Location, Location, Location!,
a note from Martha
Important in business, real estate and even on cruise ships. How can you make sure that you pick the best location in your chosen stateroom category? View the ship’s deck plans in the cruise line brochure or on the Web.
While the plans are often not exactly to scale, and cabin size is not always in proportion to the drawings, there are a few things that are very helpful. First, locate your cabin on the plan and then look up, down, left, right, and forward of your cabin. What’s there? Knowing what to look for can help you avoid a less-than-ideal stateroom.
Here are a few things to consider:
- Are the elevators and staircase exits near your stateroom? Some people love to be close to everything so this might be a positive feature, but with activity comes foot traffic and noise.
- What's above you? A basketball court or jogging track might result in the wakeup call you didn't ask for.
- What's below you? Is the show lounge right below your room? Even with good soundproofing there's a chance for ambient noise.
- What's across the hall? Is there a service area? laundry room? a potentially busy area you might want to avoid?
- If you're at the end of a hallway, make sure that the disco or other high energy lounge is not adjacent. Late night revelers sometimes carry on with the partying outside your door.
- I love finding the quiet, out-of-the-way areas on a ship (that others may never know exist) which don't always show up on a ship's website, but tend to be further from the center of the ship and the hub of activity.
- Modern cruise ships have been designed with passenger comfort in mind and the architects strive to develop a deck plan that confines public rooms and lounges to areas far from the staterooms. A little advance review of the deck plans, and the advice of a good cruise specialist, can help deliver an extra measure of peace and quiet in your stateroom for a cruise vacation you're sure to enjoy!
