Cruise Ship Cabins: Are you thinking about taking a cruise and want to know which accommodations are the finest and worst? When I went on my first cruise, I had the same dilemma, and choosing the ideal stateroom seemed like a really difficult task. I’ve been on six cruises now, so I know more about the kinds of cabins and areas to stay away from (and I’ve learned from my mistakes!).
I’ll tell you which cruise ship rooms to avoid so you don’t wake up to the sound of an anchor or fall asleep to the tunes of a nightclub.
Cabins With an Obscure View
Cabins with obscured views are those on some cruise ships where a piece of equipment, a lifeboat, or even a portion of another deck blocks the view.
Cabins with partial ocean views are more expensive than those with obstructed views, however, the quality varies from room to room.
A full lifeboat may hinder the view in certain staterooms, while only a partial blockage exists in others. If your ship’s route includes a tender port, the obstruction may not only obscure your view but also cause you to wake up to the sound of the tender lifeboat plunging into the water.
Investigate your cabin before making a reservation.
Staterooms with obscured views are typically identified on the deck plan of a cruise ship. To gain an estimate of the scale of the obstacle, you may also go to cruise forums and read reviews left by past travelers.
In the vicinity of the elevators
On cruise ships, the vicinity of the elevators can be extremely noisy. You will hear visitors conversing while they wait for the elevator, a steady stream of people moving throughout the ship, a lot of foot traffic, and the lift’s chime.
There are certain spacecraft where the elevator doors open with a “ding.”
Although the staterooms on cruise ships aren’t completely soundproof, each ship has different elevator noise levels.
Some ships feature a winding hallway or elevators located away from the cabin areas in order to reduce noise. There might not be a barrier between the staterooms and the lifts on other cruise ships.
Too Far Away from the Lifts
You should try to avoid booking a cabin that is far from the elevators unless you don’t mind walking.
Some cruise ships are larger than 1,100 feet in length. It could be a lengthy walk from your cabin to the ship’s public spaces if it is located on either end.
It could be a good idea to reserve a cabin near the elevators if you have trouble walking.
Private-non-private cabins
You might think you’ll get ocean views when you reserve an ocean view or balcony accommodation, but that’s not always the case.
Several cabin categories on more recent cruise ships feature views of the public areas of the ship.
The promenade of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class cruise ships features balcony staterooms. Put differently, your balcony looks straight into the interior of the cruise ship. Breakfast on your balcony will still be possible, but you’ll have to deal with some noise and less privacy than you had hoped for.
If you reserve a cruise cabin with a view of the promenade deck, other travelers will be passing by, shopping, and perhaps even peeping inside your cabin—people are inquisitive!
It’s frequently feasible for other guests to look into your stateroom, even with the drapes closed.
Cabins with minimal privacy are something you should steer clear of.
Connecting Cabins
These allow you to wander freely between the adjacent cabins, making them ideal for trips with family or friends. They aren’t as wonderful, though, if you don’t know who your next-door neighbor is.
Noise levels can be problematic, to the extent that you can hear conversations taking place in the cabin next to yours, not to mention the constant blasting of the television.
The deck plans of cabins can quickly identify those with connecting doors.
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Cabins Above and Below Late-Night Venues and Entertainment Areas
It’s no secret that cruise ships are popular places for parties. It can seem wise to reserve a stateroom close to the ship’s loud areas, such as the atrium, restaurant, theater, and nightlife.
I all, who wouldn’t want to be near the party?
Even while cruise ship cabins are often soundproof, music will likely continue to play well into the night. You should steer clear of these cabins if you have trouble falling asleep.
It might not be an issue for you if you are a night owl and intend to be out all night. However, you should be aware that rehearsals frequently happen during the day at locations. They can also be as boisterous as the real show.
You may not be able to get a quiet midday nap, even if you plan to stay in the room until the party is over.
It’s best for those who want to nap in the middle of the day or go to bed early to stay away from cabins near bars and other late-night establishments.
Cabins Close to the Casino
Selecting a stateroom above or below the cruise ship casino can result in noisy nights, much like selecting a cabin next to nightclubs and entertainment venues. Additionally, there is the smoke.
The only internal spaces aboard a cruise ship where smoking is allowed are the casinos.
Disney cruises don’t even have a casino onboard, and Oceania and Celebrity cruises have outright banned smoking in their casinos. Still, a lot of ships allow smoking in the casino.
Improved ventilation systems are used by many cruise ships in an attempt to reduce smoke, however they are not ideal. Cigarette smoke and ash can spread to neighboring cabins and other parts of the ship.
Before you reserve your stateroom, look up the casino and designated smoking areas on the deck plans of the ship if you’re allergic to smoke or would just rather not smell it.
Close to the Engines
It is possible to hear and feel engine vibrations in cabins close to the engine rooms on cruise ships.
Avoid the lowest decks in the aft of the cruise ship if you wish to avoid staterooms close to the engines.
Near the Bow
Cabins near the bow are among the worst aboard cruise ships. It’s where you’ll feel the most movement of the cruise ship as well as hear the sound of the waves breaking, particularly in choppy waters.
The ship’s front pitches much more in waves than the middle or back of the boat, which causes motion sickness.
On a cruise ship, it’s advisable to stay away from cabins close to the bow if you want to prevent motion sickness.
The cruise ship and route determine how severe the motion is. You might not feel any movement at all if you’re on a megaship like Carnival Mardis Gras or Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class ship.
Seas in places like the Caribbean are usually calm unless there is a tropical storm close by.
However, if you’re sailing across the Atlantic or the Pacific, be careful. Amid the ocean, you’ll experience a lot of motion.
Midship on the lower decks is the ideal place for a stateroom to prevent seasickness. Having a balcony or a cabin with an ocean view can help reduce seasickness symptoms.
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Close to the Cruise Ship Anchor
If your cabin is close to the ship’s anchor, proceed with caution. The ship’s anchor doesn’t serve as a kind reminder.
The sound of the ship dropping anchor in the early hours of the morning has startled me awake. It sounds like a freight train.
It is possible that the deck plan does not display the ship’s anchor. It is located on the lowest decks, close to the front of the ship.
The layout of more recent ships places the anchor sufficiently far from the closest cabin to not worry occupants.
When a cruise ship docks at a port, it does not raise its anchor. But, you should avoid going near the front lower decks if your cruise schedule includes “tender ports” out of caution.
Beneath the Swimming Deck
It would seem reasonable that the pool deck would be peaceful in the early morning and late at night.
However, you would be mistaken.
Parties, gatherings, dancing, and live music take place on the pool deck during the day, which generates a lot of noise. Sometimes parties go late into the night on pool decks, with the noise level loud enough for the decks below to hear. You may hear crew members moving the sun loungers about and getting everything ready for the day’s activities even in the early morning.
If you want to sleep well, stay away from any accommodations that are below the pool deck.
Close to the laundry area
Laundry rooms are sometimes seen on the passenger decks of ships.
Even though they are handy, the hum of a dryer or washing machine doesn’t contribute to a peaceful night’s sleep. Even when the washer and dryer are silent, this is typically a crowded part of the ship with lots of foot traffic.
Guarantee cabins
“Guarantee cabins” are discounted and available from many cruise lines. You will select a cabin type rather than a specific cabin, and the cruise line will choose your accommodation.
You might even be lucky enough to receive an upgrade for free.
Guaranteed cabins are a terrific way to save money, but you give up the freedom to choose the location.
The cruise line chooses a room that hasn’t been reserved when choosing yours. Put another way, you’ll be assigned to one of the cruise ship’s worst cabin locations.
You might be positioned next to raucous areas, the casino, the anchor, or a blocked view.
Guaranteed cabins may be worth the risk if you are traveling on a tight budget and don’t mind surrendering your preferred cabin type. However, if location is important to you, it is worth the extra cash to decide where your cabin will be.
Cabin Upgrades: Balcony-View Cruise Ship Cabin
It’s exciting to update your cabin. Who wouldn’t want to pay less to upgrade to a better cabin category?
However, you’ll give up the option to choose whatever room you choose.
Although it’s possible to get lucky and upgrade to a better cabin class or suite, you’ll frequently wind up in one of the ship’s worst stateroom locations.
