The 5 best cabin locations on any cruise ship

Table Of Content

• Best Cabins for Large Cruise Ship Balcony Lovers
• Are all cruise ship suites the same?
• Cruise Cabin Hacks Every Traveler MUST-KNOW
• Cruise Packing Mistakes Everyone Makes (And How To Avoid Them)
• Family Rooms: Upcharges May Apply for More Space
• Cabins To Avoid On A Cruise Ship — Plus The One You Should Always Book
• MSC to Construct New Hospital Ship for People in Africa

Choosing the best cruise cabin location on your ship is a matter of personal choice. Generally, your cabin will be located either on lower (higher) deck, mid-ship, forward or aft (rear), with some pros and cons to all these locations. Booking a "guarantee" cabin is an open deal - you pay for a cabin category (not a specific stateroom) - best prices are guaranteed, but not necessarily the best location.

Best Cabins for Large Cruise Ship Balcony Lovers

Forward-facing cabins also often lack balconies, for reasons I will explain in a moment. You won't feel the rocking of the sea in a midship cabin nearly as much as you will in a cabin toward the front or back of a vessel. As it happens, we've already done that here at TPG in our guide to cabin locations you definitely should avoid. You'll also want to avoid cabins low and forward in the ship (where the anchor being lowered or raised can generate a lot of sound). The same goes for aft rooms (where the ship's generators create a hum that rarely, if ever, stops).

Are all cruise ship suites the same?

After all, what's better than waking up in the morning and seeing whatever port you're disembarking from disappear into the horizon? More so than front-facing cabins, staying in a stern-facing cabin means you'll have uninterrupted views of the open ocean at your fingertips (rather than having that pesky bow getting in the way). To maximize your idyllic view of the ocean, guests might want to consider booking a balcony suite at the aft section of the ship. If you want to go the extra mile in combating motion sickness, it's also advisable to seek a room as close to the waterline as possible (if it's a midship cabin, even better).

Cruise Cabin Hacks Every Traveler MUST-KNOW

Suites on most ships are often the first category to sell out, partly because there are fewer of them, and partly because they often offer extremely good value. For this reason, it's important to decide early what kind of suite you'd like. If you tend to get seasick, selecting your cabin can be critical decision. The lower and more central you are in a ship, the less roll and sway you will feel. Even if you choose a balcony room, choose a low level and a room closest to the ship's center.

With most cruises offering unlimited buffets for every meal and a number of other themed restaurants, guests can expect to do a ton of eating during the course of their vacation. Then your best bet is to book a room as near to the middle of your cruise ship as possible. If you have more flexibility in your budget, consider what’s important to you in accommodation.

Family Rooms: Upcharges May Apply for More Space

The right accommodation can enhance your cruise experience, providing you with a comfortable retreat after a day of adventure, but some choices may turn out to be an expensive mistake. A balcony (veranda) cabin will cost you from 25 percent more to almost double the price of an inside cabin. Some cruisers would prefer to go twice as often and stay in an inside cabin. Others with more limited time might prefer to splurge on a balcony or a suite. Balcony cabins are sometimes smaller than those with just a window since the balcony is replacing the inside space. Be sure to check when booking your cruise if room size is more important to you than a balcony.

Cabins To Avoid On A Cruise Ship — Plus The One You Should Always Book

These each feature a private terrace with a hot tub, spacious living and dining areas, and butler service, plus access to an exclusive-access deck area. Other suites may come with dining areas, wet bars, deluxe bathrooms, walk-in closets, multiple levels and even pianos. Some cruise lines include butler service as part of your fare in suites and concierge cabins. Sometimes it means bringing you room service from hard-to-get-into specialty restaurants, curated minibars or in-cabin meals served course by course.

The least expensive, inside standard cabins on a mainstream cruise ship run from about 120 square feet to 180 square feet. Since most cruise ships are relatively new or have been refurbished, the cabins usually are tastefully decorated with twin beds that can be pushed together to make a queen-sized bed for couples. The staterooms have wall-to-wall carpeting, individually controlled air conditioning/heating, dresser or storage space, closet, telephone, and satellite television.

What are the cheapest cruise ship cabins?

Just be wary of any offer promising a two-category upgrade (or similar). The fine print usually indicates that the line will give you a so-called better cabin within the same category. That can simply mean you are upgraded from a standard inside cabin to a slightly larger inside cabin. You will then be stuck with whichever cabin they give you -- whether you agree it's better or not. In summary, the sailing experience on the front and back of a cruise ship varies by day and personal preferences.

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Adding a private balcony means much more living space in your room, and outdoor space to see, smell and take in the views around you. Then you have suites which offer the most space and balcony area, at the highest price. After analyzing their deck plans, we'll list here the most famous ships and their "worst" cabins. The "bad cruise cabins" issue is not about amenities, but about location - and noise.

In that cabin location, you’ll be dipping up and down with the waves and you’ll also hear the engine rooms. On top of that, you’ll likely be quite far from the ship’s entertainment options. “Inside” cabins are located in the interior of the ship and accessed via an interior corridor. They usually do not have a window to the outside, although sometimes you can find an unusual one that has a window or an obstructed view. If you are claustrophobic or would be uncomfortable without a window to the outside, an inside cabin is not for you.

There's something mesmerizing about being at the back of a ship overlooking its wake. When you are in the open ocean, you can see the long trail of churned-up water behind you, stretching seemingly forever like a road in the sea. When you are pulling away from a port, you have the best view in the house. If you are in the center of a ship, you are at the equivalent of the center of a teeter-totter. Even in very rough seas, you're not going to move nearly as much when the ship goes up and down in the waves as someone located at either of the far ends of the ship.

They love them because the view can be spectacular, particularly as you arrive at a new port. Also, some people love the idea of being at the very front of a ship and being able to see where they're going. It’s not that you’ll feel more motion in them per se, but you won’t have the opportunity to get fresh air or a view of the horizon. Both can help calm the queasiness without you having to leave the cabin. Standard-size cabins with oversized balconies are also sometimes sandwiched between suites. Suites themselves are usually the best option if cruising with a guaranteed big balcony is your goal.

You'd be surprised how affordable two connecting rooms can be versus booking a single larger room to fit 4 or 5 people. If you're cruising with kids, I cannot understate enough the benefits of connecting cabins instead of one large cabin. If there's a downside to an aft balcony it's the distance back to elevators. Here are some cabin-related extras you may want to pay for on your cruise. Additionally, the forward cabins often provide a quieter experience as they’re positioned away from the hustle and bustle of public areas and entertainment facilities. Choosing between the front or back of a cruise ship ultimately depends on your personal preferences.

Suites are the largest type of cruise ship cabin, and they come in a wide range of varieties. Minisuites or junior suites are slightly roomier versions of balcony cabins, with sleeping and sitting areas in the same space without a wall in between. Larger suites might include sleeping areas in separate rooms, dining tables, large living room spaces, multiple bathrooms and expansive private balconies. Aft cabins on a cruise ship (the ones at the very back of the ship) can be the most prized standard balcony cabins afloat. Because they can make you feel as though you are at the end of the world, offering 180-degree views over the ship's wake. Balconies in aft cabins are often much larger than balconies along the ship's sides.

A limited number of wheelchair-accessible rooms are available on most ships, including luxury mega-yachts. Search the vessel's deck plans for the best location, type, and size. Disney Cruise Lines start some of the passenger cabins on the first deck, but Royal Caribbean passenger cabins begin on deck two or three, and Princess’ lowest passenger cabins begin on deck four.