Worst Room on a Cruise Ship Best Life

May 18, 2024

Whether you're an experienced cruiser or a newbie to the vacation format, you're going to want to know how to choose the best room on the ship to give you the most optimal travel experience possible. That means considering the most important priorities to you—for reasons including avoiding motion sickness, convenience, sleep quality, and more.

First, your budget may dictate just how great a cabin you can get; not everyone's price point allows for a posh and sprawling cabin with a balcony. Beyond monetary reasons, there are some cruise ship cabins insiders advise travelers to avoid. Read on to find out the worst place to sleep on a cruise ship.

Jeremy Camosse, author of the book Cruise Hacks, and web editor in chief of the shore excursion site Gangwaze.com, explains, "If you're prone to motion sickness, the worst cabin you can select is at the front or rear of the ship. As you move further from the ship's center, you'll experience more motion and likely more nausea."

Judy Tudor, a travel advisor at the new travel agency Fora who has been on 20 cruises herself, agrees. "The inside cabin is the standard answer—it's basically a large walk-in closet for a cabin," she says of the type of cabin widely considered the least desirable on a cruise ship. "But I would also add that if you are prone to motion sickness, any cabins on the front or rear of the ship have much more movement so you would feel the cabin rocking more."

Steph Shuster, experienced cruiser and CEO of DCL Magazine — the Disney Cruises Fan, advises, "If you're a first-time cruiser, stay low and in the middle" in order to minimize the potential for motion sickness.

"Cruise ships now have stabilizers for rocky seas, but if you're prone to motion sickness a lower deck cabin that sits in the middle is best," he explains.

"Try and pick a room that is closer to the elevators if you're a solid sleeper," Shushter recommends. "Those corridors can be confusing and forgetting your sunglasses can be a long walk back."

On the flip side, those travelers who are bothered by late night noise should avoid any rooms overlooking the atriums, or the central hub where the entertainment, dining, and most activities take place.

Also consider just how much partying you plan to do compared with relaxing on your cruise. Beth Schulberg, owner of Cruise & Travel Specialists, notes that the worst room on a cruise for someone seeking R&R might be one of the rooms located over the show lounge. "The vibration makes sleeping, and other activities, very difficult," she says.

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