Cruise Travel: How to Choose the Best Cabin
Everybody knows that a cruise is the magical combination of tropical paradises, mouth watery foods and the adventure of spending days on a floating hotel. Relaxation, fun, excitement, are all part of the wonderful emotions associated with going on a cruise. Of course, everybody wants to make the best out of their cruise, therefore, it is of primary importance wisely choosing a cabin.
Just as airplains have good and bad seats, cruise ships have good and bad cabins. Of course, each cruise ship has their own layout when it comes to the sizes of the cabins and their location. As a happy cruiser therefore, you certainly want to avoid the following cabins:
-Those right nearby the disco
-Those right next to the engines
-Those underneath the jogging track
-Those with lifeboats covering the ocean view
Of course, while the above cabins may appear quite disturbing, you still may not want to spend a fortune on purchasing the deluxe stateroom with all the amenities you really can live without. So how to choose wisely a cabin without risking to dig a whole in your wallet but yet ensure you are going to be able to enjoy the ultimate relaxation you are so badly in need for?
-Never Trust the Brochure
If there is something really misleading it is advertising. Professional photographers that specialize in advertisement know a lot of tricks of the trade for making things appear larger and more spacious than they really are. That ocean view cabin with a queen bed may look like the size of the bedroom you have at home but once you open the door you may realize that it is almost the size of your walk in closet!
--Ask for Sizes
To avoid the above scenario ask your travel agent the exact size of the cabin, this way you will have no surprises. If he is unable to supply you with this important information call the cruise company directly. You have a right to know the size of the room you will be spending that whole week in. Size does matter, especially if you you tend to get claustrophobic.
-Find out the Location
Get a plant of the cruise ship you will be cruising in with detailed deck by deck sections. Check the exact location of your cabin so to avoid surprises. You may want a room near the elevator (but not too close!) so to avoid walking a lot especially with the newest cruiser lines which are become longer and larger. Of course, if you are planning to shed some extra calories or enjoy exercising, staying far from the elevators may help you keep in shape.
More about location from top to bottom:
-The higher you go the more likely you are to get motion sick should you encounter rough seas, however, along the bridge are usually found the most expensive luxury cabins equipped with panoramic windows, verandas and balconies.'
-The Upper Promenade is generally more expensive compared to the lower decks but it must be pointed out that the window views may be partially blocked by the lifeboats.
-The Promenade deck section is the entertainment deck per excellence. Here you will find mostly restaurants and bars, therefore it can be nioisy and highly occupied during certain hours.
-The main deck may slightly suffer from the noises deriving from the above Promenade deck, however, it is the most stabilized level for those that tend to suffer from motion sickness or dislike feeling the movements of the ship.
-The lower deck is the most affordable, but this come with a price: often the engines are heard especially near the middle and towards the stern. The lower cabins also translate in a lot of stairs and elevator trips.
As seen, when choosing a cabin there are a lot of things to consider. A few questions you should ask yourself are: ''Do you like to spend time in your cabin? Then you should choose one with a nice view. Do you like to spend time mostly outside the cabin? Then you may save some money and go with an inside cabin with no porthole or window views. ''Do you like to party all night?'' then go with a cabin near the disco.
There is a lot of variety and choices when it comes to choosing a cabin. However, it is important to remember that if this is a cruise of a lifetime, it is certainly worth it to spend a bit more for a good cabin. By doing so, it could really make a big difference between enjoying an unforgettable trip or wishing for the whole trip that you had upgaded just as your travel agent had suggested.
