Thinking about booking a cruise, but not sure how to choose a cabin/stateroom? Ask yourself these 20 questions to ensure you select the perfect cabin category and location to meet your individual needs.
If you’re new to my blog, you should know that my first cruise as an adult was on my honeymoon and that I spent most of it in bed not doing what one is supposed to be doing in bed on their honeymoon. Instead of arguing over which channel we should watch, FOX or MSNBC, to catch up on the news we missed during our week of wedding festivities (maybe we should have discussed our political leanings a little sooner?) or ordering lunch and dinner from the room service menu (because why should dining in bed be limited to breakfast?) or jumping on the bed while singing the 12 Little Monkeys song (be sure to purchase travel insurance for possible head bumps), we were comparing our respective shades of green between trips to the bathroom to ralph. (I don’t know what you thought I was alluding to – this blog is rated PG.)
Mr. Cruise and I both got horribly seasick on that first cruise together and then made the rookie mistake of taking regular Dramamine which knocked us out cold for days.
So what does all that have to do with choosing a cruise cabin? If you’re prone to seasickness (or if this is your first cruise, but you’re prone to motion sickness in general), you’ll want to consider booking a cabin on a lower deck more toward the middle of the ship.
Generally, the higher you are on the ship, the more movement you’ll feel. The same is true for the front and back of the ship, with the front of the ship experiencing the most movement. Think of a seesaw, the closer you are to the ends, the higher up and down you go.
Regardless of where you decide to book your cabin, be sure to pack something to prevent seasickness. I always take these ginger capsules:
They’re natural (so they won’t make you feel weird and you can still drink alcohol), non-drowsy, and they always work great for me.
Humor me a follow-up question: Would you prefer to hear five hours of thumping bass sounds from within a dance club or from within your cruise cabin?
If you didn’t respond with horror to either of those options, you probably don’t need to worry about booking a cabin right below the club. However, if you like to retire to your sleeping quarters by 8:30pm and last visited a dance club in 1980 during broad daylight to conduct a financial audit, you might want to study your ship’s deck plans to make sure your cabin isn’t located in a potentially noisy location, like below a club, restaurant, or pool deck.
Your best bet if you like quiet is to book a cabin with other cabins directly above and below yours. Simply Google the name of your ship and “deck plans” and look at what’s located above and below any cabin numbers you’re considering.
While I normally book “guarantee” cabins (meaning I save money by booking a general cabin category, but let the cruise line select my specific cabin – I’ll talk more about this later), on my next cruise it happened to be just as cheap to choose my specific cabin. So where did I choose? On the Lido deck! Why? Because it was closest to the buffet! I was so excited about this location that when Princess upgraded me to a better cabin for free, I actually called and requested they move me back to my original cabin: “I appreciate the upgrade, but that’s too far to walk for my post-binge naps.”
It can be helpful to think about where you’re likely to spend the most time on your ship and book a cabin near that location. If you plan to hang out at the pool all day, book near the Lido deck. If you plan to eat ice cream all day, book near the soft serve machines. Or if you purchased a drink package and plan to get your money’s worth, book near the medical unit (haha, just kidding).
If you or anyone in your traveling party has limited mobility or uses a wheelchair, scooter, or stroller, consider booking a cabin close to elevators to limit walking or to avoid having to navigate extremely narrow hallways.
When my son was an infant, I once got his jogger stroller stuck between the wall and a service cart in a stateroom hallway and had to be rescued by security with a crowbar and a stick of butter. They reassured us by saying: “No worries, this happens all the time.” Then they suggested we hit the buffet for some rolls to clean ourselves up.
You should also know that there are handicapped accessible cabins available for those who need them. But be sure not to book yourself in one unless you actually require it. Cruise lines may move you to a different (sometimes far less desirable) cabin if another passenger needs the accessible one.
While some people could never sail in an inside cruise cabin, I love them. First because I’m cheap, but second because I never sleep better than in an inside cabin on a cruise! Between the gentle motion of the ship and the darkness, it’s like being back in the womb. Only it’s dry. If you ever find yourself in swaying, dark, WET conditions on a cruise, you’re in trouble: “Man overboard!”
If you need it dark to sleep or like to sleep in late, consider an inside cabin with no light coming in from the outside.
Cruising on tight budget? Or just a tightwad like me? Inside cabins will be cheaper and inside guarantee cabins will be the cheapest (where the cruise line selects your specific inside cabin).
If you can’t afford a balcony cabin, but want to see outside or need natural light, an oceanview cabin is a great option. Certain ships also have “porthole” cabins that are priced like inside cabins but have two small porthole windows:
I have one of these staterooms booked on an upcoming cruise on the Carnival Panorama.
Those cruising on Royal Caribbean should also consider a “promenade” stateroom. These cabins have a large window or balcony that looks out over the Royal Promenade, a sweeping boulevard of shops, restaurants and bars.
They’re typically priced higher than an inside cabin, but lower than an ocean facing window or balcony.
If you had $50 a month in your budget to eat out, would you order lunch every day from the value menu at Taco Bell or eat out once at a nice steakhouse?
It’s a total coincidence that I’m munching on a spicy potato soft taco and some cinnamon twists right now. No, it’s not. I’m definitely a quantity over quality person when it comes to food. And cruising. I’d rather cruise more often in a less expensive cabin than less often in a pricier option.
Balcony cabins are often more than double the price of inside cabins. I’d rather cruise twice in an inside cabin than once in a balcony. You may feel the same or you may prefer to cruise less often in a nicer cabin. Or you might be independently wealthy, in which case, wanna be besties?
When it comes to cabin selection, solo cruisers have some unique considerations. Some lines have cabins designed specifically for solos that include perks such as a designated solo lounge or a host who organizes events and meals for solo cruisers. However, those cabins can be quite pricey. And on most ships solo cruisers will have to book a regular cabin designed and priced for two or more guests and pay a solo supplement of up to 100%.
For detailed cabin options for solo cruisers and tips and secrets on getting the best price on a solo cabin, see my Guide to Cruising Solo.
Are you traveling with a larger group who will need more than one stateroom? Consider booking adjoining cabins. There will be a door between cabins that can be opened. This is a great option for families traveling with more than two kids or families traveling with grandparents.
Better yet, book the kids in a cheap cabin on deck 1 with their grandparents and get yourself a suite on deck 14: “If we don’t see you guys before debarkation, be good and have fun!”
If cruise food makes your husband smellier than a geyser basin full of rotten eggs on a scorching day, you need access to fresh air! Book a cabin with a balcony! If you’re also on a tight budget, consider an obstructed view balcony cabin, meaning the view from your balcony will be obstructed by a wall, a lifeboat, or other obstruction. While you won’t see much, at least you can air out your putrid, I mean better, half when necessary. I also strongly recommend you pack some Poo-Pourri:
Some people who experience seasickness also do better with access to fresh air, so that’s another consideration.
While I generally love inside cabins and how dark and cozy they are, once I woke up in one and legit thought I’d been buried alive. That’s how dark and tight it was. After calming myself down with deep breaths and a reality check, “you’re not nearly important or interesting enough to have suffered such a fate,” and swearing off mobster movies, I decided to cure myself of my claustrophobia by using exposure therapy. So I flipped on the lights and booked myself on a back-to-back-to-back in the same cabin.
Keep in mind that inside cabins are smaller than a kitchen pantry in a mid-sized suburban home. If you aren’t comfortable in tight, closed-in spaces, book a larger cabin category with a window or balcony.
If you can afford to do so, consider splurging for a special occasion. Try an aft or extended balcony cabin or even a spa cabin, suite, or exclusive area of the ship like The Haven on NCL! We’ve booked our first ever suite for this coming December to celebrate Christmas, New Years, and our son’s 10th birthday. I’m a big believer in gifting experiences!
If you’re looking for an excuse to book a fancy cabin, visit this site where you can find an extensive list of “national days.”
For example, National Kitchen Klutzes of America Day (celebrated on June 13th) seems like the perfect excuse to book a cabin with a butler!
Keep in mind that on port heavy itineraries you’ll likely spend far less time in your cabin. Consider a basic, less expensive cabin since your ports are the real draw. Spending less on your cruise fare means you’ll have more to spend on excursions and souvenirs. However, if you have lots of sea days or cruise mainly for the ship, not the ports, a larger more comfortable cabin with extra amenities may make sense.
While my hard-hitting thought pieces on cruising may lead you to believe I’m a type A, go-getter (I’ll wait for you to stop laughing), if I were honest on my LinkedIn profile it would read, “mostly just sits around gazing out at the ocean while listening to audiobooks because turning pages is hard.”
My cruising style, along with my lifestyle, is relaxed. There are days on a cruise when I don’t even look at the schedule of activities. Others though, have a more active cruising style and get REALLY mad when 90’s trivia overlaps with the hairy chest contest: “You’re just trying to keep me from winning everything!”
If you like non-stop activities on your cruise, you probably won’t be doing much in your cabin except sleeping and showering. Consider booking something basic and inexpensive.
You can think about this in two ways. First, if you’re on a very long cruise, you may want a more comfortable cabin with a bit more storage. However, sometimes very short cruises are a great time to try out a fancy cabin without spending your kid’s college fund.
Did you know that there are cruises between 1-3 days? They don’t typically show up on regular cruise booking sites. You can learn more about these super short cruises and how to book them by reading my Guide to 1-3 Day Cruises and Cruises to Nowhere.
First off, what are you thinking? Don’t they have grandparents or aunties who missed them sooooo much during the pandemic? Haha, just kidding (sort of) – I’ve cruised regularly with my kid since he was 6 months old (although I usually schedule a solo cruise for shortly after to recover my sanity).
Having infants, toddlers, and children with you totally changes how you need to think about booking a cruise cabin. Think about the scenario that would make your infant, toddler, or child the most comfortable. For infants and toddlers, pay particular attention to how they will best sleep (because, trust me, if your kid sleeps, you’ll all have a better cruise!). If you have a child who still naps, consider an inside cabin if they need total darkness. If they can nap with some light coming in, a balcony cabin is great because you can go out there and drink, I mean read, while they nap.
Certain cabin categories on some ships (look at the balcony cabins on Holland America and mini-suites and family cabins on other lines) have bathtubs which can be helpful for infants and toddlers.
If you have older children or teens, you’ll likely want more space. Price out getting two adjoining cabins vs a larger suite. Or you could also book one balcony cabin and one inside cabin across the hall from each other (to book, you’ll have put an adult in each cabin, but you can have the kids/teens sleep in the inside cabin once onboard if they’re ok on their own).
For more information about cruising with young kids see:
Pro Tips for Cruising with an Infant or Toddler
What to Pack and Not Pack when Cruising with an Infant or Toddler
If you’re thinking about a cruise to Alaska, you’ll probably hear others tell you, “you MUST have a balcony cabin for Alaska.” While I don’t necessarily agree (I’ve cruised to Alaska over a dozen times in nearly every cabin type and have always had an incredible experience), I understand the argument, especially if it’s your one shot at Alaska. So why is Alaska different from other destinations like the Bahamas or the Caribbean? Scenic cruising days! While “sea days” on a typical cruise involve the necessary travel from one port to another and consist of a full day at…sea, a “scenic cruising day” is a destination and experience unto itself.
In Alaska, scenic cruising days involve sailing through fjords and past glaciers and, for those lucky enough, a day spent cruising through Glacier Bay National Park (go HERE to read about why my favorite Alaska itineraries include Glacier Bay).
With a balcony cabin, you’ll have a location to spend these most magical of cruise days sipping room service coffee in your robe and slippers with no one to see you except for (cross your fingers) breaching humpback whales.
Other popular itineraries that may include scenic cruising days are:
As much as I love cruising, at times cruise ships can feel like something akin to Sample Saturday at Costco – packed elevators, lines to be seated in the dining rooms, long waits for a tender boat, and a crowded Lido deck full of hogs, both the chair and buffet type. However, cruise lines have realized that passengers are willing to pay a premium to avoid some of the downsides of cruising and for a stepped up level of service. If you have it in the budget and would enjoy a more serene experience, booking a suite or in an exclusive area of the ship (like the Haven on NCL, or the Yacht Club on MSC) are good options to explore. Depending on your line and specific cabin category, you may have priority embarkation, debarkation, and tendering, a separate dining and pool area, a special reserved section of the theater, priority reservations, special access to the spa, or even a butler. Some suites even include a private hot tub (#agirlcandream).
If anyone wants to book me in one of those hot tub suites so I can test it out for you and make sure it’s up to your standards, I’m here to help. Just sayin.
Book the wrong cabin and you might find yourself saying to your husband, “that’s it, you’re sleeping on the sofa tonight!,” only to realize that your inside cabin doesn’t have a sofa! If you’re sharing a cabin with someone you either don’t know well or know far too well, a tiny inside cabin could land one or both of you in the brig. Maybe opt for a larger option with more room to spread out.
If so, and if you gamble in cruise ship casinos, you’ll probably start getting offers for free or deeply discounted cruise cabins. But that’s not the real purpose of this section (and it’s not something I recommend doing unless you gamble anyway for entertainment – almost no one who gambles regularly on cruise ships comes out financially ahead, that’s why cruise lines offer them free cabins).
No, the purpose of this section is to further discuss booking guarantee cabins (sometimes called “sail away” cabins), which can offer significant cost savings and may even score you a great cabin upgrade. However, they’re a gamble because you never know what you’ll end up with. Booking a guarantee cabin means that you’re guaranteed to receive a cabin in the category you selected (inside, oceanview, balcony, or suite) or higher. If you book an inside guarantee, you could literally end up in just about any cabin on the ship from the worst inside cabin located directly below the club to a premium balcony. Although you shouldn’t get your hopes up for a significant upgrade, it’s possible and has happened to me multiple times. To read my comprehensive guide to guarantee cabins, go here:
Guide to Booking Guarantee Cabins
Would you rather sleep in a utility closet located below sea level on a cruise ship than spend another day adulting on dry land? Me too! And with that attitude, you’ll be sure to have a amazing cruise regardless of which cabin you choose!
And with that…
Class Dismissed.
Homework (10 points): Read “How to get the Best Deal on a Cruise” and “20 Pro Tips to Save Money on a Cruise Ship.”
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