It’s no secret that as budget cruisers we have so far chosen to sail an interior cabin, but that doesn’t mean it is the best cabin for you. And there is more to choosing a cabin than just choosing between an inside cabin or a balcony.
When it comes to choosing the best cabin for you, the first decision to make is the type. Are you going to save a buck and stay in an interior cabin or do you want to spend some extra dough and have that glorious balcony escape?
Solo cruisers are probably going to stick with one of three types of cabins: solo cabins, interiors or balconies. While I am sure there are some solo cruisers out there springing for a suite, I can’t image there are many doing so. Unfortunately, not many lines have cabins specifically designed for solo cruisers, so most of the time solo cruisers are going to have to pay double occupancy for their cabin with little to any discount. It just doesn’t make sense for cruise lines to give up the extra money they would make charging for that second person in a cabin. So, unfortunately solo cruisers suffer the cost. Literally.
A family of four or five may want to choose to split up in two cabins or go for a suite. There are pros and cons to both. If you are looking at connecting balconies, maybe you look to upgrade to a suite instead. If you have teens and older children, then getting two rooms might be the best choice, but if you have small kids then one balcony room will probably fit the bill. There are just so many options. The best way to make that choice is to go through all the options available to you. Look at the costs per person for 2 adults and 2 children in one room verses two. Many cruise line’s websites make it easy to play around with the options so you can figure out what works best for your family and your budget.
Many cruise lines now have the ship-within-a-ship areas. When you book a cabin within these areas you are given access to private areas such as dining rooms, pools, lounges and more. These are going to provide you with a more exclusive experience, but at a premium cost.
Another thing to take into consideration is itinerary. You may want to choose a cabin with a balcony if you are cruising an itinerary that is known for the views. Something like an Alaskan or Norwegian cruise may warrant that extra cost. However, some people may choose to stick with an inside cabin when sailing so far into the northern hemisphere during summer months due to all the hours of daylight. I know I love how easy it is to sleep in the total darkness of an inside cabin.
Location! Location! Location!
After you figure out what type of cabin you want, then it is all about Location, location, location! You always have the option of saving some money and letting the cruise line choose the location for you. It is a gamble. You may be pleasantly surprised, or you may end up under the gym because no chose that room. Trust me, you do not want that! Being woken up at 6am with weights crashing down above your head is not pleasant. There are definitely locations that are deemed more desirable, and you can usually tell what those are based on how much the line charges for them. Usually, the higher up on the ship, the more that location is going to cost you. However, that doesn’t mean that being on the lido deck is the best option for YOU!
So why are some areas more desirable and why might you choose one over another? I always look at the deck plans of a ship prior to choosing a cabin location. Even if you have never cruised before, you probably have some idea of what you think you might like to spend your time doing while on your cruise. We like to make sure to choose a room that keeps us close to where we think we will spend the most time aboard ship. Since ship layouts aren’t all the same, checking out deck plans is a vital part of my process. Do you think you’ll spend most of your time on an open air deck enjoying the sunshine and views? If so, then you may want to stay near the lido. What if you split your time evenly between the lower decks and the upper decks, then maybe you want a cabin somewhere in between. If you think most of your time is going to be spent at the back of the ship, then a cabin towards the aft would make more sense than one upfront.
Choosing a location may not depend on where you spend your day, but if you get the dreaded sea sickness. That isn’t something we have had any issues with, thankfully. We were even on a cruise that went through storms that took out half the crew. It was really stormy one night and we woke up to what seemed like an empty ship due to so many people being sick. Crew and cruisers alike. We had some slight nausea, but not enough to keep us from our normal sea day routine. However, If you are worried about sea sickness then choosing a cabin midship on a lower deck might be the best option for you as it is less likely you will feel the rocking of the ship in that area. You definitely aren’t going to want to be up top in the front or aft like we usually are.
The other thing I always do, and recommend you do as well, is make sure you choose a cabin surrounded by other cabins! You want to make sure there is a cabin above, below and on either side of you. This will help make sure that you aren’t above or below a noisy spot on the ship. Check out deck maps and stay away from large blank spots, which are going to be crew areas. It may be nothing, but it could also be an area that gets quite noisy during specific times of the day. I also like to make sure not too close to elevators. The lobby area around the elevators can get quite noisy. If you don’t have to worry about mobility or sea sickness, sometimes choosing a cabin at the end of the hall will mean less noise when it comes to people walking by your room late at night. If you are on a cruise with a lot of kids, they can be terrible about running and yelling through the halls. The other offenders will be people who have had a little too much to drink not realizing they are talking way too loudly as they stumble their way back to their cabin at 2 in the morning.
No matter your needs, I highly recommend looking at the deck plans for your ship. While the cruise lines do provide deck maps, I actually prefer the ones on CruiseDeckPlans.com. Not only do they have the information provided by the lines, but they also allow people to add photos and videos, so you can see for yourself what both public spaces and sometimes even specific cabins have to offer.
What is your favorite cabin type and location?
Cruising From The Ozarks 