Don't book a cruise cabin without considering this one thing
Booking a cruise typically comes with a lot of choices. Beyond selecting your ship and itinerary, you can choose from a range of cabin types and even pick exactly where you want your cabin to be located on the ship.
If you aren't picky and want to save money on your cruise, you may be tempted to book a guarantee stateroom. With this cabin option, you typically get a lower rate because the cruise line chooses your stateroom for you. Your cruise line guarantees you a certain stateroom category - interior, ocean view, or balcony - with your stateroom number to be assigned by the cruise line closer to the sail date.
If you aren't on a strict budget, choosing a guarantee stateroom might not be the best idea since the room will be assigned based on remaining cabins that haven't already been selected by other passengers. And there may be a reason why that cabin wasn't chosen. Experienced cruisers tend to consider a few factors when selecting a cruise cabin, and many of them carefully consider where their cabin is located for a key reason.
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What passengers consider when booking a cruise cabin
Carnival cruisers recently highlighted what new cruisers should consider when booking a cruise cabin in a discussion on the popular Facebook page of Carnival's brand ambassador, John Heald. In an April 8 Facebook post, Heald asked his more than 668,000 followers about the things they think about when booking a cruise cabin outside of cabin type.
Heald wanted to gauge the importance of certain things that cruise passengers often desire when selecting a cabin, including:
- A cabin on a specific side of the ship (port or starboard)
- A cabin in a specific section of the ship (forward, midship, or aft)
- A cabin that's close to the elevators
- A cabin that's close to a specific area of the ship like a dining room or other venue they visit frequently during their cruise
Related: 3 Mistakes you can make in booking a cabin
Across more than 1,200 comments on Heald's post, avid Carnival cruisers made it clear that they do have certain preferences when selecting a cabin. It's important to note that for most passengers, not getting everything you want in a cabin doesn't make or break a cruise though.
"I have preferences – ocean view, port side, close to midship elevators. But sometimes I have found myself with a cabin somewhere else. So far, those experiences have reinforced my preferences, but a TBA cabin at the back wouldn't ruin the cruise – after all, I am on a cruise," Carol Ann Wheeler commented.
Make sure to consider what's above and below your cruise cabin
While your cabin location may not ruin your cruise, you may want to carefully consider one thing if having a quiet cabin is important to you.
In the comments on Heald's post, a large number of passengers noted that what's located directly above and below their cabin is a key factor that they always look at when choosing a cabin due to noise concerns. Many learned on past cruises that noise from certain areas carries into surrounding cabins.
"Always look at what is above and below the cabin. Learned that after being above the nightclub on one cruise with the walls buzzing all night," John Marx commented.
Related: Is booking a cruise cabin on a higher deck better on Carnival ships?
Additionally, if you're sensitive to smoke, be careful to avoid choosing a cabin that's close to one of the ship's smoking areas, especially if you're booking a balcony cabin. You may also want to steer clear of cabins near the casino.
"I avoid certain areas to be in a quieter space and to avoid the casino's smoke. Made the mistake of not looking where the casino was once and struggled with asthma attacks all cruise," Melody Ellet shared.
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This story was originally published April 8, 2026 at 10:30 AM.