Royal Caribbean has many different kinds of staterooms you can choose from, and I think families would love one kind of cabin designed for space but doesn't cost a lot either.

Freedom of the Seas is one ship that has ultra spacious ocean view cabins.  They're enormous, and I love how well they work for families with young children.

Cruise ship cabins are notorious for how small they can be, especially compared to land hotels. Many new cruisers are surprised to see how tight a fit they are for most standard cabins.

Before you spend extra for a suite in order to get more room, perhaps an ultra spacious ocean cabin would be a better idea.

Lots of space for up to 6 people

Before you even see one photo of this room, the fact it can sleep up to 6 passengers is quite notable.

Most Royal Caribbean ship cabins max out at 4, and to get past that, you're primarily going to have to book a suite.

Ultra spacious ocean view staterooms (category 1K) have 293 square feet of space.  While they do not have a balcony, they do make up for it with significantly more space. As an example, an oceanview cabin has just 159 square feet of space of living room.

You'll find ultra spacious ocean view rooms on Freedom Class ships.

Another key difference with this type of room is they have bunk beds.

There's an alcove close to the door with a set of bunk beds, perfect for kids. Not only is it a good use of the area, but kids love the idea of having bunk beds.

I love that there's a curtain and wall to truly provide privacy for the kids (and everyone else outside of it). When my kids were young, they had trouble falling/staying asleep when there was light in the room, so this ensures optimal sleeping conditions.

Speaking of things kids love, there are two porthole windows that provide views, natural light, and somewhere to sit.

Kids often curl up in the porthole to enjoy the view.

The rooms at the front are even better

There are a pair of ultra spacious rooms at the front of the ship (they end in -200 and -500) that are even more intriguing.

Instead of a curtain separating the bunk beds, there's an actual door.  Plus, the king size bed is in its own room with a curtain. 

This greatly changes the feel of the room to be more like a suite than an oceanview cabin.

In addition, cabin -500 has more windows, while -200 has more living room space.

Affordable price for a big cabin

The best thing about this type of room is the value it has.

You'll pay a lot less for this room than an equally large suite, and that's a tremendous savings.

As an example, I found a sailing on October 3, 2026 to illustrate the pricing. This example qualifies for Kids Sail Free deal at the time this article was written.

Sailing on a 5-night Freedom of the Seas cruise with 2 adults and 2 children, the price of cabin 9500 is $2,551.88 including taxes and fees. 

To get a suite that has as much space as the ultra spacious cabins, we could book a Junior Suite. The cost is $3,698.88 for all four people.

That has 299 square feet, but has no bunk beds or separation from the kids in an alcove or bedroom.

In order to get a cabin with separation, you'd have to move up to a 2 Bedroom Grand Suite, which is priced at $5,770.88.

In both examples, it's over $1,000 cheaper to go with the ultra spacious room instead.

Finding hidden cabins like this can be a game changer

I love finding secret cabins like this because it offers a blend of value and amenities.

The vast majority of staterooms have pretty much the same layout and look to them, so if you can find ones that are unique and offer a better fit for your group, that's a win.

Regardless of the type of cabin, when you get to stay in a larger room that has much more living space, it feels glorious. I change up the type of room I'm in depending on my needs and budgets, but I always feel more at ease in a spacious room.

With a bunk bed and different living spaces, I think the ultra spacious cabin is the perfect cruise ship room for families with kids.

We all love our kids, but sharing the same space as them (especially during the night) is not exactly ideal.

I like there's a real bed for the kids (instead of a sofa bed), and the kids like the bunk bed element that gives a "sleepaway camp" experience for them.

How important is it to be in the quietest possible cruise ship cabin? 

I certainly don't want a noisy cabin, but I was never one to specifically pick a stateroom primarily on how quiet it is.

However, it's a common question our readers have been asking me and it got me thinking about which rooms that I've stayed in have been the quietest.

Thanks to a recent cruise ship design trend that Royal Caribbean has embraced, I think the answer has changed.

Not quite ship within a ship, but as private as it gets

Beginning with Wonder of the Seas, Royal Caribbean shifted its suite program focus to offer more exclusivity than ever before.

At the time, it was a big deal when they introduced a new suites neighborhood on Wonder because it dedicated more space and venues to suite guests than ever before.

The standout upgrade was the suite sun deck, which truly felt like a private enclave.  On other ships, the suite sun deck always felt like an after thought. It was usually an open deck with little shade and no easy water access.

Beginning with Wonder of the Seas, the suite sun deck get a needed revamp to make it more useful beyond simply loungers in the sun.

Part of that change was to enclose the suite decks more, and essentially walling off a couple of decks for suite guests only.

Access to deck 17 and 18 on Wonder and Utopia of the Seas is by SeaPass card only and it's only for suite guests (and Pinnacle Club members).

The result is there's going to be far fewer people walking past your cabin, and that makes it easily the new quietest spot.

The same phenomenon occurs on the Icon Class ships with their suite decks. When I recently stayed in a suite on Icon of the Seas, I kept noticing the lack of other guests in the hall compared to other decks.

In addition to less guests, there's also no public spaces to contend with.

The top reason there's noise in a cabin is usually noise bleed from public venues, but suite decks are usually far enough away to eliminate that issue.

Not cheap, but it's effective

I know you're probably not that surprised to read that things are better when you stay in a suite, but in this case, it's true.

There are different suite categories in the suite neighborhood, such as Grand Suites, loft suites, and even Star Class suites, such as the Ultimate Family Suite.

The caveat is you need to pick a suite within the suite neighborhood. There are other suites around the ship that would be subject to the same noise issues lower category cabins could have, so you cannot simply buy your way out of the problem.

What's nearby the suite area

Besides the stateroom likely being quieter, there are other benefits of staying in this area.

You'll find the suite lounge down the hall, which is a reserved spot for suite guests to enjoy.

Not only is it a lovely and large room to hang out in, there is complimentary snacks and beverages. In fact, each evening there's a happy hour where you can enjoy cocktails, beer, and wine while in the lounge without an extra cost. There's also beer and wine available from 11am to 11pm on Royal Caribbean's biggest ships.

This alone could be a tremendous value, and staying in a room that's just down the hall makes it quite convenient.

The suite concierge is also in the suite lounge during certain hours, and they're available to answer any concerns or questions you have.  

I find the suite concierge equally pleasant to chat with as they are helpful to solve problems. It's nice to have a friendly face to speak with for a few minutes.  

Next door is Coastal Kitchen, the suites-only included restaurant.

Think of Coastal Kitchen like an upgraded Main Dining Room, and there's no cost to eat there if you're booked in a suite.

Of course, there's the suite sun deck which offers shade and sun. 

What I like about the suite sun deck on the newer Oasis Class ships and Icon Class ships is the blend of sun and shade, along with bar service right there.

There is lots of available seating (chairs, loungers, daybeds, couches), a nice hot tub and it is rarely, if ever, crowded. It's a great spot to get away from the crowd.

If you focus your time between your cabin, suite lounge, and sun deck, you're going to find a lot to keep you busy in a lavish environment.

I've learned a few tricks over my many years of cruising to make it a better experience, including the cruise ship bathroom.

Every Royal Caribbean stateroom has its own bathroom, and it's likely going to be very small.  Unless you book a sprawling suite, standard bathrooms are compact, utilitarian, and offer just what you need during your cruise.

There isn't much air circulation in there, and you can joke about washing your hands and using the toilet at the same time because of how small the space is.

No matter which ship or stateroom type I book, I always bring two things with me that truly improve your cruise ship cabin's bathroom.

I bring air freshener

The small bathroom space is not only tiny, but an area you have to share with others in your cabin.

No one wants foul odors to permeate, and given that everyone is doing their business at least once per day, it's easy for a smell to build up.

For a while, we'd let the bathroom "air out" before using it. Or even relegate someone to the public bathrooms around the ship to avoid it all together.

Then I discovered certain air fresheners really do work well in masking and eliminating the odors completely.

My preferred option is poo-pourri spray because of how effective it is.  I never thought it would work as well as it does, but a few sprays and you're good.

It says to pre-spray before you use the bathroom, but I've found it works well enough after too.

I keep one in my toiletries I bring on the cruise, and then stash one on the sink so anyone can quickly utilize it as needed.

Liquid hand soap

Another case of "I didn't know there was a better option until I tried it" is related to soap.

Royal Caribbean provides a bar of hand soap to use in each cabin, but it annoys me when I use it.  

It leaves my skin feeling dried out and it gets gummy and takes time work up a lather.  Not a big deal, but I usually sigh or roll my eyes before using it.

I've since committed to bringing liquid hand soap with me to keep in the bathroom.

Not only is application easier, but it lessens the hassle of using the bar.

Washing your hands is so important on a cruise ship to reduce the chances of spreading germs, especially related to using the bathroom.

Norovirus is a well-known affliction that can occur on cruise ships. Norovirus is transmitted when someone ingests particles of vomit or feces from an infected person, such as through consuming food touched by an infected individual, touching contaminated surfaces and then their mouth, or placing contaminated objects on clean surfaces.

Because of this, proper handwashing with soap and water is the best way to prevent getting it.

Maximizing your cabin bathroom

While on the topic of a cruise ship bathroom, I think there's a few other tricks for making your bathroom a better space overall.

Unless you're in a suite, expect storage space to be a limited. In fact, there's very limited counter space.

Some cruisers recommend buying an over-the-door shoe organizer to add more storage, but I prefer a hanging toiletry bag as a better and more useful option.

Our own writers really like this option better because it not only leaves the counter less cluttered, but there's less unpacking and re-packing later.

Be sure to also request extra towels from your stateroom attendant on the first day of the cruise.

By default, you'll get a few towels in there, but they will be used up quickly.

Not only will you use towels to dry yourself, but I find the shower leaks a lot when the door or curtain gets opened. No matter how careful you are, water seems to get everywhere and the shower towel provided is miniscule.

Your bathroom can also act as a wash and dry space for your clothes.

Royal Caribbean offers laundry, but it's expensive and some clothes can't be washed in the very hot water they use.

Instead, you could do some basic laundry in your stateroom (no, there is no self-service laundry machines on Royal Caribbean ships).

You'll want to bring single-packet detergent with you, and then fill your sink up with water to wash small loads of laundry.

Wash the clothing in your sink and then hang the clothes to dry in your shower on the laundry line that's in your shower.

While doing laundry on a cruise may not be exactly what you had in mind for a relaxing vacation, getting more use out of clothes is a necessary evil so you can pack less or re-use clothes that are otherwise soiled.

A cruise sounds like such a good vacation that you might be tempted to add friends or family to join you.  One of the first ideas that comes to mind is calling your travel agent and putting someone else in your cabin. But does that really work?

It sounds easy. Just have the cruise line add the other people to your cabin in the same way they'd do if you booked a hotel room. Although this sounds simple, it's not only not practical, it can cause issues with maritime regulations.

This post will address the reality of changing how many people are in one cabin, and why you can't simply add someone else to a reservation.

If you want to add someone else to your room (or add more people, in general), here's what you need to know about how and why to do it.

Every cabin has a capacity for an important reason

Regardless of which stateroom you choose, there's a maximum capacity for that room specified by the cruise line.

While you can potentially have less people than that in the room, you cannot exceed it, no matter what.

When you look at a cabin on the deck plan, the specific room category lists how many people can be booked into that room.

Most cabins are double occupancy, which means up to two people can stay in the room.  A few cabins are designed for solo travelers, but they're few and far between.

There are bigger cabins that can handle anywhere from 3 to 8 people, and they are sometimes referred to as "spacious staterooms" or are simply suites.

The reason why each cabin has a max capacity is for safety reasons.

Cruise lines take safety at sea extremely seriously, and that applies to cabins.

Every cabin correlates to spaces available in life craft that would be needed in the case of an emergency.

Any cruise ship needs to ensure there are more than enough spaces on life boats and life rafts for every single passenger and crew member. To achieve this, they never oversell a specific cabin so the math always works.

Safety even comes before sales

In some cases, Royal Caribbean may still not allow you to add an extra passenger to a stateroom, even if that room is designed to accommodate more people than you had originally booked.

Let's say you booked two people in a spacious balcony cabin that could accommodate up to four people, but later wanted to add a third or fourth passenger to that room.

While you understand you can't do that in other rooms, why not this one?

The request may be denied if the ship is booked with lots of other passengers maxing out their cabins.

Specific cabins use the specific muster stations.  A given muster station is designed to use a specific set of lifeboats.    For example muster station A1 might use lifeboats 3 and 4.  

If there are already a number of cabins for muster station A1 that have more than double occupancy such as during peak summer month when more families with kids travel, then the lifeboat capacity may be reached.  

In our example, someone with two people in a cabin in that muster station who wants to add another person. Despite the cabin being able to accommodate the next guest, the cruise line can't allow another guest or else the lifeboats would not be able to accommodate everyone in an emergency.  

They aren't allowed to say, "In an emergency go find another lifeboat with spare room."

What you can do to get friends or family onboard instead

In short, the workaround to this issue is you need to book them a new reservation.

If your room is maxed out, it's usually simpler to book them their own cabin.

Upgrading your cabin to a larger room might work, but it depends if there's a larger cabin available left to book.  Plus, you'd be booking at the prevailing rates instead of whatever price you originally paid.

Moreover, if you're past final payment date, there could be penalties to changing your room.  In my experience, if you're willing to spend more money than you originally paid, Royal Caribbean doesn't usually assess penalties after final payment on the same sailing. 

But the simplest approach could be to book a new cabin, assuming one is available.

If you have minors that you want to add, Royal Caribbean will allow you to book minors by themselves in a cabin if that room is adjacent, connecting, or across from their parents room.

Otherwise, you could swap adults around to have one in the new room, and move a kid back into the original room.  Name changes are allowed without any penalty, even after final payment, as long as one person from the original reservation remains in the cabin.

A balcony cabin is the most popular stateroom choice for a cruise, but one person regretted it immediately.

Among the various rooms on a cruise ship, balcony rooms tend to be the ones people book.  In fact, any ship built in the last 30 years or so probably has more balcony rooms than any other room type.

But not all balcony cabins are made the same, and one person on Reddit found that out the hard way.

It serves as a good reminder of one our favorite cruise tips to verify before you book.

"I can't sleep this is beyond annoying"

CokeCanCowBoi posted on the Royal Caribbean Reddit complaining about the "paper thin walls" that prevented them from sleeping while cruising on Allure of the Seas.

Next to their room is a family with young children who are up crying throughout the night, which can be heard in neighboring cabins.

"I have a balcony room with a connected room to some family of 3 kids and its just constant crying and screaming at all hours of the night," CokeCanCowBoi posted.

They asked Guest Services to be moved to another room, but were told there are no open rooms.

They booked the wrong cabin

The title of the post asked if the walls were not soundproof at all, but the reality is they shouldn't have booked a connecting cabin.

Connecting cabins are wonderful choices for families, but a terrible choice if you didn't book both.

Many people that responded in the thread pointed out the fallacy in room choice.

"Never book a room with a connecting door unless you're also booking the other room too," wrote Living4nowornever. This is sage advice.

The connecting doors are not nearly as well insulated for noise as the walls are.  Moreover, there are small gaps at the top and bottom of the door that can let sound in more easily.

How do you know if you picked a connecting room

The outpouring of advice not to book a connecting cabin prompted some to admit they had no idea this was a choice.

"In fairness, I would have no idea how to check that," posted Extra_Shirt5843.

Before you pick any cabin, look at the ship's deck plans on Royal Caribbean's website to determine if it's connecting or not.

Connecting rooms usually have a double headed arrow on connecting cabins.

Because of nuances like this, choosing the right cabin for you can be an exercise that new cruisers may not be aware of. 

It's critical to know about noise, obstructed views, cabin size and room configuration (i.e. location of the bed to the balcony or extra bedding) before choosing a room.

It's quite easy and simple to pick up on, but you need to know what to look for in the first place.

We certainly advocate the right type of stateroom advice you may need, but a good travel agent can also greatly assist.

Travel agents have heard of stories like this one hundreds of times, and the good ones would immediately warn you about picking a connecting balcony room if you don't book both sides of the door. Heck, they probably wouldn't have quoted that kind of a room in the first place.

Soundproofing hacks for connecting rooms

Since knowing which cabin to book is too late for someone already in the cabin, Reddit shared a few tips for how to mitigate sound coming from the neighboring cabin.

One idea is to ask your stateroom attendant for an extra comforter.  Then, use magnetic hooks that you bought pre-cruise (because it's one of the best cruise hacks the internet loves to share) to make a sound baffle. (this is an affiliate link that costs you nothing extra to use).

Another option is to ask for pillows and stick them in-between the connecting doors.

If you can't block out the noise, then drowning it out is another idea.

Buy a USB powered fan (do not bring one that plugs into the wall, because it's not allowed) that you put by your head.

This is one such fan that could work well (These links contains an affiliate links).

Don't book a guarantee cabin either

While it's tempting to book a GTY cabin to save money, this is usually how people end up on the wrong end of a connecting cabin.

Royal Caribbean uses guarantee cabin bookings to fill in unsold cabins, and connecting cabins are definitely undesirable rooms.

My advice is if you don't want to potentially be in this kind of a situation, pay more to choose your own cabin location.

Small things can make a big difference on your cruise, including the role your stateroom attendant plays.

One of the things I try to do on the first day of the cruise is to meet my stateroom attendant so I can start things off on the right note. They are the crew member you're likely to interact with the most, and I think how your cabin is attended to matters to a lot of people.

No matter if your cabin is small or large, I think it's important to ensure you're happy with the experience in it.  

On any cruise I go on, when I meet my stateroom attendant, I always ask them four important things. Sometimes there's more, but I think these four are the ones that can be substantive.

How to pronounce their name

I hate awkward interactions and in my early cruising career, I was too embarrassed to ask a crew member how to say their name and then for the rest of the cruise it became "Hey you...".

Crew members come from around the world, and most names are easy enough to know how to say without asking.  But sometimes they can be difficult to know how to say it properly.

Even if the name appears like I'd know how to say it, they may say it differently.  Or they may have a nickname they prefer to go by.

I'll usually greet them and the first thing I ask is how to pronounce their name, repeating it out loud to avoid the embarrassment of admitting I still don't know their name later.

Have the room cleaned at night

Ever since Royal Caribbean cut twice a day cabin service, there's been a debate as to when to have your room cleaned.

My preference is to have it cleaned in the evening so my room is nice and prepared when I return in the evening for bed.

I've tried the morning too, but I find I feel rushed to get out of the cabin in the morning so the cabin attendant can tidy it up.  Since I work on a cruise ship, the morning is usually my busiest time of the day.

In addition, I prefer to have my bed made before I go to sleep.  There's always a good chance I'll take a nap during the day, and then the sheets are messed up again before bed.  I know, first world problem stuff.

Most importantly, I think it's just more convenient to have them clean the room in the evening because I'm almost always out and about the ship at dinner or at a show.

Extra towels in the bathroom

When I cruise with my family, having extra bath towels is a must-do.

By default, there's only two shower towels in a cabin.  That's fine for a solo traveler, but two towels is not going to last 24 hours when someone is washing their hair too.

Asking for more towels up front ensures we don't run out later, and no arguments among the kids of "who hogged up all the towels".

Opening the connecting doors

I think one of the best family cruise tips out there is to book two connecting rooms.

Two rooms provides separation from the kids, adds an extra bathroom, and lots of living space too. Plus, it's probably cheaper than a suite.

It's usually the case that the connecting door between both rooms isn't unlocked when we get into the cabin on the first day, so I'll ask them to unlock it.

In addition, if I have connecting balcony rooms, I'll ask for the balcony divider to be unlocked.

Not all balcony dividers can be unlocked, but my experience has been new ships have no issues.

I'll never ask my cabin attendant to do anything beyond their normal duties

There are a wide range of reasonable requests to make of your cabin attendant, but it's important to respect their boundaries.

First and foremost, never ask them to cover for you breaking cruise line rules, such as smoking in the cabin or balcony.

They're also very busy people, so I'd never request them leave their post to go check on something.  Many issues are for Guest Services, so if it's not a problem in my cabin, I'll seek assistance elsewhere.

Lastly, cabin attendants are some of the hardest working crew members onboard, and you should treat them with respect. Don't make demands or acting in a way that is disrespectful or inconsiderate. 

No matter if I'm booking a tiny inside room or a mega suite, I always look for cabins in a certain area.

Cruise ships are only getting bigger, and I value being able to quickly get around. Even with improvements to cruise elevators, it's I prefer to pick a cabin near the stairs.

I've found having a cabin near staircases is more efficient and I spend less time waiting on elevators.

Once I started booking cabins near stairs, I realized it was worth it for the convenience and I now look for it every time.

Avoiding long waits for elevators

On my most recent cruise I sailed on a 7-night cruise on Icon of the Seas and stayed in a suite on deck 17 that was right off the forward staircase.

This allowed me to easily walk down to deck 15 and grab food at Aquadome Market for a quick snack or even a meal.  It's actually my favorite restaurant included with your fare on any Royal Caribbean ship, and it was great being so close to it.

Or, I could take the stairs one deck up to the Grove Suite Sun Deck and be able to enjoy one of the best perks of staying in a cruise suite.

I added built-in exercise to my daily routine by taking the stairs, too.

It's so much easier to get around, making it convenient

There's so much happening around the ship that I'll often go back and forth from my cabin to activities and things happening around the ship.

When I've stayed in a cabin all the way forward or at the back of the ship, the walk can feel arduous when you realize you forgot something in the cabin. It's definitely a "first world problem" situation, but the walk back and forth gets old quickly.

I found when I booked a cabin near the stairs, it made so much more convenient to be able to pop in and out of my room.

I like to combine booking a cabin near the stairs on a deck near the area I'll spend most of my time.

As an example, when I sailed on Mariner of the Seas, I booked an inside cabin on deck six because it was right off the Royal Promenade.

I loved being able to walk downstairs and see all the fun happening and then later get back to my room without worrying about an elevator.

When my kids were younger, we booked rooms one or two decks off the Windjammer so it was easy to get snacks and meals every day.

Young kids love going up and down stairs (I think they see it as a kind of challenge), and they seem to want to eat every couple of hours.

Be sure to look at a deck map pick a room

A word of warning: don't just book a cabin near any staircase. You might end up regretting it.

You want to avoid booking a cabin directly under a buffet or public area.

Avoiding a deck below pools, restaurants, or lounges is important because of noise bleed issues. These are notoriously bad cabins to book.

What you want to do is look at a deck plan before you book your cabin, and double check there's at least one deck above or below other staterooms.

You'll find deck plans on the cruise line website, and you can use them to look up staterooms and their locations in relation to stairs and highly trafficked areas.

This one reason I won't book a guarantee cabin

While a guarantee room will save you money, I usually don't book it because it usually ends up with an unsold cabin at the end of the deck.

Royal Caribbean will charge you less money for booking a particular category in exchange for giving up the ability to choose your specific stateroom.

This means once you book, you do not know the exact room assignment. At some point in the weeks leading up to the cruise, Royal Caribbean will assign your stateroom.

I can tackle the day so much better if I've had a good night's sleep, but a being on a cruise vacation means a different bed and sleeping conditions.

I've found I sleep pretty well on cruise ships overall, but I've had to tweak a few things to make it more conducive for a good night's rest.  I think that's partly because I want to adapt my cabin to how I like to sleep at home.

Getting proper rest is important to just about anyone, and you shouldn't have to settle for poor sleep simply because you're not at home. I think a lot of people view vacation as an opportunity to relax and rest up with plenty of sleep.

As your ship moves through the ocean in a bed you're not used to, it can be an adjustment to acclimating to it all.

I wanted to share the tips and tricks for sleeping better on a cruise that have worked for me and our readers.

Make the room colder

If you ask my wife, I keep our cabin like a freezer while we cruise.  That's partly because I sleep so much better when it's cold in my room.

Your stateroom will have air conditioning controls, and I'd recommend turning the air conditioner down so it's as cold as you're comfortable with a few hours before you go to sleep.

This is especially important in the summer when the Caribbean sun is stronger and can really heat up your cabin, even if the balcony door is closed.

A good strategy is to make the room as cold as you can before you leave for dinner so there's sufficient time for it to cool down.

You should also draw the curtains to help darken the room so it can cool down even faster.

Mattress topper

Did you know you can make your bed even softer by asking for a mattress topper?

I prefer a firm mattress, but plenty of others like their beds to feel much softer.  If you're someone like that, then there's an option to help.

You can ask your stateroom attendant for a mattress topper as soon as you meet them on the first day of the cruise.

Depending on the ship, they'll either have an actual mattress pad to insert below the sheet or a comforter that does the same thing.

I'd recommend asking for one as early as you can, because there's a limited supply available.

Stick to your sleep routine from home

There's so much excitement on a cruise, but I find when our kids were younger, it was important to keep them on their schedule.

While it's probably impossible to adhere to the exact schedule, the closer you can keep it, the better overall.

It's a good idea with young kids to keep them doing the usual things at as close to the normal times as possible, including taking a shower, having a glass of milk, or reading in bed.

Don't be shy about asking for what you need

In addition to the mattress topper request, you should ask if you need other extras in your room to help you sleep.

If you need extra pillows or comforters, your stateroom attendant can get them for you.

Your bed will have a few extra pillows to begin with, but don't assume what's in the room is all you're entitled to.

A white noise machine works well too

A lot of people are used to a certain amount of noise while they sleep, whether it's the hum of an air conditioner, television on, or something else.

You could buy a small white noise machine to bring with you, or download an app for your phone to simulate the same thing. Our readers have recommended “bedtime fan” from App Store.

If you prefer a device, try the LectroFan white noise machine. It's powered by USB, so there's no issue with it being confiscated. (This link contains an affiliate link, which costs you absolutely nothing extra to use while supporting this site).

Pack ear plugs

While a little white noise is good, loud noises really make it difficult to sleep.

There are all sort of sounds inside your cabin and outside that could keep you awake, such as snoring, the ship creaking, hangers clanging, or loud passengers.

I'd recommend buying a pack of disposable ear plugs to have, just in case.

The Flents Foam Ear Plugs fit well, muffle noise, but you'll still be able to hear your alarm go off in the morning. (This link contains an affiliate link, which costs you absolutely nothing extra to use while supporting this site).

Don't pick a cabin near a public venue

You can avoid a lot of noise issues that could disturb your sleep simply by picking the right room.

Tried-and-true cruise advice is to pick a cabin that is one deck above and below other cabins, and not a public space.

Picking a room that's below the pool deck, or above a lounge could result in a lot of unwanted noise bleed.

All you need to do is consult a deck map when choosing a room, and double check that there's other cabins one deck above and below the cabin you're considering booking.

Book an inside stateroom

People that cruise a lot swear the best room to sleep in is an inside cabin with no windows.

Because interior rooms have no natural light, it can get pitch black once the lights are off.

This makes it ideal for sleeping if you're sensitive to light in the morning.  As an added bonus, it won't get hot in there either because of heat coming from the sun!

Plus, an inside room will cost a lot less than a balcony cabin.

Buy a USB fan

One more thing you could buy to bring with you is a fan.

My wife loves to sleep with the sound a fan creating white noise at night. Plus, the fan cools the air.

You'll want to get a USB or battery operated fan, and not one that plugs into the wall.

Your ship will have a limited supply of complimentary fans to use if you were to ask your stateroom attendant, but there are very few of them.  Bringing your own assures you that you'll have one.

Royal Caribbean gives passengers in standard the cabin of what time of day to have their room cleaned, and I always pick the evening option.

You used to get twice a day cabin attendant service up until a few years ago, and then it was cut to just once per day.

I thought I'd hate the change more than I actually did, but I made my peace with it and I've adjusted to it.  While I might have liked the old way, the new once a day service didn't impact my enjoyment of the cruise nearly as much as I thought it would.

Since the change was implemented, I've tried both morning and evening stateroom service and I think I greatly prefer evening service.

It's not perfect, but I find it meshes better with my cruising style.

Choice of morning or evening

If you book a balcony or lower category cabin, your stateroom attendant will service your room once per day. Guests in a suite still get it twice a day.

The choice is in the morning hours or in the evening, around dinner time.

In either case, the cabin attendant will be available for a few hours, so it's not a specific time.  

Regardless of which time you pick, if you need extra towels or something else replenished in your cabin, the cabin attendant (or housekeeping) is happy to step in and assist. 

If you're still in the room for the duration of their service, they'll just skip that day and return to clean it the next day.

I prefer evening service because I'm probably out of the room

In choosing which time I want to my room cleaned, I always choose the evening because it lines up better with my schedule.

Ideally, I want a time that's the most convenient for me.  I'm on vacation, so I'm looking for something that doesn't put me out of my own way.

I like evening service because I'm rarely in my cabin after 5pm.  I'm either at dinner, at a show, at a bar, or out with friends.

Room stewards usually begin working the evening shift around 4pm, and they're out and about until 7pm.  That gives me plenty of time to get ready for dinner and be out of their way.

Most of the time, I'm gone before they even start up.

I also really like coming back to my room at night when my nighttime fun is complete and having a freshly made bed.

I'm a fan of taking afternoon naps on cruise ships, so it's nice that I can take a nap and then my bed is made for me before it's time to go to sleep that night.  It's part of the je ne sais quoi that makes a cruise vacation so much better than a land vacation.

Another advantage of evening service is if you're at the beach and come back to the room to shower, there's inevitably going to be sand coming back with you.  

It's nicer to have the bathroom cleaned after a day in the ocean.

Morning service means I feel rushed to get up and going

My problem with morning service is it hinders sleeping in.

Cabin attendants get working right around 8am or so, and they'll wrap up just before lunch. On a sea day, I might want to sleep in and lounge in my bed for a bit.  

Or I'm at my desk doing work, and the morning is the busiest time for keeping up with my work routine.

And then there's my kids, who think waking up before 10:30am on vacation is a criminal act. So getting them up and out of the room for the room attendant requires an act of God to accomplish.

Essentially, morning service feels like I'm going out of my way so they can get in and clean.

"So what! Sleep in and skip that day" is I'm sure what someone reading this is thinking.  While that's true, my family goes through clean towels like Pringles potato chips. 

And if I'm being honest, I really like my bed made up and sheets changed.

The problem with choosing evening service is apparent in the first two days

While I always pick evening service, there's a notable problem with it that is magnified on short cruises.

Your room isn't serviced again on the first day.  The cabin attendant prepared it for you prior to your arrival, so that counts as the daily cleaning for that day.

The issue is if you pick evening service, you won't have your room service until the evening of day two.  That means you'll go about 36 hours or so before your first cleaning.

If you take a shower on the first day and want to shower again on day two, towels go quickly. Obviously you can re-use towels or even call and get more towels later from housekeeping.  But it always feels like my cabin gets extra messy leading up to that.

This is more of a problem on a short 3-night cruise, where the end of day two is essentially more than halfway through your cruise.

This is the very definition of a first world problem, but it's probably the main downside to my strategy in choosing when my room is cleaned.

I always choose evening service because it's the least bothersome

Ultimately, I go with evening turndown because it's the most convenient option.

I don't think most people want to go out of their way while on vacation, and I find evening service affords me the most flexibility because I'm very likely out of the room anyway.

At the same time, I don't think picking morning service is problematic or a mistake to avoid.  Rather, I think evening service just works better given the reality of what's happening on the ship.  If I'm not going to be in the cabin, that's always the perfect time for someone to clean it.

You're bound to have lots of questions when you're new to a cruise vacation, and maybe a few of them are things a little awkward to ask.

I know I've been in situations where I'm new to something and I feel embarrassed to ask such a basic question to a group of people who know it all, especially when it seems like I probably should be able to figure it out.

The longer you cruise, the more questions you'll see, especially if you join a message board or group online. I try not to judge them, as I was a newbie also at one point. 

I'm betting there are some people brand new to cruises that are curious for an answer to these questions they think are too dumb to ask, so we have the answers right here to make you more confident about your cruise.

Will I have to share a bathroom with other cruise ship passengers?

A room on a cruise ship is somewhat similar to a hotel, but it's definitely not like a hostel.

Rest assured, every stateroom comes with its own ensuite bathroom, so you don't have to leave your cabin to use the facilities. 

Regardless of which type of cabin you book, every stateroom bathroom has a shower, toilet, sink, mirror, and some storage space. If you want a bathtub, you'll need to upgrade to at least a Junior Suite.

Of course, there are public bathrooms around the ship too in the public areas, such as the pool deck, Royal Promenade, and near restaurants.

I'm scared of falling off a cruise ship, should I be?

I can confidently assure you there's no risk of falling off a cruise ship if you follow the rules.

Stories of passengers going overboard perpetuate the myth you can fall off a cruise ship randomly and without any cause. The reality is that's simply not true.

There are two ways you can go overboard: you deliberately jump off the ship, or you go somewhere you're not supposed to go and then slip and fall off the ship.

Unfortunately, many cases of people that go overboard are the result of a suicide.  Others are people doing things they're not supposed to do, like getting up on balcony railings.

All of the railings around the ship are about four feet tall, making it nearly impossible to accidentally fall off as the result of a slip and fall.

As for kids, all balcony doors have a manual lock located high on the door frame to prevent young children from being able to get out to the balcony. Of course, parental supervision is key to ensure they don't climb anything.

Can someone on another cruise ship see into my cabin when my ship is docked in port?

Absolutely, yes!

The windows on your suite, balcony, or oceanview are viewable through both sides of the glass.  If you booked one of these rooms and you're in port, you'll want to be vigilant about what you do with the windows open.

If there's a cruise ship docked across from yours, yes, the passengers on that ship can see onto your balcony and, if your curtains are open, into your cabin!

And that goes also if you booked a Neighborhood cabin, such as a Central Park, Surfside, or Boardwalk room.  There are other cabins (and passengers below) that could potentially have a line of sight right into your room.

Always check what's outside your window or balcony window before changing or getting in the shower.  Or anything else you wouldn't want someone else to see.

Do crew members live on the ship?

Before you accuse me of making up this question, I promise you I have heard it asked many times.

Yes, the crew members on the ship live, work, and sleep on the same ship you sail on.  They don't commute to it.

Below the passenger decks are a few additional decks where the crew members live.  Most crew members share a cabin with other crew members, and they have cabins similar to passenger cabins, although crew cabins are smaller and lack the finishes that passengers have.

There are actually a crew-only buffet restaurant, crew gym, and crew bar also onboard.

Guests are never allowed into the crew areas, unless they book a Behind the Scenes tour.

Why do I hear a "whoosh" sound from the toilet?

Unlike your bathroom at home, the toilet is going to be quite louder and that's because it's a vacuum system.

Similar to the toilets on an airplane, when you flush, the vacuum system engages to make the toilet function.

It's also common to hear a few more thumps as the valves in the system close.

Don't worry, it's all normal.

Is the toilet water salt water?

I swear this question has been asked before, and the answer is no, it's not salt water.

Every Royal Caribbean cruise ship has its own desalination plant onboard that takes sea water, treats it, and converts it back to freshwater.  They also can recycle freshwater to be re-used for things like the toilet.

Do I need to bring my own toilet paper?

Fear not, your stateroom attendant will provide as much toilet paper as you need during your cruise.

Cruise staterooms aren't like an Airbnb that provides one roll and the rest is on you.

Similarly, you don't need to worry about running out of clean towels, because each time your attendant services your cabin, they will replenish used towels with clean ones.

How do I dispose of used feminine hygiene products?

First, definitely do not flush it down the toilet. It will break the toilet for you and everyone around your room.

Royal Caribbean provides sanitary bags to use, and they're located underneath your sink.

Place the used sanitary bag in the garbage can below your sink.  Sometimes it's an open metal container, and on newer ships, there's actually a garbage lid.

Can I be kicked off my ship if the cruise is overbooked?

Just like air lines, cruise lines oversell their ship because they know people cancel and don't show up all the time.

In very rare cases, a sailing approaches and Royal Caribbean sees there's an oversold problem and they'll take action. This is how the public becomes aware that a ship is oversold.

Some passengers get an email alerting them to the oversold nature of the sailing and the line asks for volunteers to change sail dates.

They don't actually bump anyone, they look for people with flexibility that want to save a ton of money to free up their cabin. There are a lot of people than you realize that wouldn't mind deferring their vacation and getting money back for it, such as people who live near the port or retired folks.

So while there is a theoretical possibility the cabins are oversold on your cruise sailing and you'd be denied boarding, it's very, very unlikely and not something you should worry about. 

Is there a TV in my room and what channels does it get?

Yes, every cabin has its own television.

There's a limited subset of channels provided, and many are international feeds of well-known networks.

Channels you can expect include:

• ESPN
• CNN
• Fox News
• MSNBC
• BBC
• Sky News

There are also movie channels, kids channels, and some channels in Spanish, German, or Chinese.

Is a guaranteed cabin a bad choice?

Royal Caribbean offers the option to let them pick the room for you, known as a guarantee cabin.

There are plusses and minuses to a guarantee cabin.  You could save a lot of money by allowing the cruise line to pick your room location, but the downside is you might end up with less desirable room.

A guaranteed cabin could result in a room with an obstructed view and/or in a "bad" location.

I wouldn't say a guaranteed cabin is a bad choice, because the money saving opportunity is often significant.  Plus, you probably won't end up in a truly awful room.

A lot of people that cruise a lot opt for guaranteed cabins, but the key is to be aware of the potential downsides and be okay with it.