What is the best outside cabin? Would an inside on a higher deck be better?
I didn't attempt to specifically answer your questions so here's a go.
Obviously the best outside cabin is the Roy O. Disney (or its matching) suit. But that's obviously not the answer you are looking for. There really is not particular outside cabin that is better than the others. You basicly have the choise of:
1. Secret Porthole Room
2. Porthole Room
3. Enclosed Verandha
4. Partially Obstructed View Verandha
5. Standard (Plexiglass) Verandha
6. Solid railing Verandha
The higher the number, the higher the price (except that #3 and 4 cost the same and #5 and 6 cost the same). Each has their various pros and cons (i.e. plexiglass verandha gives you a better view of the sea, but a solid railing verandha is usually larger, and the solid railing verandhas are all at the back of the ship.) Enclosed verandha's don't allow as much light in and don't have as good of a view, but cost less. The partially obstructed view verandha's are sort of like the Secret Porthole Rooms (full verandha at a reduced rate because of limited view, and often first to book because of this).
As for the inside cabins, if we are talking the typical Cat 11, that means you are most likely talking about Deck 6 or Deck 7. The only benefit of Deck 7 is that there are fewwer inside staterooms on that Deck than Deck 6 (so there should be overall less traffic in the hallways). The only other comment I can think to make is try to get a cabin where you only have one neibor (less opportunity for noisy neibors). Example would be rooms 7x67, 7x63, 7x35, 6x71, 6x81 etc (replace an "x" with 0 or 5, just denotes which side of the ship you are on).
The only other suggestion I can think to give you is that if you are looking for a quiet section of the ship (i.e. a place where you won't have much foot traffic outside your door all day) I'd suggest any room at the rear of the ship, and specifically those on Deck 5 Stardboard (i.g. 5639 for an inside room (Cat 11), 5650 for a metal verandah or 5622 for a plexiglass verandah (Cat 6)). These would have little foot traffic AND only one neighbor.
