Is it better or worse to be in the front or back of the cruise ship in an inside cabin?

Question

Is it better or worse to be in the front or back of the cruise ship in an inside cabin?

Answer 1

The closer you are to the center [front to back/side to side] the less rocking and rolling you'll experience. This is of most concern if you are susceptible to seasickness.

The worst place to be is close to the bow - that's where the most rockiness is.

Answer 2

All the others who have answered this question have covered all the drawbacks of being at the front or back of the ship and what they say is true. Remember that the cheapest cabins on a cruise are the lower deck inside cabins for all the reasons stated above. An outside cabin on the same deck is only 6 feet away from an inside cabin (the width of the passageway) but you pay extra for a porthole. So to be honest that's the only difference between an inside and outside cabin on the lower decks. The noise, vibration and motion is the same.

If you pick an inside cabin at the front of the ship, you only get the noise and vibration when docking or undocking, at the rear of the ship,when you are travelling you can have noise and vibration all the time.

The higher the deck, the less noise and vibration you get, but you may notice the side to side motion more.

Cruise ships are so large these days that it takes a lot to cause them to pitch and roll.

To answer your question, high and front is better, but make sure you are not under a lounge or bar.

Answer 3

depends on the size of the cruise ship. bigger ships (like the carnival ones) have stabilizers so you don't really feel a whole lot of motion if you're in the center. if you do get a cabin thats towards the front, you'll hear the anchor and thrusters which are personally the loudest things i've ever heard in my life. if you get a cabin towards the back, it'll be noisy as well due to the kitchen and engine room, it might also be a little bit hotter in the back of the ship due to the engine room. if you go on smaller ships (ex cruise west) and have a room on the inside with no windows, then it doesn't matter where you are, you're gonna feel it rocking because they have no stabilizer, which will also lead to motion sickness because theres no windows down there. if i were you, i would spend the extra money to get a room with a window and not so close to the water.

Answer 4

Try to get a room in the middle of the ship on the lower floors.  They are usually closer to the stabilizers thus a smoother ride.

Answer 5

I have been on 22 cruises and have always stayed on deck 11 towards the middle/back of ship. No Noise. No rocking. Lower decks are fine while ship is moving however when in ports of call ususally deck 4,5,6 or 7 is usually where they place the gangway and it gets rather crowed and noisey.

Answer 6

Depends on the ship. I wouldnt travel in an inside cabin anyway. Get a porthole so you see where your going!

Answer 7

personally, I like to be in the back of the ship because I like the feeling of being rocked to sleep. lol yeah im a baby. I just booked my honeymoon and chose a cabin in the middle of the ship because my fiancee doesnt like the rocking. I guess it is all up to personal preference.

Answer 8

Its worse in both locations front and back because in the front you will get the noise from the anchor and the side thrusters when the ship docks and in the back you will get the noise from the propellers and the ocean churning as well as some kitchen noise since most cruise ships have the main dining room on the back of the ship.  The Travel Channel just did a program about cruise do's and don't and the cabins you mentioned are the ones they said not to pick because of the noise.

Cruise ships don't have much motion these days because of the automatic stabilizers that limit side to side motion and the ships are so long, 800 to 950 feet, that the up and down motion is all but eliminated.  But there is still less motion in the center of the ship and on the lower decks.  An inside cabin would also tend to contribute to motion sickness because you would not be able to see the horizon.  Seeing the horizon helps to prevent motion sickness.

Answer 9

If you are concerned about motion, then lower down is better.  Since you are going to be lower down, then you will need to be near the front because the back is where the propeller gears are and it will get rumbly.  In addition, the back is usually where the shows  are presented so if you happen to be an early to bed type of person then you will be awakened by the shows