You might think your biggest challenge when booking a cruise holiday (especially if it’s your first one) is which type of stateroom to pick, rather than where your stateroom is located within the ship.
Obviously it’s important to decide whether you’d be best suited to an inside cabin without a window or a luxurious suite with a balcony, or something in between but choosing your location within the ship is important too.
It’s nice and convenient to be located near the ship’s elevators to make getting around quick and easy, especially if you’re on board one of the larger cruise ships.
It’s worth bearing in mind however that there will be a decent volume of people passing up and down these lifts all day and the majority of the night. If you’re a light sleeper and don’t want to be disturbed then it’s probably wise to pick a stateroom a little further away from the elevators.
You might be tempted to pick a stateroom on the floor beneath the ‘Lido Deck’. This is the deck which traditionally contains the swimming pool, the buffet restaurant and sometimes the on board gym so you might think it would be convenient to be located near it.
However, this means there will be people coming and going at all times of the day and you might be bothered by the noises of sunbeds scraping, children running around and the occasional late night deck party hosted by the cruise ship. This definitely won’t be conducive to a good night’s sleep before a day exploring a new port of call!
Staterooms towards the front of the ship on the lower decks are usually best avoided too. They might seem like an attractive proposition as they will be away from the busy decks and the hustle and bustle however, this is the area of the ship that is subject to the most motion when the ship is sailing.
You may also even be able to hear waves crash against the hull of the ship as it moves towards its next destination.
If you suffer from motion sickness or are worried about feeling sea sick during your cruise holiday then it’s best to pick a mid-ship stateroom as this is the most stable area within a ship.
If it’s anything like the fourteen cruises I’ve previously sailed upon then you’ll find that most of the time it’ll be such plain sailing that you’ll feel as though you’re not even on a cruise ship the majority of the time!
One of the best ways to pick a good stateroom is to look for one that is surrounded on all sides by other staterooms, including the above and below decks. This will probably mean you’ll be in a quiet location, unless your neighbours like to play loud music!
Images courtesy of www.msccruises.com
Thanks Emma
