Choosing your cruise can be a tough decision as it is, but don’t ever forget how important your position is on the actual cruise ship!
Did you know that you’ll suffer less from sea sickness if you choose a cabin located in the middle of the ship on a lower deck? Do you consider how large the ship is when booking your cruise? This is all more important than you think as you feel the motion less on the mega ships…
Disclaimer: We’re going to be discussing the ‘best’ and ‘worst’ locations for your cabin on a cruise ship but it’s important you remember that there is no right or wrong answer; it’s all down to personal opinion (this is just meant to be a bit of advice to help you choose).
1-Front (front of the ship)
Technically this is a nautical term but at least this is one of the easier ones to understand. Quite simply, as it sounds, these are cabins located at the front of the ship.
Of all the cabin locations you can get this is probably the worst for movement. If you imagine a cruise ship as a see-saw, as it cuts through the waves the front of the ship will dip down in the water and then come back up, meaning you’ll get the most movement at the front of the ship.
The plus side to that however is that, if you don’t suffer from seasickness, the cruise lines will sell you cabins in this location for a big discount!
2-Mid-ships (middle of the ship)
Common wisdom has always stated that if you can get a mid-ship cabin then this will be the ‘best’ position on the ship.
Going back to the see-saw metaphor, imagine the middle of the it. Whilst the seats go up and down, the middle never actually moves.
It’s the same on a cruise ship. As it cuts through the waves, the front or end will move up and down but the middle of the ship (mid-ships) will stay relatively stable.
3-Aft (back of the ship)
Aft cabins are those at the rear of the ship and suffer from the same problems as those at the front, just to a lesser extent.
You see this is where the see-saw metaphor breaks down a little. Although the back of the ship will rise and fall as the ship cuts through the waves, it won’t be to the same extent as cabins at the front.
This makes cabins at the aft the second most favourable position to book after mid-ships. You won’t get as big a discount as you will for the front but you’ll still find them slightly cheaper than a mid-ships cabin.
4-Top (top of the ship)
There’s an old adage in cruising; the more you pay, the more you sway. It relates to the fact that cruise lines will always charge the most for cabins at the top of the ship (as these obviously have the best views), however the higher you are up the ship the more you’ll feel the movement.
You see, you need to remember that cruise ships aren’t hotels. First and foremost they’re ships which mean they’re subject to the wind and waves. The lower you stay in relation to the ships centre of gravity, the less your cabin will move (your view just might not be as good!)
5-Bottom (bottom decks of the ship)
Relax, you can’t book a cabin under the waterline! You’ll always have a view from your cabin (assuming you’re not booked in an inside), but as already stated picking a cabin situated low in the ships centre of gravity will mean you get less movement from the waves
But, being low down can present other problems, especially on older ships. On the vessels that have aged, particularly low down and towards the back of the ship, you can sometimes feel the vibrations of the engines.
This isn’t really an issue on the newer, bigger ships but worth bearing in mind if you’re considering a cruise on an older or smaller ship. Not everyone likes being able to feel their bed vibrate during the night!
6-Port and Starboard (left and right sides of the ship)
Of all the deciding factors involved in picking a cabin, which side of the ship you’re on should really factor in last. There was a time (back in the golden age of cruising) when the side of the ship you were on could be very important.
In fact it’s where we get the word posh from (Port Out Starboard Home)- for the non-nautical amongst you, port is left whilst starboard is right.
The theory behind it was that when sailing from Southampton to New York you’d have the sun shining on your cabin on the port side going there, and on the starboard side coming home.
These days however, most cruise itineraries are just great big circles so picking a side really doesn’t have any benefit.
7-And the rest….
There’s a whole host of other positions we could discuss with you if we had the time, like the sunset verandas on the Celebrity Eclipse or the famous ‘hump’ on Royal Caribbean’s ships.
Probably the last thing you want to consider before you book though is what else is around your chosen cabin. It’s easy enough to figure out, just take a look at the deck plans…
Is there a bar or restaurant above or below you? Will it be noisy at night? Is your cabin above the theatre– how late will the shows be on for making all the noise? How far are the lifts from your cabin? Will you have a huge walk to and from them every day as you navigate the ship?
What position do you usually choose on your ship? Do you find certain areas of the ship stop you feeling the motion of the ocean so much? Leave us your thoughts and comments!
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