Are you going on a cruise and wondering if you should let the cruise line choose your cabin? While you may save some money if you let the cruise line choose your cabin for you, it is often not the best option. It comes with many downsides, and you might regret not having more control over your cabin location.
Guaranteed Cabin
When you book your cruise, you have the option of either choosing your cabin or booking a guaranteed cabin. If you pick a guaranteed cabin, you are booking one that guarantees you a cabin in your category, but the actual cabin will be assigned by the cruise line closer to the sail date.
The advantage of booking a guaranteed cabin is that it is often offered at a lower price than choosing your own. There is also a slim chance that you will get an upgrade to a higher category cabin. But don’t count on it. This is extremely rare.
Choosing Your Cabin
Choosing your cabin is usually more expensive than booking a guaranteed cabin. But the main advantage of choosing your cabin is that you have control over which deck and cabin you will stay in.
Why You Should Never Let the Cruise Line Choose Your Cabin
Noisy Location
One of the main reasons why you don’t want to let the cruise line choose your cabin is that there is a chance you will be assigned a noisy cabin. These are the poorly located cabins under the nightclub, under the pool deck, or next to the elevator—if you are sensitive to noise, you will have difficulty sleeping if assigned to these less desirable cabins.
Obstructed View
If you let the cruise line choose your cabin, you will likely be assigned a stateroom with an obstructed view. That’s because the prime cabin locations will most likely be booked up, so by the time you are assigned your cabin, you will be stuck with the staterooms with obstructed views. Imagine relaxing on your balcony, and instead of enjoying the ocean view, you will look straight into a lifeboat.
Hurricane Season
It’s a bad idea to book a guaranteed cabin if you’re cruising during the hurricane season. That’s because it’s crucial that you choose your cabin. After all, you don’t want to get stuck in a cabin in the front or back of the cruise ship. These staterooms tend to be the least stable and will be very rocky if you encounter bad weather and have to sail in rough seas. You’ll be miserable during your cruise if you are stuck in a cabin at the front or back of the ship!
Far From Everything
Another reason why you should never let the cruise line choose your stateroom is because you might be assigned a cabin far from important venues like the buffet, dining room, pools, and elevators. You don’t want the inconvenience of walking far, especially if you have mobility issues or are cruising with small children. You want to be in a centrally located cabin so everything is convenient to get to.
Accessible Cabin
If you have mobility issues and need a walker or wheelchair, you should not let the cruise line pick your stateroom. You need to choose an accessible cabin. There are only a few accessible cabins on a cruise ship, and if you leave it to the cruise ship to choose one for you, the chances are high that you will not be assigned to one because they will already be sold out.
Bad Layout
Not all cabins on a cruise ship have similar layouts and sizes. If you let the cruise line choose your cabin, you risk being assigned to a smaller stateroom with a bad layout.
Balcony Size
Balcony sizes can also vary on a cruise ship. You don’t want to be assigned to a cabin that has a smaller-than-normal balcony. In fact, if it’s still available, try to book the hump balcony cabins which are larger and cost the same as a regular balcony cabin.
Multiple Cabins
If you are booking more than one cabin, it’s best that you don’t let the cruise line choose one for you. That’s because you might be assigned staterooms far from each other. Ideally, you want to choose your cabin location, so they are all on the same deck, near each other. It will be more convenient for everyone in your group.
Alaska Cruise
If you’re going on an Alaska cruise, it’s best not to book a guaranteed balcony cabin. That’s because you want to be able to choose the side of the ship that will have a view of the scenic coastline. If you are sailing northbound on your Alaska cruise, you will have the best view of Alaska’s coastline from the starboard side of the cruise ship. If you are sailing southbound, the best views are on the port side of the cruise ship. Remember, you are already paying more for balcony cabins, so you shouldn’t let the cruise line choose an inferior cabin.
Seasick
If you’re prone to seasickness, you should never let the cruise line choose your cabin. You don’t want to be assigned to a cabin in the front or back of the cruise ship because the movement will be more pronounced, and it can trigger your seasickness. For the most stable location, you need to book a mid-ship stateroom at a lower deck. Check out Cruise without Seasickness: Genius Tricks You Need to Know
Check out these free cruise printables
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What to Pack: Alaska cruise (free packing list)
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