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.
