Cruisers either love or hate windowless cabins. I’m somewhere in between. Staterooms aren’t my favorite category, but I wouldn’t consider upgrading to a cabin with a view if I found a good enough deal.
I recently sailed in an indoor stateroom on one of Royal Caribbean’s oldest ships. My five-night trip on the Vision of the Seas began in Baltimore, Maryland, with an overnight stay in Bermuda.
Bermuda was my first port of call, so I wasn’t concerned about the condition of the ship or the staterooms. And when I found a deal for just $698.38 including port fees and tip, I didn’t hesitate and booked the sailing. Cruising in a windowless room.
Although there were obvious signs of wear and tear, which is to be expected on a 26-year-old boat, I was surprised at how comfortable the interior cabin was. My stateroom, 3542, was only 132 square feet, but it felt surprisingly spacious. I think this was because the beds were separate. If they were placed together, I think it would have felt even smaller.
The stateroom was designed for maximum efficiency, with a small loveseat, a cozy twin-sized bed, ample storage space, and a compact but functional bathroom. However, I didn’t like the sticky shower curtain.
Although I missed the natural light that illuminated the room every morning, this small cabin had its perks. In addition to saving on cruise fares, my stateroom was located at the front of the ship on Deck 3, giving me easy access to Centrum and surrounding amenities, including Café Latitude, the main dining room, the Masquerade Theater, and restaurants. It’s done. casino.
The highlight of the trip was of course Bermuda. The island’s colorful buildings, friendly residents, and excellent snorkeling made up for my windowless accommodations. Instead of spending time in small caves, I explored Hamilton’s pastel buildings, ate local food, and saw two shipwrecks during a snorkeling tour.
Even on sea days, we limited the amount of time we spent in the cabin. Instead of hiding out, I decided to relax in the adults-only solarium, which was just around the corner from the park cafe and complimentary sauna and steam room.
After a long day taking advantage of the ship’s amenities and exploring Bermuda, I felt at peace as I returned to my cozy cabin.
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There is no problem with storage
On a five-night cruise, my friend and I were amazed at the storage space allotted to us. There was plenty of space between the nightstand drawers, dresser, and closet for clothes, toiletries, shoes, and other miscellaneous items. It was easy to organize!
By the second day, the loveseat served as our catch-all space to collect everything from beach bags to towels to dirty clothes. I also appreciated the space on my nightstand, which helped me put my water bottle, book, and sunglasses and clean up the clutter.
As for wear and tear, I was disappointed to discover that one of the nightstand drawers was missing its back panel.
Therefore, it remained empty during the cruise for fear that something might fall on it unexpectedly. Still, despite this small inconvenience, there was plenty of space to keep our belongings neatly organized and stored.
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No mini fridge, no power outlet
Perhaps the most frustrating part of my cabin experience, other than the shower curtain in the bathroom, was the lack of electrical outlets and the conspicuous lack of a mini-fridge. Most cruise ship cabins have small refrigerators, so I was surprised that they didn’t have one. I could have asked the flight attendant for a bucket of ice to chill the wine, but I didn’t think of it until I was almost finished with my drink.
The lack of electrical outlets was also a bit of an annoyance, but I expected this since it was common for older cruise ships to have very few electrical outlets. Thankfully, I had brought some European adapters with me, so I utilized all four available outlets (two American and two European) by the vanity. Also, I didn’t forget to bring a portable charger. This was a lifesaver when charging my phone at bedside at night.
Royal Caribbean doesn’t invest a lot of money into updating older staterooms, but other cruise lines like Carnival and Norwegian typically update older cabins. As a result, although I much preferred the indoor staterooms on Vision of the Seas, my cabin on Carnival Elation, one of Carnival’s oldest ships at sea, had a bed There were more outlets, including a USB port on the side.
Read more: I sailed in tiny cabins on old Carnival and Royal Caribbean ships
clean bathroom
Although the bathrooms were not as modern as those on other ships I have sailed on, such as Carnival Celebration, Celebrity Ascent, and Symphony of the Seas, they were functional and served their purpose during a short vacation. I accomplished it.
The shower had plenty of hot water and the water pressure was surprisingly good. The shower head appeared to have been recently replaced, which was a pleasant surprise after dealing with a dirty shower head at Carnival Elation earlier this year. I hate shower curtains, but they were a bit of an inconvenience compared to the overall cleanliness of the space. I much prefer dealing with sticky curtains than a dirty cruise ship bathroom.
The sink area is equipped with a built-in shelf for toiletries, and we appreciated having additional storage space under the sink to stash other miscellaneous items. item.
However, since I brought a hanging toiletry organizer, most of the storage in the bathroom goes unused. Ever since I received the organizer last Christmas, it has become one of my favorite travel essentials, allowing me to easily access and organize all my toiletries.
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Vision of the Seas’ onboard experience was amazing
Having been on several modern cruise ships, I started exploring older ships to find out why they are so popular.
Unfortunately, my overall experience on Carnival Elation was disappointing and I was disgusted by sailing on Vision of the Seas as the ships are of the same age. But after spending five nights on board, I was pleasantly surprised by everything the Vision had to offer.
Although the cabin was not as modern as some of the newer ships at sea, it was comfortable and well appointed. The room was cleverly designed and had plenty of storage space for our belongings. But we also appreciated the other touches, like the small loveseat and comfortable personal reading lights above each bed.
For the price, I was not disappointed. Outside the stateroom, guests enjoyed quality cuisine in the main dining room and specialty restaurant Izumi. Additionally, the activities were fun and engaging. I loved Boogie Wonderland in the main theater and couldn’t help but compete during Royal Caribbean’s adult game show, The Quest.
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