Tips for Choosing the Best Cruise Ship Room
Have you ever started planning your cruise and clicked to choose your cruise ship room and instantly became overwhelmed? Whether you are a first-time cruiser of even if you have a few cruises under your belt room choice can be a huge hurdle to overcome. The average cruise line has anywhere between 20-30 room categories available. Yikes, talk about overwhelm.
There are so many types, levels and even perks to cruise ship rooms it can be difficult to understand which room is best for you. No worries travel addict I am here to help. We will explore the types of room categories, and how to choose the best one for your next cruise.
By Kavonda L. Rogers
4 Basic Cabin Types
All cruise ship rooms include a private bathroom and basics such as televisions, phones, closets and lamps. After that things begin to change depending on cruise line and room category.
Interior Room
This is the lowest category and is simplistic and doesn’t have any windows.
Ocean View Room
The next category up is ocean view and this room has a bit more space than an interior. It will also have a window or a port hole depending on the cruise line.
Balcony Room
The balcony is usually a bit larger than the ocean view and has an actual balcony you can sit on and enjoy the view.
Suite Room
Suites are the largest rooms available. They are also the most varied. They can include private bedrooms, two bathrooms, butler service, and upstairs lofts. The options at suite level are endless.
Other Factors to Consider
- How do you view your room? Is it just a place to rest, sleep and change clothes? If so an interior or ocean view may work for you.
- On the other hand, if your room is the center of your cruise experience and you see it as your private sanctuary then you may want a balcony or a suite.
- Maybe you have a fear of heights but still want to see the scenery? Then an Oceanview may be the perfect fit for you.
- Also, think about cruise length. If you are going on a short cruise you may want to chose a lower priced room because you really may not fully enjoy a balcony.
Where are you travelling to?
This becomes a huge factor when going on scenic cruises such as Alaska, Hawaii or Mediterranean cruises. These cruises are all about the view and a balcony will cost more but be worth it because of the view.
Location, Location, Location
There are things to think about before clicking that number for your room choice. I call these location factors.
- Are you concerned about noise? Then you will want to avoid floors above or below the theaters, restaurants and pool. The best choice may be a room at the end of the hallway.
- Worried about motion sickness? Then choose a cruise ship room on a low deck (3 or below) and is in the middle of the ship. You won’t feel the boat’s movement as much at this level.
- Do you have mobility issues? You definitely want to choose a room close to the elevators. Remember to book early because those rooms go fast.
Learn Your Views
Lastly, in order to choose the best cruise ship room, you need to know about views. There are two types of basic views when it comes to cruise ships.
Obstructed view- This means the window or balcony’s view is blocked by something. In most cases it will be a wall, a life boat or part of another room.
Deck views- This means that instead of the view being of an area outside of the ship you will see an area inside the ship. These views are usually of the pool deck, the atrium or other areas in the center of the ship.
I hope you are completely prepared for choosing your best cruise ship room. Share with me in the comments when is your next cruise vacation.
