’s surroundings.
I’ve stayed in interior staterooms on both a Carnival and a Disney Cruise Line ship. Aside from different decor styles and a few small touches, this room category is fairly standard across the board.
When I’m on a cruise, I like to wake up and open my curtains to look at the ocean or the port where the ship is docked, but that isn’t an option in these cabins.
Apart from having no view, interior staterooms tend to be very small.
The exact square footage varies, but for reference, the Disney Fantasy cruise ship’s interior stateroom is 169 square feet, and a Royal Caribbean ship’s version is around the same size at 164 square feet.
To put those numbers into perspective, standard hotel rooms in the US are around 330 square feet, on average — almost double the size of the entry-level cruise accommodation.
On vacation, I want to be able to maneuver around my room without tripping over luggage, accent furniture, or my own family members.
Due to the lack of space in interior staterooms, that’s often a challenge.
This category is definitely the most economical option, making it ideal for budget travelers.
However, if families, especially those traveling with teens, can swing an alternative, they should skip cramming into an interior stateroom and opt for a category with more space and privacy.
Ocean-view staterooms provide slightly more space, but some still feel cramped
The next category up is usually an ocean-view stateroom.
With an outward-facing window, ocean-view staterooms are a solid mid-tier option for travelers who want more space than an interior stateroom offers but don’t want to spend extra for a balcony room.
Their exact size and capacity vary by ship, but Disney Fantasy’s ocean-view staterooms are 204 square feet, while Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas’ version is 179 square feet.
Many of these accommodations can fit up to five people. If you have more than four family members, making the jump from an interior stateroom to an ocean-view stateroom is absolutely worth the extra money.
Some cruise lines sell ocean-view rooms as the entry-level category for families of five or more travelers, simply because many interior staterooms can only accommodate a maximum of four guests.
My top pick is balcony staterooms, which offer privacy and plenty of space
Balcony staterooms, also known as veranda staterooms, are usually the largest accommodation option available without concierge service or premium extras.
I recommend this category to all travelers setting sail in the future for one reason: the private balcony.
You can open your curtains and enjoy the sights outside, similar to the experience of staying in an ocean-view stateroom. However, in this room type, you can step out onto a balcony and take in the sounds and smells of the sea, too.
The room sizes and capacities depend on the ship, but balcony staterooms are usually larger than ocean-view staterooms and tend to sleep up to five guests. Even if the rooms’ interior living areas aren’t substantially larger, they have the added space of the veranda.
For example, including the terrace, balcony staterooms on the Disney Fantasy are 246 square feet. They’re typically between 214 square feet and 279 square feet on Princess Cruises’ fleet.
When my family stayed in a balcony stateroom on a seven-night cruise, we made great use of the outdoor space.
The upgrade was completely worth the price increase, especially because we were traveling with two sets of grandparents.
To make the most of the balcony staterooms, we turned our individual verandas into one large terrace by having our steward remove the partitions between rooms. It was great.
Even on a shorter cruise, where the balcony itself might not get as much use, I’d still book this category for my family. In my opinion, the extra space is worth a few hundred bucks or so more every time.
This story was originally published on May 25, 2022, and most recently updated on July 16, 2026.
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