Cabin Questions

A: The most affordable way to get on the ship is to book an “inside guarantee.” The rate is often a little lower than the rate for the lowest category on the ship. You will not receive a cabin number when booking, but the number will be assigned as late as the day of sailing. And your cabin assignment could be in any category on the ship. You could receive the lowest category on the ship or the highest. Expect an inside cabin. Your cabin could be the in the front, back or middle. If you don’t like to wait for your location then I would not suggest this pricing program.

Since most cabins on today’s ships only differ by the fact they’re on a different deck, many customers don’t mind taking a chance of where they end up. Most people are quite satisfied with their accommodations when they use this program. This program is for the person who does not spend a lot of time in their cabin.
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A: Two passengers can fit into most cruise ship cabins which are built to accommodate two. There are however, many ships that can accommodate three and four passengers. Carnival, The Big Red Boat, and Disney all have ships that sleep five in one cabin which are popular among families and go quickly during family vacation times. So book early if you have more than two in a cabin.
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A: On today’s newer ships, there are basically four types of cabins:

– Inside Cabins – these cabins do not have windows
– Oceanview Cabins – usually the same size as inside cabins only they have port holes or picture windows.
– Deluxe Cabins – usually the same size as an oceanview cabin, except it may have a private balcony which adds to the overall square footage of the cabin.
– Suites – significantly larger than other cabins on the ship, often with a private balcony.

You will find the Deluxe Cabins and Suites on the higher decks of a cruise ship. However, Standard Inside Cabins and Oceanview Cabins are basically the same on any deck.
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A: One of the advantages of an oceanview cabin is that it makes your cabin seem so much bigger because of the outside light. It also gives you some perception of time. When you wake up at 7:00 am in an inside cabin, you can’t tell if it’s 2 in the morning or 3 in the afternoon. For them an oceanview cabin is worth it for this reason alone. It is great if you want to see what the weather’s is like before you go onto the deck. With an inside cabin, you get dressed, run outside to see the weather and run back again. Oceanview cabins generally cost about $100 more per person for a 7 or 10 night Caribbean cruise and about $200 more per person for a European or Exotic itinerary. The only itinerary where we highly suggest an oceanview cabin is Alaska. With daylight hours approaching 20 – 22 hours in the peak season, it’s wonderful to be able to enjoy it from your cabin.
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A: While motion sickness shouldn’t be a major concern on today’s ships, you should still know the best way to avoid it if possible. If you are worried you should request a cabin that is relatively close to the middle of the ship. You should also look for a cabin that’s closer to the bottom of the ship, not the top. The higher you are, the greater the potential to feel a left to right rolling motion. Today’s ships are fully stabilized making your cruise comfortable in virtually any location. Book early to get the cabin that is best for you.
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A: Everyone either knows someone, met someone on a ship, or they themselves have been upgraded to a higher category than they paid for. Yes, it does happen and but not as frequently as people think. Most upgrades go to passengers who book early and buy the lowest category on the ship in the form of a “Category Guarantee.” A “Category Guarantee” means that when you book your cruise, you are not assigned a cabin number, you are simply guaranteed that category or better. Since most people who cruise simply want to get the best price, “Guarantees” are a great way to fill the ship with people looking for a good rate.

Most upgrades are often from low inside cabins to higher inside cabins, or low outside cabins to higher outside cabins. Rarely do passengers get upgraded from inside to outside but it does happen. But don’t book an inside cabin expecting a free upgrade to an outside. It probably won’t happen.
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