Avoid costly mistakes as your first cruise ship cruiser with this list of cruise ship cabins to avoid.
Howfirst cruiserCabin selection can seem overwhelming.
What about inside cabins? Should you choose bow, amidships or stern?
But the decision goes a little deeper than cabin type and on-board distance.
If you're one of those people who can sleep through pretty much anything, or plan to party until dawn, it's probably not a big deal. However, if, like me, you want your house to be your asylum, choose wisely.
To avoid a costly mistake, here are 13 cruise ship cabins to avoid.
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Types of cruise cabins for beginners
The first decision you make when choosing a cruise cabin is the type of cabin. So before we get into which cruise cabins to avoid, here are four basic types of cruise cabins (or cabins as they're called) to choose from:
- Cabin interior– no window or balcony (although some cruise lines have a virtual window). The cheapest quality.
- Sea View– with a porthole or window
- tall(Veranda) - with its own balcony
- Apartments– vary in scale, from large balcony cabins to luxuriously proportioned suites. The most expensive quality.
READ MORE:Plan your cruise like a pro! 10 important tips for beginners
Cruise ship cabins to avoid
So where NOT to stop on a cruise? Let's see which cruise cabins offer a spacious berth.
1. Restricted view cabins
Booking a cabin with an obstructed view can be a way to reduce the cost of your cruise. But if you do, make sure you know what is blocking your view.
The degree of obstruction varies from cabin to cabin, ranging from a very partial obstruction to an inventive window smash into a lifeboat.
If your itinerary includes multiple deals, you'll probably wake up to the sound of deals being prepared.
2. Cabins with connecting door
Many cruise lines offer cabins connected by a door.
They are great if you are traveling with family or a group of friends as they allow you to move freely between adjacent cabins. However, they are not so good if you don't know who your neighbor is.
Noise can be a problem, even to the point where you can hear the conversations of people in the cabin next door, not to mention the TV on at all hours of the day.
On the deck plans, cabins connected by doors are easily identifiable.
3. Those near elevators or stairs
I always avoid booking a cabin near the lift or stairs.
In addition to the elevator ring, these are high-traffic areas where people congregate and chat.
>>> Get inspired to book a cruise by checking out one of themamazing movies set on a cruise ship
4. Cabins too far from lifts or stairs
This doesn't bother me too much, but if your fitness level isn't what it used to be, you might reconsider booking a cabin too far from the lifts and stairs.
Newer cruise ships are huge: Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Sea deck is 380 meters long. If your cabin is too far from the elevator and you have difficulty walking, you will quickly get bored of the journey from the cabin to the ship's public areas.
5. Cabins near the laundry
Some ships have toilets on the passenger deck.
If the hum of the washing machine or the hum of the dryer doesn't calm you down, make sure your cubicle isn't close to a laundry room. This can be a busy area on cruise ships and there will be a lot of people traveling back and forth.
6. Beware of cubicles with little privacy
More and more newer ships have a promenade running through the middle of the ship, from where the cabins can be overlooked. Since these cabins offer little privacy, they should be avoided.
This can also be an issue with the outer decks on the promenade (my cruise agent warned me about this cabin location when I booked the Iona P&O cruise).
Are youlonely cruiser? If so, get itlowest point above some cabins. They may not be the deal they seem.
7. Booths directly below public and entertainment areas
Cruise ship deck planshe really is your best friend. Study them carefully to identify booths located near public places.
Avoid choosing a cabin above, below or near the theater, bars, nightclub, buffet restaurant and children's clubs on a cruise ship. Banging bass lines or squeals of excited kids aren't always the best holiday soundtrack.
8. Cruise cabins under the pool deck
Do you really want to wake up every day at sunrise to the rustle of recliners and tables for the day ahead? Or maybe you stayed up till dawn to the sounds of your fellow passengers partying?
If not, avoid going through the cabanas under the pool deck.
9. If bound he has walking tires
And I'm sure you don't want your alarm clock to be the rhythmic beating of people running down the boardwalk in the morning.
Many cruise ships have a boardwalk encircling the ship. Perfect for those who want to go for a walk or a jog to burn unnecessary calories. However, if your cabin is below Promenade Deck, you'll soon want other passengers to have a fitness vacation as well.
Basically, the best passenger car tire is the one that sits between other passenger tires. While you may have noisy neighbors from time to time, they probably won't have a sound system with strong bass or dragging furniture all night.
10. Cabins on very low decks
In the back of the ship, you may not be able to ignore the low rumble of the engine. The front of the ship is where the anchor is dropped.
Therefore, if you want to avoid engine vibrations and the sound of the falling and weighing anchor, do not book a cabin on a low deck, especially at the front or rear of the ship.
11. Cabins are adjacent to crew access areas
Cruise ship workers come and go at all hours of the day and night. If your cubicle is close to one of the access areas, there's a good chance you'll hear them talking about their work.
It can be difficult to know where these crew access areas are located, so it's worth checking with your cruise agent or one of thembrowse internet forums. But in general, to avoid these types of cottages, make sure you are surrounded by cottages and that there are no secret holes.
12. Guarantee cabins
There is a Guaranteed Cabin or a Guaranteed Cabin if no specific cabin allocation is specified at the time of booking. While booking a guaranteed cabin is one way to keep your sailing costs down, it is a huge risk.
You will be allocated any cabin within the cabin class you have paid for, but you will have no control over where that cabin is located. Since booths above and below public areas are the least popular, chances are you will be placed here.
I did it once. I won't make that mistake again.
13. Do not check the cabin upgrades box
My final tip for cruise ship cabins is to avoid upgrading.
At first glance, this is tempting. You might get lucky and get an upgrade to a better cabin location. On the other hand, you can land below the polar deck, opposite the crew entrance, or above the anchor.
Not worth the risk for me.
Happy sailing!
SEE MY FAVORITE CRUISES BEFORE YOU GET IT!
- Western Caribbean cruise highlights