When choosing a cabin it is all about location
Posted on 12/06/2016
Location is everything in real estate and is also true when choosing a cabin on a cruise ship. Even if you are not planning on spending much time in your cabin, you want it to be an oasis of calm and relaxation.
In our early years of travelling, we made the mistake of booking a cabin on the deck below the pool deck. We could hear the pounding feet of the early morning joggers and the noise of deck chairs being dragged across the deck at all hours. Avoid the deck right above the theatre or below the casino or dining room. The quietest deck to be on is one sandwiched between
two passenger decks. If you have a complaint about a noisy cabin it can be dealt with much more easily than a complaint about noise coming from a public area.
You might also want to watch for the children’s zone. It is often located amid passenger cabins making it convenient for families to book rooms nearby. If you are on your vacation for lots of rest and relaxation, that would be an area to stay away from.
Many people prefer an inside cabin as an affordable option. Staff stairwells and work areas are located near the inside cabins which could create noise around the clock. Proximity of any type of cabin to the passenger stairwells and elevators can also be noisy.
Not all ocean view cabins are the same. There are some that have portholes, some that have picture windows and some that have obstructed picture windows. The lifeboats typically obstruct the view. In some cases, it is still possible to see quite a bit from the window and in other cases the view is significantly impacted.
When choosing a balcony cabin, make sure you know what you are looking out over. Royal Caribbean has ships like the Allure and Oasis that have balconies overlooking Central Park and Boardwalk. If the cabin is on the lowest level, people constantly walking by affords little privacy. The same is true on Holland America’s lanai cabins on the promenade decks.
If motion sickness is a concern, choose a cabin in the middle of the ship on a lower level deck. The sway of the ship is felt less in that area. An interior room is closer to the centre of stability, but with a balcony cabin, a person suffering from motion sickness can keep an eye on the horizon which is supposed to help with the queasiness. The front of the ship is
the worst place to be for motion sickness and these cabins are usually the last ones to sell, so book well in advance if you have any concerns.
The cheapest cabin in any category – inside, ocean view or balcony – is a guarantee cabin. You are guaranteed a cabin in that category but it is up to the cruise line to assign your cabin. People who book this category often are looking to get an upgrade. While this happens occasionally, there is no guarantee where in the ship the cabin will be. You can’t complain if you end
up beneath the disco or above the anchor.
