What is the best side of a cruise ship to be on?

Here's the general advice for seeing sunrises and sunsets on a cruise: Headed north or west? Choose a port side stateroom for sunsets. Go with starboard for sunrises.



The "best" side of a cruise ship (Port vs. Starboard) is entirely dependent on your itinerary and personal viewing preferences. As a general rule, if you are on a "round-trip" coastal cruise, such as a loop of the Western Mediterranean, choosing the Starboard (right) side when sailing North or the Port (left) side when sailing South will keep you facing the coastline. For an Alaskan cruise heading North, the Starboard side offers more continuous views of the glaciers and mountains. However, if you prefer sunrises, you should choose the side that faces East during your primary direction of travel; for a westbound Atlantic crossing, that would be the Port side. In 2026, many cruisers prefer the Port side for docking, as many ports are designed for the ship to pull in with the left side facing the pier, giving you a "front-row seat" to the activity in the town. Ultimately, modern ships are symmetrical, meaning the cabin amenities are identical on both sides, so the "best" side is simply the one that aligns with whether you'd rather watch the sun sink into the open ocean or rise over a distant historical port.

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The bottom line There is no one side of a cruise ship that is always “the best.” Whether a cruise ship's port versus starboard side is better for you on a given itinerary will be a personal calculation based on preferences, route and what you want to see.

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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.

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Best Deck for Seasickness and Access to Amenities The best location to book your cabin will be in the center of the cruise ship and on the lower deck. The lower you go down, the less rocking you will experience during your trip. If you suffer from any motion sickness, this area is ideal for you.

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Staterooms on the Lower Decks The noisiest staterooms at sea located on the lower decks should be avoided when possible.

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Lower decks It's a smart idea to select a stateroom below the waterline in addition to a mid-ship stateroom, which is typically distributed over multiple floors. This is due to the fact that this section of the ship, which is also its lowest and most central, is the most stable in choppy seas.

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Rear-facing balcony cabins are among the best balcony cabins on any ship. Often, their balconies are bigger than balconies on side-facing cabins and they also feel quiet. There are far fewer balcony cabins at the back of a ship than on the sides of a ship, so you don't hear a lot of noise from your neighbors.

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The best time to take a Mediterranean cruise, however, is in the spring (May-June) or fall (September-October). Temperatures are comfortably warm, the sun is bright, and the crowds are far, far fewer than in July and August.

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Interior Cabins Cruise lines like to show a really cheap rate to make a cruise vacation look even more affordable. So, they show you the cost of the very cheapest cabin on the ship: an inside cabin. These cabins have no balcony, no window, and often not quite as much space.

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Midship staterooms on the lowest passenger deck are the most excellent spot to be on a cruise ship in this instance because you don't feel the vessel sway as much.

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An Eastern Caribbean cruise is better for first timers and repeat cruisers who can cruise for a week or longer. It's also the better bet for shopping enthusiasts and beach connoisseurs.

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Cabins at the Front of the Ship This 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.

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Best Luxury Cruise Lines
  • #1. Viking Ocean Cruises.
  • #2. Seabourn Cruise Line.
  • #3. Regent Seven Seas Cruises.


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Go online and create a mock booking Before your cruise departs, you can head online and recreate your booking. This will tell you whether certain cabin categories are sold out, as well as a rough estimate of how many rooms are available within each.

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Most cruise lines do usually have a fridge of sorts in the cabins. These fridges are really “mini-bars.”

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