4 Common Types of Cruise Staterooms

Choosing a cabin type on your cruise is just one of the choices you’ll have when it comes to your cruise vacation. We recently talked about why stateroom location matters, now let’s break down the different types of staterooms available. In this post we look at staterooms for Carnival Cruise Line.

READ: WHY STATEROOM LOCATION MATTERS

1. Interior

Interior staterooms are the most affordable way to cruise and arguably the most popular staterooms. Carnival’s come equipped with two twin beds that convert to a king, a bathroom with a shower, three closets, a vanity desk that includes drawer space, a TV, and a mini fridge. Most rooms are spaced at 185 sq. ft, which is just enough space to unpack and feel comfortable without being cramped. While most rooms are based on double occupancy, there are plenty of interior rooms on every ship that offer one or two “upper pullmans,” bunk beds that pull down from the room’s ceiling to make the stateroom a triple or quad occupancy room.

Other Interior Categories:

○ Upper/Lower: Interior room with only one twin bed and one upper pullman. Great for two friends or for a parent and child. Not ideal for couples. Usually a great bargain.

○ Porthole: While still classified as interior rooms, these rooms have two small round porthole windows for outside views, so you can feel like you have an ocean view room while paying an interior price.

○ Interior with Picture Window (Obstructed Views): This is not to be confused with an ocean view room, although it features the same large picture window. These staterooms are classified as interior cabins because, rather than giving you an “ocean” view, the window typically looks out onto a deck at the front of the ship.

2. Ocean View

As the name suggests, ocean view staterooms are like interior staterooms, but feature a large picture window giving you a view of the ocean while you cruise. They are also slightly larger than interior staterooms, coming in at 220 sq. ft. These staterooms offer the perfect compromise for cruisers who don’t want to spring the extra cash for a balcony but want the view that the interior rooms lack. Ocean view rooms offer everything an interior room offers and also come with a sofa for extra room to spread out. A number of ocean view rooms feature sofas that pull out to become sofa beds, too. The sofa bed offers a much better option than the upper pullman for many cruisers: for example, parents traveling with young children.

Other Ocean View Categories:

○ Scenic Ocean View: Located on lido deck, these rooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows rather than the standard picture window and are at the very front of the ship.

3. Balcony

Balcony rooms are one of the most popular ways to cruise, giving guests the chance to enjoy their own private outdoor space. At 185 sq. ft in room size and another 35 sq. ft in balcony space, these staterooms provide plenty of room, with the rooms themselves maintaining the same amenities as the ocean view staterooms. However, that extra private balcony space makes all the difference for many cruisers and is worth every extra penny.

Other Balcony Categories:

○ Cove Balcony: Featured only on Carnival’s Dream-class ships and the new Carnival Vista, these balconies are located on Deck 2, protected under the shade of the lifeboats. These balconies are slightly larger (45 sq. ft), don’t cost any extra, allow cruisers to feel closer to the water, and provide additional privacy with their rounded steel walls versus the typical balconies where your neighbor could easily lean over and peek in.

○ Aft Balcony: Located at the aft (very back) of the ship, these rooms offer larger balconies (52 sq. ft) and picturesque views of the ship’s wake.

○ Premium Vista Balcony: An aft balcony located on the corner of the ship, the balcony wraps around the side of the ship as well, giving guests some of the largest balconies available on the ship at about 75 sq. ft.

4. Suite

To cruise like royalty, just book a suite. In addition to gaining VIP check-in and priority embarkation and debarkation with your booking, these staterooms come equipped with a private balcony, king bed, a separate living area with a vanity desk and sofa bed, a walk-in closet, and a private bathroom with a combination shower and whirlpool tub, among other amenities like a TV and mini fridge. With the rooms alone being 275 sq. ft and the balconies being 65 sq. ft, these are the most spacious rooms on board.

Other Suite Categories:

○ Grand Suite: Slightly larger, these rooms come in at 345 sq. ft with 85 sq. ft balconies.

○ Captain’s Suite: Because these rooms are located directly over the bridge, their balconies are shaped a bit different and therefore are a bit smaller than other suites at 52 sq. ft.