From a Cabana Suite to a Deluxe Balcony, be sure to pick the right accommodation (and its location on the ship) for your next cruise
August 2024
By Liz Darke
The time of year, the destination, what you’d like to experience when there – there’s lots to think about when initially planning a cruise. And while there’s no wrong choice of accommodation when you book with Princess, it’s also worth thinking about what type of cabin would suit you best.
Whether you’re a first-time cruiser or a seasoned guest getting to know a new ship, let our guide to picking the right onboard accommodation help you make the ideal choice.
Offering our most premium accommodation yet, the brand-new Sanctuary Collection comprises 80 Sanctuary Collection Suites, 123 Mini-Suites and 12 Premium Deluxe Balconies. Available on Sun Princess from October 2024 and Star Princess from October 2025, these staterooms offer generous living space, chic and modern décor, best-in-class bathrooms and luxurious touches.
On top of that, all Sanctuary Collection guests will have access to a private restaurant, Reserved, and the adults-only, spa-inspired Sanctuary Club, an elegant deck area with pool, hot tub, luxury lounge furniture, bar and exclusive events programme. In addition, Sanctuary Suite guests can visit the Suite Lounge, a fully staffed lounge area with floor-to-ceiling sea views.
If you need lots of room...
Sailing as a bigger family or group? Our Mini-Suites and larger Suites sleep up to four people, while our Family Suites (available on selected ships) comprise two interconnecting staterooms and can sleep up to eight people. Alternatively, a proportion of all our stateroom options can have 3rd person and 4th person berths added, with sofa beds and beds that fold down from the wall or ceiling to sleep additional guests.
There are plenty of open-air areas onboard all ships in the Princess fleet, but guests can secure their own slice of outside space by booking a Balcony or Deluxe Balcony cabin. Complete with a table and two chairs, our private, outward-facing balconies are the perfect place for a peaceful morning coffee or a lazy afternoon spent reading.
Guests can also experience Ultimate Balcony Dining and settle in for champagne, co*cktails and a four-course meal served by dedicated waitstaff, all on their own balcony.
For even more private alfresco space, plump for one of our Cabana Mini-Suites, which are available on both Sun Princess and Star Princess and have their own indoor-outdoor cabana with seating and a flat-screen TV as well as a balcony. Our Cabana Deck Mini-Suites on Deck 9 have access to an exclusive sun deck, featuring sofas, sun loungers, a hot tub and fabulous sea vistas.
If a clear ocean view is essential...
Is gazing out to sea from the comfort of your stateroom top of your cruise agenda? If so, booking one with an unobstructed ocean view should be a priority. Due to the design of each ship, some cabin windows will look onto parts of the ship’s structure or its lifeboats. While these still offer plenty of light and a partial sea view, if an ocean panorama is a must-have for you, be sure to choose accommodation with a clear view. View options are made easy to explore when booking your holiday on princess.com, but you can call us and speak to one of our Personal Cruise Specialists for information and advice, too.
If your stateroom will simply be a place to sleep…
Along with incredible destinations to explore when in port, there’s an abundance of things to do onboard, too – from pickleball sessions and salsa classes to wine tasting and relaxing spa treatments. If that enticing combination means you’ll spend minimal time in your stateroom, then our more compact Inside and Ocean View cabins could be for you. Our most affordable cabins, they’re fitted with all the amenities you’ll need for your cruise holiday and are a great option if you're looking to spend less on your accommodation and more on our all-inclusive packages, shore excursions and onboard extras instead.
If you want to be near your favourite venues…
If it’s the buzzing Piazza, home of live music, dancing and numerous ship events, the theatre or the cosy indoor bars in which you’re planning to spend most of your time, then it’s smart to pick a cabin on the lower decks, as you’ll have less of a walk to get to and from them each day.
However, if the swimming pool, sun loungers and outdoor hot tubs will pretty much be home for the duration of your cruise, opt for a nearby cabin on the upper decks.
If it takes a few days for you to acquire your sea legs, or if you’re sensitive to the motion of the ship, select a stateroom on the lower decks near the middle of the ship. This is the area least affected by the ship’s movement.
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About the Author
Liz Darke
Liz is the editor of Journey. She's a seasoned journalist, who specialises in travel, food and lifestyle. Always on the hunt for a hit of sunshine and fantastic regional cuisine, she's heading to Barcelona, Puglia in southern Italy and Mexico next. Oh, and bring on the local wine, too!
It is always an excellent idea to check the deck plan when booking a cabin. Typically, the best cruise ship cabins are those surrounded by other cabins (above, below, and on each side). Some people don't like cabins too close to elevators because they can hear passengers talking while waiting.
The big allure of a midship cabin is its stability. You won't feel the rocking of the sea in a midship cabin nearly as much as you will in a cabin toward the front or back of a vessel. This is because ships are like teeter-totters. They pitch forward and back around a central axis that barely moves.
The most stable part of the ship is its lowest point of gravity, so on a lower deck, at the center. You'd feel a lot less motion here than, say, in a stateroom on the upper decks a long way forward or aft (towards the back of the ship).
Suite. Finally, the best cruise ship rooms are suites at the top of the vessel. In most cases, you'll have a sitting area separate from the sleeping area, a full bathroom and a more spacious balcony. You might even enjoy a boatload of amenities, such as priority boarding, premium toiletries and a private concierge.
Common wisdom has always stated that if you can get a mid-ship cabin then this will be the 'best' position on the ship. Going back to the see-saw metaphor, imagine the middle of the it. Whilst the seats go up and down, the middle never actually moves. It's the same on a cruise ship.
Lower Decks: Since lower decks are closer to the waterline, they offer a more stable feel with less motion. This can be a significant advantage for those prone to seasickness. Accommodations on these decks are often more affordable, making them an excellent choice for budget-conscious travelers.
Even on smaller, more luxurious ships that don't feel crowded, a balcony is desirable; if the weather is such that you can spend a lot of time on your balcony, it's like having an additional room.
On the lowest cabin at the very front of the ship, bow thrusters (VERY loud when in use). The areas around elevator banks and stairways on cruise ships can be noisy, just like they can be at hotels on land. You'll get people milling around talking as they wait for an elevator car.
The higher the deck, the better and, often, more panoramic the view. Cabins on top decks aren't always the best on the ship, but many suites and specialty cabin categories are typically located on upper decks. Like to be near all the action? Most mega-ships place their lido (pool) areas on higher decks.
Costa Cruises has a 3.0 out of 5 rating on Cruise Critic, the lowest among popular cruise lines. Cruise Critic's ratings average passenger reviews on a scale of 0-5 for a particular cruise line. Costa Cruises comes in dead last when comparing today's most popular mainstream lines: Carnival Cruise Line: 3.8.
Areas such as the pool deck, dining room, and outer decks are particularly prone to hazards due to the destabilization of unsecured objects. Injuries such as slip and fall accidents, drowning, illness, theft, and sexual assault can occur on a cruise ship, and these incidents can be exacerbated by rough sea conditions.
There are two big reasons to prepay gratuities on your cruise. First (and the main reason I always do it) is so I can get all of my major expenses out of the way before I step on board. I'd rather have as little as possible charged to my credit card at the end of my trip.
An upgraded cabin is almost always better than the most basic room on board. The only thing stopping you from splurging on a larger space, a private balcony and extra perks is your budget. If you change your mind once you've booked, you'll find several ways to upgrade your cabin to a higher-category room.
The lower and more central you are in a ship, the less roll and sway you will feel. Even if you choose a balcony room, choose a low level and a room closest to the ship's center. The higher decks and cabins at the front (forward) or back (aft) of the ship will rock and roll the most.
You want to be as close to the pivot point as possible to feel the least movement. Avoid cabins near the front (bow) or back (stern) and on decks higher than the middle deck of the ship. So, on a ship with fourteen passenger decks, your best options are below deck seven.
The back of the ship tends to be considered the next best cabin position after midships. Whilst the front of the ship gets the most movement the back also does get some. Whilst it's nowhere near as bad as the front of the ship, you may still notice some movement in rough seas.
The lower and more central you are in a ship, the less roll and sway you will feel. Even if you choose a balcony room, choose a low level and a room closest to the ship's center. The higher decks and cabins at the front (forward) or back (aft) of the ship will rock and roll the most.
The higher the deck, the better and, often, more panoramic the view. Cabins on top decks aren't always the best on the ship, but many suites and specialty cabin categories are typically located on upper decks. Like to be near all the action? Most mega-ships place their lido (pool) areas on higher decks.
There is no one side of a cruise ship that is always “the best.” Whether a cruise ship's port versus starboard side is better for you on a given itinerary will be a personal calculation based on preferences, route and what you want to see.
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