I booked a 'family' room on my Norwegian cruise. It was perfect for 3 people and saved us money.

• I recently sailed for seven nights on Norwegian's Breakaway cruise ship.
• My group of three booked a family cabin that can accommodate up to five people.
• The stateroom cost $3,000 total but was cheaper than booking multiple smaller cabins.

My family sailed for seven nights to New England and Canada on Norwegian's Breakaway ship this fall.

When I cruise solo , I book the cheapest cabin possible since I only use it for sleeping and showering. But my husband and mom joined me on this sailing, so a tiny inside room wasn't going to cut it.

I initially considered booking two inside cabins for the three of us before I realized an oceanview family room could be a cheaper alternative. Since we all already live under the same roof, I wasn't worried about privacy.

We were hesitant about space , but the up to five-person cabin ended up being bigger than expected. We found it perfect for three people — but four or more would be pushing it.

We paid about $3,000 total for our cruise.

Our reservations came with Norwegian's fan-favorite "More at Sea," which covered the cabin, the drink package, 150 minutes of free Starlink WiFi for two people, one free specialty dining for two people, and $50 off excursions for one person.

The third guest in our cabin cruised for free, thanks to a special promotion.

The oceanview family room saved us money.

Inside cabins are typically the cheapest option on cruise ships, going for about $400 less per person on our sailing. Our third-guest-free promotion wouldn't have applied and we would have had to pay a single supplement fee for one of the rooms.

The oceanview family room saved us about $1,600 and was the best all-around solution for space and price.

The cabin was bigger than expected.

Our cabin measured 218 square feet, according to Norwegian.

With only three people, we didn't feel like we were on top of each other and had enough foot space to easily navigate around luggage, beds, and other clutter.

The room boasted a grey, white, and purple color palette, which we found boring but not a total eyesore.

The decor was basic compared to newer ships.

Norwegian's newer ships, like Prima, feature elegant staterooms that resemble a contemporary boutique hotel with more modern lighting, colors, and artwork.

A curtain separated the 2 sleeping areas.

We chose this specific cabin type because of the curtain that separates the room. My husband and I slept on the main bed while my mom took the sofa bed.

The curtain provided privacy for changing and sleeping. This was a perfect setup since we all three already live together in our normal lives.

Other oceanview rooms on Breakaway don't have the curtain.

The sofa bed was more of an oversized twin.

Norwegian markets its sofa bed as a double, but it's really only comfortable enough for one adult.

However, it would likely be big enough to accommodate two kids or younger teenagers. However, I wouldn't recommend two adults as my husband and I couldn't fit comfortably when we tried.

The sofa bed is hard, while the main bed is soft.

We noticed the main bed was very plush and soft. However, the sofa bed had a harder surface. My mom didn't mind but said it started getting old after night five.

She and my husband switched beds some nights to give her the soft one — problem solved!

The pullman bed looked miserable.

The fifth sleeping spot in the oceanview family cabin is one that pulls down from the ceiling above the sofa pullout — basically creating a bunk bed. A ladder is provided to get up and down.

Again, I can see it working for kids. Older teenagers and young adults, however, would likely find the space way too cramped for comfort — and sleeping on that top bunk would be my personal nightmare.

There's the risk of falling off, and I'm sure some people would feel claustrophobic. It's also why my family didn't consider staying in the cheapest four-person inside the cabin — none of us wanted to sleep on the pullman.

There was a swivel television and a vanity.

The television could swivel between to face both sides of the curtain but was on the side closest to the window.

The vanity was also on the window, giving my mom plenty of space to do her makeup while my husband and I used the bathroom mirror to get ready.

Outlets and charging ports were minimal.

The outlets were on the vanity, and there were only a few spots to plug in. It was pretty inconvenient since we had to take turns charging all of our separate items, like phones, tablets, watches, and portable chargers.

Next time, I'll bring a cruise-approved power strip for more outlets.

There were 2 closets and plenty of shelves.

My mom's side of the room had its own closet, albeit smaller than the one by the main bed. However, there was more than enough space for all of our hanging clothes and shoes.

There were also shelves throughout the cabin, as well as cabinets under the vanity for extra storage. To optimize space, we unpacked and put our suitcases under the main bed.

Guests can take advantage of the safe and refrigerator.

We liked the refrigerator for keeping water cold but didn't take any of the stocked drinks.

The safe is in the main closet and is perfect for things like cash, passports, and other valuables.

The bathroom was huge for a cruise ship.

Some cruise cabins can have a painfully small bathroom, but Breakaway's family oceanview boasted dual sinks and a shower/tub combo.

This proved to be more than enough space. The shower came with shampoo and body wash included.

Guests can opt out of housekeeping.

A switch in the cabin's entryway could indicate to staff whether we wanted housekeeping or not.

We only opted for this on one day, but it was nice not having to track down an employee to ask them not to make up the room.

I think the oceanview family cabin is perfect for 3 adults.

Despite the minimal charging ports, my family of three loved our cabin. My mom thought her separate cabin space was spacious and private, though extra padding on the sofa bed would be preferable.

Any more than three adults (or even two adults and two kids) would be pushing the cabin's comfort limits. There is only so much closet and foot space, and four to five people plus luggage would be extremely cramped.

Granted, many cruisers don't care about cabin space if it's cheap, and I can see cramming five people into the oceanview family room as a good money-saving option. Just prepare to fight for space.

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