Newbie here, so please keep the laughter to a minimum! Are some staterooms and decks better than others? Obviously the suites with the balconies and ocean views are better than the inside cabins, but is one side of the ship "better" than the other for any reason? TIA
I'm not sure if one side is better than the other, although we were on the right side (facing forward) and could see the Flying Dutchman at Castaway Cay. And I would pick a room closer to the back of the ship. It is much easier to get to the drink station & food counters. We were on the 7th deck & liked it very much. It was just two decks down to the kids club & two decks up to the pool, drink & food. Happy planning!
If you know what you want to see when in ports i guess it matters. But what happens if they pull in the opposite way than you expected.
Personally we enjoyed the port side of the ship at Castaway Cay. We enjoyed watching them get the island ready for the guests, watching the load up the supplies at the end of the day. We had an island view last time and didn't enjoy it as much.
We've been on both sides of the ship and it didn't really matter. We were on the island, not the port, side for pulling into Castaway Cay, but we went up to Deck 9 aft and watched as the ship backed in and the island got closer and closer, and that was terrific. We like being midship.
We were in a cat 5 on deck 7 aft on the right side of the ship (facing foward)and loved that location. We were just a few doors down from the laundry, so it was easy to check and see if there were washers available before I had to lug our dirty clothes over there. Plus, we were just a short flight of stairs from deck 9 and the mickey pool/drink station! Plus, we were able to see the ports from our verandah. But, I know that is no guarantee, depending on how the ship docks. On our next cruise, aft was not available for our category (6), so we chose deck 6 mid ship. Again, we are just a few doors from the laundry and stairs.
Jackie, there are no better decks or staterooms, per say, your opinion, my opinion and everyone else's is simply based on personal preferences. My personal preference is to be on a higher deck (closer to the pools, drink station), but not too far from the kids clubs on Deck 5. I want to have a verandah also. Therefore, we have always stayed in a Cat 5 on Deck 7. We've always stayed mid-ship or just aft of mid-ship. We choose starboard, because we want to be in the same hallway as the laundry room - but not too close to it. We've always been very pleased with our staterooms. My advice is look at deckplans (there is a link at the top of the forum and in the FAQ sticky) look at the different public areas, and decide which catagory and location suits your preferences. There is all sorts of info on this board about staterooms, "secret" verandah staterooms, "secret" porthole staterooms, etc., but only you can decide what your family's needs are and what your budget is. I guarantee you will have a fantastic time no matter where you stay! Enjoy!
If you are prone to motion sickness, it has been reported that you should try and stay as close to mid ship as possible. The theory is you don't get as much of the rocking being closer to the center of the ship.
Oh and I have also heard that you should try and avoid being directly over or under a nightclub / lounge where there would be loud noises late into the night. Check the deckplans to see where they are.
I too think what is best depends on personal preferences. We usually book inside cabins as we are only in our room to sleep and change clothes. We had an oceanview once and it was nice, but it didn't make or break the cruise for us. I like staying in the back, too, as it is closer to dining and pools.
Deffinately a personal preferance. We really love deck 2. Love the large porthole windows and the convience of being of the location to resturants and clubs. But then that is just us. Side of ship does'nt matter in the least. Have been on both and have no preferance.
