I spent $2,000 for 7 nights in a 179-square-foot room on one of the world's largest cruise ships. Take a look inside my cabin.
- I booked a stateroom on Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas, one of the biggest cruise ships.
- For $2,000 a week, the 179-square-foot cabin had a private bathroom, a king-size bed, and a view.
In April 2022, I cruised on board Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas. At the time, it was the largest cruise ship in the world, but the title has since been replaced by Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas.
During my voyage, the ship sailed to Roatán, Honduras; Cozumel and Costa Maya in Mexico; and Royal Caribbean's private island in the Bahamas.
For $2,000, I spent seven nights in an ocean-view stateroom on deck eight. The cruise was on sale, as it was originally priced at $3,000. Take a look inside the 179-square-foot space.
My room was a mid-tier cabin at the front of deck eight.
I booked a mid-tier room — a step above interior staterooms, which have no window. It's a category below staterooms with a balcony, and two steps below a suite.
My cabin was on the same deck as Central Park, an outdoor space with 20,000 plants.
I thought it was the most relaxing area on the ship, so I enjoyed being close by.
When I stepped inside my stateroom, I was surprised at how big it felt.
Right away, I thought the cabin made great use of a small space.
To operate most of the electricity in the room, I had to insert my room key into a slot on the wall.
I appreciated the energy-saving system.
On one side of the room, I had a mirror and a desk with several outlets to charge electronics with USB, American, and European ports.
I thought the desk was useful for eating, as well as storing daily flyers about the day's events.
Next to the desk, a set of drawers included a cabinet with a minifridge inside.
The desk drawers were mostly empty aside from a hair dryer, which I didn't end up using.
Across from the desk, I had a couch positioned in between two closets.
Inside each closet, I found a rack of hangers, shelving, and a small safe. I thought it was plenty of space for a weeklong journey
Next to the couch and desk area, a small bathroom used clever storage hacks, like placing the trash can and toilet paper under the counter.
In the bathroom, there were two glasses, a bar of soap, and a two-in-one hair and body wash.
At the top of the shower, a pullout clothing line was useful for drying my bathing suits.
Each night, my stateroom attendant replenished towels and brought flyers and schedules for the next day.
Sometimes, the towels were folded creatively to look like animals.
I noticed that my king-size bed at the back of the room was actually two twin beds pushed together.
All Royal Caribbean cabins come with this configuration, according to its website, so they may be separated for additional guests. I often woke up in the crevice.
A large flat-screen TV was mounted across from the bed with storage hooks below.
Skinny nightstands on either side of the bed held lamps, charging ports, and a room phone on one side.
Because I booked an ocean-view room, I was able to look out over the front of the ship from a window above my bed.
The window was equipped with an electronic shade that could be opened during the day for grand views and closed when I was ready to sleep.
While I thought the room might have been a tight space for a couple with a lot of luggage or a family, it was just right for me.
And watching the sun rise over the Caribbean Sea from the comfort of my room was the best part.
Advertisement