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In the end, price is probably the most important (and unavoidable) factor in the type of room you book on your cruise ship. Generally, standard inside and outside cabins will be your cheapest bets, with balcony cabins costing a bit more, and suites and anything higher being the most expensive. You can expect to pay more the more amenities and additions to service that you want. Norwegian's studio cabins although they are small cruise ship cabins -- also include a special lounge reserved just for solo travelers. A concierge cabin comes with -- you guessed it -- easy access to a cruise concierge. That means hands-off dinner and spa reservations, shore excursion bookings, and requests from guest services.
Cove Balcony
But that percentage jumped to 56% on the newer Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration. It will be the same on Carnival Jubilee, a sister vessel to Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration coming out in December 2023. Carnival's newer ships have relatively few such cabins, as generally cabins that face outwards now are built with balconies.
Ocean Suite
That can simply mean you are upgraded from a standard inside cabin to a slightly larger inside cabin. You will then be stuck with whichever cabin they give you -- whether you agree it's better or not. Other rooms to avoid on a cruise ship are those situated low and at the back of cruise ships. These are closer to engine noise, which causes vibrations, and the anchor. Rooms that are low at the front of the ship will be closer to the bow thrusters.
Family Harbor Staterooms & Suites
For instance, the sofa in my stateroom was great for curling up with a good read, my bed was firm and tall enough to slide my suitcase under and I loved the ottoman top that flipped over into a tray to dine off of. Cabins that sleep berths beyond two guests do so with either upper pullman beds (that come from the ceiling) or sleeper sofas, or both. Cruise ship cabins are generally on the small side; smaller than your average U.S. hotel room. Balcony cabins are what everyone wants these days, and Carnival is building its newest ships with far more of them than in the past. As noted above, about 44% of the cabins Carnival Panorama are balcony cabins.
Inside Cabin
On most ships, you'll find that the interior space of a balcony cabin measures around 185 square feet, while the balcony portion is around 35 square feet. Configurations vary, with the cheapest interior rooms often being those called "Interior Upper/Lower." Rather than having one large bed, the room is configured with a single twin bed and either a pullman or soda bed. You may even find some interior rooms that have small porthole windows! These are cheaper options than paying for an ocean view room with a larger picture window. Balcony staterooms provide passengers with their own private oasis for enjoying sea breezes and stunning views, not to mention reserved chairs or loungers right on their own balcony. Oceanview staterooms have broad windows that let in abundant natural light and provide stunning views of the ocean and ports of call.
Carnival Excel Corner Suite
Carnival Cruise Line has never been shy about being a family cruise line, but they fully embraced this concept on their most recent ships. They created a new “Family Harbor” to make cruising more comfortable for families with children 11 and younger. On the Mardi Gras, Celebration, and Jubilee, the Havana area has been downsized considerably. The dedicated Havana deck area has a much smaller patio area with only a small pool on the side of the ship (rather than the large infinity pool off the back like the Vista-class ships).
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Both suites enjoy complimentary access to the Havana Pool complex and Spa's Thermal Suite. The typical Carnival balcony cabin has a contemporary look, with clean lines and relatively minimalist furniture. It typically features twin beds that can be converted into a king bed, a built-in desk area and a sofa that often pulls out into an additional bed.
Obstructed View Cabins
However, Disney Cruises is known for offering larger standard rooms meant to accomodate families. Guests staying in Havana sections have exclusive access to the Havana Pool area with prime placement on the back of the ship. The pool area has a beautiful infinity pool, two large hot tubs that overlook the ocean, upgraded loungers, and a dedicated outdoor bar.
Cruise Ship Rooms: What You Need to Know About Choosing Your Cabin
In general, there are fewer ocean view rooms on newer Carnival ships, as most of the exterior facing cabins have balconies. Like with the number of different interior options on newer Carnival ships, you'll find that you have different types of ocean view rooms to choose from, too. Onboard every Carnival ship, you will find interior, ocean view, and balcony rooms, as well as suites for those looking to splurge and receive a couple extra perks. Each category has their own set of pros and cons, meaning that you'll have to weigh your options to determine what works best for you and your travel party. Family rooms are often suites that feature a separate kids' room (or sectioned-off area) plus an area for a parent of parents.
Slightly smaller are a dozen 710-square-foot Excel Corner Suites offering separate sleeping and lounging areas and wraparound balconies. A step down are six smaller Excel Suites that measure 614 square feet. As noted above, Carnival ships generally don't offer a lot of suites. For the most part, the suites they have are relatively modest in size and amenities compared to the suites at some of the line's rivals. Your room will have four walls and no windows offering a glimpse of the outside world.
Oceanview staterooms many come with a full view of the ocean through the porthole or picture window already mentioned. The less expensive option is an ‘obstructed view” with which that same full view of the ocean mentioned above is somehow obscured. Oceanview staterooms are available in the Cloud 9 Spa, Family Harbor and other areas of the ship. Carnival Cruise Line’s newer ships will have more stateroom configurations to choose from. New Carnival Vista class ships, for example, break down inside, oceanview and balcony further.
Picking a cabin on a Carnival Cruise Line ship isn't nearly as complicated as picking a cabin on, say, a Royal Caribbean or a Celebrity Cruises ship. For more cabin-selection tips and to ask questions of other cruisers, visit the Cruise Critic message boards. Balcony stateroom categories are even more plentiful and good reason to work with someone who knows what they are doing to make an appropriate choice.
