How to Choose the Best Cabin Location on a Cruise Ship
There is a difference between choosing a cabin type and choosing where that cabin actually sits on the ship, and in my experience, that second part is the one most people do not think about until it is too late.
Why Cabin Location Matters More Than Cabin Type
On paper, everything looks simple enough. You pick inside, ocean view, verandah, or suite, and you move on. But once you have taken a few cruises, you realize that the category of the room is only half the story. The location of that room quietly shapes everything from how well you sleep to how much you actually notice you are even on a ship.
After fifteen Holland America cruises, I have learned that where your cabin sits on the ship can matter just as much as the cabin category itself.
Because there is nothing quite like realizing at 11:30 at night that what woke you up was not “gentle ocean movement” but that you were parked directly above a late-night entertainment venue.
You only make that mistake once.
Cruise Ship Noise and Vibrations You Should Know About
Most people assume cruise ship noise comes from the ocean. It does not. It comes from people, movement, and machinery layered all through the ship.
For example, if you end up under the Lido Deck, you will probably hear chairs being dragged around early in the morning while the crew resets everything for breakfast. It is not loud in a dramatic way, but it is enough to wake you if you are sensitive to sound or a late sleeper.
Then you have the opposite situation, where you are near entertainment venues or busy public areas, and you start to hear bass lines or late-night chatter drifting into your room. Again, not constant chaos, but enough that you notice it if you were expecting complete silence.
Holland America is actually one of the quieter cruise lines we have sailed, so this is not about noise being a huge problem. It is more about placement. The ship is a floating city, and cities have rhythms. Some of those rhythms you want to be near. Some you definitely do not.
Can Cruise Ship Cabins Smell Bad
Smells are one of those topics nobody brings up until they experience one, and then suddenly everyone becomes very opinionated about cabin locations.
Most of the time, there is absolutely nothing to worry about. The ventilation systems on these ships are excellent. But there are certain areas where people occasionally notice things depending on wind direction or ship activity. Sometimes it is a faint food smell if you are near the galley or service areas. Sometimes it is smoke drifting from an outdoor smoking section. If your cabin is all the way aft, which simply means toward the back of the ship, you might occasionally notice exhaust depending on the weather and where the wind is blowing.
None of those things are constant, and they are usually temporary. But there is one smell that catches people completely off guard because it has nothing to do with where your cabin is located.
The dreaded sewer smell.
Before you panic and swear off cruising forever, let me reassure you. This is not unique to Holland America, nor is it a sign that the ship is dirty. Cruise ships are floating cities with incredibly complex plumbing systems. Unlike your house, where gravity does most of the work, ships rely on vacuum systems and miles of pipes twisting through steel decks. Dozens of cabins share those systems, and when everything is working properly, it is really an engineering marvel.
The problem is that it only takes one person flushing something they shouldn't to throw that balance off.
And this is where I will climb onto my little soapbox for a minute.
:::clears throat:::
If it did not pass through your body first, it does not belong in a cruise ship toilet.
Not facial tissue. Not paper towels. Not "flushable" wipes. Not feminine hygiene products. Nothing other than the ship-provided toilet paper.
Those vacuum lines are much smaller than the plumbing in our homes, and when something gets caught, pressure drops can affect multiple cabins. Sometimes that means innocent people several doors away suddenly find themselves wondering why their bathroom smells like something unpleasant.
It can also happen for an entirely different reason. The ship's air conditioning runs constantly to fight humidity, and occasionally the water in the floor drain evaporates. That little bit of water acts like a barrier. Without it, odors from the holding tanks can seep back into the bathroom.
Fortunately, the fix is usually simple. Pouring a little water down the floor drain can solve the problem. I have also heard of people placing a damp washcloth over the drain temporarily. I, however, rely on the tried-and-true and suggest that you tell your room steward. Believe me, this is not their first rodeo. Maintenance knows exactly what to do and handles it quickly.
Honestly, after fifteen cruises, we have encountered it so rarely that I almost hesitate to mention it. But since we are talking about the little things nobody tells you about cruising, I thought I would throw it in. Better to know what it is than spend half the cruise wondering if you have somehow offended the plumbing gods.
Mr. and Mrs. Whaldo cruising the Caribbean in 2026.
Elevator Noise and the Cabin Location Mistake People Do Not See Coming
Speaking of things people do not think about until after they have unpacked, let's talk about elevators.
This one is sneaky.
Elevators are convenient, so people naturally think, "Perfect. I'll stay near them."
And yes, it is convenient. Until it isn't.
Because elevators mean movement. People coming and going at all hours. Early risers heading for coffee. Late-night guests returning from shows. The occasional suitcase rolling down the hallway at what feels like an unreasonable hour of the night. And then there are the elevator bells. One ding for up and two dings for down.
None of it is terribly loud or disruptive, but it is constant enough that you notice it over time. The hallway outside elevator banks tends to have more foot traffic, more conversations, and more activity than other areas of the ship.
Over the years, I have learned that being just a few doors away from the elevator bank can completely change your experience. You still have the convenience without having a steady parade of humanity right outside your door.
That little bit of distance makes a bigger difference than most people expect.
And while we are talking about sleep, I am firmly in the earplug camp. I always pack them. Between hallway chatter, elevator dings, an enthusiastic neighbor, or even a spouse who snores, they have saved more than one vacation. Sometimes the smallest things make the biggest difference.
Motion, Seasickness, and Where You Feel It Most on a Cruise Ship
This is probably the most important cabin location consideration for many people, especially first-time cruisers.
Ships move. I lovingly call it the motion of the ocean. That is simply reality. But where your cabin is located can make a surprising difference in how much of that movement you actually feel.
The front of the ship tends to experience more motion. The back can have a little more movement and sometimes vibration, depending on sea conditions. Higher decks feel more motion than lower decks, and cabins located midship, especially on lower or middle decks, tend to be the most stable.
If you are prone to seasickness, this is not something to be guessed at. I say that gently, but honestly. You can absolutely love cruising and still recognize that your body may not love every cabin location equally.
Thankfully, modern ships have stabilizers that do a remarkable job. Most days, you barely notice the movement at all. But there are days when Mother Nature likes to remind you that you are floating on the ocean and not staying in a hotel.
I learned early on that motion is manageable, but cabin placement helps a lot. Between less-drowsy motion sickness medicine containing meclizine, Sea-Bands, ginger, peppermint, or whatever works for you personally, the goal is to prevent problems before they start rather than react to them after you are already miserable.
And just as a reality check, some itineraries are naturally rougher than others. Open ocean crossings, storms, and certain stretches of water can all make themselves known. Looking at you, Drake Passage.
Mr. Whaldo learned that lesson firsthand. Before our Antarctica cruise, he had never experienced seasickness. Then we hit the Drake Passage and suddenly discovered that even seasoned travelers are not immune. Thankfully, I travel with less-drowsy motion sickness medicine because I know my own tendencies, so I was able to share with him before things got too ugly.
But if you are caught off guard, don't panic. The medical team onboard deals with seasickness all the time and will happily help you get back on your feet. You are certainly not the first person to discover that the "motion of the ocean" is more than just a cute expression.
As for me, I simply take my less-drowsy motion sickness medicine daily. I would much rather prevent the dizziness than spend a day wishing I had.
The bottom line is this. Be honest with yourself. If you know motion bothers you, choose a cabin location that works in your favor. It is one of those decisions that quietly pays dividends throughout the entire cruise.
The Cabin Location Details Experienced Cruisers Learn Over Time
The funny thing about cruising is that you do not really learn these things from brochures or deck plans. You learn them after a few cruises when you start connecting the dots and realize that some of those little details you ignored while booking actually matter.
Maybe that "great deal" on a forward cabin came with a little more motion than you bargained for. Maybe being close to public spaces seemed wonderfully convenient until you discovered people are perfectly happy to discuss the evening show outside your door while you're trying to sleep. Or perhaps that tiny symbol on the deck plan that meant absolutely nothing at the time turned out to be the galley above your head or a music venue below your feet.
None of these things are dramatic, and honestly, most of them are minor. But cruising is very much a sum of small details, and over the course of a week or two, those little details can add up to the difference between a good cruise and a great one.
That is why experienced cruisers spend so much time staring at deck plans. We are not obsessing. Well, maybe a little. But mostly, we are trying to stack the odds in our favor before we ever step onboard. After enough cruises, you begin to understand that there is no such thing as a perfect cabin. There is only the cabin that is perfect for you.
How to Choose the Right Cabin Location for Your Travel Style
If I had to simplify everything I have learned over the years, I would tell you not to overthink it, but also not to ignore the details.
If stability is important to you, especially if you are prone to motion sickness, I would lean toward a cabin in the middle of the ship. If you value a good night's sleep, I would avoid being right next to the elevators and pay attention to what is above and below your cabin. Those little symbols on the deck plans may not seem important when you are booking, but they can make a surprising difference once you are living in that space for a week or two.
But honestly, it is not about finding some mythical perfect cabin. It is about understanding how you travel.
Some people can sleep through anything. Others hear every little sound. Most of us fall somewhere in between, depending on how tired we are and perhaps how much dessert we had after dinner. Mr. Whaldo can practically sleep through an earthquake. Me? Let's just say I appreciate earplugs.
That is why I always smile when someone asks me what the "best" cabin location is. There really is not a universal answer. The best cabin is simply the one that works best for you.
And that is something most cruisers do not fully appreciate until they have spent a little time at sea and learned what matters most to them.
Next in the Series
Now that we have covered cabins and cabin locations, it is finally time to step onboard and talk about what life is actually like once the ship sails.
In the next article, I will share what to expect on a Holland America cruise, from the relaxed atmosphere and nightly entertainment to the Orange Party, safety drills, and those little things that quietly become part of the rhythm of life at sea.
-J.S. Whaldo
