RARE cruise ship cabins that get booked very quickly! 

IMPORTANT INFO about the Ben & Jerry’s cabin: We went in 2017 and it was designated as full suite (although inside price). So as well as access to the suite lounge, you were given all perks normally reserved for grand suite and above. This included a gold key card, named cabin plaque on the door, free room service, a suite only lunch event with officers and access to reserved seating areas. It was the LAST year they offered it. Although the remaining benefits are still nice, it’s defo worth mentioning.

I'm finding there are more single cruises now than there were years ago. I appreciate that cruise lines are finally making single's cabins more affordable but why do they always have to be inside cabins? Solo cruisers like balconies too.

The one thing all cruise ships need more of is outlets. On our cruise everything was on the carnival app requiring a phone, but there was a single outlet for a four person room making it quite complicated to be able to stay on schedule and track with the ship.

I kind of want to stay in the cow room 😆

The spacious panoramic OV rooms on Navigator are one of my favs!

Royal really needs to consider updating the Oasis cabins with more outlets (standard and USB) like her younger sister ships. The basics of the cabin we can all live with, but a small investment in power options would be a great plus.

We stayed in the 2016 cabins on deck 12 of Explorer of the seas. There are 14 of these cabins. They are a newer, a bit bigger, upgraded TV, have a bigger balcony, solid glass (no metal frame) balcony, up to 7 rooms balconies can be connected, and are a short walk to the "secret" hot tub in the workout center, and have a direct door to the upper solarium pool deck.

We had 1864 on Mariner. It was amazing. It was larger than my mom’s room next door for the same price. Last week on Independence of the Seas we stayed in the Panoramic Oceanview Suite (no balcony). We had amazing views, suite class benefits etc. I love these amplified cabins. Staying in 1804 on Mariner next year then 1854 for my first side by side cruise.

I was aboard Ovation OTS Alaska cruise this past August and had studio balcony cabin 7648 which is a little aft of the midship bulge. Loved it! Not only do you have a side view from balcony but a view looking aft along the side of ship. Plus when ship is on the move (we were doing 23 knots on first sea day out of Seattle to make up time due to medical emergency at Seattle) there was not much wind on the balcony because it has a slight angle aft. Balcony was huge and had two chairs and table. By the way, it did NOT rain once on this Alaska cruise.

Booked Navigator 1868, Jan '23. Looking forward to experiencing a "panoramic view" cabin! Got the exact aft balcony I wanted on Radiance (9256, big balcony) by booking the DAY they opened rez! Great idea for a fun vlog. Thanks so much for ALL you do for all of us, Matt!

Great video and awesome tips! Thanks Matt!!!

Should do more vlog like this. Great tips on what room to pick. Especially for a family of 5. Thank you and everyone posting past room stay.

Love the Ben & Jerrys suite! Has no idea about these so that was really interesting. Thanks for sharing

Hey Matt!! We ALWAYS get a hump balcony cabin. Here is why, the RC lady told me that if you are ever in rough waters and the ship is rocking, the hump cabins are usually mid ship and you get sea sick way less in your room than anywhere else on the ship. I was SOLD. After the first tine we really liked the bigger balcony so thats why we still do it! Dying to try one of these big Oceanview rooms for sure!! Or the Central Park cabin, that area is so tranquil so if you cant get the water view, you can get the birds chirping audio and the feel of looking over a garden!

We did a family inside room on anthem with 3 adults and 2 kids, it was great! The kids would be sleeping and we could just pull the curtain and the adults could be chatting and playing cards!

Ok, we just booked Liberty & I went back to check, but the Ben & Jerry's is already gone. That would be a cool cabin! 🐄 🐄

I'm hoping to try one of those solo cabins next year with Royal - they look excellent!

Very cool. Great info.

Very interesting. I’m going to seek these out! Thanks!!!

Thanks for the recommendation

Great video, Matt! Kim and I have stayed in the Central Park double balcony a few times. Kim stayed in one of the panoramic view cabins on the group Alaska cruise.

Oh, that panoramic Oceanview room looks amazing! The lack of a balcony is a hard deal breaker for me, though.

We stayed in 12629, a Central Park balcony on Oasis. As you described it had a BIG balcony. We loved it!

Thanks for these tips! Just upgraded our virtual balcony room to one of the 6 Central Park large balcony rooms for a total of only $30 more for our April trip on Harmony. It was the last one available! Woohoo

I've stayed in.many of these because I study deck plans. The Ben and Jerry's has a connecting cabin which is great for a family. We have a deck 7 aft ultraspacious balcony in March on Oasis. There are only a couple and the cabin is positioned the long way so the balcony is huge. I believe you showed one. It also has a bunkbed room. The aft regular balcony cabins on deck 10 on Voyager class in the corners are awesome too. We just had one on Navigator. Wish Royal would get with the times and put in the pop up bunkbeds in more of their rooms though. They have them on MSC and are a game changer.

Excellent video Matt

Matt Yes we had a family promenade room on IOS and it was wonderful for a trip with 5 of us great space. We also have 2 of these for the 7 of us going Jan 2024 on Harmony, interior and Balcony, and can't wait, though these ones have only one bathroom

those panoramic cabins are cool!

Navigator of the seas has 4 junior suites. That have 500sq ft balconies. I luckily got one on my first cruise.

I just went on the Harmony of the Seas and stayed in 11582, an Ultra Spacious Ocean View room (which is not on this list). This room was massive. It had bunk beds, a sofa bed, 2 large windows, and a huge walk-in closet. We absolutely loved it. The only thing I didn't like was the location which was in the very Forward of the ship. A little far from the elevators, but very quiet.

The studios only get you one point per night as opposed to sailing solo in an interior or any other class of ship that gets you double points.

Thanks for the tip. Just changed to 8636 on Liberty.

We’ve got a family panoramic suite on voyager for 2023! Super excited

Some of the ships also have studio cabins with balconies, and the balconies are huge. I have seen a couple vlogs with them. I believe Tony from La Lido Loca stayed in one.

I stayed is a newer balcony room on Navigator on deck 11 fwd. There wasn't much special about the room but it location right behind the solarium was amazing.

On quantum class they make a mistake with the humps. They are huge balconies for a silver suite. Great views of the sea but when you sit/stand there - a lot of people in other balcony rooms "behind" you can see you. Absolutely no privacy (can't walk around in anyhow clothes or hanky panky). Always the last to sell. By the same token, don't get balcony rooms near these rooms. They can see you in your balconies. Lol.

We stayed in the Ultimate Panoramic Suite on Oasis and it’s such an incredible room.

Great video. Would love to see an in depth chart or list on a blog post including ships and exact room #s. We have stayed in many of the family rooms. The best by far were the ones with floor to ceiling windows on Liberty of the seas. Up front above the bridge...unbelievable views. I could have sworn they made them Jr suites or something.

We booked room 1864 panoramic ocean view and our room was way bigger than a regular room! We loved it same price felt like a suite! We were on indy in August.

They need to add more Handicap cabins to these special rooms. They need mor handicap cabins any ways.

I would like a hump balcony or one of the added rooms to the ship.

Heading on my first ever cruise in October 2022! Will find out all about life on a ship then.

We're staying in a Panoramic OV on Voyager in a couple weeks for Canada and Maine, excited to see how it is. Surprised you didn't mention the corner spacious OV on Odyssey. Slightly more expensive than the others in class, but significantly more space, probably 2x? Doing that for the October '23 Transatlantic from Rome as well.

I'm going on my first RC cruise in Dec. But hassles over the drinking package, and elements therein, means it has a good chance of also being my last.

Hi Matt. You hit my soft spot, aft facing balcony cabins. I will not cruise unless I have one and they are hard to snag. You have to get them early when the cruise goes on sale because they are usually the fastest selling cabins, but you can get lucky sometimes and get a cabin where someone just canceled their cruise but you have to act fast on those. I have learned to book them way in advance of the cruise which is OK because it gives me something to look forward to.

Sailing on Odyssey next winter snagged a solo balcony that is a hump balcony!!! The cost isn't just for 1 .. my cost was like 1.5

I got 12229 on my up coming Symphony Cruse in October Did not know it was a larger balcony when I booked only found out when I was reading something about large balconys on royal ships a fair bit back

Thanks for sharing this great video with us, Matt. I would like to ask a question, please: if I take one of these studios for solo travelers do I still get an additional Crown and Anchor cruise point? I guess not, since it is cheaper, but it does not hurt to ask.

cruising as crew did an episode on virgin life boats ...will u do one on Royals life boats

You forgot the Spacious / Family Promenade Cabins on Freedom class. Huge rooms with JR Suite bathroom (tub), bunk beds, pull out sofa, 2 picture windows into promenade and a walk in closet that’s big enough to be another room.

On Voyager and Adventure my daughter and I stayed in cabin 1688. A corner after cabin on deck 10. An extra large cabin and balcony. I also stayed in cabin 1400 on Freedom with a former girlfriend. Samethin extra lodge cabin and balcony. 1688 is in the port side while 1400 is on the aft side. In both cabins at the foot of the bed is a pole. I teased my girlfriend saying that it was a stripper pole.

Woo, I feel like I found a gold mine! Ty!

Navigator, 1100, front and center balcony. No wider than any other balcony but extraordinarily deep ! Just be aware, there are security cameras at the railing high overhead. 😜.

I booked Canada in October and got an inside room that is totally freestanding, meaning no rooms next to me. And its right across from the elevators and stairs. Very curious as to what exactly this room will be!

There are Two Ultra Spacious Oceanview with Large Balcony on Harmony and Oasis of the seas that are different from the rest. These two are on the 7th floor behind the rock climbing wall. They have a balcony that is much much bigger than the other “large” balconies.

Just booked 7206 on the Adventure of the Seas. 2 windows for the same price.

I reached out to my travel agent to inquire about moving to Central Park cabin with larger balcony. Great video, thank you.

Great video, matt! Came to the comments hoping to find info on Oasis of the Seas amped large balcony rooms. 14536/14136. Cant find anything anywhere and the deck maps are no help. HOW are these rooms categorized as large balcony rooms??? We were Royal Up'd to this room. Does anyone have info on them? Im hoping I didnt make a mistake for my daughters 18th bday surprise🙈

I want to try the Ultimate Panoramic Suite.

Do you know if sky class suites get free room service? Some mixed reviews out there. Thanks!

More rare cabins: Radiance deck 7 forward has large extended balcony. Quantum class has a square cabin on decks 6&7 that has more floor space and larger shower.

While those cabins with the huge windows look amazing and probably do have great views, I have 2 concerns. 1. Any one with height issues would probably be very uncomfortable or even constantly frightened in those cabins. 2. How strong is the glass in those windows? How well seated are they in their frames? While cruise ships try to avoid storms at sea, occasionally they do get caught in one. What happens if several tall waves hit those windows in rapid succession? Or strong winds blow directly at them? There have been stories of regular windows and potholes breaking and water rushing in. I'm leary of those cabins. And I don't want to be a news story. Design flaws happen in vehicles, especially planes. And they don't get fixed until after tragic loss of life. I don't mean to be a doom sayer but I've seen a lot of disaster videos.

Those forward junior suites are such a waste of space - they are so horribly configured and the balconies stick out where the Windjammer can look down on you. It was terrible, terrible use of space and crowding the ships more - AWFUL AWFUL. Gym also is not as airy! TERRIBLE!

What is that special place with pool for the STAR cabin? can someone share more information about that please? thanks.

I'm looking to go on a cruise next August with my 15 year old son and my 12 year old daughter. Would I be better booking it with just my son and wait till they add kid's sail free or book it with both? And any opinions on what type of cabin would work best? We will be going out of Galveston and be on Allure. Thanks for the advice!

For anybody trying to get room 6305. Good luck. Seems rather impossible. Checked about 35 different listings amongst the ship. All booked out. Might as well buy a suite and just get rid of the headache.

I've heard aft balconies can be noisy due to the anchor & also problems with exhaust fumes. What are your thoughts?

It will never cease to amaze me the money that people blow on a cruise. I am so glad I'm not one of those people that just can't live without the best of everything. I guess it's why so many Americans are buried in debt.

Is there a good way to see if there’s a good ship with solo cabins in the port closest to you?

How hard is it to see into these panoramic cabins from other places on the ship? Might lead to some awkward situations. I get you need to be careful with normal windows when docked, but being careful all the time would be weird...

Can you explain why the studio balcony is sometimes $1000 dollars more than a much larger oceanview balcony sometimes. It's not logical....

Definitely adding that Ben and Jerry's cabin to the bucket list! What's a good time to check for new sailings?

My wife and I booked an aft balcony cabin on a Carnival cruise and we loved it. I'd certainly try one on RC one of these days. Took my first solo cruise on Navigator last December and had a great time. My first RC cruise as well and I was impressed. Personally, I can't see booking one of those internal balcony cabins, although the Ben & Jerry suite, looks cool. I want to look out over the ocean and the ports.

Diamond cruiser and always book the back of ship balcony. Wake view is the best view.

Royal suite

Finland Finland, It is made in Finland :)

The solo cabins don’t get double points either…

I totally agree with the handicap comment. Have you noticed that there are NO handicapped upper suites? But, Royal will provide me with a shower chair when we book a non handicapped cabin.