- Carnival's new cruise ship, Carnival Firenze, set sail in late April.
- The inside rooms are $160 per person cheaper than the rooms with balconies.
- Rooms with narrow balconies are worth the extra cost.
It turns out that my parents were actually always right. Unfortunately, it took me some time in a windowless cabin on a Carnival cruise to learn my lesson.
In mid-May, I was holed up with my family on a four-night Carnival Firenze cruise. I was there for work, they were there to enjoy the sun, and while I was confined to a bleak, windowless dungeon, they were enjoying the luxury of their balcony cabin.
You'll never again think of your parents as “snobbish” for asking for more expensive accommodations (sorry, Mom and Dad).
My parents occasionally go on cruises and always preferred a room with a balcony. After spending time in the cabin on the ship, why is the balcony Our most popular cabin category.
On the Florence's cheapest 2024 itinerary — a four-night round-trip voyage from Long Beach, California, to Catalina Island and Ensenada, Mexico — rates for an inside cabin for two start at $359 per person.
A room with a balcony costs a minimum of $519 per person.
That's a difference of $160, but it's well worth the extra cost.
The company's newest ship, Carnival Firenze, set sail in April.
But that doesn't mean it's a brand new ship.
The Firenze was originally planned to join the fleet of Costa Cruises, another Carnival Corp. brand, in 2020 and launch in China, until the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Carnival Cruise Line will then acquire the Firenze and its sister ship, the Venice, in 2022 to expand its US footprint after seeing “strong interest from people looking to cruise with us,” a Carnival spokesperson told Business Insider.
However, my cabin felt more like an old motel than a four-year-old ship.
A spokesman said the Florence underwent a two-month refresh “to introduce the Carnival Fun Italian Style concept.”
This vision of Italian style manifested itself as a photo of Florence, Italy, half-pillow-covered at the back of the bed, which is for the best: the print looked out of place, unnecessary, and cheap.
At least it matched the color palette of the equally ugly carpet.
The furniture was functional but not beautiful.
The grey banquettes clashed with the inexplicably ugly yellow-and-red carpet, and the terrazzo and wooden side tables looked as cheap as my meal.
Thankfully, I have no complaints about the desk and closet, both of which were fairly large and looked like ones I've seen on more expensive, more modern cruise ships.
“Expensive” and “modern” might be the polar opposite of my bathroom. It was a total eyesore.
The yellow and red tiles would have been a better fit for McDonald's, but the lack of dedicated storage space is the design's biggest flaw.
The only shelf was crammed with tissue boxes and toilet paper rolls, which seemed like an unnecessary amenity considering the flight attendants cleaned and restocked the room every day. I would have preferred one less toilet paper roll and being able to store my skincare products in the bathroom instead of on the desk.
On the plus side, the bathroom and bedroom felt surprisingly spacious for 150 square feet.
Although I was not informed, carnival The ship escorted me to the wheelchair accessible accommodations on board, and for me, who is not disabled, the shower, with a floor drain enclosed by a curtain, was one of the largest showers I've experienced at sea.
Back in the living room, he could have played starfish on the floor without bumping into the furniture.
Aside from my complaints about the exterior, the room was spacious, functioned nearly perfectly, and was well worth the $90/night rate.
But with no natural light and outdated, dark, mismatched furniture, my cabin looked like a bleak hospital room.
Think I'm exaggerating? One look at my parents' balcony shed will prove what I'm saying.
Some of the furniture in my dungeon was identical to that in my airy hotel room at sea.
But thanks to a bright room and a less ugly carpet, the settee and side table were much more inviting.
Unfortunately, there was no saving the Italian photos, which still seem to have been misplaced.
However, no amount of natural light would have made the cabin feel any less cramped.
The cabin is 72 sq ft It's bigger than the inside of my house, but don't expect to go starfishing here; the cramped layout and furnishings mean there's not much room to spare.
Our family of four was able to relax comfortably in my room, although seating for four in the balcony cabin required some flexibility in moving around each other and the furniture.
The tiny bathroom made the interior bathroom of the room I stayed in feel like a palace.
But despite being rather small, the extra shelves, obviously cleared of excess paper products, made this bathroom more functional.
But the private outdoor space and light make the tight layout worth it.
The breeze and views from the ocean provided the perfect backdrop for my parents' serene early morning.
Meanwhile, I spent the early hours of my mornings in my dingy, liminal bedroom, completely lost track of the exact time, feeling like a gremlin living in perpetual darkness, only to stop by my family's well-lit cabin and remember that the sun was, in fact, up.
I envied my mother as she read documents with the balcony door slightly open and the lights off.
Quiet outdoor spaces are especially important on a ship like the Carnival Firenze.
The boat is loud and rowdy. carnival Cruise. I had a hard time finding a quiet, relaxing lounge that wasn't overwhelmed by screaming kids, yelling adults, or poorly mixed music.
Our stateroom was the only truly quiet space on the ship, and I much prefer reading a book on my balcony overlooking the ocean than a dreary, dark cabin on the ship.
Perhaps we should add an asterisk next to “truly quiet space.”
The indoor and balcony facilities had one awful thing in common – very thin walls.
From both rooms we could clearly hear loud passers-by, and my father was constantly woken up by the sounds of the neighbours' TV and late-night conversations (maybe my room wasn't so bad after all).
But as I said before, I'd trade my dimly lit guest room for a balcony and the opportunity to eavesdrop on my neighbors' conversations.
As always, my parents were right to book a balcony room instead of an inside cabin.
Unless you're on an extremely tight budget, it's worth the extra cost – a little sun and fresh air can go a long way towards improving your mental health, especially on a ship where silence and peace are a luxury.
