CHOOSING A CABIN OR STATEROOM

Finding the right cabin or stateroom on any ship should be both fun and challenging.  Before you book your cruise, and your stateroom cabin, ask yourself a couple questions. 

• What is my budget

• Do we get motion sickness on a ship

• How many days are we sailing

• Do I like dark or light rooms

• Do I want outside noise or very little noise

Well, the first question is usually very personal and only you know what a perfect budget is for your cruise package and vacation.  You will find that the inside lower cabins will usually be priced less that the other staterooms.

If you or your travel companion has a problem with motion sickness, you may want to find a mid-ship stateroom cabin that will be less susceptible to the movement of the ocean.

How long is the cruise holiday and how much time will we spend in our cabin?  Depending on the cruise vacation you choose, you may want an outside window cabin or upgrade to a balcony if the sailing is longer that a couple days.  This also depends on your budget.

If you think that your room is just a place to sleep, re-charge and get dressed for the ship activities, well you may consider an inside stateroom since the price will usually be less than the other cabins.  If you like dark sleeping areas, the inside rooms are for you, they are dark like a cave and encourage sleep, when sleep finally hits you.

Noise.  Look where the cabin is located with regard to the elevators, public rooms, what's above you on the next deck, being in the back or front where you will hear the anchors or engines working.  Try to get away from the ship noise and the people noise when selecting your stateroom.

Some cruise lines provide up to 20 or more "categories" per ship, just remember that in reality, there are 4 types of staterooms on any ship:

Inside: no window, in an inside corridor

Outside: window or porthole with a view to outside

Balcony: a verandah allows you to step outside without going up to a public deck

Suite: mini, junior, superior, deluxe, grand, owner's, penthouse, garden or villa

Most ships will also have a few handicap staterooms and they usually book quickly.

Stability: If you tend to get motion sickness, cabin location is very important.  The lower and more central you are in a ship, the less roll and sway you should feel. Even if you choose a balcony cabin, find and choose the lowest level and the most mid-ship cabin available.

Noise: Most cruise lines give their highest category level of cabins to the highest decks, usually just below the Lido Deck. Funny because the Lido Deck is usually the one deck that creates the most noise problems, so if you don't want to hear chairs being moved or the pool parties and late night deck activities, do not get the deck below the activity and pool deck. Find a cabin that is between two other decks of cabins.  No public activities should be above or below your cabin.  Other things to watch for; elevators, stairways, public rooms and areas where people congregate.  Also, be careful in the very front and very rear of any ship as crew and ship noises will be heard from anchors away in the early morning to the engines reviving up when coming into port. 

Usually the amount of money you spend will be a direct correlation of the view and quiet you receive in your stateroom on any ship.  Some cabins will go for less on the outside when they have obstructed views, usually meaning the lifeboats take up the whole window view.  Look into the interior-view cabins, like the atrium views that look out onto the interior promenades on Royal Caribbean's Voyager-class ships. These are typically sold at a price that falls somewhere between the insides and outsides.  Shop for the right stateroom.

Finding the best stateroom cabin and location for your cruise will be fun and exciting when the time comes.  Contact us today so that we may start the plan in motion for your next cruise vacation.