OK, going celebrity...how do you pick your room?

[kjwinston2019]

Do you pick your room by:

 

Price?

Location? (if you do where) Top, bottom, aft, front, center???

Size?

 

Which of these do you start with and then fine tune...????

[Texed]

Do you pick your room by:

Price?

Location? (if you do where) Top, bottom, aft, front, center???

Size?

Which of these do you start with and then fine tune...????

 

E. None of the above.

 

I pick the minimum category that I would accept. Then the other areas come into play. :)

[Lastdance]

Do you pick your room by:

 

Price?

Location? (if you do where) Top, bottom, aft, front, center???

Size?

 

Which of these do you start with and then fine tune...????

 

 

Yes, all of these are important. If money is not an object and you want lots of perks, go for suite class. I started by watching Youtube videos, gathering all the information I could and using Cruise Critic to book my first cruise on Celebrity years ago. You know what you like and what you don't like, so please do this. I have no idea of you wants/needs on a cruise, so I cannot specifically share information. However, It always helps to have cabins above and below, as there can be lots of noise in areas that are below noisy venues. The middle is great if you are sensitive to motion, but I like the aft, and it does not bother me at all. You also may want to be close to the elevators, depending on your situation, so use deck plans...good luck and share more specifics. Begin your learning curve...and make a great cruise happen!

Edited February 25, 2018 by Lastdance

[kjwinston2019]

Yes, all of these are important. If money is not an object and you want lots of perks, go for suite class. I started by watching Youtube videos, gathering all the information I could and using Cruise Critic to book my first cruise on Celebrity years ago. You know what you like and what you don't like, so please do this. I have no idea of you wants/needs on a cruise, so I cannot specifically share information. It always helps to have cabins above and below, as there can be lots of noise in areas that are below noisy venues. The middle is great if you are sensitive to motion, but I like the aft, and it does not bother me at all. You also may want to be close to the elevators, depending on your situation. good luck and share more specifics if you can!

 

I think it is super you have that first cruise on any ship, but if you are first starting, then you must go exploring. I am trying to get a couple to go with us, but we started in the middle of the ship for our first, then learned about the other areas. I just wanted to know where you would advise to start, Price, location for sensitivity, or what would you advise for some couple looking for there first cruise???

 

Personalty we love the aft, then suites.

[dkjretired]

I start with inside then get very proactive in checking prices, since I'm retired have the time to do it.

[FreesiaE]

Well, for us we are value conscious. I look at what areas are not good values for us, and take those out of play. For example, a room at the very front has more motion, so we will not take those. Nor do I want one under a dance club. A descent nights sleep is a good value for us. Next, I look at the price for the cabin vs the amenities offered. For us, I will pay extra for a balcony, but not an ocean view. An ocean view does not add any space and standing just looking out has no value to us. There are 2 adults and 2 kids with us now, so we have to be aware of how to best book for that. I find that 4 on an inside is a bit congested. We could do it, but I’ve found that booking 2 adjoining inside cabins can actually be very close in price to 1 cabin one you add in OBC and perks per cabin and I’ve doubled our square footage. Now, we got a good deal on a balcony for our upcoming cruise. I found the price per person to be fair, and the OBC to be good. It was much less this time than two insides. I think to comes down to what is a value to you.

[Airrace]

I like the suites on Celebrity. They give you a whole bunch of free up grades. We got premium unlimited beverages, larger room, personal butler, unlimited internet, first on/off the ship, private dining restaurant for suite guests only. The restaurant has great food and seats 54 people. You can order from their own personal menu or ask to see the main dinning room menu. They also have a place (Michaels) we’re suite guests can go to have place to unwind or plan your adventure as the have a concierge services exclusive to suite guests only. They also have a bar and snacks most of the day. At night the crew often frequent the bar. It also has a piano and several of the entertainment visit.

 

Google sweet 16 on cruise ship and this will give you a good idea of what the best rooms are at. Most are just a little larger. I would stay away from the upper level rooms as they have problems with noise at night. They drain the pool each night and arrange chairs so you hear the sounds of chairs being drug on the deck.

 

I prefer the sixth deck. One floor down to the morning coffee house.

 

 

 

 

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[Emma on sea]

We wanted a balcony

On our only other cruise we’d been on the 8th floor and liked that location ( sort of halfway from the MDR and theatre , and the sunbathing deck )

So we chose 8200 as we thought it was easy to remember

[Airrace]

I like the suites on Celebrity. They give you a whole bunch of free up grades. We got premium unlimited beverages, larger room, personal butler, unlimited internet, first on/off the ship, private dining restaurant for suite guests only. The restaurant has great food and seats 54 people. You can order from their own personal menu or ask to see the main dinning room menu. They also have a place (Michaels) we’re suite guests can go to have place to unwind or plan your adventure as the have a concierge services exclusive to suite guests only. They also have a bar and snacks most of the day. At night the crew often frequent the bar. It also has a piano and several of the entertainment visit.

 

Google sweet 16 on cruise ship and this will give you a good idea of what the best rooms are at. Most are just a little larger. I would stay away from the upper level rooms as they have problems with noise at night. They drain the pool each night and arrange chairs so you hear the sounds of chairs being drug on the deck.

 

I prefer the sixth deck. One floor down to the morning coffee house.

 

 

 

 

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If you are a Elite member with lots of cruise you have access to Michaels and the Luminaee.

 

 

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[Texed]

If you are a Elite member with lots of cruise you have access to Michaels and the Luminaee.

 

If you are talking about Zenith members, they do have access to Michael's Club. But, unless they are in a suite, they do not have access to Luminae. :)

[sippican]

Look at photos and youtube videos. Use the cabin "stickies" at the top of the forum. Only you can decide your comfort level and preferences for price and location and even ship (as ronbe65 points out - and we respectfully disagree). Read as many reviews as you can. As for us, we love the aft and the extra motion does not bother us at all. Choose a cabin on a deck with cabins above and below to minimize noise. Check out the smoking policy - it may impact your balcony cabin. As far as the claim of free perks with Aqua, Concierge or Suites - they are not free, you usually pay more for the cabins to begin with. We usually book a mini-suite because we enjoy Luminae and Michael's Club, but for an upcoming cruise, we chose a sunset veranda, saving over $5000 dollars; we will upgrade the beverage package (it came with Classic) and pay for as much specialty dining as we want, and still save a great deal. No matter what - its a cruise and it will be great!

[Cuervosar]

Step one, can I afford a suite? If no go to step 2.

 

Step two, is an aft balcony cabin available? Concierge or Aqua? Sunset? If no step 3.

 

Step three, regular balcony? What is above me? If I don’t like anything available step 4.

 

Step four, start over with different trip.

[Husky61]

As far as cabins, it's either a Royal Suite or Penthouse suite.:)

[MagPie60]

We could afford a suite if we felt so inclined, but we are not so inclined.

 

The only thing that is absolutely essential for me is a balcony. Preferably on the "bulge" Deck 9 or 10. Not 11. I could not care less about Aqua class, and although we often go Concierge class - if there is a a huge price difference - then we don't bother with Concierge.

[Carried_Away]

There’s lots of information on Cruise Critic about different cabins, but I found it somewhat overwhelming when I had never cruised before. For my first cruise, which was in October, I chose the cabin class I wanted (Concierge) and booked a guarantee. The guarantee got me a great price, and I didn’t worry about trying to figure out whether one room was better than another because the cruise line assigned the room for me.

 

I ended up being happy with the room I was assigned, and I learned on that cruise what I would want to have and want to avoid for future cruises. I liked Concierge Class, and a balcony would be a requirement for me. I got a sense of the size and scale of the ship. I learned that I feel the motion of the ship more at the front of the ship, but I was fine at the back.

 

With that experience, I now start by choosing the cabin class I want, with budget in mind. Concierge is my starting point, but I also look at the prices of Aqua and balcony rooms. Then I look for a cabin in the middle or aft sections of the ship, with passenger cabins above, away from smoking areas. If I can be closer to the elevators/stairs and/or have a cabin with an unusually large balcony, those are bonuses.

[macaroni]

I go middle of the ship and low...deck 7 or 8...least amount of movement...

[Marelaine]

We like having a balcony so we always pick a veranda. Next is location. We choose a cabin that has cabins above and below, rather than a noisy venu. So for a regular veranda, that leaves decks 7, 8, and 9. We always chose mid deck cabins because you don't feel the motion so much. When we realized we don't get seasick, we decided to experiment. Our last cabin was aft. The plus is the great view of the wake. The downside is the long walk to the Solarium at the front of the ship, which is where we spend a lot of time. For the next cruise, we have booked a cabin on the backwards slant of the forward hump. It's just a few flights up to the Solarium so there's no long walk for a forgotten book or tablet. Closer to sailing, I will be watching for discounted Aqua Class cabins.

 

Once you book, check the website regularly for sales. If your cabin drops in price before final payment, call for a price adjustment. Just make sure that any perks you have will be included in the new price. I only call if the price drops more than $100. Celebrity has enacted a new policy - higher pricing for refundable deposits. Make sure you understand what you are booking.

 

Cruise shopping is fun, isn't it?

[gerelmx]

is prone to dizziness, choose a cabin in the middle and the lowest floor. The higher the floor, the higher the category. Want to walk to avoid fatness choose an AFT cabin. On the same floor the cabins of the hump are of the highest category. At the end of the day all the cabins and balconies are the same size, the only thing that varies is their location.

[kathynorth]

We've been on a fair share of cruises on several lines and in different levels of rooms. However, one of our best cruises ever was our first cruise ever. We were a couple traveling with 2 young children and didn't have much $ to spend on a vacation. We happened upon a bargain cruise and jumped on the deal. All 4 of us were in the same cabin with a very small porthole for a window. Spending the day at ship activities, using the ship's pool with water that sloshed all over the place, and having the wait staff dote on our children had us hooked on cruising as our go to vacation. Now our go to cabin is the lowest priced veranda cabin that doesn't have an obstructed view and we pair this with a lengthy specialty dining package. If this is your first cruise I'd advise to book a cabin at a price point you feel comfortable with, enjoy the cruising experience, and throw in at least 1 night of specialty dining at Murano.

[Luvcrusn]

We prefer having a balcony. Since we really only use our cabin for morning coffee or breakfast on the balcony, dressing, showering and sleeping, we pass on suites. I'd suggest first deciding where you want to go, for how long and how much are you willing to spend for your vacation. We like the mid ship cabins for the convenience and are careful about what is above, below and beside us. A site that I most often use when selecting a cabin for any cruise line is cruisedeckplans.com. It's a travel agent site that's free to use and offers deck plans, pictures, and videos about all lines and ships. There is information on the deck plans (stars that you hover over) that gives special information about cabins with problems, such as noise or obstructions, or benefits, such as larger balconies, more space etc. It also offers you the ability to drag decks on top of one another so you can see exactly what will be above or below your cabin. On M-class ships (Millennium, Summit, Infinity and Constellation) the verandah cabins are slightly smaller than the Concierge Class or Aqua Class cabins. The latter also offer you 5 Captains Club points per night versus 3. That could be important in reaching higher loyalty levels more quickly should you decide you love cruising and love Celebrity. On the S-class ships (Solstice, Equinox, Eclipse, Silhouette, and Reflection) the verandah cabins are the same size as Concierge and Aqua cabins. Aqua cabins offer the passengers who inhabit them on all ships a special dining room called Blu and unlimited use of the Persian Gardens and Relaxation Room.

[SargassoPirate]

I keep it pretty simple. She Who Must Be Obeyed requires a balcony. With that in mind, I search for a balcony cabin with cabins below, cabins above, cabins across the corridor (if you've ever wound up with a scullery across the hall you'll understand that one) and away from elevator lobbies where the midnight drunks sometimes gather to shout their good nights and yell about their plans for the next day (happened twice - never again).

 

I use the travel website of our big box warehouse club since it works much better than the cruise line's website for searching for a cabin by class and location.

 

Once we've settled on the perfect cabin for our needs and booked it, I call the travel department at the big box store and have them mark our reservation with "no upgrades". The cruise line's idea of an upgrade is not always what we would consider as an upgrade.

[TFLG]

We are pretty easy to please so we can take pretty much any cabin within reason although we don't like insides so we rarely book those. Once we decide on a itinerary we check the prices of the cabins. Usually the standard Veranda works fine but occasionally the price difference between that an an outside window cabin is substantial. If that's the case we book the outside and then watch for price drops that will allow us to upgrade. Many times we upgrade to a Veranda GTY nearer the sail date for about the same price as the outside cabin. I can only remember one cruise where we ended up sailing in an outside all the others we've managed to move to at least a std veranda.

Location wise we prefer the middle of the ship, next would be nearer the rear (closer to food) our least favorite is towards the front. I agree that cabins right next to the elevators can be too loud. Although I like to be fairly close because I'm sometimes one of those drunks stumbling to my cabin at 2am;p

 

We have tried everything except a suite on Celebrity. We really like Aqua class and will book that if the price is right (usually its not right by a large margin).

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

You can't always get exactly the cabin you want, especially on popular heavily booked cruises. GTY cabins are worth exploring for value, but you don't get to choose your cabin. We've done that a few times with so-so results, but last year we were given a surprise aft cabin and really enjoyed it, much more so than we anticipated.

 

On the recent Mardi Gras cruise we chose a Deck Twelve Concierge Class cabin because I like shady balconies and the wide overhang there was a bonus for me until I discovered that same overhang blocked me from seeing the stars at night. Star watching is one of the things I enjoy about cruising. That said, Hubby enjoyed being only one stair flight below the Ocean View Cafe.

 

We choose starboard cabins on Celebrity because the Deck Five open deck allows smoking and believe it or not smoke can rise up several decks especially if there isn't much wind. This may not be an issue for you and, of course, it won't be if you are in an Ocean View or Inside cabin.

On larger Celebrity Solstice Class ships, far forward and far aft cabins can mean long walks to venues you want to use. We kind of like the forced marches because they burn calories with built in activity. For those with mobility issues, cabins at the far ends of the ship may not be desirable.

 

Oh, one thing we try hard to avoid is cabins with a connecting door between, often favorites of families. You really can hear conversations and noise through those doors. Once we had such a cabin in which one of the passengers was an orator who loudly read from books seemingly hours on end. He also went out on the balcony and did that too. I do my best not to book cabins with connecting doors.

 

Relax about the cabin you have. One of the worst cabins we ever had, a Deck Two OV with too tiny port holes for windows (not Celebrity) turned out to be a very enjoyable cruise overall. The cabin isn't always the most important choice you will make on a cruise. The itinerary certainly counts for a lot.