I sailed in an interior cabin on one of the most scenic 13-day cruises to save money, and I'd happily do it again
I went on a 13-day partial transit of the Panama Canal on the Holland America Line Rotterdam.
I booked an interior room to save money, and I'm glad I did it.
I spent very little time in my room and never missed out on incredible views.
My grandmother was an avid cruiser who went on more than 100 voyages during her retirement. The one cruise she absolutely insisted I do, though, was a Panama Canal crossing.
These sailings are popular (and often expensive) because they offer a rare chance to pass through the Panama Canal and see how its incredible 12-lock system helps ships travel between the Atlantic and Pacific.
So, following her recommendation, I booked a 12-night partial transit of the Panama Canal on the Holland America Line Rotterdam.
I decided to recreate her experience with one exception: She sailed in a balcony room, and I always book interior cabins. The cruise cost me $849 plus $460 for taxes, fees, and port charges.
Here's why I have no regrets about choosing an interior room on such a scenic voyage.
First of all, booking an interior room saved me money.
As with most cruises, the interior cabin was the cheapest option available to book.
On this sailing, an interior cabin can cost about $600 less per person than an ocean-view room and about $800 less than one with a verandah.
My 160-square-foot cabin was comfortable and had all the essentials for a cruise, from a comfy bed to a decent bathroom. It felt fairly spacious, too.
The number of scenic days didn't justify the added cost of a balcony or window.
The cruise lasted 13 days in total. Six of those were spent at ports and five at sea.
This means that exterior-cabin passengers paid extra to see just the open sea for nearly half of the cruise.
An exterior stateroom is not necessary to get the best views on any cruise.
Most cruise ships have numerous public spaces where travelers can enjoy the view as they travel. This ship was no exception, and I found a few excellent places from which I could view the Panama Canal.
Some passengers prefer to see the locks from multiple vantage points, which could also be easily achieved from public spaces on the ship.
In my opinion, some of the best views of the locks were at the ship's Crow's Nest lounge on Deck 12.
Passengers even got access to special sightseeing areas.
On the day we entered the Panama Canal, the captain opened the ship's usually-off-limits bow at 6 a.m.
This allowed passengers to assemble on the bow before entering the Agua Clara locks. The line formed hours before the bow opened, and this area remained accessible all day. The crew even set up light refreshments for us to enjoy while waiting for the iconic views.
The bow had some of the best views of the Panama Canal, and I would've missed out on them if I'd been sitting on the balcony of a private cabin.
I was active on the cruise because I didn't want to spend too much time alone in my interior cabin.
Cruising solo in any interior stateroom often motivates me to be social, get active, and explore more of the ship.
I found myself leaving my cabin often to enjoy the thermal spa, relax at the dome-covered pool, and get in my steps while enjoying sunset views from the jogging track looped around the Sun Deck.
Overall, I think I had a better experience because of my budget stateroom.
On most cruises, I spend so little time in my cabin — and this sailing was no exception.
Since I couldn't watch the Panama Canal transit from a private porthole or balcony, I was compelled to get up before sunrise and bond with other passengers as we cruised.
Not only did I maximize my experience, but also I made new friends while enjoying some of the best views at sea.
Plus, by choosing the cheapest cruise room available, I saved money I can put toward other future travels.
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