Best Cabin Positions on a Cruise Ship

It may not sound like the most important decision for you to make when booking a cruise, or even be something you really consider at all when it comes to taking advantage of the latest cruise deals, but choosing the right cruise ship room in the right location for you is important; in some cases, this can really make or break your holiday and how much you enjoy the overall experience.

Sure, you might want to spend most your time enjoying everything else your cruise ship has to offer – be that the busy bars, the sumptuous swimming pools, or the enthralling entertainment venues – but, staying in an uncomfortable cabin and getting a bad night’s sleep (or several of these in a row) can put a dampener on everything else throughout the day.

So, that’s why it’s so important to make sure you’re booking yourself into a stateroom in one of the best cabin positions on a cruise ship for your preferences and needs. If you’re new to cruising, this might sound a little more complicated than it needs to be, but it’s far from impossible. You just need to keep in mind that the best cabin for one person isn’t always going to be the best cabin for someone else; while the reviews of seasoned cruisers can help, you can’t solely rely on reviews and recommendations here.

And, if you’re already looking into the best sea sickness remedies, this decision is going to be doubly important. You’ll be pleased to know that you probably won’t be swelling and swaying from sunrise to sunset, as cruise ships keep quite steady thanks to built in stabilisers, but there are better locations and cabin positions onboard if you’re someone who suffers from sea sickness – however severe or mild that might be.

Don’t worry if you’re not sure which position to pick, though; we’re here to give you a helping hand. Keep reading for a run through of all the things you may want to consider when it comes to the most common cabin locations and types onboard cruise ships – be that on an all-inclusive getaway, an opulent luxury cruise, or a mini cruise somewhere sunny!

Contents:

1. Where’s best to be located on a cruise ship?
2. Forward vs. Aft (or Front vs. Back)
3. High Deck vs. Low Deck
4. Interior vs. Exterior (Inside vs. Outside)
5. Mid-ship
6. Port vs. Starboard (Left vs. Right)

Where’s best to be located on a cruise ship?

When it comes to working out where’s best to be located on a cruise ship, there really is no right or wrong answer – whether you’re embarking on a short break on one of the biggest cruise ships in the world, or on one of the opulent smaller ultra-luxury world cruises available. It all comes down to personal preference, any needs you want to have met, and your budget. For some, a cosy interior cabin on a lower deck is the best option for them, but you’re not going to enjoy staying in a stateroom like this if you want lots of natural light inside and to feel the fresh air on your face first thing every morning.

It might be a little frustrating to find that there’s no simple and easy answer to this question, but that does also mean that there’s no one ‘bad’ cabin type out there. Even the most affordable options have their positives! Below, we’ve taken a look at some of the key differences between the most common cabin locations and types on cruise ships and highlighted a few reasons why you may want to choose one over the other – or vice versa, of course.

Forward vs. Aft (or Front vs. Back)

If you’re wondering whether it’s better to book yourself into a cabin or suite in a forward (front) area or the aft (back) area of a cruise ship, it really does depend on personal preference – the staterooms available in these locations are more similar than you might think, too.

While this does vary from ship to ship, like everything, you’re more likely to find larger suites with more outside space at both the front and back of the cruise ship you’re sailing on. So, if you’re hoping to enjoy one of the more budget-friendly cruises available at the moment, you may want to consider booking into a cabin or suite more towards the middle of the ship.

As an example, the top Sun Princess suites can be found in both forward and aft areas – and these are the ones that will set you back a little more. So, while these mid-ship staterooms may be a little smaller, they'll be much more affordable and oftentimes still come with all the amenities you need to have a fantastic getaway – be that a Caribbean cruise, a trip to the Mediterranean, or otherwise.

Staying in a stateroom at either end of your cruise ship should also mean that there will be less foot traffic near your accommodation. This is fantastic if you’re a light sleeper, as it means there will be fewer disturbances from other guests, but you should also consider this alongside the fact that you may be further away from the more centrally-located stairwells and elevators. So, you might have to walk a little further to get to where you want to go onboard.

It’s also worth keeping in mind that, with forward staterooms often closer to the ship’s anchors and aft staterooms closer to the ship’s engines, there may be times where you will need to deal with more mechanical noise (and potentially vibrations) in cabins at either end of the ship. Although, this isn’t really something that you should need to worry about much on the upper decks and the views from both the front and the back of the ship speak from themselves. They really are among the best available onboard.

Common cabin types in these positions are:

• Multi-room cabins and suites
• Multi-storey duplex suites
• Staterooms with extended balconies and more outdoor space
• Specialist suites (ie. Royal Caribbean’s AquaTheater Suites)

High Deck vs. Low Deck

Aside from the sea views, which may be a little better from a stateroom sitting on a higher deck, there are a few things to think about when choosing between a cabin or stateroom on a higher deck and one on a lower deck.

Cabins on higher decks can often be closer to some of the exciting onboard facilities, with things like swimming pools and entertainment venues often located on a cruise ship’s upper decks. However, the closer you are to these venues, the more likely you are to be disturbed by the noise they might make – particularly onboard theatres and live music venues. So, light sleepers, anyone who likes to get an early night, and family groups with young children may want to consider putting some more distance between these venues and their staterooms.

In any case, when it comes to the specific location of your stateroom in comparison to onboard venues, this varies from ship to ship. For example, you’ll find quite a few of the top Celebrity Cruises suites are located on each ship’s higher decks. But, it’s always worth checking out the relevant deck-plans when making a decision like this, and considering your budget. You’ll also find that, generally speaking, the more affordable cabins are on the lower decks – with the larger, multi-room suites sitting on the upper decks of each cruise ship.

It’s also worth noting that cabins and suites on higher decks are more prone to movement than those on the lower decks – something that may be a deciding factor if you’re particularly prone to sea sickness. Looking at the horizon can be a fantastic way to combat this, though – and you’ll find yourself with a better view of the horizon the higher up you are – but, on balance, staterooms are more stable the lower down they are.

Common cabin types in upper deck positions are:

• Multi-room cabins and suites
• Staterooms with extended balconies and more outdoor space
• Standard Ocean View cabins with a window or porthole
• Specialist suites (ie. Royal Caribbean’s AquaTheater Suite)

Common cabin types in lower deck positions are:

• Standard balcony cabins
• Obstructed ocean view cabins with a window or porthole
• Standard interior cabins

Interior vs. Exterior (Inside vs. Outside)

As you might imagine, you can find both interior and exterior cabins and suites in almost every position onboard a cruise ship; so, this may actually be one of the last factors you consider if you’re prone to sea sickness or more interested in avoiding the busier areas of a ship. However, it’s still an important decision to make for a number of reasons – chief among them is the fact that an inside stateroom is almost always a more affordable option than one on the outside of the ship.

In most cases, interior cabins are a more affordable option because they don’t have a window, a porthole, or a balcony. Sometimes, they can be a little smaller in size too – which, again, makes them more affordable – but this isn’t always the case. Some cruise lines offer spacious interior cabins and suites with all the additional amenities of an exterior suite with a private balcony; it varies from cruise line to cruise line. So, while you’re sacrificing sea views by staying in an interior cabin, you’ll still find yourself with a comfortable stateroom perfect for relaxing in after a long day.

Cabins on the inside, however, may be a little noisier than cabins on the outside – mainly because they’re going to be fully surrounded by other cabins and onboard venues, rather than having one wall facing the open air. So, if you’re a light sleeper, someone who likes to go to bed early, or a family group with young children, you may want to consider spending a little more for an exterior cabin.

It’s also worth considering your cabin’s proximity to the elevators and stairwells onboard. An interior cabin will be inherently closer to these areas of the ship, which get a lot of foot traffic throughout the day. So, you may not need to walk as far to get where you’re going, but you may have to deal with a little more noise.

Common cabin types in Interior positions positions include:

• Standard interior cabin
• Standard interior cabins specially suited to solo travellers
• Interior cabins and suites with a connecting door

Common cabin types in Exterior positions positions include:

• Standard ocean view cabins with a window or porthole
• Obstructed ocean view cabins with a window or porthole
• Standard balcony cabins
• Single room and multi-room suites

Mid-ship

Like any type of cabin location on a cruise ship, staterooms sitting mid-ship have their benefits – and, of course, a few things you should keep in mind when you’re booking your holiday.

If you’re particularly prone to sea sickness, for example, a cabin or suite in the middle of the ship is going to be your best option. This is because these staterooms are closer to the ship’s pivot point, meaning they move a lot less when the ship swells and sways with the waves. It’s like a far less dramatic version of a children’s seesaw; someone sitting in the middle of the plank isn’t going to move nearly as much as someone on the end when you push upwards on the other. This same logic, however basic, fundamentally applies to cruise ships too. Though, you will be pleased to know that modern cruise ships are quite stable wherever you are onboard.

It’s also worth keeping in mind that the balconies that come with mid-ship cabins can be slightly smaller than the outdoor areas available in cabins and suites at either end of the ship. While this does make mid-ship cabins a more affordable option, and you’ll still have more than enough room to kick-back and enjoy the sunshine in private, you may want to consider a forward or aft stateroom if you value this feature above all else.

While deck-plans vary from ship to ship and are always worth checking out when making this sort of decision, cabins in a mid-ship position are usually closer to stairwells, elevators, and the dining rooms. So, while you may have to walk a little further to get to the entertainment venues, you will be closer to other areas onboard.

Common cabin types in these positions include:

• Standard ocean view cabins with a porthole or window
• Obstructed ocean view cabins with a window or porthole
• Standard balcony cabins
• Cabins and suites with a connecting door

Port vs. Starboard (Left vs. Right)

While the cabins and suites on either side of the ship are going to be largely identical, and suffer from all the same pros and cons of the cabin positions outlined above, this decision can also be quite important – particularly if you’re looking forward to doing some sightseeing from the comfort of your cabin or suite. It’s also something worth thinking about when booking onto a cruise if you prefer sunrises to sunsets, or vice versa. For example, you’ll find some of the top Ambassador Cruise Line suites on both sides of Ambassador ships, but it entirely depends on which way you’re sailing as to whether one is really that much better than the other.

owever, where a lot of the specifics regarding different cabin positions vary from ship to ship, this is actually something that varies from itinerary to itinerary. It might be a little tricky to work out which side of the ship is going to have the better views while you’re cruising, but you should be able to get a rough idea using a map to visualise your cruise ship’s route during your chosen itinerary.

Although, like everything else when it comes to choosing the best cabin positions for your cruise, this is down to personal preference. Some people prefer the serenity of sea views over coastlines when cruising. Not to mention the fact that on options like transatlantic cruises, you’ll find yourself sailing through open seas without scenery either side of the ship for days at a time anyway.

And, of course, there’s also nothing to say you can’t just head to one of the upper decks to enjoy all the views of the surrounding scenery from one of the cruise ship’s public spaces. Even if your accommodation is on the ‘wrong’ side of the ship, you’ll still have a chance to see all the wonderful views on offer during your getaway.

Common cabin types in these positions include:

• Standard ocean view cabins with a porthole or window
• Obstructed ocean view cabins with a window or porthole
• Standard balcony cabins
• Cabins and suites with a connecting door

Book a Cruise and a Comfortable Cabin with Iglu Cruise Today

If all of this has you itching to go on holiday, you can check out all the latest cruise deals right here; with so many sailings on offer, you'll be certain to find something to suit your preferences, needs, and budget. This guide to the top MSC Cruises' suites is a great place to start if you want to look into staterooms and suites some more, too!

Or, if you want to learn a little more about cruising and what's on offer when it comes to a cruise getaway while you weigh up your options, check out a few interesting blog posts from the Iglu Cruise team down below:

• Top Historical Destinations to See on a Cruise
• 10 Common Cruise Myths Debunked
• A Guide to Packing for Different Climates
• Top 5 Cruise Line Spas