The worst cruise ship cabins are the ones that don't suit your needs. A terrible cabin experience on one cruise ship may be someone else's best vacation ever. Individual taste has a lot to do with what makes a cruise cabin perfect for any travel style and budget.
However, there are a few common cabins on cruise ships that you should avoid if you like slamming doors, lack of visibility or dancing music after midnight.
Here are a dozen types of cruise ship cabins to avoid when booking your next cruise, broken down by common complaints.
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12 cruise ship cabins to avoid
If you are sensitive to noise, avoid...
1. Booths directly during entertainment
This tip applies to all cabins directly below a theater, a busy bar or lounge, and especially nightclubs. During the day, nothing unusual happens in the cottage under the disco. However, that changes at 1am when you are trying to sleep and all you hear is ABBA.
A travel consultant can help you navigate these central hubs of activity and reserve the noisiest spots on the ship. You can also do your own research. Locating ship deck plans (located on the Internet, usually on the cruise line's website) is an important tool for locating people who hang out on board late at night.
Avoid booking a room directly below - or even above - one of these places if you plan to go to bed early or if you are traveling with small children.
If you expect to work into the wee hours of the morning, the noise of a late-night concert or club DJ may not be much of a problem.
Also, keep in mind that the type of nightlife on cruise lines and even on ships varies. Is your cruise on spring break? Do you have a reservation on Virgin Voyages? Before you book a subwoofer-vibrating booth, do some homework on the party atmosphere.
2. Cabins too close to the edge of the lifts
Some may like the convenience of being close to elevators and stairs, but if you hate noise, think again. These areas are almost always busy, with elevators buzzing, people laughing and talking, and children stomping up the stairs.
You might not notice all the commotion when you're out and about during the day, but the moment your head hits the pillow and the lights go out, you might be surprised at how loud the knocking of the elevator can be. This is especially true for other cruisers who may have overdone it. Yes, it's holidays, but no one wants to hear you screaming karaoke after the karaoke bar closes.
Choosing a booth a little further down the hall, rather than facing the lifts and stairs, should significantly reduce noise.
3. Staterooms adjacent to crew areas
It can be difficult to find this on the deck plans, so please contact your trip advisor or cruise ship representative for assistance in locating crew quarters. Crew members are wildly busy and usually work long hours or multiple shifts. As much as we love them, no one likes the sound of doors slamming in the morning, noon and night.
Crew quarters are hidden around the ship and lead to service entrances or crew quarters. There is a very "secret" part of the ship, intended only for the crew. The door leading to it may be at the end of the corridor, directly opposite your cabin.
For security reasons, many of these doors are heavy and automatically slam shut behind anyone who enters. Crew access to other parts of the ship is a must, but booking a room overlooking the often noisy areas is not.
4. Cabins at anchor
The anchor is a hidden piece of ship equipment that makes a less hidden sound when raised or lowered. Larger cruise ships use various types of technology, including stabilizers, to keep the vessel in place. This means that anchor is not dropped often, but when it is, it is usually very early in the morning when you arrive at the port.
The anchor on every ship is located at the front of the ship. If you want to avoid being woken up unexpectedly by the clatter of metal, do not book the bow cabin on the lower decks. You are just above the anchor storage area.
The anchor is more obvious and less likely to be avoided on smaller vessels. On expedition ships, the itinerary is usually less structured, meaning you can anchor at various locations throughout the day for kayaking or whale watching. Pay attention to the location of your cabin next to this active anchor to avoid the constant cacophony.
If you are claustrophobic, avoid…
5. Inside the cabins
Indoor cabins can be very useful, especially if you don't plan to spend a lot of time in your room. However, many new cruiser ships make the mistake of booking the cheapest cabin and finding it in a small windowless box.
Manage your expectations by booking an inner cabin for your next cruise. While these entry-level accommodations allow you and your group to travel on a budget, the lack of windows can be a shock. In addition to the lack of a view, the number of square meters is also small.
Waking up in an indoor cabin can also be difficult. The lack of natural light means the room is dark unless the light is on. Choose this category carefully before you price your ocean views.
6. Cabins with obstructed views
If you're paying per view, make sure you know what kind of view you're getting. Blocked booths are usually listed as such. These cottages are usually offered at a lower price than rooms with an unobstructed view. However, some of these cabins are only partially obscured (part of the boat obscures the corner of the window), while others are completely obscured from the sea view by the ship's harvesting.
While the blocked cabins may let in some natural light, the experience can feel more like an indoor cabin than a balcony. View reviews of your limited view cabin online before booking. It is possible that someone has already stayed in your room and posted photos for review.
If you like your privacy, avoid…
7. Internal balcony cabins
Some may wonder how a cabin can look on the inside of a ship and still have a balcony. However, ships such as the Oasis Class of Royal Caribbean exhibit this phenomenon. These megaships have spacious sections called quarters, with staterooms spread out along their length, overlooking the boardwalk, Central Park, and other busy ship corridors.
For boaters who enjoy people watching, booking one of these cabins can be a great way to be part of the action from your cabin. However, opinions work both ways.
If you're booked in a cabin where you can see other passengers, they can also see you - and everything you do in your cabin. If you're worried about forgetting to close your curtain before getting changed, you can opt for a more private cabin option.
8. Connect the cabins together
Combining cabins with balconies can be an effective way for families and friends to sail together. These cabins are designed to connect to each other to create a larger living space or a large balcony. However, if you are not sailing in a group, accommodation in a cabin designed as a transfer cabin can be difficult.
If you are not sharing a room with an adjacent cabin, the connecting door is locked from the inside. There will be a partition between your two balconies. But security aside, these rooms are much less soundproofed than non-connecting cabins.
Not only do you know what your neighbor is watching on TV, but you probably also see his balcony. If you are not using both rooms, consider booking a connecting cabin for more privacy.
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If you are worried about sea sickness, avoid…
9. Cabins on the foredeck and/or upper deck
The movement of the sea depends on many factors, such as the season, weather conditions and the speed of the cruise ship. Although captains and officers make every effort to avoid rough seas, a slight roll is unavoidable at times.
If you know you are particularly prone to motion sickness, consider booking a cabin in the middle of the ship and on one of the middle decks.
This means that if you are concerned about seasickness while cruising, the cruise ship cabins to be avoided are at both ends of the ship. Thisin front of or in front of the shipthis is where pitching (throwing forward) is more likely.
The higher you go above sea level, you will also feel more traffic. The worst cabins on cruise ships, if you want to avoid the traffic, are the front cabins on top of the ship.
If you have mobility issues, avoid...
10. Cabins too far from elevators
Yes, they can be a bit noisy if you are too close. Elevator access, however, can be critical if you or the person you are traveling with has mobility issues. Before you book a cabin for your next cruise, consider practical considerations such as convenient proximity to the lifts.
Other factors may include how far your cabin is from popular areas such as a buffet, pool deck, theater or your favorite ship lounge. If you will be making the same journey from your cottage to these areas every day, it may be a good idea to book a room that is easily accessible by foot or wheelchair.
If you want to know what to expect avoid…
11. Guarantee cabins
It's hard to resist the temptation of a cheap cabin. But booking a warranty cabin is a risk. So be prepared to lose if it's not what you expected. While you can choose the smallest cabin category that suits you, the location of your cabin comes as a complete surprise. This is also information that you can only find out a few weeks before departure.
If you are a flexible traveler and want to take risks, awarranty cabinetcan be a way to save money. However, if any of the above issues bother you (noise, elevator access, privacy, seasickness), it's not worth leaving your holiday to chance.
12. Last minute cabin upgrades
On the flip side of the upgrade, you may have picked the perfect room only to find out you're eligible for a room upgrade. While a better room category may seem like a nice gesture on paper, the room location is not up to you. This can leave cruisers puzzled about qualifying for the upgrade, but then wish they'd stayed with their original reservation.
After updating, you cannot go back to the cabin you originally selected. Please note that a higher cabin category does not automatically mean a suite or even a room with a balcony.
Be well informed about what you're actually getting - and where. You can mark your selected cabin as "no upgrade" with the cruise line or trip advisor to prevent this from happening.
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Comments
Do you agree with our list of cruise ship cabins to avoid? What are your votes for the worst cruise ship cabins? Let's drop anchor below to let you know which cabins you try to avoid while sailing.