Is a Higher Deck Better?

[Frozen2014]

Sorry...I'll probably be asking lots of questions over the next few weeks as I'm doing research.

I notice a different price based on deck. Are you less likely to feel the boat the higher you are? Are there any other considerations to take into account (e.g. front vs middle vs back)?

PS - Wow, are the rooms ever tiny!

 

[Dug720]

Sorry...I'll probably be asking lots of questions over the next few weeks as I'm doing research.

I notice a different price based on deck. Are you less likely to feel the boat the higher you are? Are there any other considerations to take into account (e.g. front vs middle vs back)?

PS - Wow, are the rooms ever tiny!

If you are worried about movement, the general rule is you feel less midship and lower deck. The advantage to upper decks is the view.

The cabins on DCL are actually bigger than on most ships.

 

[Frozen2014]

If you are worried about movement, the general rule is you feel less midship and lower deck. The advantage to upper decks is the view.

The cabins on DCL are actually bigger than on most ships.

Oh...so lower is better then? I would have thought higher. And Deck 2 on inner cabin is cheaper than decks 8-10.

We wouldn't care about views as much (and may even go for an inner cabin to save a bit)...Biggest concern is NOT feeling like you're on a ship.

 

[Dug720]

Oh...so lower is better then? I would have thought higher. And Deck 2 on inner cabin is cheaper than decks 8-10.

We wouldn't care about views as much (and may even go for an inner cabin to save a bit)...Biggest concern is NOT feeling like you're on a ship.

Not IMHO. I go on a cruise BECAUSE I'm on a cruise. If I want to stay still, I take a land-based vacation.

If you don't want to feel like you're on a ship, I would strongly reconsider cruising. But that's just me.

 

[lanejudy]

"Better" is very subjective. My idea of a "better" stateroom location may not be the same as someone else's ideal spot.

Cruiseline pricing leads you to believe higher decks are "better" due to the typically higher price tag. And as PP mentions, the view is better, and these are more likely to be verandah staterooms (which are more expensive than oceanview or interior).

For movement, it is recommended to be mid-ship (not forward or aft) and lower; basic physics. And despite the deck numbering, there are several non-public levels below "deck one." Yes, lower staterooms tend to be lower priced. They also do not include balconies. Interior staterooms are lower priced than oceanview. It really doesn't mean any are "better" than another, without taking into consideration personal preference.

Depending on your interests, higher decks are closer to pools and most outdoor onboard activities. Lower decks are closer to the restaurants, theaters, shops, Club/Lab and nusery. But nothing is truly very far away.

As to stateroom size, DCL staterooms tend to be larger than industry norms on other cruiselines.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[Prose]

Think of a teeter-totter......you feel the least motion in the middle and if you stay low.

Lower decks are closer to restaurants, the main lobby and the way to get off/on at port. Upper decks are closer to pools, the adult areas and Cabanas. Kids areas, shopping and theaters are kind of in the middle.

 

[Zandy595]

In the cruise ship business, higher decks have always been considered more desirable real estate. It doesn't matter to me what deck I'm on, I like them all.

As far as feeling motion, you will hear a lot of people say lower and midship is better. I personally don't think it makes much difference. On my first three cruises I stayed on deck 2 midship because I was afraid of getting seasick. On the fourth cruise, I booked late and the only area open was deck 9 aft. We loved the location and I didn't feel anymore motion there than I did on deck 2. I'm extremely prone to seasickness, so I have to take Bonine no matter where I am anyway.

IMO, any deck is good, as long as you are not above, below or near anything that could be a potential noise problem.

 

[Frozen2014]

Not IMHO. I go on a cruise BECAUSE I'm on a cruise. If I want to stay still, I take a land-based vacation.

If you don't want to feel like you're on a ship, I would strongly reconsider cruising. But that's just me.

My inlaws took us all on a cruise a few years ago (totally couldn't tell you where our cabin was located). We had one rough night where the boat was really rocking. Otherwise, it was fine and we don't mind the general ship feeling. (Didn't mean to exaggerate saying that we totally didn't know we were on a ship...I just don't want to feel sea sick). Also went on cruise for honeymoon and one other time...but again, no idea where we stayed. We love cruising which is why we are excited to take our kids. Just trying to find best location for our cabin...doesn't mean that a cruise is not for us.

 

[Funky Chicken]

It's really not as simple as higher=better.
On Dream/Fantasy, the highest deck with cabins is deck 10. These are also the priciest cabins in their respective categories (5A/4A). These cabins also sit directly below the pool deck and if you do a search some people complain that the noise from above is a negative.
My preference is to have cabins above and below me. The odds of hearing noise are minimized (although not eliminated).
Then you have to think about where you will be spending your time on the ship. Midship usually has the least motion if your cruise has much motion at all. I can promise you that if your weather is bad it won't matter where you are, you will be aware that you are on a ship. I love the idea of an Aft Balcony but probably would book midship given the choice.
Some people don't want to be near the elevators and vestibules. I have been directly adjacent (as in THE DOOR you see when you go into the hallway from the the stairwell) and had ZERO noise problems. That made it really easy for my child to find our room-as long as she got to deck 7 on the midship elevator, she could get back to the room if she needed to.
One person's ideal cabin is another's nightmare, and each sailing is different in terms of weather/headcount/the passengers themselves. If there are 1100 children on a given sailing I can promise you that things will be different from a week where there are 350.
Then you have to decide if bumping to a Cat 4 (the larger veranda cabin) is worth the difference in cost. I will tell you that 3 people can make it work in a Cat 5 but if we were 4 people we would absolutely book a Cat 4 cabin.
Our ideal cabin is a 5C, Starboard side for a view of Castaway Cay. Somewhere between 7570 and 7580. We will see what our VGT assignment is for our upcoming January trip, and if we get a Cat 4 that is great, but I honestly would pick deck 7 over any other if I was booking a specific category.

 

[Frozen2014]

Thanks for the other replies. Seems ok to me to be on a lower deck to be closer to restaurants and theatre...and to walk up a touch further to the pools, etc. Not an issue at all. And sounds like there is either no difference, or a bit better lower and middle...so will try for that. Again, we don't care about the view since we won't be spending much time in our cabin anyways.

 

[Bear3412]

.... On Dream/Fantasy, the highest deck with cabins is deck 10..

I wish this was true.

 

[vacationer1954]

I wonder where the center of gravity really is on these ships. We were on a cruise fifteen years ago and before the cruse I remember reading that the center of gravity on that ship was on Deck 4, with two decks below that that had cabins, including ours on Deck 2. I couldn't be sure but I did feel more motion in our cabin than in the dining room on Deck 4 but it had to be a very slight difference if any at all because it wasn't that far from Deck 2 to Deck 4. Maybe it was just the cramped quarters compared with the open space. I do remember feeling a lot more motion way up on the pool deck.

 

[Frozen2014]

It's really not as simple as higher=better.
On Dream/Fantasy, the highest deck with cabins is deck 10. These are also the priciest cabins in their respective categories (5A/4A). These cabins also sit directly below the pool deck and if you do a search some people complain that the noise from above is a negative.
My preference is to have cabins above and below me. The odds of hearing noise are minimized (although not eliminated).
Then you have to think about where you will be spending your time on the ship. Midship usually has the least motion if your cruise has much motion at all. I can promise you that if your weather is bad it won't matter where you are, you will be aware that you are on a ship. I love the idea of an Aft Balcony but probably would book midship given the choice.
Some people don't want to be near the elevators and vestibules. I have been directly adjacent (as in THE DOOR you see when you go into the hallway from the the stairwell) and had ZERO noise problems. That made it really easy for my child to find our room-as long as she got to deck 7 on the midship elevator, she could get back to the room if she needed to.
One person's ideal cabin is another's nightmare, and each sailing is different in terms of weather/headcount/the passengers themselves. If there are 1100 children on a given sailing I can promise you that things will be different from a week where there are 350.
Then you have to decide if bumping to a Cat 4 (the larger veranda cabin) is worth the difference in cost. I will tell you that 3 people can make it work in a Cat 5 but if we were 4 people we would absolutely book a Cat 4 cabin.
Our ideal cabin is a 5C, Starboard side for a view of Castaway Cay. Somewhere between 7570 and 7580. We will see what our VGT assignment is for our upcoming January trip, and if we get a Cat 4 that is great, but I honestly would pick deck 7 over any other if I was booking a specific category.

Thanks...great explanation.
For us, a larger room isn't required. Sure it would be nice, but cruises are pricey enough (plus the cost of the flight for us), and we figure we won't be in the room long...just night time and to change before/after swimming/shore excursions, etc.
Have an awesome cruise in January!

 

[Zandy595]

On Dream/Fantasy, the highest deck with cabins is deck 10. These are also the priciest cabins in their respective categories (5A/4A).

Actually, decks 11 and 12 also have staterooms (categories V, T & R).

 

[Funky Chicken]

I wish this was true.

It is for us mere mortals

 

[gumbypee]

I love my deck 2 ocean view. Ocean view is as much splurging as I will do. Had balcony once and personally felt it was a waste and felt I HAD to use it when I preferred to be out

 

[IBelieveInTheMagic]

I love my deck 2 ocean view. Ocean view is as much splurging as I will do. Had balcony once and personally felt it was a waste and felt I HAD to use it when I preferred to be out

I was going to offer this as well. We love verandahs as a family, but I've stayed in inside, oceanview and verandah and ocean view is quite nice. I've been on deck 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 and mid, forward and aft and honestly as others have said, can't really say there is a "massive" difference in movement, in my opinion. I'd probably say higher and forward are more noticeable, but not huge differences to me/us.

We just did our first deck 2 oceanview on the Wonder and we loved it. It was a test for my DS and DH as I think they had the wrong idea about it but what we all loved about it is being close to the water although not too close and able to see out and see the water almost the entire time. You didn't have to stand up and look down, over a verandah etc.

I would not hesitate to book a lower deck or oceanview if the price difference was big. On our Norway/Iceland cruise, our 9C is $4000 cheaper than a verandah - so yeah, we are HAPPILY staying in oceanview

Heather

 

[cixel_SID]

I wonder where the center of gravity really is on these ships ... I remember reading that the center of gravity on that ship was on Deck 4 ...

The Vertical Center of Gravity (VCG) probably wasn't at the height of Deck 4. The VCG must be below the waterline and most passenger ships have their public decks above the waterline.

In order for the ship to float upright, the VCG must be below the center of buoyancy (CB). The center of buoyancy is the centroid of the water displaced by the hull. So, the VCB must be below the waterline and the VCG must be below that.

Can't say precisely how far below the waterline CB and CG are located. The CB location is determined by the hull form and the CG is determined by the locations of all of the weights in the ship. So, they try to keep all of the large weights very low in the ship. The designer has to maintain appropriate CB and CG locations because the distance between the CB and the CG is a major contributor to the ship's stability and the roll response in a seaway.

Sorry if this is TMI.

 

[jennafae]

I love getting the scientific info! Thanks cixel_SID!

 

[xlxo]

I too stayed Deck 2 ocean view and will likely return there in future trips....

• Deck 2 feels the wave.... higher decks would get the pendulum swing.
• Deck 2 is easy access to near empty elevators when rushing to upper deck dining.