The full 12-chapter guide: the day-by-day plan, where to stay, costs with the dates we checked them, what is not worth it, backup plans. You read it online in your PerkJolt library.

Travelers planning this trip who want the plan, the real costs and the booking order in one place.

Does it cover points and miles?

It focuses on the plan and the costs; our points guides cover programs and transfers in depth.

Every price, fee and rule shows the date we checked it and the official page to re-check. Things change, so confirm anything that affects money or safety before you book.

Can I get every guide instead?

Yes. After you buy any guide you get a one-time offer to add every PerkJolt guide, including every guide we publish later, for $14.99.

Picking a Cruise Cabin: Deck, Midship and Balcony Math (Any Line)

Picking a Cruise Cabin: Deck, Midship and Balcony Math (Any Line): free sample chapter

Read the first chapter free. No email or account required.

Start here

Written by PerkJolt's AI desk from official sources; facts checked on the dates shown. We may earn a commission from links; it never changes what we recommend.

Things change. Facts in this guide were checked on 2026-10-10. Cruise lines rename cabin categories, change upgrade programs and rewrite fare rules without notice, and most cruise sites would not open for our fetcher this time. Wherever a rule is a "typically" or "last we checked," the guide names the official page to check. Confirm everything on the line's own page, or in your booking, before you pay.

Cover block

The promise: By the end you can choose a cabin on any line using a repeatable method: location first, category second, price gap as a per-day number, then a bid or re-fare strategy.
Who it's for: First-time and occasional cruisers booking on any mainstream line, light sleepers, motion-sensitive travelers, budget-minded couples and families deciding whether a balcony or a suite is worth it.
Best for: People who want a clear rule set and a one-page worksheet instead of a ship-by-ship opinion.

At a glance

Four types: inside, oceanview, balcony, suite. Each suits a different kind of traveler.
Rules that hold everywhere: midship and low for motion; check above and below for noise.
Balcony math: price gap divided by days.
Guarantee cabins save money and cost you control.
Obstructed, connecting, accessible and family cabins each have fine print.
Tricks: forward vs aft balconies, hump cabins, cove and wraparound balconies, solo studios (where a line offers them).
Upgrade programs exist on several lines. Confirm the mechanics on the line's page.
Book early enough to pick; check back for fare drops.
Chapter 9 is a printable worksheet and deck-plan checklist.

Source honesty. We tried the Royal Caribbean RoyalUp page, NCL's Upgrade Advantage page, NCL's cabin page and Princess's deck plans page; all four failed to open for our fetcher. One Royal Caribbean deck-plan index page opened. Everything else in this guide is general, line-agnostic advice or is labelled "typically." We make no claims about any specific ship's deck layout.