Booking an inside cabin is often far cheaper than booking a balcony cabin.

If you are cruising on a budget, an inside cabin can be a great way to have a fantastic cruise holiday without breaking the bank.

After all, you will spend most of your day enjoying the ship’s many different venues or you’ll be off the ship, exploring new and exciting ports.

Booking an inside cabin for four adults can be a great way to save money and make a cruise more affordable.

Often, there are extra discounts available when third or fourth guests share a cabin.

Most inside cabins are set up for two travellers sharing. Depending on your requirements, you can have the beds set up as a double or twins.

If you book four people into an inside cabin, the other two beds will either be beds that pull down from the ceiling (sometimes called Pullman beds) or there will be a sofa bed that is made up by your cabin steward in the evenings.

Because of the lack of floor space available, having four adults in one small cabin has some disadvantages.

But this set-up can work well for families with children or friends travelling on a budget.

Cabin Size and Layout

The size of inside cabins can vary, but most are between 150 and 180 square feet /14 and 17 Square metres.

Inside cabins can have four people staying in them. Extra passengers can be accommodated either by using two “Pullman” beds that fold down from the ceiling or on a sofa bed.

Inside cabins are the smallest cabins available onboard – but also the most affordable when you are cruising on a budget.

Have a look at some of the smallest cabins I have stayed in here:

If you have four adults staying in an inside cabin, storage space will be at a premium, so you will have to be quite organised with your personal belongings.

Privacy and Personal Space

There are many challenges to face if four adults are sharing one cabin.

Taking turns in the bathroom, getting changed and getting ready to go out isn’t always easy.

You may have friends who like to stay out late partying while you prefer to be in bed, asleep far earlier.

You are bound to be disturbed by someone coming in later, using that bathroom, switching on lights, etc.

Remember that inside cabins are pitch black all the time. They will have no choice but to switch on the lights or use the torch/flashlight on their phone!

Storage and Packing Tips

You will all have to pack light because there simply isn’t room for large cases and lots of clothes.

You can probably fit at least a couple of the cases under the bed for storage when they’re empty. There isn’t going to be enough room to put all the empty cases in the bottom of the wardrobe.

If you are really stuck with what to do with the empty cases, speak to the cabin steward, who will be able to store them somewhere else on the ship until you need them again.

Some guests swear by magnetic hooks and over-the-door organisers to create more hanging space.

All cabins have metal, magnetic walls, so it is easy to stick magnets to them.

Packing Cubes

I swear by packing cubes. I can pack underwear in one, t-shirts in another, shorts and dresses in another.

It keeps everything you need together, and helps your clothes compact more to fit into a smaller suitcase.

I just pop the whole packing cube into a drawer and get things out as needed.