What is the difference in cruise cabin categories?
On cruise ships, the basic cabin categories are inside, outside (often called ocean view), balcony and suite — but there are subcategories, as well. Typically, inside cabins are smaller and cheaper; suites are larger and more expensive.
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Categories: The cabin classes divide the ship into four different classes with different specifications, but we go even more fine-grained than this. The average cruise ship features about 25 cabin categories. Each cabin category contains different sub-categories to precisely differentiate room types.
Cruise ship balcony cabins are the most popular cabin category. So many travelers choose this type of cruise ship cabin that some ships put private verandas on all of their outside cabins.
The best location, at least according to the cruise lines, is upper decks near the middle of the ship. This is where the best (most expensive) cabins are usually located. Royal Caribbean has also put in premium cabins on decks overlooking the pool deck.
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.
You'll likely want to steer clear of forward cabins. These are far and away the cruise rooms most affected by waves since they're the first to dip in rough seas. Even if you're on a lower deck, the forward of the ship might be the worst place to stay if you're prone to seasickness.
The best cruise ship deck for many people is a lower deck because less movement will be felt there. However, for the best views, you should choose a higher deck. If you want to avoid taking the elevator, a mid-level deck would be best.
In this video I discuss the four different cruise line classes and grades (mainstream, premium, luxury and ultra-luxury) and what lines are in each and how they differ. This should help you decide which is likely to be the best grade and category of cruise line for you.
All of the D-category staterooms are oceanview balcony staterooms. D1s are known as Superior Oceanview Staterooms with Large Balcony because these are the hump staterooms, the ones located where the ship bulges out in two places on either side of the ship, creating larger, deeper balconies.
The middle of the ship and not too high is your safest bet. A mid-ship stateroom with a balcony for quick access to fresh air may be ideal. If not available, consider a room that is either lower or closer to the back, as the front of the ship tends to experience the most movement.
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!
The most stable part of the ship is its lowest point of gravity, so on a lower deck, at the center. You'd feel a lot less motion here than, say, in a stateroom on the upper decks a long way forward or aft (towards the back of the ship).
Lower decksIt'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.
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.
Each class is further divided into invisible booking or fare classes, which although booked into the same cabin differ in conditions and benefits outside of the cabin class travelled, such as frequent-flyer points, baggage limit, change or refund policy, etc.