Cabins and Staterooms refer to where you sleep aboard a cruise ship. Here’s how you decide which is best for you

Cabins and Staterooms Explained

So now you have decided on your cruise liner but how do you choose the cabin or stateroom that’s just right for you?

There are three primary factors that you should bear in mind when choosing cabin and staterooms: type, size and location.

These factors all boil down to one thing mainly; how much you are willing to pay.

Here I have gone ahead in describing the different cabins and staterooms categories on a ship based mainly on the first two factors mentioned above (You can access a more thorough explanation of location at the bottom of this page).

From this description, you will get a better understanding of which cabin/stateroom is best suited for you (Cabin pictures are courtesy of Royal Caribbean).

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STANDARD CABINS

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Standard cabins come in the form of inside and outside (Also called interior and ocean view) cabins.

An inside cabin is one that offers no view of the outside. That means there is no window or porthole in these cabins.

Inside cabins are usually located close to the bottom of the ship and are also the cheapest accommodations on board.

Some inside cabins and staterooms carry bunk bed, whilst others carry two twin beds.

Inside Cabins are extremely small, with an even smaller shower only bathroom. Those who suffer from claustrophobia should not choose this cabin class.

In extreme circumstances cruisers have being known to sleep out an entire port of call because having no outside view, they could not tell that the ship had docked!

An ocean view stateroom is one that contains a small window or porthole.

This is similar to the window of an airplane, where you can see the outside but you can’t actually open the window; therefore there is no enjoying the sea breezes from inside an ocean view cabin (Neither should you as this could disrupt the entire ship air conditioning system!).

Much like the inside cabins; ocean view cabins and staterooms are also small in size and on most ships are located on the lower decks. A window/porthole is just about the only difference between the two classes.

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BALCONY CABINS

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A Cabin with a balcony or varandah is the next class up from standard cabins.

This cabin type offers a small lounge area separated from the bedroom by a dividing curtain; but the high point is its balcony area accessed through sliding glass doors.

Don’t be expecting to host a party on these balconies; they are only large enough for two persons, seated on two small chairs with a small table.

The major advantages of these cabins and staterooms are they offer a view of the outside and they also allow you to sit outside and enjoy the sea breeze privately.

In addition they are also larger in size and contain a bit more amenities; but do bear in mind that they are also more expensive.

On most ship, guests are advised not to leave balcony doors ajar, as the air coming from outside can disrupt the air-condition system for the entire ship.

Balcony cabins are usually located higher above ocean view cabins.

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SUITE CABINS

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Now we have come to the crèm-de-la-crèm; suite cabins!

Suites are the most expensive rooms onboard a ship as they are much larger, carry large balcony areas, offer separate sleeping and living areas and provide larger bathrooms often with a shower and tub combination.

On cruise liners such as Celebrity Cruise Line, a suite also comes with butler service!

But it is Norwegian Cruise Line who is the trendsetter, by offering luxurious 5000 square feet villa type accommodations. These exclusive villas are found on the highest decks of Norwegians Jewel and Epic class ships and are a must do for those who can afford.

Suites are usually located all over the ship, on the highest decks but also can be found on lower decks as well.

Are you prone to seasickness?

Now that you can differentiate the types and sizes of cabins and staterooms, let me now tell you a bit more about their location so you can know exactly where you want to stay onboard the ship.

Go to Cabin Location Here

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