Seabourn Encore And Ovation
Best Cruise Suite: Wintergarden Suite
Why? The signature feature of Seabourn’s 1,186-square-foot Wintergarden Suites, found on Seabourn Encore and Seabourn Ovation, is the glass-enclosed solarium with a daybed and tub. The light-filled space is adjacent to the outdoor balcony, furnished with lounge chairs and an outdoor dining table.
The interior is no less impressive with a living room providing plenty of seating to host a gathering a dining room with a table that accommodates six a pantry with full wet bar a comfortable master bedroom and a master bath with separate whirlpool tub and shower. Seabourn’s trio of slightly smaller ships also have noteworthy Wintergarden Suites, but they are slightly smaller and lack an alfresco dining option.
Plan to Pay: Fares start at $2,000 per person, per night.
Cabin Size: From The Cheapest Rooms To The Most Expensive On A Cruise
In this age of mega-ships, cruise ship cabins now come in all shapes and sizes — and are priced to match. In addition to the typical inside and oceanview cabins — which are compact and are either windowless or have views to sea — you can find minisuites, expansive suites, duplexes and lofts aboard many ships. Balcony cabins are a nice midway point when it comes to your vacation budget, but balconies range from those that barely hold two chairs to huge wraparound decks with hot tubs. You’ll want to determine how much space you actually need and want to pay for before you book your room.
Cove Balcony Cabins On Carnival Cruise Line
On select Carnival Cruise Line ships, such as Carnival Vista and Carnival Magic, youll find special Deck 2 Cove balcony cabins that are built into the steel hull of the ship, close to the waterline and near the ships lifeboats.
These accommodations afford a unique view of the sea since you arent on a typical balcony that hangs off the ship, but in a cutout in the ships superstructure. Youll have more privacy than with typical balcony cabins, since no one can see you from above or the side but thats not the main draw.
The thrill here is sitting in a deck chair and watching the waves and spray splashing up from only 20 to 25 feet below. Call it a free show. Just be aware that you cant use your balcony in very rough seas, when a watertight door seals off the space from the roiling water. Also, given the close-up view of rolling waves, these cabins may not be appropriate for those who suffer from seasickness.
Cove cabins are limited in number and very popular, so youll need to snag one well in advance of your sailing.
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How To Get A Bigger Balcony
Having a balcony is like having your own private deck space.
Aft-facing cabins often have more oversized balconies. Sometimes as much as twice the depth! A glimpse at the deck plan can give you an idea of whether your ship’s aft-facing cabins are among those with the larger decks that can be a few feet up to double the depth of your cabin. Take the deck plan’s view with the proverbial grain of salt because they aren’t to scale. A travel consultant has some extra tricks for knowing if your ship’s aft-facing cabin balconies are bigger.
Very difficult to get unless you book super early are aft-facing corner cabins. If you can manage to get one of these, you’ve got the trifecta of balconies. Aft-facing for a beautiful view, and often they are wrap-around balconies on the two sides of your stateroom.
Cabins on the sides of where a hump juts out often have angled, more spacious balconies than the others on the ship’s side. Again, a combination of the deck plan and other research or a travel agent can help verify the size. Royal Caribbean International’s new ship, Odyssey of the Seas along with some other Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Princess Cruises’ ships have this type of section.
Spa Cabins: Unwind In The Comfort Of Your Own Room
Costa started the spa cabin trend, but many mainstream lines quickly followed suit. The concept is simple: Spa aficionados pay more for cabins decked out in Asian-inspired Zen decor that come with extra amenities, ranging from fancy showerheads and specialty bath products to fluffy bathrobes, yoga mats and healthier room service menus.
Spa cabin guests receive free access to spa restaurants , complimentary passes to spa pools and sauna/steam room areas, and may get free, discounted or priority spa treatments and fitness classes. And you don’t always have to book a huge suite on Holland America, several inside cabins have been designated as spa cabins with all the associated perks.
Related:A Guide to Cruise Ship Spa Accommodations
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Aft Cabin Vs Forward: Which Is Right For Your Cruise
While most cruise ship balcony rooms are along a ship’s port or starboard sides, aft cabins on your cruise often provide even bigger decks and more square footage. That means choosing between the back or the front of the ship, respectively. While it might not seem like there’s much difference at first, there are pros and cons to an aft balcony room or one at the front of the ship. We break down the differences of forward versus aft balcony cabins so you know which is right for you.
Category 1a Concierge Royal Suite W/ Verandah
The Concierge Royal Suite with Verandah stateroom is the largest and most luxurious suite offered on Disneys Dream, Fantasy, Magic, and Wonder. The Magic and Wonder ships can accommodate up to 7 guests, and the Dream and Fantasy ships can accommodate up to 5 guests.
The suite features a living area with a formal dining table and sitting area and a massive verandah with a private hot tub on the Dream and Fantasy ships. The decor in these suites is luxurious and tasteful, making it the perfect choice for those looking for the ultimate in luxury and comfort.
Recommendation: This is the Crème de la Crème of staterooms on the Disney Dream, Fantasy, Magic, and Wonder cruise ships. If roominess and luxury are what youre after, and you have the money to spend, then Concierge Royal Suite with Verandah is a great choice.
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Category 1a Concierge Wish Tower Suite
The Wish Tower Suite on Deck 14 and 15 is the Disney Cruise Lines most luxurious room. It has two bedrooms, a space for children with two bunk beds, and a library that can convert into two more rooms. Aside from the four full bathrooms and the half-bath off the living room, the suite has floor-to-ceiling windows on both decks, providing a great view of the ship from the suite.
Eight guests can stay in this 1,966 sq. ft. suite. It has a wow factor like no other!
Recommendation: The Concierge Wish Tower Suite is the perfect choice for families or groups who have the money to spend and wont settle for anything less than the best. Nothing out-competes the luxury of this stateroom. It truly is the best stateroom on a Disney Cruise.
Near Your Happy Place: Best Cabin Location To Maximize Your Fun Time Onboard
When you cruise, where do you spend most of your time? The spa, the pool, the casino, the adults only deck, the kids club? The best cruise ship cabin location for you might be the one with the shortest commute to your happy place.
If youre going to play poker every night until 2 a.m., choose a cabin thats a quick walk from the casino. If you want to sleep as late as possible and still be the first person to snag a primo lounge chair at the pool deck, pick a room on the Lido Deck or one thats steps away from the closet stairwell on the deck below. Do you want to roll out of bed and get breakfast? Choose a cabin that’s a deck or two away from the buffet or main dining room. Spa cabins were designed to give spa lovers close proximity to their treasured thermal suite .
Dont waste time trekking down hallways and waiting for elevators. Position your onboard bedroom as close as possible to your favorite onboard destination to maximize your vacation time.
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Cabins Surrounded By Other Cabins
Light sleepers, take note: The best place to be if you want the best chance of not being bothered by noise is a cabin that is surrounded by other cabins. This means a cabin that has a cabin directly above it and a cabin directly below it, as well cabins on both sides.
To find such a cabin is harder than you might think. On the typical ship, the top deck of cabins is directly below the pool and activity decks, which can be noisy during the day and even into the night . The cabin deck just below that top deck of cabins can be a good choice. But go a couple more decks down, and youre often right on top of interior entertainment decks that are home to music lounges, theaters and other noisy venues.
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If the ultimate in quietude is your goal, youll also want to avoid cabins anywhere near elevators, passenger launderettes and other areas that draw foot traffic. It can take some studying of deck plans, but as seasoned cruisers know, its worth holding out for a cabin that is far away from anything that could keep you up at night.
Get Off The Ship When Docked
Make sure you book some excursions and get off the ship when they dock. The Caribbean islands were gorgeous with crystal clear turquoise blues.
The Explorer of the Seas docked in Bonaire. Right: The clear Bonaire waters.Jenna Kelley | Narcity
Right when we got off the ship at one of the islands, we found a little dock where we could jump in the water. It was the most refreshing and beautiful experience I have had in a while.
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Hidden Gems Between The Lifeboats
Youve likely heard about a cruiser who was excited to have a balcony or window only to come on board and find their view blocked by one of the ships lifeboats. Perhaps this has even been you! But if you study the ships layout, you might find that some rooms on the main deck might have a room with a balcony and/or french doors that are nestled between a couple of lifeboats, offering great views and some privacy from your neighbors.
Your Tolerance For Noise Is A Factor On Your Cruise
The nicest and most expensive cabins on any ship are generally on the highest decks. That typically means just below the pool deck. However, the pool deck is often the loudest during the day . So if you don’t want to listen to early morning revelers, daytime DJs or pool parties from day into night, it’s wise to pick a room a few decks lower.
When it comes to noise, the best bet is to select a cabin that is both above and below other cabins instead of public spaces. Check out the deck plans of your cruise to see where service areas are located bar, theater, and nightclub locations and self-service launderettes .
Other rooms to avoid on a cruise ship are those situated low and at the back of cruise ships. These are closer to engine noise, which causes vibrations, and the anchor. Rooms that are low at the front of the ship will be closer to the bow thrusters.
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Bidding For A Room Upgrade
Royal Caribbean offers guests on most sailings the opportunity to bid for a stateroom upgrade through something called RoyalUp.
RoyalUp asks guest to provide a blind bid for a stateroom upgrade on the chance the room is available. Once a bid is made, Royal Caribbean will consider it until such time that there is an upgrade opportunity.
The advantage of upgrading your room via RoyalUp is that you could move up to a higher, more desirable room, for less than booking it outright. However, there is no way to know if there is even an upgrade opportunity and there is no way to know if your bid is “good enough” to win.
If your RoyalUp bid is accepted, Royal Caribbean will assign your room automatically, leaving little to no choice in its location.
Prefabricated Cruise Ship Cabin
On May 24, 2016, a new “Lightweight Composite Cabin” design was unveiled in Southampton, England. The innovation was funded by the UK Government. Involved in the cabin’s designing, engineering, manufacturing and furbishing were the companies Carnival UK , Gurit Ltd , Lloyd’s Register Group Ltd , PE Composites Ltd , Trimline Ltd and the University of Southampton.
The new modular cabin prototype is half the weight of a typical cruise room. It also fully complies with the FTP Code’s requirements . Reducing the ship’s topdecks weight is an important issue for naval architects as the trend for building large-capacity cruise vessels continues. The new module’s halved weight opens up opportunities for adding more passenger rooms to newbuild ships, without adding to the ship’s DWT weight.
Note: The following list of cruise lines cabins includes only CruiseMapper’s largest companies’ fleets and only ocean-going vessels. For all other vessels use the search box at page top.
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The Pros: Cruise Aft Cabins
Aft balcony cabins are located at the back of a cruise ship. And that comes with some big pros for cruisers looking for outdoor space. Fans of aft balcony cabins love the expansive, uninterrupted ocean views over the ship’s wake. You’re also likely to score significantly more space in your cruise’s aft cabins than standard balcony cabins along the port and starboard sides of the ship. If you’re after lots of deck space, aft rooms located at one of the ship’s corners may have balconies that wrap around both sides of your room to double the viewing pleasure.
Worried about the noise of fellow cruisers? Aft cabins on cruise ships tend to be quieter, as they’re farther from the midship bustle of activity that might be just a few decks above or below you, like bars, lounges, pools and the atrium.
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Inside Cabins On Cruise Ships
Inside cruise ship cabins’ best feature is their price – you book them with the line’s cheapest rates available. These cruise accommodations don’t offer window views. Still, on some of the newest cruise ships of Royal Caribbean and Disney, there are categories Interior staterooms with a “virtual window”, which is a large LED screen displaying outside cam views. The screen doesn’t have TV functions.
On some Carnival ships, there are Inside cabins with a “French Balcony” . Also, some “interior staterooms” are actually Oceanview , but since their views are obstructed, they are booked as Interior. On Royal Caribbean ships, some Inside cabins have a window looking out to the ship’s interior promenade
Inside cruise cabins are fitted with twin beds , private bathroom , sitting area. Next are shown the layouts of Interior rooms on Harmony OTS.
Small Interior Stateroom is the least spacious standard cabin category on cruise ships. These cabins have two beds , private bath , a small sitting area.
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Beware Of Cabins With Little Privacy
Increasingly, newer ships have a promenade that runs through the middle of the ship, which can be overlooked by cabins. As these cabins offer little privacy, they should be avoided.
This can also be an issue with exterior promenade decks .
Are you a solo traveller? If so, get the lowdown on single cabins. They may not be the bargain that they appear.
Best Cabins For Large Cruise Ship Balcony Lovers
Aft cabins, which are cabins found at the back of the ship, have some of the largest balconies on a cruise ship. This is because there are usually just a few rooms lined up along the back of a ship, giving each one more space for a bigger balcony. In particular, aft cabins located on the corners of the ship often have wraparound balconies, creating enough space for chairs, loungers and sometimes a small dining table.
Larger balcony cabins are also found on the so-called hump of cruise ships . Hump cabins located where the ship transitions from a narrower to a wider width have angled balconies that may be a little roomier than a typical balcony.
Standard-size cabins with oversized balconies are also sometimes sandwiched between suites. Suites themselves are usually the best option if cruising with a guaranteed big balcony is your goal.
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Category 6 Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom With Verandah Undersized Obstructed View Or White Wall
Category 6 staterooms are located near the back of the ships upper deck. Accommodations are nearly identical to those found in Category 5 but have either an undersized, obstructed, or white wall verandah. Those who book a Category 6 cabin on the Magic and Wonder will have full white wall railings, while on the Dream and Fantasy, the white wall only extends halfway up the railing.
All of these staterooms sleep at least three, and many sleep 4.
Recommendation: Because these rooms are nearly identical to Category 5 rooms, they are a terrific way to save money on your Disney cruise. We recommend the Dream and Fantasy 6B staterooms because of their stunning views, and Disney Magic and Wonders Category 6 staterooms on Deck 6 have more verandah space, as do 5650 and 5150.