Cruise Ship Interior Cabins – Simple Photo Guide

If you are considering taking a cruise, you may wonder what an interior cabin is and if you should book one.

When cruise lines advertise cruise prices, they almost always advertise the price of an interior cabin.

I’ve stayed in interior, often called inside, cabins on many occasions, and I usually recommend them to first-timer cruisers on a budget.

What Are Interior Cabins on a Cruise?

An interior cabin is a cabin that is located on the inside of a cruise ship.

Interior cabins don’t have windows or any outside space. Interior cabins are also called ‘inside’ cabins, and they are usually the cheapest cabin grade available on a cruise.

The main reason why cruisers book inside cabins is because of the low price. People also book them because they enjoy the darkness as the cabins have no windows.

Do Inside Cabins Have Windows?

Inside cabins do not have any windows. They are located in the middle of the ship and usually have other cabins between them and the ocean. Some solo cabins will have windows into the corridor, but this is rare.

Some cruise ships on Royal Caribbean do have what is called a virtual balcony. This is basically a screen that shows what is outside of the ship. This updates in real-time.

Other than the screen, these cabins are usually identical to other inside cabins but are usually quite a bit more expensive.

When I sailed on Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas, I was upgraded to a virtual balcony cabin. Find out what I thought of it here:

Where Are Interior Cabins Located?

Inside cabins are usually located lower down on the ship. Cruise lines like to build their ships with as many balcony cabins as possible, as this is the most popular cabin grade.

Inside cabins are usually located in spaces where it isn’t possible to have a balcony or outside cabin.

Older ships have more ocean-view cabins than balconies, but modern ships have as many balcony cabins as possible.

Find out why newer ships have more balcony cabins here:

Why Cruise Ships Have More Balconies Than Ever Before

Inside cabins are often located on the lowest decks of the ship, but that is great if you get seasick as the movement of the ship will be felt less here.

When I took a transatlantic cruise onboard the Queen Mary 2, I had an “inside” cabin but it had a window out to the atrium area of the ship. The seas were very rough, so I was very grateful for my cabin’s position.

Find out more about that here:

Are Inside Cabins on Cruise Ships Below Water?

All passenger inside cabins are above the water level and are usually located on the same deck as ocean view or balcony cabins.

When walking around a cruise ship, you’ll usually find inside cabins on one side of the corridor and balcony or ocean-view cabins on the other side.

Inside cabins usually go all the way from the front to the back of the cruise ship.

The majority of the crew on cruise ships have inside cabins located lower down on the ship.

The crew typically have low-down cabins close to other crew areas, such as the crew mess.

Why do Guests Book Interior Cabins?

There are a number of reasons why guests like to book inside cabins.

Price

The first is that they are usually much cheaper than other grades of cabins. Booking an inside cabin compared to an ocean view or a balcony can sometimes save you up to 40%.

Personally, I would prefer to reinvest this into a drinks package or possibly even another cruise.

Darkness

Some people do enjoy the darkness that you get by booking an inside cabin, as inside cabins don’t have any windows.

They are completely pitch black at night and also during the day. It is a bit strange waking up and not knowing if it is 3:00 AM or 3:00 PM, but if you can get used to that, an inside cabin is a great option.

If you are cruising somewhere where the sun doesn’t set or rarely sets, an inside cabin can be a great option to help you sleep.

I took a cruise into the Arctic Circle in pursuit of the ‘midnight sun’. The sun doesn’t set in northern Norway in summer, AT ALL! It was an incredible place to visit but very surreal.

When I sail in an inside cabin, I always take my sunrise alarm clock. It mimics the sunrise by lighting up your cabin gently at the time you specify.

Find out more about that here:

Less Time Spent in Your Cabin

When you book an inside cabin, you have the same access to all of the facilities onboard the cruise ship.

One benefit of booking an inside cabin is that it makes you spend less time in your cabin.

You have paid for everything else on the ship, and if you spend a lot of time in your cabin, you can miss out on things that are happening around the cruise ship.

An interior cabin becomes a place where you just shower, and you sleep. In my experience, the better cabin grade you have, the more time you’ll end up spending in there.

What is in an Interior Cabin?

The Interior cabins are very clean and functional and have everything that you need.

Inside an inside cabin, you usually find at least two beds. You’ll also find a closet, drawers, a desk, and sometimes a chair.

The things that you’ll find in an inside cabin or very similar to an ocean view or balcony cabin. Most cruise ships will be designed with the same type of furnishings, so you’ll find the same items in all of the staterooms.

You’ll usually find the same artwork, the same chairs, the same bedding, regardless of which cabin you book.

A standard interior cabin on a cruise contains the following:

• Beds
• Desk
• Chair/Sofa
• Closet/Wardrobe
• Bathroom (Shower, Toilet, and Sink)
• Minibar/Fridge
• Multiple drawers
• TV
• Phone

Find out about the smallest inside cabin I have stayed in on cruise ships here:

Some cruise lines do have solo inside cabins, but these are not as common as regular inside cabins. Many cruise lines don’t have any solo cabins at all.

To learn more about cruising solo, check out this post of my personal recommendations for solo cruisers:

Best Cruise LInes For Solo Cruisers

How Many Guests Fit in an Inside Cabin?

Many inside cabins hold up to four or possibly even five passengers. The standard set-up of an interior cabin is either a double bed or twin bed.

Interior cabins will often have Pullman beds, which come down from the ceiling.

Some interior cabins may also have sofa beds, but this is less common.

I have shared an inside cabin with three other adults before, and it is ok. That said, I wouldn’t recommend doing it for longer than a few days. You’ll end up getting in each other’s way, and there probably won’t be enough storage space for you all.

Pullman beds can hold adults, but they are not particularly comfortable if you are tall or like to roll around a lot when you sleep.

How do Inside Cabins Compare to Ocean View Cabins?

The square footage of an inside cabin is usually pretty similar to an ocean view or a balcony.

Every inside cabin has its own private bathroom. and they’re very well equipped despite their small size.

One of the perks of a balcony cabin is, of course, that you have extra private outside space. The only real difference between an inside and an ocean-view cabin is the window.

Find out about my favourite inside cabin on P&O’s Iona here:

To Conclude:

Find out how to avoid the most common inside cabin problems here:

How to Avoid the Most Common Inside Cabin Problems on Your Cruise

Find out about the unusual inside cabin that I paid extra to try here:

I Paid £50 Extra to Pick my Inside Cabin Because of THIS Feature I’ve Never Seen Before