My husband and I went on a 7-day Alaskan cruise. Here's what our 200-square-foot room with 3 closets and a balcony was like.

Sailing on an Alaskan cruise was on my husband's bucket list, so we went on a seven-night expedition aboard Holland America Line's Westerdam ship.

I'm an avid whale watcher, so I selected a 200-square-foot verandah stateroom with a 54-square-foot private balcony, which was the perfect spot to whale watch in the early morning and evening.

Upon opening the stateroom door, we squeezed through a narrow corridor. At first glance, we thought the room might be too small for a seven-day cruise.

The narrow hallway in the front of the room had three closets. We used one for my belongings and one for my husband's items.

The third closet contained life vests, blankets to keep us warm on the verandah, a safe for our valuables, and a few empty drawers to store our clothes.

Once we stowed our belongings and put our empty suitcases under the queen-sized bed, the room didn't feel as small.

My favorite cruise motto is, "You only have to unpack once," which is a nice change from having to pack and unpack at each destination I visit during a land-based trip.

We found easy-to-access homes for our everyday items — like backpacks, water bottles, and jackets — on the desk and loveseat.

The stateroom's bathroom was a good size, and the shower was tall enough for my 6'2 husband to fit inside.

The ship's personnel changed the towels whenever we needed and cleaned the bathroom at least once per day.

If we opted for the complimentary evening turndown service, they cleaned the bathroom again.

We didn't need to worry about bringing shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, or lotion since Holland America Line supplied them all.

The products were the same brand that the ship carried in its spa, and they smelled nice.

When we wanted some privacy, we could find it on our own verandah. The outdoor space comfortably fit both of us and came with two chairs and a small table.

For those afraid that the rooms may be too small for them, remember that the Westerdam is a huge ship with many amenities — like pools, theaters, cafes, and lounge areas.

The promenade deck was also a lovely place to do laps around the ship or sit down with a blanket and watch for whales.

After spending the evening having dinner, dancing, or watching the stars, it was nice to come back to our room after requesting turndown service.

Coming back to a tidy room added a little bit of luxury to our cruise, and the towel creation left by one of the talented housekeeping staff was a special touch.