So I talked to some fellow passengers who were seasoned cruisers. They told me that the front of the ship is one of the worst places to be if you're often seasick. Higher decks in the middle of the ship feel calmer and more stable, they said.
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The Bottom Line: Aft Cruise Cabins vs.If you want a cabin with a special view but are looking to save a little money and aren't sensitive to noise, a forward cabin might be right for you. Also choose a forward cabin if you're worried about exhaust, soot or cigarette smoke wafting across your verandah.
The best place to book a cabin on a cruise if you get seasick is on the lower decks and towards the middle of the ship. Lower decks experience less movement than the higher decks, and the middle of the ship experiences less movement than the front or back.
The back of the ship tends to be considered the next best cabin position after midships. Whilst the front of the ship gets the most movement the back also does get some. Whilst it's nowhere near as bad as the front of the ship, you may still notice some movement in rough seas.
If You Want a Quieter SpaceIf you plan on your cruise being a peaceful experience, you'll want to seek a cabin on the quietest side of the ship. This tends to be the aft or the rear of the ship. The aft is away from the hustle and bustle of midship, where all the action tends to happen.
The forward is subject to the most movement out of anywhere on a ship. And the higher the deck, the more pronounced that rolling and swaying motion tends to feel. Movement at the aft is a bit less drastic than the forward, but still isn't the most stable place for those who are prone to seasickness.
Cabins at the Front of the ShipThis is because the front of the ship is more exposed to the movement of the water as they plough through the rough seas. If you're prone to seasickness, it's best to avoid cabins at the front of the ship.
Most of the newer ships average around 1050 feet which equals .2 miles if you were to walk from end-to-end of the ship. Depending on where your cabin is or what locations on the ship you like, that mileage could add up.
When does the choice matter? Your choice of the starboard or the port side of a cruise ship may not matter if you select an interior room or have a lower stateroom with only a small window. Typically, your choice of ship side will start to matter if you opt for a higher room offering a balcony.
Many people sleep better on cruise ships than they have in years on land, something to do with the stress-free lifestyle and the gentle rock of the ship in the water. A minority however fall into the category of boat-based insomniacs, the following advice is aimed at you guys.
The lowest deckIn the lowest part of a cruise ship, there's a whole lot of noisy stuff so you may hear the hum of the engine, the blast of the bow thrusters and the clanging of the anchor chain. Depending on the ship, you may also feel vibrations that could make the hangers in your wardrobe rattle!
Going back to the see-saw metaphor, imagine the middle of the it. Whilst the seats go up and down, the middle never actually moves. It's the same on a cruise ship. As it cuts through the waves, the front or end will move up and down but the middle of the ship (mid-ships) will stay relatively stable.
Low and central. The center (midships) is least affected by pitching (boat rotating up and down when moving into/with waves), and low floors are least affected by rolling (boat rotating side to side when the waves comes in from the side).
To reduce motion sickness, choose a stateroom in the middle of the ship on a lower deck. You will feel any sway of the ship less in this section. Although it may seem counterintuitive, if you're worried about seasickness on a cruise, book a stateroom with a window or a veranda.
It may sound like the last thing you want to do, but keeping your stomach full by eating small meals and snacks throughout the day can help ward off nausea from seasickness. At the very least, regularly sipping ginger ale and eating crackers may do the trick for the first 24 hours.
The good news is that cruise ships will rarely travel through a rough sea. They are equipped with the latest in weather tracking information and navigation systems so they can avoid any potential storm or heavy seas.