Why would you want to book an ‘inside’ cabin with no windows on a cruise ship

As regular readers know, I’m a sucker for cabins with balconies. Like me explained in a recent storyThere’s nothing like stepping onto the balcony on a ship to breathe in the fresh sea air.

But that doesn’t mean I’m against the idea of ​​staying in a cabin without a balcony. In fact, sometimes, I even book a cabin without windows – or, as they call it in the travel world, an “inside” cabin.

If you’ve never been on a cruise before, you might not even know there’s a cabin without windows. But there are, and they’re actually quite common. Many ships are operated by large companies such as Royal Caribbean And Norwegian Cruise Line There are hundreds of windowless cabins.

That may seem almost unimaginable to those used to staying in hotels on land. After all, there aren’t many hotels with hundreds of rooms without windows. If there were, we guess they wouldn’t be big sellers.

But to be fair, cruise ship accommodation has its own characteristics.

Left side of inside

The lack of windows isn’t the only reason to scrap the idea of ​​staying in an interior cabin.

In addition to providing a glimpse of the world, the interior cabins – so named because they are often located in the middle of the ship, away from the outside walls – are also often the smallest cabins on any cruise ship. any. Many are extremely small. That second point could be a major turning point for some cruisers.

But inside the cabin there are also advantages. First, interior cabins are often significantly cheaper than ocean view cabins. They also offer a minimalist “less is more” style that can appeal to the simplicity crowd.

Related: 5 reasons to refuse a cruise ship cabin upgrade

For me, at least, sometimes an inexpensive and modestly sized cabin is fine, even if it doesn’t have anything that obstructs the view.

After all, most of the time I don’t cruise to spend a lot of time in the cabin. Like most cruisers, I board to enjoy all they have to offer in public spaces and explore all the amazing places they travel to.

In that context, does it really matter whether the room where I sleep every night is spacious and luxurious?

Related: The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship

To steal a line from Arthur Frommer, legendary guidebook author and guidebook company founder, “Most of the time you’re in your room on vacation, your eyes are closed.”

Frommer said that to me years ago in an interview about his favorite hotel rooms. He believes that spending large amounts of money on elaborate excavation projects is a waste. His words have stayed with me over the years and now I see their wisdom.

Here are six reasons you might want to seriously consider the least expensive interior cabins on any cruise ship.

You will save money

This is certainly the big appeal of the interior cabin. They can be an incredible deal.

For example, at the time this story was published, fares for inside cabins on Royal Caribbean’s six-day cruises departing Fort Lauderdale in January 2026, were available at lower rates about 20% off the ticket price for cabins with balconies. Ticket prices for interior cabins are less than half that of the cheapest room type.

Specifically, you can board the line’s fully equipped Allure of the Seas from Fort Lauderdale on January 11, 2026, departing for $760 per person, if you’re willing to stay in an inside cabin. That works out to only 109 USD a day.

Related: Guide to Royal Caribbean cruise ships’ cabins and suites: Everything you wanted to know

The thing to remember here are all the major attractions of Allure of the Seas, from the on-deck pool and surf simulator to the indoor ice rink and a giant theater with stage shows. Broadway, is open to everyone on board, whether they are in the smallest or largest cabin. So do nearly all the restaurants, bars and lounges on the ship.

Aside from having to sleep in a smaller, windowless room, you’ll get much of the same experience as someone paying more for a luxury cabin but at a fraction of the price.

You will sleep like a baby

There is no darkness in the world like the darkness of an interior cabin. When you turn off the lights, everything is pitch black – the kind of darkness that’s almost scary to contemplate.

This can be a bit disorienting for those who are used to at least a little moonlight entering their bedrooms at home. But if you’re the type of person who has trouble sleeping due to light interruptions, the cabin inside might bring pure bliss. You’ll go to sleep without having to worry about the morning sunlight filtering through the curtains waking you up early. And moonlight is certainly not the problem.

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

Interior cabins can be especially appealing if you’re sailing far north around the summer solstice when the sun is still up for much (or all) of the day. We’re talking about places like AlaskaNorwegian coast and around Iceland and Greenland. Same if you sail far south in winter to places like Antarctica or the southern parts of South America.

You’ll spend more time enjoying the ship

The secret to having an enjoyable experience on a cruise ship is to dive into anything and everything it has to offer. If it has a stone wall, you need to climb it. Karaoke? Get ready to sing. Leave no water slide or inexperienced late night comedy shows. Of course, to do this you need to get out of the room, and there’s no better incentive to venture out than having a room that lacks a lot of space or even windows.

When I booked the cabin, I realized I had to get up and leave early. Instead of ordering room service for breakfast, I’ll go to a restaurant with a view and then explore the ship more than usual in the morning. I would spend my days playing on the deck and my evenings hanging out late at the bars, lounges and galleries.

Related: 7 reasons you should splurge on a suite on your next cruise

By giving you more than a small, dark place to rest your head at night, interior cabins can be just the boost you need to make the most of your cruise vacation.

You may experience less seasickness

Worried about getting it Seasickness on your next trip?

The most stable position on any cruise ship is at the bottom of the ship near its balance point, usually near its center. Because interior cabins are closer to the center of the ship than ocean view cabins and “outer” balconies, they can be more stable in rough seas. The trick is to find an interior cabin that faces the middle of the ship in both directions – lengthwise and widthwise.

The argument against this, for the record, is that you can’t look at the horizon while in the interior cabin – a common tip for those who suffer from seasickness. And you won’t have access to fresh air like you would in a balcony cabin.

If you go alone, you can avoid additional fees

Nearly all cabins on cruise ships are designed for two travelers, each of whom must pay their own fare, and solo travelers often pay an additional fee to stay alone. But some ships have special interior cabins Specially designed for solo travelers. If you’re traveling alone and staying in one of these special cabins, you can avoid the additional solo traveler fee, known in the industry as the “single additional fee.”

Norway, a leader in the solo cabin trend, now has hundreds of interior cabins for solo travelers spread across more than half a dozen ships.

Related: 15 ways new travelers waste money on their first trip

Although Norwegian’s single cabins have windows, they open onto hallways, not the outside of the ship. They’re also unusually small, at about 100 square feet, but they’re also brilliantly designed to maximize storage space. Additionally, they cluster around exclusive lounges where singles can mingle at happy hour gatherings held daily.

Royal Caribbean, cunard And Dutch America are among others that have added single cabins to some ships – many of which have interior cabins.

There are a few ocean view cabins designed for solo travelers in the industry, but they are rare.

You can still see the ocean (with a little change)

On some modern cruise ships, there are windowless interior cabins that offer views of the outside world thanks to the wonders of technology.

On some Disney Cruise Line ship, some interior cabins have “magic windows” that display the outside scene in real time. They are actually screens attached to the walls of the cabin to create the illusion of a window view.

Royal Caribbean has gone a step further, adding large “virtual balconies” to cabins inside some ships. These are floor-to-ceiling LED screens that show real-time views of the outside, built into the walls of the cabins in a way that creates the illusion of a balcony.

If this idea sounds a bit silly, it is. But I’ve been in these houses and the illusion is surprisingly real. The addition of screens really changes the feel of the rooms. Disney cabins are especially fun because Disney characters sometimes make cameos in the magical windows. If you have small children with you, they will love it.

Bottom line

Booking a windowless room on a cruise ship may seem like an odd choice. But there are good reasons to consider, not the least of which is that windowless rooms on cruise ships — called “inside” cabins — can be surprisingly valuable.

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