littleface Posted August 6, 2015 #1 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Booking the Eclipse Christmas cruise from Miami. 9 nights sailing to Labadee, Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire. I'm just wondering which side of the ship would be better to book a balcony on? Thanks so much for any suggestions and thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ghstudio Posted August 6, 2015 #2 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Booking the Eclipse Christmas cruise from Miami. 9 nights sailing to Labadee, Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire. I'm just wondering which side of the ship would be better to book a balcony on? Thanks so much for any suggestions and thoughts. It doesn't matter. We generally book the starboard side because most, if not all, outdoor smoking areas are on the port side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruizen Susan Posted August 6, 2015 #3 Share Posted August 6, 2015 (edited) Just matter of preference, we almost always are portside. Love to sit on the balcony and watch what's happening on the port, rather than looking out at sea, which we do while we are "at sea." You can't go wrong with one or the other! Edited August 6, 2015 by Cruisen'Susan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
need2cruisesoon Posted August 6, 2015 #4 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Booking the Eclipse Christmas cruise from Miami. 9 nights sailing to Labadee, Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire. I'm just wondering which side of the ship would be better to book a balcony on? Thanks so much for any suggestions and thoughts. Book aft and you'll be able to check out port and starboard: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ghstudio Posted August 6, 2015 #5 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Just matter of preference' date=' we almost always are portside. Love to sit on the balcony and watch what's happening on the port, rather than looking out at sea, which we do while we are "at sea." You can't go wrong with one or the other![/quote'] OK...I'll bite. The port vs starboard side has absolutely nothing to do with whether you are watching the port you are visiting or watching the sea. That would be like always sitting on the left on a river cruise on the Seine because you wanted to view the left bank of Paris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olive1950 Posted August 6, 2015 #6 Share Posted August 6, 2015 I agree that you should try to get an AFT cabin. Looking out at the wake isso calming. And, like "need2cruisesoon" said, you can see BOTH port and starboard sides.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruizen Susan Posted August 6, 2015 #7 Share Posted August 6, 2015 I agree that you should try to get an AFT cabin. Looking out at the wake isso calming. And, like "need2cruisesoon" said, you can see BOTH port and starboard sides.... oo oo oo!!! yes, aft is the best view of all. but far less number of cabins. I agree and it's always our first choice, except when we do Aqua. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruizen Susan Posted August 6, 2015 #8 Share Posted August 6, 2015 I thought CC was informational rather than a debate. But yes, the view is basically the same. But for passengers who have a preference between sunrise and sunsets..... If you are traveling north, you will start the day with the sunrise every morning from the ship’s starboard side. But if you are traveling south, you will enjoy the sunset from your starboard stateroom each evening. Selecting a stateroom that is mid-ship or near an elevator is most of the time more pressing than choosing between port side and starboard side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ghstudio Posted August 6, 2015 #9 Share Posted August 6, 2015 oo oo oo!!! yes' date=' aft is the best view of all. but far less number of cabins. I agree and it's always our first choice, except when we do Aqua.[/quote'] However on the millenium class ships, there are five aft A1 cabins on deck 11 which are highly desirable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByThePond Posted August 6, 2015 #10 Share Posted August 6, 2015 To the OP, there is typically no consistency as to which side of the ship is against the dock so choosing a side based upon hoping to either view the dock or view the harbour is a crapshoot. When travelling from one stop to another, you typically are too far away from land to see anything from either side. Coming into or out of port, there may be some advantage. Looking at maps and knowing the route, you may be able to determine which side of the ship is facing land on those occasions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ghstudio Posted August 6, 2015 #11 Share Posted August 6, 2015 I thought CC was informational rather than a debate. But yes' date=' the view is basically the same. But for passengers who have a preference between sunrise and sunsets..... If you are traveling north, you will start the day with the sunrise every morning from the ship’s starboard side. But if you are traveling south, you will enjoy the sunset from your starboard stateroom each evening. Selecting a stateroom that is mid-ship or near an elevator is most of the time more pressing than choosing between port side and starboard side.[/quote'] Of course on many, if not most cruises, the ship returns to the same port so 1/2 the trip you will be facing east (ish) and half the trip you will be facing west (ish).....so the choice is more on which half of the trip do I want the sun in the morning :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkjretired Posted August 6, 2015 #12 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Another issue for some is that all the designated smoking areas are on the port side and the smoke can drift up to the verandas. Just another consideration if it matters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cb at sea Posted August 6, 2015 #13 Share Posted August 6, 2015 They try to give each side equal time...so pick one, and don't worry about it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Essiesmom Posted August 7, 2015 #14 Share Posted August 7, 2015 (edited) Ships always dock portside in Aruba, and all of the ships I have seen at the new dock in Curacao were docked portside. Aruba On Westerdam, watching Ventura arrive in Aruba Curacao with Ventura Edited August 7, 2015 by Essiesmom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BosoxI Posted August 7, 2015 #15 Share Posted August 7, 2015 We always solve the problem by booking two cabins, one on the port side and the other starboard. And, no, we don't move our clothes from one to the other. :) Actually, I love the aft cabins, but my wife has noticed tremors from the propulsion system on several occasions, so I guess our days in aft cabins are numbered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BILLP1 Posted August 7, 2015 #16 Share Posted August 7, 2015 When you are sailing south from the U.S. the sun will be on the port side in the mornings and the sun will set on the starboard side in the afternoons. So if you want the sun in the mornings book the port side if you are sailing south from the U.S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruizen Susan Posted August 7, 2015 #17 Share Posted August 7, 2015 However on the millenium class ships, there are five aft A1 cabins on deck 11 which are highly desirable. Great to know, thanks!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix_dream Posted August 7, 2015 #18 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Also more motion the further aft (or forward) you get if the seas are rocky, if that matters to you. To us, the smoking on the port side is our main reason for choosing starboard all other things being equal, especially if we are on a floor close to one of the open decks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ontario Cruiser Posted August 9, 2015 #19 Share Posted August 9, 2015 If you want the sun when going eastbound from Fll book the starboard side and west bound from Europe port side Ontario Cruiser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littleface Posted August 9, 2015 Author #20 Share Posted August 9, 2015 Thanks everyone for all of your suggestions and help! Does anyone know of a pictures where someone has numbered the cabins? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CathyCruises Posted August 10, 2015 #21 Share Posted August 10, 2015 Have you consulted the deck plans on the X website??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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