What Cabin Should I Book?

Some questions we get asked over and over, is "What type of cabin should I get?" or "Where is the best cabin on the ship?" These are very good questions to ask, because your cabin type and/or location can be a very important decision, and could make your cruise more enjoyable.

Cabin Types:  Interior, Oceanview, Balcony, Suite. (There are also cabins with portholes, and different types of suites)

We have cruised in all except the suites (currently scheduled for a suite on the Carnival Magic in December 2019). The first thing we point out is to look and see what your budget will allow. With each category, there is usually a price difference. Interior cabins are typically the least expensive, while suites are typically the most expensive.  For the most part, interior, oceanview, and balcony cabins have close to the same amount of cabin space. The suites tend to have more square footage than the rest.

Interior Cabins:

These cabins have no window or balcony. Of course, they still have televisions, closets, a bathroom, desks, and nightstands. The main reason that we would book an interior cabin is to save money. Another thing to think about is how long the cruise is scheduled for. For a short 3 day cruise, being in a room with no view doesn’t seem as bad as it would on a weeklong cruise. Also, keep in mind that often times people spend very little time in their cabin, so the money saved may be worth it.

Other than not having a view, another drawback to booking an interior cabin is that once the lights and television is off, the room is pitch black. Good for sleep, but not good for moving around. We’ve solved this issue by either leaving the bathroom light on and cracking the door, or placing the television on the channel that shows a live feed of the lido deck. That way while the sun is down, there’s not a lot of light coming from the television. Then when the sun rises, the light in the room gradually increases.

Oceanview Cabins:

The only real difference between an oceanview cabin and an interior cabin is the window. For a weeklong cruise, these cabins run a couple hundred dollars more than an interior. Other than the extra light in the room during the day, the only thing we noticed that was better was that we were able to look outside to judge the weather outside, and be able to have a closer view of the ocean. Many cruisers have stated that they felt less closed-in in an oceanview cabin than they did in an interior cabin.

Balcony Cabins:

These cabins come with not only a large window, but also your own balcony equipped with chairs and a small table. The privacy of having your own balcony is that no other cruisers can see you, but they can hear you if they’re on their balcony next, above, or below you. Still, it felt very cozy and private. Each morning of our cruise, we would sit on the balcony and have coffee as we took in the relaxing views of the ocean or port we had stopped in. At night, we enjoyed having drinks on the balcony. During the day, we were able to step away from the crowds, while still be able to enjoy the ocean breeze on the balcony. As for the room itself, the size was about the same as the others, but felt less cramp. This was due to having extra room to yourself on the balcony. The price difference can be a lot at times. We’ve seen the price difference between oceanviews and balconies range anywhere from $150 to over $500. This all depends on the ship, number of days, etc.

Given a choice between the three, we would base our selection on the number of days we’re cruising. For a short cruise, if the price difference is high, we would consider an interior cabin. Anything 5 days or longer, we would go with a balcony. The only time we would consider an oceanview is if the price was the same as an interior (which happens from time to time) or if there were not interiors or balconies available.

What’s The Best Location On The Ship To Book Our Cabin?

This is all a matter of preference. We strongly recommend that you review the ship’s deckplan prior to making your selection.

Keep in mind that you’re going to need to use an elevator or stairs while on your cruise. Whichever your preferred method of getting up and down the floors, it may be a good idea to select a cabin nearby. We don’t recommend staying in the first few cabins near an elevator or stairs though. Keep in mind, there could be a rowdy crowd waiting at the elevator, or just getting off. This could be an issue late at night as you’re trying to relax.

Every cruise, we try to book as close to the center of the ship as possible. That way the walk to the areas at the front of the ship are no longer than the walk to the areas in the back of the ship. We have also read many reviews and advice that staying in the middle of the ship lessens the chances of feeling the ships movement (preferable if you’re prone to sea sickness).

As for which floor we recommend, we take a look at the deckplan and book on a floor where the room above and below us are guest rooms. Staying below or above the galley will almost guarantee you that you’ll be hearing noises throughout the night as they move things around. We tend to book most of our rooms on either the 7th or 8th floor.

When we book a balcony room, we like to book on the portside of the ship. While we’re in port, we tend to get back on the ship with plenty of time to spare before the ship departs. We enjoy being able to sit out and take in the views of the port from our balcony. And we must say, watching out for ‘pier runners’ is another hobby of ours!