Cabin Choices And Avoiding Problematic Staterooms
Deciding on a cabin isn’t just a matter of price. There are a number of other important things to consider in selecting the best cabin for your needs. Are you a light sleeper or are you prone to motion sickness? Are there staterooms with additional space or obstructed views? In this article we provide important considerations in selecting the best stateroom for your next cruise.
Staterooms come in a number of major categories:
While we select a cabin to fit our needs on each cruise, it isn’t always a matter of price…
Inside Staterooms – These are usually the lowest priced selection but oddly there can be exceptions at the time of booking to watch out for. In most cruise ships they are the cabins located on the interior side of passageways without any windows or port holes. On newer classes of ships there can now be variations of these accommodations as some ships offer interior cabins that have windows that overlook large public areas in the center of the ship like promenades or open air spaces. Recently some ships are also providing virtual windows for inside staterooms employing cameras looking at outside scenery feeding those images to flat panels in the stateroom.
Inside staterooms can be a good choice on occasion. I like them because they can be totally dark which allows us to sleep in later. The price can also be an important draw and what we have discovered over the years is that we spend very little time in the cabin so spending more on other categories can be a waste of money. The pools and spas, the entertainment and meals take up a lot of our days and we prefer to spend our reading time in public spaces looking out at the sea. We return to our cbin when it’s time for bed.
Ocean View Staterooms – This is the next category up from inside cabins and usually they are very similar to inside staterooms for size and layout with the addition of window. In most cases the window does not open.
If you are interested in booking one of the above cabins pay close attention to the ships floor plans. Often, because of the design parameters of the ship those cabins near the bow and stern may have a different shape and offer more square footage. We’ve discovered a number of ships where these can be remarkably roomy.
Veranda or Balcony Staterooms – These cabins represent the largest number of staterooms on most ships and offer not just a beautiful view through the sliding glass doors and fresh air on the balcony but provide a bit more room as well. Some ships are now even designed to be all balcony staterooms. Just as we have cruises where we prefer inside cabins there are other cruises where we think a veranda view is a necessity – Alaska has such spectacular scenery and opportunities to see whales that we always book one.
Suites – These staterooms come in so many varieties that there would never be enough space to do them justice. A couple of decades ago ships were designed with a few suites but demand finds the newer ships with a larger and more varied offering. We have on occasion cruised in a large suite and our teenage son was the one that made good use of it with late night pizza parties. From our perspective we didn’t find the upgrade worth the cost, but I have to confess that we are frugal cruisers.
Position Matters
Modern cruise ships are very large and offer lots of choices in stateroom types and locations and yes selecting the right location can be important.
Deck Selection
Cabins can usually be found from deck two or four all the way up to deck ten or twelve. Our personnel preference is usually above mid-way up (7,8 or 9) partly for the views but also we have a habit of never riding elevators and that positions us between the dining room and theater and the pools and lounges. One concern to keep in mind is that the higher up you book a stateroom the more you will feel the motion of the ship. The most stable deck on a ship is at the water-line (no balconies).
Forward, Aft or Mid-ship Staterooms
Less important than deck selection for access to the ships various venues because there are usually two or three banks of elevators and stairways and venues are spaced out around the ship. Again the nearer you are to mid-ship the less you will feel the ships motion with bow and stern cabins having the most motion.
Additional Considerations
Noise
Before you make that selection study those floor plans. See what’s on the deck directly above that cabin. Is it a public space? Pool decks, dining rooms and lounges? Some large spaces get cleaned during the night which can produce extra noise. Is the cabin near corridor access to clubs and lounges? Often a number of noisy, late night partiers will have to pass by your cabin door on their way to bed. The same holds true of cabins right near elevator banks.
We’ve learned the hard way to study those floor plans looking for “empty spaces” behind or next to cabins. These spaces are not identified as to what’s inside and can be nothing more than a crew staircase, but they can also be machinery spaces capable of producing nighttime noises. We now eliminate those choices when choosing a stateroom.
Obstructed Views
It doesn’t do much good to select an ocean view stateroom and discover that the view is of the side of a lifeboat. Often these cabins are in a less expensive category and do provide some daylight. Also modern cruise ships are now equipped with areas that bulge out from ships sides that can be extra-large suites or lounges but if you select a balcony stateroom next to that bulge your view forward (or aft) could be limited.
Adjoining Cabins and Additional Beds
Most ship floor plans will indicate adjoining cabins for those cruising with family and which cabins offer optional beds. One consideration if you are a family or group is to consider the price differential between the new family suites and booking two or three adjoining cabins.
In conclusion it requires some thought about what you want in a cabin and what locations might be best for your needs. Take some time in making your selection and decide what things are important about the cruise and how you think you will get around the ship. Choosing wisely can prevent being upset with a cabin assignment after the ship departs.
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