How to Choose Your Cabins on a Caribbean Cruise Ship

When it is time to plan the arrangements for a Caribbean cruise deal, there are many decisions that need to be carefully considered, as they will certainly have an impact on how the trip goes and how much you enjoy the experience. One of the first decisions will be selecting from the various types and sizes of cruise ships available. Next, you will need to decide where you want your cabin to be, and what amenities you want to be in your cabin.

When you are browsing through the websites or the brochures for Caribbean cruise line travel, you will see that there is always an area that features the layout of the vessel, which outlines the various decks where the passenger cabins are located. Along with the diagrams of the interiors floor plans of the ship, there are usually listings of the different categories of cabins. On very large ships there can be as many as 20 cabin categories, which often makes it very confusing, especially for first-time cruise travelers.

More often than not, the discount cruise travel deals are offered on a select class of cabins on cruise ships. And, it should be no surprise that these will be the least desirable cabins, with regard to size and comfort. Often, there is nearby machinery that can keep you awake at night. However, if this is your first cruise, you might not be aware of these kinds of situations.

On most ships, the cheapest cabins, and the ones that are sometimes offered as "hot deals" by some of the discount travel websites, are tiny and barely larger than some people's walk-in closets. These cabins are also generally on the lower levels of the ship and may even be below the waterline, so obviously without portholes. While many people who are more interested in the activities outside their cabin may not be dissuaded by a tiny, windowless cabin, they do need to know about the noise. The lower levels of a ship are very close to the engines and often the roar of the engines can make it very difficult to get any sleep.

However, on the newer ships that are being built today, that is less of a problem, as they are being designed better to avoid this problem. In fact, the new trend that many of the cruise lines are following with the newer ships is laying out the cabins in such a way that all the passengers at least have a port hole. There are even some ships in service now that boast balconies for all cabins, no matter what classification.

This is a great trend for cruise passengers because it helps to assure that any cabin, in any classification, will be comfortable and enjoyable. Having the ability to be in the privacy of your cabin, while relaxing with a cup of coffee or glass of wine on your own verandah, will help to make the cruising experience personal, comfortable and luxurious.

If you are thinking about making your first cruise a quick two-night or three-night trip and you expect to be spending most of your time enjoying the other amenities onboard, then one of the tiny cabins might be the perfect choice if it makes the trip financially possible. However, if you are going on one of the Caribbean cruise ships for several days or a couple weeks, then you will most likely have times when you will want the privacy of a comfortable cabin that doesn't resemble a sardine can.