Newbie - Deck Selection

[cobianlover]

I was on the Carnival site, running through the booking process for a Pride cruise. Deck options were Empress, Verandah and Panorama. What do I need to know about the difference between these decks?

[Surfwench]

I've learned to avoid any deck that has public areas directly above or below. According to several websites Empress deck is the most desirable on Carnival ships.

[skewsus]

Empress is the bottom and is nice. Inside rooms are so dark you can nap and outside cabins have a large window with a cove that you can sit in to enjoy a cup of coffee or glass of wine while looking out at the beautiful sea. Never a lot of traffic running up and down the hallways. When you are in port you only have 1 floor to go up or down to get to the exit so you don't have to fight the huge crowds for the elevators.

 

Other floors are closer to the activities but there really are a lot of times when kids are running up and down the halls laughing. They sound like they are having fun but sometimes it goes on into the middles of the night.

 

Just check out the areas around the room. I had a great offer to upgrade to a balcony last year but luckily I checked the deck plan and found out it was the room right outside of one of the bars. That room would not have worked for me!

 

If you are lucky enough to be cruising, you're lucky enough!

[Yvonne]

We prefer a deck with staterooms above us and below us, so there is less noise. If you are above or under public space (pools, restaurants, bars, etc.) there is more noise.

 

Also, when booking make sure you look at the deck plans to see what is across the hall from your stateroom. We have always had other staterooms across from us, until our most recent cruise on the Carnival Freedom. The space across from our room, on the deck plan, was a white, empty space. Little did we know that was where the stateroom attendant station was. Where they keep all the vacuums, supplies, etc. Noise until long after midnight, and starting back up about 4 a.m. Going in and out of the room, slamming the door, talking, laughing, singing, not trying to be quiet at all.

 

Also, the room service delivery door was right next to that. So we had a lot of noise for the week. After the first night I used ear plugs and had no problem, but DH didn't and he was awakened several times each night by the noise.

[Frank12]

We prefer a deck with staterooms above us and below us, so there is less noise. If you are above or under public space (pools, restaurants, bars, etc.) there is more noise.

 

Also, when booking make sure you look at the deck plans to see what is across the hall from your stateroom. We have always had other staterooms across from us, until our most recent cruise on the Carnival Freedom. The space across from our room, on the deck plan, was a white, empty space. Little did we know that was where the stateroom attendant station was. Where they keep all the vacuums, supplies, etc. Noise until long after midnight, and starting back up about 4 a.m. Going in and out of the room, slamming the door, talking, laughing, singing, not trying to be quiet at all.

 

Also, the room service delivery door was right next to that. So we had a lot of noise for the week. After the first night I used ear plugs and had no problem, but DH didn't and he was awakened several times each night by the noise.

 

Very good advice!

[bythehex]

We've been on Pride twice, both times on the Verandah deck (cabin 7305 both times). It was a great location because we could walk two decks up to the Lido deck without having to wait for the elevators, and down the stairs to the dining room. It was a very quiet location too, no noise at all. :)

[crewsweeper]

Verandah or Empress decks on the Pride. Choose a mid ship balcony or inside. On the Empress deck:6152 through 6209, avoiding balconies 6166 or 6183 and insides 6179, 6187 as the are next to or across from the service entries. On the Verdanah deck:7158 through 7231, avoiding balconies 7178,7180 or 7191, 7193 and insides 7187, 7197 and 7229 as the are next to or across from the service entries.

[BandM]

We're booked on the Pride 8e, room 8241. Anyone have any experience with this area of the ship?

[Breezie68]

I have heard (granted, I don't know if it's true or not) that the Empress is the best deck, as that's where the suites are located, so you get the better cabin stewards. I have no proof to back that up though. I usually stay on a lower deck in an interior. My next cruise will be the first time I'm on the Lido.

[douglinc@msn.com]

We usually try to book one of the lowerer decks. The lower you are and the closer to mid-ship, the smoother the ride.

 

Doug