The Best Cabin Location on a Cruise Ship

Two identical cabins on the same ship can produce completely different holidays depending on where they sit. The grade decides what you get; the location decides whether you sleep. The lines charge the same for both, which means the information is worth more than the upgrade.

The rule that matters most: midship, middle decks

A ship pivots around its centre. The further you are from that point, the more movement you feel, and the effect is dramatic rather than subtle. A cabin at the bow on a high deck can be genuinely unpleasant in a swell while a midship cabin four decks below is barely moving.

If anyone in the cabin is prone to motion sickness, midship on a low or middle deck is not a preference, it is the answer. It costs nothing extra.

What to look at on the deck plan

Open the deck plan for your ship and look at the decks directly above and below your cabin. That is where the problems live.

Avoid being directly below:

• The pool deck. Deck chairs are dragged across it from about six in the morning.
• The buffet. Same problem, plus trolleys.
• The jogging track.
• Any open deck space used for parties.

Avoid being directly above:

• The theatre. Late shows and rehearsals.
• The nightclub or disco. The obvious one, and the worst.
• The galley or crew areas, which run all night.
• The engine room at the stern, for vibration rather than noise.

Also worth avoiding: cabins next to lifts and stairwells, which carry conversation and footfall at every hour, and cabins at the very end of a long corridor, which are a long walk with luggage and often oddly shaped.

Forward, midship or aft

Midship is the safe answer: least motion, shortest walk to most things.

Aft has the best balconies on most ships, because they look over the wake rather than at flat sea, and aft corner cabins are often much larger than their grade suggests. The trade is vibration from the engines and propellers, which is more noticeable on older ships.

Forward is where the motion is. Cheaper for that reason on some ships, and fine on a calm itinerary, but the wrong gamble on an ocean crossing or anywhere with real weather.

Obstructed views

Some ocean view and balcony cabins are sold at a discount because a lifeboat or a structural section blocks part of the view. The discount is often large and the obstruction is often partial. If the price drop is significant and the itinerary is not scenic, these are among the best value cabins on the ship.

Look at the deck plan, find the lifeboat positions, and check photographs before booking one. The word “obstructed” covers everything from a thin davit to a solid wall.

Connecting cabins

Useful for families, a liability otherwise. The connecting door is a weak point for sound, and a cabin that connects to a family with young children will be louder than one that does not. Deck plans mark them, usually with a small symbol between the two cabins.

The five-minute check that saves the week

1. Find your ship’s deck plan on the line’s website
2. Locate your cabin and note the deck numbers above and below
3. Check what public space sits directly above and directly below it
4. Check the distance to the nearest lift and stairwell, wanting close but not adjacent
5. Check how far forward or aft you are from the middle of the ship

This takes five minutes and is the single highest-return piece of research in cruise booking. For which grade to book in the first place, see inside, ocean view or balcony.