We have written before about the amazing experience of sailing in a suite. John Brawley Tophat sailed in a Carnival Fascination Penthouse Suite, and I loved the Liberty of the Seas Grand Suite. However, a suite isn’t the right choice for every trip. I just got back from my cruise to Cuba, and the Norwegian Sky oceanview stateroom is a great choice if you are on a budget. The space is small, and I strongly recommend getting a room on a higher deck than did I. On balance, however, this was a great way to pass a quick getaway travelling by myself.
NCL lists the room at 149 square feet. I didn’t get out a tape measure, but that amount of room must include the closet and the bathroom. That means that your actual living space is very small. Still, it was laid out well. When you walk in, the bed dominates the room. The bed is actually two beds pushed together, and your steward will separate them if you prefer.
Standing near the window and looking back towards the hall gives you a better view of the room.
Beyond general space issues, this room had two real problems. The first was power plugs. NCL asked that we not leave items plugged in when not in the cabin. Fair enough. That meant that I had to be there when things were charging, and that meant that I needed to charge multiple things at once. Unfortunately, there is only one power plug. Technically, there were two, but there was only one U.S.-style plug. NCL (and most other lines) do not allow you to bring a splitter to charge multiple things at once. That meant that it was very difficult to keep the phone, laptop, and e-reader charger.
The second problem was the bathroom. More specifically, the shower. There were very few ways to stand without hitting the curtain or the wall. The drain was also extremely slow. The shower was functional, but only just.
However, the good news clearly outweighed the bad. The first real advantage of this room was thoughtful storage space. The bathroom, closet, and desk all offered a great amount of well-organized space to keep things. There wasn’t a lot of space in the room, but the Norwegian Sky oceanview staterooms do a great job maximizing what they have.
In addition to the storage, this room did several other things well. The TV was positioned well, the bed was comfortable, and the closet had plenty of hangars. There were a few exceptions, but the room was generally quiet. I attached a video at the top of this post so you can see the room in more detail. However, it is definitely a room I would book again. However, I would only do so if travelling as a group of 1 or 2 people. If you have a larger party, you either need a bigger room or a second one. For me, though, this was a great choice. I saved a lot of money over a suite, and I spent it on shore excursions. Happy travels!
