I stayed in balcony cabins on 2 major cruise lines. Here's how they compared — and which was the better value.

When I sailed on Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas, my space was small — just 181 square feet with a 50-square-foot balcony — but the room was clearly set up with efficiency in mind.

The cabin had a king bed that could convert to two twins, plus a couch that turned into a double sofa bed. I loved that the bed was high enough that I could put my suitcase under it after I unpacked.

Since Utopia generally sails three- and four-night itineraries out of Port Canaveral, Florida, I didn't need to bring a lot of stuff.

Even so, there was plenty of storage even if I had. My room had two closets and a set of drawers in the main living area, which fit everything for a three-night sailing.

I traveled with a guest, and I found the balcony was big enough for both of us, with two chairs and a small table.

Cruise-ship bathrooms are notoriously small, but this one made me feel like I needed to shrink to the size of a child to comfortably fit inside it.

Although there was a shelf above the sink and one below it, I didn't have a ton of counter space for my toiletries.

The lack of storage in the bathroom and the dark, small shower was a big letdown for me.

My balcony room on Virgin Voyages' Valiant Lady, was 185 square feet, including the balcony, and could accommodate two people.

The room had a minimalistic design with a queen bed that could be split into two twins. I didn't like that the beds weren't raised enough for me to put my suitcases below it, as this limited my storage space.

My room also had a single chair if I didn't want to sit on the bed.

In terms of storage, there was a small set of shelves attached to the desk and a closet with a curtain covering.

The closet had some shelves with bins for things like socks and swimsuits. It would've been nice to have a dresser.

I love how spacious the balconies tend to be on Virgin Voyages ships.

On this sailing, my outdoor space had two chairs, a small table, and a red hammock. I spent many afternoons gazing out over the ocean in the hammock.

Although both ships have tiny bathrooms, I liked the setup of Virgin Voyages' better.

The toilet was across from the shower instead of next to it, which felt more comfortable. The bright lighting around the space helped the bathroom feel bigger, too.

The shower felt fairly bright and also had a rainfall showerhead, which felt like a luxurious touch.

I'm not sure if this shower was technically bigger than the one on the Utopia, but it certainly felt like it was.

If I had to choose which ship to sail on again based strictly on the balcony rooms, I'd pick the Royal Caribbean Utopia.

I loved the ample storage in my room, even though the bathroom was not my favorite. For most travelers, however, cost is going to be the biggest factor when choosing a ship.

When comparing two upcoming four-night sailings for the Utopia and Valiant Lady, the balcony rooms on Virgin were much cheaper. A balcony room for two in April is about $2,300 on the Valiant Lady and about $3,400 on the Utopia.

However, prices change often, and cabins aren't necessarily the only deciding factor when booking a cruise. It's important to also look at each ship's perks and ports before selecting your next sailing.