How To Choose? Overwhelmed with options!

[Blgoforth]

Hi! First post here! I've been a lurker for a few years, but I've never been able to find a good explanation on how to choose a room. DH and I cruised on the Magic in March- it was the first time and absolutely cannot be the last! We had a blast!

 

 

We booked it 2 months before the sail date and went with an interior room. There wasn't much to choose from so we took the advice to go to the middle of the ship and go high because we were afraid DH might get seasick. Luckily that was never a problem.

 

We are planning WAY ahead to go again (June of '15!! I'm not kidding when I say way out! Ha!) and we will take our 2 boys with us and my parents and 13 year old sister will go as well. We definitely want a balcony and planning this far out I'm sure we will be able to choose exactly what we want when the time comes to book. (This summer maybe?)

 

My concern is-- how do you know the approximation of rooms above or below bars? Or the best side for a balcony? The difference in a cove, regular, spa or large balcony ? I've read complaints about not being able to use balconies due to them being constantly wet, or food being thrown down. Horror stories of being under a loud bar or machine room. I know there is know way to know for sure... But surely there is a method to choosing.

 

Maybe "too many options" is the root of the problem. :rolleyes:[/b]

Edited January 7, 2014 by Blgoforth

[momtotwins14]

if you go to the carnival website and go to FAQ click on handicap accessibility should be able to find a lay out of the ship you are looking for and can look above and below your room to see what is there. Good luck and glad you enjoyed your first cruise. (the map should also let you know about connecting rooms, etc)

[toddler65]

In my opinion the best way to choose a cabin is to look on carnivals website and view deck plans. Then you can tell what is above or below a particular cabin. Try to choose a deck with cabins below and above the cabin you choose if you think noise would be a problem. As for which side of ship, I prefer port (left) side, but sides of ship are purely a personal choice. Hope I was able to help.

 

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[Rena921]

Just remember that the itineraries for summer 2015 won't be released until around April. So even if you find a ship and layout you like, it may not be in the port that you want, etc.

[Giffer]

Shipmate for Carnival (android or apple) have very good maps of the ships decks. I find I can expand them better and move from deck to deck easier.

 

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[BettyCruiser]

Checkout cruisedeckplans dot com, the website has a drag function so that you can overlay one deck on the other lining up the stairs and elevators and determine exactly what's over and under each. The same web site has many picture of rooms.

[Aggiebuttercup]

The first thing to decide, probably, is whether you want to be midship, forward, or aft.

 

Then, how high or low? If seasickness is an issue, you can think about - proximity to the kids' club (will the kids be allowed to walk there by themselves?), proximity to food or the pool or the spa. Maybe you want to be further away to force yourself to take the stairs and get exercise. Maybe you want to be lower to be closer to debarking on port days.

 

Once you've chosen your preferred area of the ship and know about which decks you want to be on...then you can start looking at individual rooms.

 

I personally prefer a cove balcony...lots of threads here debating the pros and cons.

[Fla Senior]

We prefer to stay around the atrium area on port side (even number cabins) on at least two decks above promenade. This will meet all your concerns.

[aggie_gal]

We're leaving on the Magic for the 2nd time in less than 2 weeks. I don't know ship terms, but here goes. On the left side on deck 5, is an outdoor smoking section, so balconies on deck 6, 7 and maybe 8 might be affected at midship. I wouldn't book deck 6, 7, or 8 because on deck 5, the promenade sticks out and when you look down from your balcony, you're looking at people, hottubs, etc. and not directly at water. We booked last minute the first time and were on deck 6 DIRECTLY above the seaside grill. Not fun. If you don't book a cove, I'd book deck 9 or higher.

 

This time we're giving the cove balconies a try. Nobody can see you, they're private and you look down and see water.

[SadieN]

............................................................................

There wasn't much to choose from so we took the advice to go to the middle of the ship and go high because we were afraid DH might get seasick. Luckily that was never a problem.

 

 

Maybe "too many options" is the root of the problem. :rolleyes:[/b]

 

Mid ship and go LOW is the area to avoid seasickness.