I spent 22 days sharing a 212-square-foot room with family members on Holland America's Oosterdam. Erin Yarnall
- My grandma, cousin, and I went on a 22-day cruise on Holland America's Oosterdam.
- We stayed in a 212-square-foot stateroom for $3,175 per person, or $144 a day.
My grandma, cousin, and I went on a 22-day cruise on Holland America's Oosterdam ship.
The cruise departed from Buenos Aires, and traveled through the Antarctic Peninsula and up the coast of Chile, ending in Santiago.
We had originally booked an interior cabin but upgraded to a verandah stateroom for a view and balcony.
The room was 212 square feet, including the balcony, and cost $3,175 per person. Take a look inside.
The room had two twin beds and a sofa that could be converted into a third bed.
Many staterooms are occupied by two guests but can accommodate up to three people. Erin Yarnall
Our room had two twin beds and a couch that transformed into a twin bed. My grandma and cousin each slept on one of the beds, and I slept on the pull-out couch.
I was worried about the comfort level of the sofa bed but found the mattress was very comfortable.
The room felt cramped when we first entered.
The room was a tight squeeze for three people. Erin Yarnall
As soon as we stepped into the room we were worried it might be too small.
We'd considered upgrading to a suite with 294 square feet, but we didn't feel it was worth nearly $1,000 more per person for 82 extra square feet.
We found ways to make the room feel larger.
To help save space, we found creative ways to store our belongings. Erin Yarnall
Saving space in the room took some creativity.
For example, my grandma's walker took up a lot of space when it was left on the ground, so we hung it on the room's coat hooks.
Three closets and some cabinet space were shared among us.
We kept our suitcases under the beds. Erin Yarnall
The room had three large closets and space under the beds for storing suitcases, which also helped it feel larger.
I stored all my clothes in two large cabinets above the pull-out couch.
Although the room itself felt small, the bathroom was spacious.
Our room had a full tub. Erin Yarnall
The three of us had room for all of our toiletries, and the tub had an adjustable showerhead to accommodate both my tall cousin and my 5-foot-3 self.
The bathroom also had a clothesline, where we would hang our laundry.
To avoid overpaying on laundry, we washed clothes in the bathroom sink. Erin Yarnall
We wore a lot of clothes during our 22-day trip.
Having a small bag of laundry washed for us on board would've cost about $35, so we hand-washed our clothes in the bathroom with laundry soap that we brought on board.
We dried them in the bathroom on the retractable clothesline above the tub.
A curtain separated the two beds from the sitting area with the couch.
If I stayed up later than my family, I'd pull the curtain so they wouldn't be woken up by my laptop light. Erin Yarnall
The couch was separated from the beds by a small curtain.
It was helpful when I wanted to stay up later than my family members to watch a movie or read an e-book on my laptop.
The ship's staff meticulously cleaned the room every day.
We loved seeing the shapes the staff would arrange the towels into, like a reindeer on Christmas. Erin Yarnall
The cleaning staff came daily and left chocolates on the beds, and towels folded into decorative shapes.
My favorite part of the room was the 54-square-foot verandah.
We loved sitting on the verandah and looking at icebergs and mountains. Erin Yarnall
Our 54-square-foot verandah offered us unbeatable views of Antarctica, glaciers in the Chilean fjords, and bustling cities like Buenos Aires and Montevideo.
I wouldn't recommend our room for three people, but I still think it was worth the price.
Sharing a space with three people was stressful, but we had a great cruise and made the most of our time and space. Erin Yarnall
Our room was cramped — I wouldn't recommend it for three — but after figuring out ways to save space, I felt it was well worth the money.
I was especially thankful we had a verandah to enjoy the views from.