I woke up in a dark room in the middle of the ocean, triggered an automatic window shade, and squinted as natural light gradually flooded the room, revealing the bow and the Caribbean Sea.
I did this for seven days straight on my first cruise in 2022. I sailed aboard a Royal Caribbean mega ship, Wonder of the Seas. It was the world's largest cruise ship at the time, but the cruise line has since built two bigger ships: Icon of the Seas and Legend of the Seas.
During my weeklong voyage from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, we sailed to Roatán, Honduras; Cozumel and Costa Maya in Mexico; and Royal Caribbean's private island in the Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay.
I stayed in an ocean-view stateroom on deck eight for $2,000. The cruise was on sale, as it was originally priced at $3,000. Follow me inside the 179-square-foot space.
My room was a mid-tier cabin at the front of deck eight.
My ocean-view stateroom was a step above interior staterooms with no windows, a category below staterooms with a balcony, and two steps below a stateroom suite.
My cabin was on the same deck as Central Park, an outdoor space with 20,000 plants.
I thought Central Park was the most relaxing outdoor deck on the ship — and often, the least crowded. 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. It was hard to believe it was less than 200 square feet.
I inserted my room key into a slot on the wall to operate most of the room's electrical systems.
I'm always looking for more sustainable ways to travel, so I appreciated the energy-saving system.
One side of the room had a mirror and a desk with USB charging ports, as well as American and European power outlets.
I used the desk to eat meals, work on my laptop, and sort daily flyers about the goings-on, from daytime activities to evening shows.
Next to the desk, a set of drawers included a cabinet with a minifridge inside.
The desk drawers were mostly empty, save for a hair dryer, which I didn't use.
Across from the desk, I had a couch positioned between two closets.
I found a rack of hangers, shelving, and a small safe inside each closet. 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.
Inside were two glasses, a bar of soap, and a two-in-one hair-and-body wash.
The trash can and toilet paper were situated beneath the counter to save space.
At the top of the shower, a pull-out 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 creatively folded to look like animals. This monkey was my favorite.
I noticed that my king-size bed at the back of the room was actually two twin beds pushed together.
Royal Caribbean cabins are configured this way so they can 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 could see the front of the ship from a window above my bed.
The window had 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 too small 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.
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Joey Hadden is a travel reporter and photojournalist at Business Insider based in NYC. She covers transportation modes, alternative lifestyles, and luxury travel. Many of Joey's stories are visual features that give readers a front-row seat to her personal experiences at home and around the world.Joey graduated from St. Edward's University in May 2019 with a BA in Photocommunications. Since joining BI in 2019, Joey has traveled by train in seven different countries, from day trips to overnight rides as long as 30 hours. She's ridden on many different train lines, including Amtrak, Via Rail, and the iconic Orient Express of the 21st century, among others. During her travels, she's slept in countless accommodations — five-star hotels, unique tiny homes, and private train cabins, to name a few.When traveling in North America, Joey takes readers inside the continent's wealthiest enclaves where billionaires hide away, from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to Medina, Washington. She spends her free time singing and playing drums for the indie-rock band Blanket Approval. You can follow Joey on Instagram or send her an email at [email protected].Popular ArticlesI spent $1,000 to have a room to myself on a 30-hour Amtrak ride. It was the best experience I've had on an overnight train in the US.I booked basic economy flights with Delta and United. They felt like 2 completely different classes.I went on an adults-only cruise for the first time, and 8 things surprised meI spent 2 nights in a 2-story, 100-square-foot tiny home in Germany that was smaller than any I've seen in the USStep inside the richest city in Arizona, where wealthy Californians are flocking for private mountainside estates
