I stayed in the cheapest cabin on Carnival’s newest ship
- I booked the cheapest inside cabin for my four-night cruise on Carnival’s new Carnival Firenze.
- It was ugly, dated and had no decor, but surprisingly spacious.
- Inside cabins on Carnival’s newest ship start at $90 per person, per day in 2024.
One of the best parts of a cruise is feeling the cool breeze of the open ocean on your skin.
So imagine how grumpy I was when I had to book a windowless interior cabin for my most recent trip — my first Carnival cruise, no less.
As a travel reporter, I spend several of these vacations at sea every year. I am generally accommodated in balcony cabins, the most popular cabin category.
Yes, I was spoiled. And yes, that means I’ve always been scared of cabins.
Cruises can be overstimulating and overwhelming. Private balconies are the only place I have peace, quiet and fresh air on some ships.
So, unsurprisingly, I was dreading the inside cabin I had booked for my four-night Carnival Firenze cruise in mid-May.
No fresh air? No cool ocean breezes? The horror!
I expected a small, dark and musty dungeon, deprived of life, happiness and light.
Turns out I was being a little overdramatic. Who could have imagined?
I admit I was pleasantly surprised.
But before I get to the positives (spoiler alert: it’s the size), I have to address the negatives.
It may have been the ugliest cabin I have ever stayed in. And this is coming from someone who sailed on a cruise in Margaritaville.
To understand the cabin, you must understand the ship’s relatively short history.
Firenze joined Italy-based Costa Cruises’ fleet in 2020. The company, owned by Carnival Corp, had planned to launch the ship in China but was unable to do so due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Firenze’s stay on the Coast was short-lived. In 2022, Carnival announced it would acquire the Firenze and her sister ship, Venezia, to increase its presence in the U.S. amid “strong interest in people wanting to sail with us,” a Carnival spokesperson told Business Insider .
The spokesperson said Firenze underwent a two-month upgrade to “install the Carnival Fun Italian Style Concept.”
This would explain the unnecessary photo of Florence, Italy behind my bed.
The engraving was at once the only decoration and the only reference to Italy in my gloomy cabin. Unfortunately, it felt tacky and out of place.
However, it disguised the sinister “pull the rope for help” feature.
It’s 2024. Why weren’t there bedside exits?
The ship is less than four years old. The cabin looked like it had quadrupled in age, no thanks to the antique furniture that was all leaning against the wall.
The grayish pattern of the lounge chair contrasted with the yellow and red monstrosity of a rug. And the small wood and faux marble side table looked cheap and out of place.
Aesthetic complaints aside, everything in the living room and bedroom was perfectly functional.
On the positive side, the mattress was comfortable. And the large table and closet could provide enough storage for more than two travelers.
The room also featured motion-sensitive lights mounted on the floor, a necessary amenity for a space devoid of natural light.
Furthermore, the unattractive decor encouraged me to spend more time in the ship’s common spaces.
But if you think the room looks old, wait until you see the bathroom.
It was as glamorous as a gas station bathroom.
Most of the bathrooms in my cruise cabin have modern, cool-toned decor, like the one in the photo on the left. Carnival seems to have avoided the sector’s trend as much as possible.
The yellow and red tiles gave it a vintage McDonald’s feel.
Unbeknownst to me, the cruise line placed me in one of the ship’s wheelchair-accessible accommodations. This meant that the shower (like a curtain and some floor drains) was one of the most spacious I’ve had at sea.
However, it only came with two-in-one body wash and shampoo. Apparently both Royal Caribbean and Carnival appear to have a BYOHC (bring your own hair conditioner) policy.
Some storage would have been nice too.
An unnecessary number of stacked tissue boxes and toilet paper rolls occupied the only shelves in the bathroom.
There was no need for these excess paper products. My flight attendant already cleaned and restocked my cabin once a day, as is typical during Carnival.
I’m a girl with an extensive skincare routine and a compulsive need to organize my products. With almost no storage in the bathroom, I needed these shelves.
With all these complaints, you might wonder why I said I was pleasantly surprised by my cabin.
All because of one important characteristic: its size. I never felt claustrophobic despite being trapped in a 150 square foot windowless box.
The bathroom, one of the most spacious I’ve seen on a cruise ship, was so large that it could comfortably fit a family of four.
Back in the room, I could have rolled out a yoga mat and worked out without moving anything.
Heck, I could have fished stars comfortably off the floor without hitting any furniture. I don’t know if I can say the same for most of my previous cruise accommodations.
Would I have preferred a balcony or window? Yes.
Did it look more like a hospital room than a floating hotel room? Yes.
However, for the space, the cost is hard to beat. As a solo traveler, I paid $735 for my cabin, including $64 in optional tips.
In 2024, the cheapest interior cabin for two guests on Carnival Firenze costs about $360 per person, including taxes and fees, for the same four-night itinerary as the one I took.
It’s $90 per night for cabin, food, onboard amenities, and stops at Catalina Island and Ensenada, Mexico.
Plus, it’s much cheaper than other cruise lines’ newer ships (I’m looking at you, Royal Caribbean).
So if you’re desperate for a dirty, cheap getaway, and the Carnival Firenze is catching your eye, don’t be afraid of the inside cabin.
Yes, isn’t it adorable. But at least it’s fully functional and large.
If I – spoiled – can do it, so can you.
