I found a cruise cabin that's better and cheaper than a balcony room

This traveller not only discovered forking out for a balcony room is overrated, but uncovered a secret way to get a room “upgrade” while paying less.

Being a travel writer comes with some amazing perks. Being invited to take a holiday at someone else’s expense is always a thrill, and it’s often in a level of luxury I wouldn’t have been able to stretch to if I were booking the travel myself.

When I took my first cruise a decade ago – hosted by the cruise line – I was treated to a balcony cabin. It was lovely to be able to sit out on the balcony, in our own private space to look out across the harbour leaving Sydney. And it ruined me for future cruises.

Last year, when I was booking and paying for a family cruise on our own dime, I looked at the cabin options, and, despite being briefly tempted by the cheaper prices, quickly ruled out rooms without a balcony as unfathomable.

Balcony views can be stunning, but are they really worth hundreds of dollars extra on a short cruise?

Fast forward to this year, when I was again lucky enough to be invited to travel on Carnival Splendor as the guest of Carnival Cruise Line. This time, there were two key differences – 1) we’d be bringing members of my extended family, too, and 2) neither of the cabins had balconies.

The result is that I’m now able to answer that often-asked cruising question: is it worth paying extra for a balcony cabin? On Carnival Splendor, ditching a balcony in favour of an Ocean View Room can mean a $200 saving per person on a short cruise. Yet the balcony vs no balcony debate is one of those personal preferences that all comes down to priorities – what one person deems essential, is another’s completely unjustifiable waste of money. Of course, it also depends on the ship. Royal Caribbean, for instance, offers interior rooms with “virtual balconies” – a screen showing the ocean for balcony vibes on a budget.

No balcony? No worries. Carnival Splendor's Ocean View Room windows are great for appreciating sea views.

For me, it took roughly two minutes to get over my cruise cabin snobbery and discover going without a balcony was no big deal. Sure, it’s nice to have your own space outside, but that’s less enticing when the weather’s a bit dicey, as it was on this cruise. I thought I’d miss being able to open the door and let fresh air in, but the reality – for our family at least – is that we’re mainly only in the cabin when we’re sleeping or showering. The rest of the time, we’re out exploring all there is to do on the ship, or in port. We did love being able to watch the ocean from the picture window of our Ocean View room, though.

Room 2474 on Carnival Splendor is at the corner of the ship, with a different layout to most cabins.

I discovered an even more convincing reason to opt for the cheaper level of cabin, though, when I stepped into the ocean-view cabin my mother-in-law and sister-in-law were assigned. Room number 2474, to be exact. Jaw-dropping is an understatement. Located right at the back of the ship, this unicorn cabin is enormous. It’s a room-for-two that feels twice the size of the cabin the other four of us were in. When I asked Carnival about it, I was told it’s priced the same as any other Ocean View cabin. What’s more, when I looked at the ship plan, I discovered it’s one of only a handful of these oversized rooms – and it’s bigger (and cheaper) than just about all standard balcony rooms. This might be the world’s only room upgrade you can get by actually paying less.

It's worth checking the deck plan for your cabin options, like the spacious Room 2474 on Carnival Splendor.

By the end of our three-night cruise I’d come to a clear verdict. Never again would I feel the need to stump up hundreds of extra dollars for a balcony I probably won’t use much, particularly on a short cruise. I’ll save that money to spend on excursions or splurge on a massage at the day spa instead.

And, I’ll always check the cabin options available before booking in. Who knows, I might even get lucky and score that elusive cabin 2474.

The writer was a guest of Carnival Cruise Line.

Originally published as I found a cruise cabin that's better and cheaper than a balcony room