You’ve done it, you’ve agreed your next vacation is going to be a cruise, yippee! Now the most important decision you will need to make is to pick the right stateroom for YOU and your traveling dynamic. You can crowdsource as much as you want, but the people you’re getting options from, more than likely won’t be in the room with you, so should their input make that big of an impressions? Keep in mind, your stateroom choice will have a huge impact on your overall cruise experience, you’re the one sleeping in there, so it’s essential to consider a few factors before making a final decision and locking in the room.
Number of People Traveling Together
How many people are traveling together on the cruise is a huge factor to decide the best room for you. If you’re traveling solo, or as a couple, a smaller stateroom will likely suit your needs, unless you really want to pamper yourself! However, if you’re traveling with a larger group, you may need to consider booking more than one room, or selecting a larger stateroom that can accommodate everyone.
Also, keep in mind on some cruise lines (I’m talking about you Royal Caribbean!) it’s VERY difficult to find rooms next to each other for parties of different sizes. Sometimes it feels like the stars have to be aligned just perfectly to find a room that can hold 3, next to a room that can hold 2 and don’t get me started on the ability to have a door that connects on the inside for that unicorn of a stateroom you just located!
Room Size
The actual size of the stateroom is another critical factor to consider. If you plan to spend a decent amount of time in your room, a larger stateroom may be the best choice. Reasons you might need to spend time in the room include: a person who will still have to log some hours in at work during the vacation; kids that need to take naps or go to bed way earlier than other family members; even younger kids that need downtime during the day to settle down from all the stimulation and excitement going on throughout the ship might need more real estate to return to.
However, if you only plan to sleep and shower in your room, a smaller stateroom may be perfectly fine, and it will give you extra money to spend on excursions and other fun activities offered onboard.
Are you ok with your kids being in bunkbeds? Are they willing to share a sofa bed? Will you need floor space for a crib?
It’s also important to consider how common it is for your traveling party to stay together in close quarters. Are you traveling with family and you don’t usually share a hotel room with them? Do you normally get a suite that has a separate sleeping area for the kids? If you’re traveling with a group of people who may need some personal space, do yourself a favor and consider booking separate staterooms.
Bathtub or Shower?
If you’re traveling with children, it’s important to consider whether they will need a bathtub or if a shower is sufficient. Most cruise line staterooms only have a shower in their bathrooms, which may not be ideal for younger children or infants.
If your child only takes a bath, you may need to consider booking a higher category stateroom or suite that comes with a bathtub in the room, or booking on a different cruise line that has tubs standard in all of their rooms.
Location on the Ship
The location of your stateroom on the ship is another important consideration. If you’re prone to motion sickness, you may want to select a stateroom located in the middle of the ship as these tend to experience less movement than those located at the front or back of the ship. We prefer midship staterooms, and combine them with seasickness medicine and natural methods like SeaBands to avoid feeling icky during rough seas.
Additionally, if you want easy access to the ship’s amenities, you may want to consider a stateroom located closer to the elevators or central areas of the ship to minimize having to backtrack a lot when you head out on your daily adventures. Remember, staterooms on high decks will get you easier access to the pools and outdoor amenities, while staterooms on lower decks will get you easier access to the main dining rooms and indoor amenities.
Views
You need to consider if you HAVE to have some form of view from your room. Are you ok being in a windowless room that becomes VERY dark once you turn out all the lights?
Do you need to be able to look out a window from your room? Just a quick view of the horizon and you’re ok?
Are you the type of person who needs a source of fresh air, so you will not be able to consider anything that does not have balcony access?
Don’t forget the views from your stateroom can make a big difference in your overall cruise experience too! If you’re a nature lover, or enjoy watching the sunrise or sunset, you may want to choose a room with a balcony or larger window so that you can enjoy the scenery from your own cozy bubble. It’s always nice to be able to sit on your own deck, or within your room and look out on the views while enjoying room service!
But if that’s not within your budget, don’t stress about it, there are always common areas throughout the ship where you can watch wildlife and scenery too. I just wouldn’t suggest doing that in your jammies like you can from your own room.
Expert Advice
Don’t rely on crowdsourcing from strangers, friends or family, speak with an expert who has experienced multiple types of staterooms and different ships and cruise lines. Your travel agent has the best tools at hand to discuss options with you, and they know your traveling party, so they can help you figure out which items should be a priority when picking your room, and which items are an unnecessary add on that won’t increase your enjoyment of the vacation.
There’s so much to consider when trying to pick out a cruise line stateroom, don’t leave it up to chance. Hopefully this has made you think more about the different factors you need to consider to get the best stateroom experience during your next cruise. Please reach out for help booking your next cruise line vacation, I’d love to be of assistance!
Did you know there are themed cruises on the Disney Cruise Line? In addition to holiday themed cruises like Halloween on the High Seas and Very Merrytime sailings, Disney also offers Pixar Day at Sea cruises and Marvel Day at Sea cruises. These are offered at various times of the year out of different ports, you won’t want to miss it!
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