Arabella Cabin with Bunk Beds

The Arabella cabins are in four categories:

• Category A: Queen bed, forward cabin
• Category B: Double bed or Upper/Lower, forward cabin
• Category C: Upper/Lower, aft cabin
• Category D: Small Double, aft cabin

Category A cabins are the largest (and most expensive) since they are located mid-ship. All of the cabins are tiny, but have their own bathroom, external porthole, individual air conditioning/climate control, and satellite TV. Each cabin comes with nice toiletries--soap, shampoo, and conditioner. You will need to bring along your own sunscreen and bug repellent to use when you go ashore. And, after a day in the wind and sun, a good moisturizer sure comes in handy! Hardly anyone on our cruise bothered with make-up.

Packing light is key, and will add to cabin comfort since storage space is limited. For our Caribbean cruise, a swimsuit, cover-up, shorts, and t-shirts was all anyone needed. Even dinner at the expensive Caneel Bay Resort was casual. Most passengers and crew only wore shoes when we went ashore, and waterproof sandals came in handy for beach-walking.

Our category A cabin had four small drawers under the queen-sized bed and a cabinet over the bed (where we stored our backpacks). Although the cabins are tiny, we got used to it in a hurry, and used the cabin for only sleeping and getting cleaned up. The bed was comfortable and we were anchored at night, so didn't experience the rocking and rolling seen on other Windjammers. Most couples seemed to "take turns" below deck getting cleaned up since two people could barely stand in some cabins (unless one was in the toilet/shower)! One good thing about a small sailing ship--it's only a few steps from the cabins up to the main deck, so running up and down the steps was quick and easy.