A cruise holiday is the ultimate travel method for many – a chance to travel from country to country without really having to lift a finger. As you head off to sleep in one country, you’ll wake up in another with a ready-prepared breakfast waiting for you.
You may even make a few friends along the way, as modern cruise ships often carry between 3,000 and 6,000 passengers at one time. But with so many people around you, it can be hard to find a moment’s peace away from the chaos. Now, a cruise expert has revealed that one place onboard is not as private as you would think.
The cabin you choose for your voyage plays an important role in the overall experience – a place to rest after a busy day exploring the port and to freshen up before heading back out to one of the ship’s many restaurants.
There’s a type of cabin for every budget, too – the cheapest being an interior cabin with no window, those with a small porthole, balcony cabins with your own private deck space, and the most luxurious, suites.
For those who enjoy the fresh air and watching the sunsets and oceans go by, the balcony cabin is a top choice. Here, you can enjoy a morning coffee, perhaps even room service, without getting dressed.
However, cruise expert Tanner Callais of Cruzely.com, has revealed that even your own balcony is not as private as you would think.
“Your balcony on your cabin will have walls to shield you from the adjoining rooms, but the walls often don’t go from floor to ceiling,” Callais explained via his YouTube channel.
“They can easily be looked under and above, and someone could look around the side of them, even by accident,” the YouTuber added.
“Keep this in mind if you’re out on the balcony when the mood for romance strikes.”
This is especially important if you are assigned rooms like the Garden View Balcony on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis class ships. Here, two inside areas are open to the sky from one of the lower decks – Central Park and the Boardwalk.
Royal Caribbean has used this clever trick to add even more balconies to their ships, with each side lined with cabins. Of course, this means that instead of your balcony facing the ocean, it will face more cabins on the other side, so be sure to bear that in mind when you book.