Cabin Location

[soccergang]

We booked a guaranteed balcony on an upcoming cruise to Alaska. We were assigned a cabin on the Aloha deck. We have previously been on the Baja and Dolphin decks. Looking at the prices, it would appear that this is an upgrade. I'm just curious as to why a deck that is higher up is more expensive. I thought that being midship and on a deck that is lower is preferable - you feel the movement less. Or, am I totally off base?

[BOBMJ]

In cruise like in appartment building , the higher the more $$ it's cost

[Pam in CA]

We booked a guaranteed balcony on an upcoming cruise to Alaska. We were assigned a cabin on the Aloha deck. We have previously been on the Baja and Dolphin decks. Looking at the prices, it would appear that this is an upgrade. I'm just curious as to why a deck that is higher up is more expensive. I thought that being midship and on a deck that is lower is preferable - you feel the movement less. Or, am I totally off base?

You're not off base. :) Pricing is based on demand and demand is based on perception, and the perception is that the higher the deck, the better the cabin. We've had people post here that being on a lower deck was akin to being in the "bowels" of the ship.

[nctraveler54]

My wife and I were on the Aloha Deck a few years back RT out of Seattle. No problem with movement, the Inside Passage was very smooth on our trip.

[Iamcruzin]

An apartment building I can understand because the higher up the better the view. On a cruise ship an inside midship on the Dolphin, Caribe or Baja is better real-estate for me than an inside on any deck higher. I don't want a public deck above or below me and in the evening I don't want to have to depend on the lifts. Are the rooms larger on the higher decks for the same type of room on a lower deck.

 

Pam I guess it is a status thing. I can see how some luxury cruise lines can make you feel that way but mass market lines have a different atmosphere where this is concerned.

[Sailingbear]

I always assumed it had to do with being closer to the action for more of each day. less need to take the elevators to get to the sun deck, buffet, spa and gym, etc.

[Iamcruzin]

I always assumed it had to do with being closer to the action for more of each day. less need to take the elevators to get to the sun deck, buffet, spa and gym, etc.

 

I can understand your assumption on an itinerary that has many sea days but on a port intensive itinerary you would be spending more time on the lower decks in the evening after dinner than on the upper decks during the day. Personally I don't care what level deck I am on as long as I'm on the ship. I am just fortunate that the deck level I prefer is less expensive. I have been as low as the Emerald and for a good price I would be willing to try the Plaza deck. I just don't know if it would be noisy or not. Then again I have read posts were passengers on the Riviera deck were bothered by noise from the above Lido deck.

 

I think Pam is correct that it is just perception, the higher the deck the higher your social status.

[PescadoAmarillo]

For us, our cabin location, more than our cabin category, really influences that type of cruise we'll have. On cooler cruises, we love a cabin on Plaza Deck, as it is closer to the inside activities. On warmer cruises, we love being high up on the ship, for quick exits to pools and hot tubs. If we're on a low deck on a warm cruise, we really don't use the outside venues as much as we usually do, but tend to spend our time on the Promenade Deck.

[Iamcruzin]

For us, our cabin location, more than our cabin category, really influences that type of cruise we'll have. On cooler cruises, we love a cabin on Plaza Deck, as it is closer to the inside activities. On warmer cruises, we love being high up on the ship, for quick exits to pools and hot tubs. If we're on a low deck on a warm cruise, we really don't use the outside venues as much as we usually do, but tend to spend our time on the Promenade Deck.

 

How are the rooms on the Plaza deck in terms of noise and traffic?

[PescadoAmarillo]

How are the rooms on the Plaza deck in terms of noise and traffic?

 

Plaza Deck is very quiet unless you get one of the most forward insides...I'd say stay away from the first 4 or so from the front. On some ships (i.e. Golden) there are three "columns" of insides, so stay away from the first four on each column. Better to be closer to the elevator. There is noise from the Princess Theater in the most forward cabins.

 

The OV cabins are very quiet...if they're aft of the forward elevators, no one even goes down those corridors. And if they're forward of the forward elevators, no one is in those corridors except the people who have cabins there, and there aren't that many cabins on Deck 5 anyways, so it's quiet.

 

On some (maybe most) ships, there's a self service laundry on Deck 5 too. So a laundry with less than half a ship's length of cabins...very nice.

 

We really enjoyed walking through the art gallery to get our coffee in the morning. And there's often live musical entertainment on Deck 5. Eat all your meals in the dining rooms and International Cafe, and you can forget the rest of the ship even exists.

 

It's also very nice when you leave the theater at night to just walk down one flight of stairs and be at your cabin.

 

On warm weather cruises, I prefer to be closer to the top of the ship, but on cool weather cruises, Plaza Deck is great.

[Pam in CA]

I always assumed it had to do with being closer to the action for more of each day. less need to take the elevators to get to the sun deck, buffet, spa and gym, etc.

That's part of the perception that TAs have. Not everyone spends all day at the pool/buffet/spa/gym; there are lots of activities and lectures in the lounges on deck 7 throughout the day. Just check the Patters to see what I mean. If you have a port intensive cruise, you'll appreciate not having to wait for an elevator to get to an upper deck. Likewise, in the evening, all the action is on the lower decks.