Sharing a cruise cabin sounds easy enough… until two people are trying to live together in one small space for a week.
Cruise cabins are compact, storage is limited, and there’s usually only one small bathroom.
Even small habits can suddenly become surprisingly irritating!
The good news is that most common cruise cabin arguments are completely avoidable with a little planning.
Disagreements are incredibly common, but usually very easy to avoid.
#1. The Cabin Temperature
You might find yourself in a position where one person wants the cabin freezing cold, while the other person feels the cold and prefers it warmer.
You don’t want to be in a situation where people are secretly adjusting the thermostat or having air-conditioning battles at 2 am!
Cruise cabins can feel stuffy, especially in inside or oceanview cabins where you can’t open the balcony doors to get some fresh air. You really need the air conditioning on.
Different people sleep comfortably at very different temperatures. I prefer it reasonably cold in the cabin at night; I don’t want to be overheating in bed.
How To Avoid It
You can try to resolve disagreements by:
- Discussing temperature preferences early on.
- Asking cabin stewards for extra blankets for the person who feels the cold more.
- Adjust temperatures gradually, rather than dramatically
Thermostat adjustment can become a much bigger issue in a small cabin than most people expect.
#2. Bathroom Timing
Getting ready for dinner can become chaotic quickly if both people decide they need to shower before they go out.
Cruise cabin bathrooms can be tiny, and both people need to take their turn.
You can imagine the scene – steam everywhere, make-up and toiletries taking over every surface, people getting impatient with each other, when that “I’ll only be five minutes” turns into fifteen!
Formal nights can make things even more stressful because it might take longer to get ready – and if you have to be eating at a set time, pressure is on!
How To Avoid It
Choose a daily showering time. One could shower in the morning, another before bed. If you don’t always have a schedule like this, you can just let each other know each day what your plans are.
Then getting ready for dinner will just be a case of getting changed and smartening yourself up.
If you have a set dinner time, maybe start getting ready slightly earlier to avoid a last-minute panic?
Simple planning completely avoids most bathroom stress.
When I cruised with Azamara, I found that the bathroom was the smallest I had ever come across.
There was very little space to put your toiletries or used towels, so we had to be tidy.
Have a look at that tiny bathroom space in my Azamara cabin below. I was sharing with my brother, and luckily, he is a very good cabinmate!
#3. Sleep And Noise Differences
You might find that one person wants an early night, while the other wants midnight pizza and karaoke!
You might find your sleep being disturbed by your cabin mate watching TV at a high volume.
They might have a loud alarm on their phone or insist on using the phone with a dazzlingly bright screen when you are trying to sleep.
Early risers might dramatically open the curtains at sunrise and wake you up with a start!
Cruise cabins usually offer very little privacy or separation.
How To Avoid It
Discuss sleep habits honestly beforehand. Do they have a tendency to snore? Pack earplugs!
Considerate cabinmates can use headphones to minimise noise disturbance.
Keep lights low at night.
Avoid slamming balcony/bathroom doors, which will disturb others.
If you slam your balcony door, you could annoy your neighbours too, and you could become very unpopular fast!
Making small compromises makes shared cabins much more comfortable.
When I sailed on Celebrity Edge in an Infinite Verandah cabin with my Mum, we found the cabin design had some disadvantages.
Normally, if my Mum wakes earlier than me, she can quietly escape out on to the balcony and not disturb my sleep.
We quickly found this wasn’t possible in this type of “balcony “cabin.
Have a closer look at the design of the Infinte Verandah cabins on Celebrity Edge Class ships in the video below to find out why we weren’t keen on it:
#4. Cabin Mess And Clutter
Cruise cabins can become incredibly messy quite quickly.
One person might unpack neatly, while the other creates piles of clothes everywhere.
You might have other people’s shoes lying around for you to trip over, or find that they permanently live out of their suitcase, instead of putting things away in the drawers and wardrobes.
Wet swimwear might be hanging around the cabin or out on the balcony. It’s annoying!
Cruise storage is more limited than many first-time cruisers expect, particularly on the newer ships. The older the ship, the more storage it will have, seems to be the general rule.
How To Avoid It
Unpack and put everything away early on.
Decide on who is using which drawers and shelves, and use them efficiently.
Keep shared areas clear. There is often a “bits and bobs” drawer in the desk that is useful for keeping things like chargers, sunglasses, etc.
Avoid treating every chair as a wardrobe.
Small cabins can mean your mess and clutter take over the space quickly!
#5. Spending Every Minute Together
Some passengers expect to spend the entire cruise together with their cruising buddy – others naturally want occasional quiet time and their own space.
Cabin mates often enjoy different activities and interests.
One person might love trivia, while the other prefers to relax in the spa.
One of you might want to sit in the sun on the Pool deck, whilst the other prefers the cool of a quiet observation lounge.
Wanting occasional alone time is completely normal and to be expected. There is so much going on onboard a cruise ship that there is no reason why you have to stay together all of the time.
How To Avoid It
Accept that people relax differently, and compromise on what you want to do together.
Don’t feel pressured to do every activity together or be together permanently.
Arrange meet-up times instead of constantly staying attached.
Sharing a cabin doesn’t mean sharing every single moment together. You might drive each other mad if you do!
I stayed in a very controversial “Conservatory Mini Suite” on P&O’s Iona.
Although the cabin certainly had its drawbacks, the extra space suited me very well, as I was sharing the cabin with both of my parents.
Have a look at that unusual cabin – and its unusual location – here:
Before You Go:
Find out how to keep your cabin organised and tidy here:
5 Things Smart Cruisers Do To Keep Their Cabins Organised
Find out what it is like when four adults share a cabin here:
Inside Cabin for 4 Adults? Here’s What No One Tells You!
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