How We Choose Our Cruise Cabin After Sailing the World
“Luxury isn’t measured by the size of your cabin.
It’s measured by the quality of the memories you take home.”
✈️ Previously in Europe Grand Tour 2026…
In Chapter 3A, we did something I hadn’t done in years.
We stepped outside our comfort zone.
After enjoying memorable cruises with Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line, I decided to try something different.
Costa Cruises had earned an opportunity.
Not because it was the cheapest.
But because, for our November departure, it offered outstanding value on two of Europe’s newest flagship ships—Costa Smeralda and Costa Toscana.
The cruises were booked.
The itinerary was complete.
Only one important decision remained.
Choosing where we would call home at sea.
🚪 The Cabin Question Every Cruiser Faces
Sooner or later, every cruise booking arrives at the same screen.
Inside Cabin.
Ocean View.
Balcony.
Suite.
The temptation is obvious.
If a Balcony is better than an Ocean View…
And a Suite is better than a Balcony…
Shouldn’t we simply book the biggest cabin we can afford?
Years ago, I might have answered “yes.”
Today…
My answer is very different.
Because experience changes the way you spend money.
🌊 Every Cruise Is Different
One of the biggest mistakes travellers make is assuming that the same cabin works for every cruise.
It doesn’t.
A seven-night transatlantic crossing with five sea days is very different from a Mediterranean itinerary where the ship docks almost every morning.
Your itinerary should choose your cabin.
Not the other way around.
That simple thought has saved us money on some cruises…
And encouraged us to spend more on others.
🌅 Why We Chose an Ocean View
For our first Costa cruise from Savona, the price difference between an Inside Cabin and an Ocean View Cabin was only about US$200.
For a journey through the Mediterranean, that felt like excellent value.
Natural daylight.
A glimpse of the sea every morning.
Watching the changing weather.
Seeing the coastline before entering a new port.
Those little moments add something special to the journey.
The decision was easy.
Ocean View it was.
🌅 Why We Didn’t Choose a Balcony
The next upgrade looked tempting.
A private balcony.
Fresh air.
Morning coffee with an ocean view.
It sounds perfect.
Until you look at your itinerary.
The price for a Balcony cabin was almost double that of our Ocean View.
So I asked myself a simple question.
“Where do we actually spend our happiest moments at sea?”
The answer had nothing to do with the cabin.
🌅 Our Sunrise & Sunset Tradition
Over the years, without ever planning it, our family created a small tradition.
It doesn’t matter whether we’re sailing through the Caribbean…
The Norwegian Fjords…
Alaska…
The Mediterranean…
Or somewhere entirely new.
There are two moments we never miss.
Sunrise.
And sunset.
Not from our cabin.
Not from a balcony.
Always from the ship’s highest open deck.
Long before breakfast, while most passengers are still asleep, we quietly make our way upstairs.
The air is cool.
The sea is calm.
The horizon slowly changes colour.
For a few magical minutes, the world becomes completely silent.
Then…
The first golden rays appear.
The ocean comes alive.
The ship continues its journey.
And a brand-new destination waits somewhere beyond the horizon.
Those mornings have become some of our most treasured family memories.
In the evening, we return to the same deck.
Not just to watch the sunset.
But to say goodbye to another destination.
As the ship gently leaves the harbour, the city’s skyline slowly fades into the distance.
The lights become smaller.
The coastline disappears.
And another page of the journey quietly comes to an end.
Those moments remind us that travelling isn’t only about arriving.
Sometimes the departure is just as beautiful.
No private balcony has ever given us that feeling.
Because the top deck offers something no cabin can.
Space.
Silence.
The sea breeze.
And the shared excitement of fellow travellers watching the same sunset together.
That has become our favourite place on every cruise.
🚪 So… Is an Inside Cabin a Bad Choice?
Absolutely not.
In fact, I often recommend an Inside Cabin to travellers taking port-intensive cruises.
Think about your typical day.
Wake up.
Breakfast.
Explore the destination for eight or ten hours.
Return in the evening.
Dinner.
Entertainment.
Sleep.
On days like these, the cabin is simply a comfortable place to rest.
Inside cabins are also among the darkest rooms on the ship, making them perfect for a deep night’s sleep before another busy day ashore.
Sometimes the money saved on the cabin pays for unforgettable shore excursions, local restaurants or an extra night in Europe.
That’s a trade I’d happily make.
💰 Spend Where It Matters
One lesson has stayed with me throughout years of travelling.
Spend money on experiences.
Not on upgrades you’ll barely use.
Every traveller values different things.
Some dream of a Suite.
Others love exclusive dining.
Some want a Balcony.
Others prefer another destination instead.
None of these choices are right or wrong.
The right choice is the one that matches the way you travel.
💡 VoyageVerdict Smart Travel Tip
Before upgrading your cabin, ask yourself three questions:
How many sea days does my cruise have?
How much time will I actually spend in the cabin?
Would the extra money create better memories somewhere else?
You’ll often discover that the smartest choice isn’t the most expensive one.
It’s the one that fits your itinerary.
✈️ VoyageVerdict Traveller’s Note
“After many cruises across the Caribbean, Alaska, Northern Europe, Hawaii and the Mediterranean, I no longer judge a cruise by the size of my cabin.
I judge it by the number of unforgettable sunrises.
By the laughter on the top deck.
By the excitement of arriving somewhere new.
And by the quiet moments when a city slowly disappears behind the ship as another adventure begins.
Those memories have no upgrade price.
They simply have to be lived.”
📸 Behind the Camera
Suggested Featured Image
A sunrise photograph taken from the highest open deck of the ship, with the golden sun rising over the Mediterranean and the wake stretching into the distance.
If possible, include a silhouette of your family standing together.
Years from now, that photograph will mean more than any picture of a cabin.
📖 Coming Up Next
Chapter 4 – Why November Changed Everything
Most travellers dream of visiting Europe during summer.
We deliberately chose November.
Was it a compromise?
Or was it the smartest travel decision we made?
In the next chapter, we’ll reveal:
🍂 Why Europe feels different after the summer crowds leave.
🪔 How India’s Diwali holidays became the perfect opportunity for a long international adventure.
💶 How travelling in November helped us maximise value without compromising experiences.
🌍 And why, after visiting more than sixty countries, I’ve learned that when you travel is often just as important as where you travel.
“The world rewards travellers who are willing to look beyond the obvious.”
To be continued…
🌍 VoyageVerdict Community Question
When you book a cruise, what matters most to you?
🌅 A Balcony with a private view?
🌊 An Ocean View cabin?
🚪 An Inside Cabin that lets you spend more on experiences?
Or do you have your own cruising philosophy?
Share it in the comments—I always enjoy learning how others travel.
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“Because every sunrise at sea is the beginning of another story.”
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