Several ways to pick the best cabin

1. Depend on your travel agent - Lean on your certified travel agent for advise and insider knowledge. There are tips and tricks to picking the best cabin.

2. Look at deck plans - Be sure to check out the deck plans of the entire ship to see what is above and below your cabin. You may think you have found the perfect cabin only to find out that the theater is right above your head. Spend time researching the ship before booking and learn what parts of the ship are most appealing to you.

3. Elevator and stairwell location -. This is completely a matter of personal choice, but pay attention to the location of elevators and stairs. Some people like being close to the elevators and do not want the long walk down the halls to their cabins. Other cruisers never take the elevators because they may be crowed and find it a good time to work off that dessert. Remember there may me more foot traffic closer to mid ship.

4. Stern or aft - Believe it or not, this is an important choice. Stern and aft cabins are also at the extremes of the ship, which means a lot of walking. Finally, if you are prone to seasickness, then it is best to avoid these cabins as the motion from rough seas will be intensified. Mid ship is the least rocky cabins on the ship. Aft cabins seem to sell the fastest, there is less traffic and balconies can be twice as big.  Who wouldn't like to look out at the wake?

5. Obstructed view- Many cabins have obstructed views, a fact which is sometimes very difficult to discover until it’s too late. Again depend on your agent. Check for porthole vs. ocean view too, this can be a big difference. I would hate to pay for an ocean view cabin and lookout at the lifeboats!

6. Read recommendations - Check the message boards for reviews. Google the exact room, many times you can stumble across an actual picture from people that had that room before. There is a lot of information on message boards, but beware that not all of it is accurate.

7. Secret Cabins - There are several 'secret cabins' that the expert cruisers know about. Some with bigger balconies and bigger bathrooms etc. Do some research and book early for these, they sell fast.

Cabins are funny, some passengers think that a cabin is just a place to sleep and interior is great. Some think the more you upgrade your cabin the more you will use it. It really is a customer preference and one that is a personal decision. Last, if you get a good travel agent that is more concerned with your needs and satisfaction of your vacation and not with the up sell, keep them and depend of their expertise.

Happy Sailing!