This has to be the most overused expression on this and any other cruise board. <BR><BR>I've thought about this and have figured that I am in my cabin at least 8 hours a day. Most of that time sleeping.<BR><BR>How many hours for you?<BR><BR>

The only time I'm in the cabin is to sleep, shower and get ready for the day's or night's activities which are many on cruise ships. In fact, I go to bed late and get up early so I don't spend much time in the cabin at all.<BR>Lydia

Nora:<BR><BR>It depends. If you have an inside room, spend no time in the room. If you have a suite with a balcony--you can have your meals, enjoy a book and watch the world go by.

that answer is like asking others, do you stay at Hostels, the Econo-Lodge or the Fairmont, to some, the room is your first impression, I like a larger room with a nice view, this way the time in the room is enjoyable and makes for a nice memory. You get great service in the inside rooms and excellent service in the deluxe cabins. I was reluctantly talked into a room one time with a balcony and will never go back.

It depends where the ship is. Going through the Panama Canal we spent a fair bit of time cooling off in our cabin and watching the canal float by so to speak. The deck is great for watching the action at the locks but, even if I do like heat, I couldn't have spent nine hours out in that. <BR><BR>The same with Alaska. While it was good to get an overall view of the glaciers from the decks, we also enjoyed the view from our balcony, while drinking hot chocolate. Our friend spent hours on her balcony, and was often out there at dawn.

Nora, I am with you. I use my cabin to sleep and shower and change. In terms of waking hours, no more than 2 a day. And when I am asleep - it doesn't really matter what view I have.<BR><BR>So why buy anything bigger? i will take the money I save and cruise more often, do more things onshore, stay longer pre and post cruise, etc

5 hours max.....

Sometimes 12 hours if I party real hard the night before.

If I have a cabin with a balcony, I love to read and watch the ocean go by there. The comfort of the cabin is important to me and I need an outside one to know that the world is still there. Guess I am in the minority, oh well.

8 hours sleeping.<BR>1-2 hours shower and getting ready for day and for dinner.<BR><BR>

For me, it depends upon how port intensive the itinerary is. If there are two or more days at sea, a balcony is definitely worth it to me as I will probably be in my cabin a bit more. If I am in a port every day (as on a southern caribbean cruise), I may not be in there quite as much.<BR><BR>I like the natural light coming in as well. Once you have a balcony, it's tough to go back to a cabin without one let alone an inside cabin. But, to each his own.<BR>