Hello, cruise fans, and welcome back to my blog!
As some of you may know, I often talk about the cabins to avoid on cruise ships.
During booking, some passengers make a major mistake. They think that cabins in the same category are all the same.
In fact, this is not the case at all! The location on the ship is crucial in distinguishing a good cabin from a mediocre one.
To help you in your decision, in this article, we are going to look at 7 locations you must always avoid in order to get a better-than-average cabin.
How to find the position of the cabin on the ship plan?
The first thing you need to do is to find the cabin you want to book on the ship plan.
Each cabin has a specific cabin number and a specific deck number. On the cruise line’s website, look for your ship’s plan and go look for your cabin.
At that point look at the areas around it and make sure it is not near one of the ones we are going to look at below.
1. Under the Pool Deck
In my experience, the pool deck is one of the noisiest on the entire ship, so it would be best to avoid the cabins below it.
Cabins directly beneath the pool deck can suffer from the constant movement of deck chairs, tables being dragged, loud music from poolside activities, and children shouting while playing.
Usually, these kinds of noises are frequent during the daytime, and there are no particular problems in the evening. Some cruise lines, however, may also hold themed pool parties during the summer.
2. Near or Above the Nightclub/Theater
Cabins located near entertainment venues like nightclubs or theaters can experience noise from performances or parties.
If you have no choice, prefer a cabin near the theater over the nightclub, since the shows in the former end early in the evening while the music from the nightclub can last all night.
Usually, both areas are well soundproofed but sometimes it’s not enough to block out the bass-heavy music and crowd noise, especially if you are a light sleeper.
3. Close to Elevators or Stairs
Elevators and stairs are usually high-traffic zones with constant foot traffic and noise.
You might hear the chime of elevators and people talking as they wait. This can be especially disturbing late at night or early in the morning.
Be careful because I am not recommending cabins very far from them; you would risk having to walk a lot each time you want to reach your cabin.
Just don’t pick a cabin that is right next to the elevators or stairs.
4. Near Crew Work Areas
Crew members work 24/7, even though their salaries are often not as high as you might expect.
For this reason, cabins near crew areas can experience noise from their activities at all hours. This includes cleaning, maintenance, and other operational tasks.
The bad thing is that it is very difficult to identify, and thus avoid, these areas on the ship plan.
Usually, if you see white areas between two cabins, on which nothing is indicated, they may be storage rooms or other spaces used by cabin crew.
5. With Interconnecting Doors
I have already mentioned this in the article on the cabins to avoid on Royal Caribbean ships, if you can you should avoid connecting cabins.
These cabins can suffer from noise bleed from adjoining rooms. You might hear conversations, TV noise, or even alarm clocks from the next room, which can be quite bothersome if you’re not traveling with the occupants of the adjoining cabin.
Let’s be clear, on modern cruise ships the cabins are all soundproofed however if there is a lot of noise you can still hear it.
If you want to sleep really well also check out the tips for sleeping like a baby on cruise ships.
6. Near the Ship’s Anchor
If your cabin is located near the ship’s anchor, you’ll hear loud noises early in the morning when docking at ports, as well as when departing.
The vibrations and noise from the anchor can be very disturbing, so it would be best to avoid those kinds of cabins.
The exact location of the anchor can vary slightly depending on the ship’s design, but it’s typically centered at the bow, often on a lower deck.
I usually avoid all cabins at the front of the ship, in addition to this problem they are also more affected by wave movement. If possible, always prefer the middle section of the ship.
Also, check the cabins you should avoid on every Carnival ship.
7. Underneath the Promenade Deck and the Buffet
Cabins below the promenade deck can be noisy due to people jogging, walking, or engaging in activities.
The same applies to cabins under the buffet were there can be movement of carts, chairs, or many people walking at the same time.
The sound of footsteps and chatter can be particularly disturbing if you’re trying to rest during peak activity times. Things are quieter in the evening so avoid them especially if you like to take afternoon naps.
Since the deck choice is very important also check the article were we saw what deck is the best on a cruise ship.
