Is it any problem having a room at the very front of ship

[slo mo]

Hi, going on the Freedom,and have a room at the very front of the ship.

 

I usually stay mid ship so was wondering if it is loud.I will be on the 6th floor.

Thank you Sandy

[SuiteTraveler]

It is not loud, but it will get more motion than cabins in the middle of the ship.  This is only a problem if you are in high seas.  Should that happen, go to the center of the ship for the day and stay there.  If you are in calm waters there will not be much motion.  Also, if your cabin is forward facing or below the bridge, you may be required to keep your curtains closed at night for visibility from the bridge.

[navybankerteacher]

There are no passenger cabins at "...the very front of the ship...".  (The pointy end.).  On lower decks forward you will be near the chain locker (anchor chain), and if the ship does drop anchor while you are in your cabin you will certainly hear the clanking --- you will most likely feel heavy vibrations as well.    Barring that, forward cabins tend to be quieter than those all the way aft - as they are above the screws or azipods - which can cause noisy vibrations.

[navybankerteacher]

p.s.  Are you talking Carnival Freedom or RC's Freedom of the Seas?   I do not think there is a ship named Freedom.

[Tapi]

We’ve done forward facing cabins several times. No matter what ship you’re on, you’ll be more prone to the up and down motion in rougher seas. Some people handle it well, others don’t. Personally it doesn’t affect me too much, but I know that it can be a source or seasickness for many.

 

Now, depending on the ship and deck, there will be other considerations. As others mentioned before, you may be forced to turn your lights off or close your blinds at night if you have a forward facing window or balcony. Some cruise lines don’t even allow you to use your forward facing balcony while the ship is at sea (due to high winds). On other ships, if you have a foward room on a lower deck you may be woken up by loud mechanical noises as well as heavy vibration from bow thrusters as the ship is pulling into port. These can be a deal breaker for some as well. 
 

What ship are you on? Freedom of the Seas? Carnival Freedom? Other? 

Edited August 2, 2021 by Tapi

[kochleffel]

I've had two bookings for cabins that were all the way forward. One of the trips hasn't taken place yet, and for the other I had a successful bid on an upgrade, which turned out to be midship.

 

Others have said that there can be noise early in the morning from lowering the anchor on arriving in port. On the other hand, there won't be much noise from people's talking loudly as they pass your door.

 

For my upcoming cruise, I'm not worried about early-morning noise on arriving in port, because it's a TPAC with very few port calls.

 

The other consideration might be that forward cabins could be directly above the theater. This only matters if you go to bed early. Shows don't run very late.

[Tapi]

7 minutes ago, kochleffel said:

The other consideration might be that forward cabins could be directly above the theater. This only matters if you go to bed early. Shows don't run very late.

That’s definitely another consideration. When we sailed on Carnival Dream, my mother in law had a forward cabin on Deck 6 above the main theatre and she could hear everything anytime there was a performance at the theatre. The bass was so strong that it would make things on her desk slide. She’d go to bed early so for her it was an issue.
 

We did approach guest services about it on the second night and they re-accommodated  her on another cabin, still forward but on deck 11. Carnival was very gracious about it and even issued a  $50 onboard credit for her troubles. 

[rkacruiser]

19 hours ago, Tapi said:

As others mentioned before, you may be forced to turn your lights off or close your blinds at night if you have a forward facing window or balcony

 

This is quite true.  I had a stateroom directly under the Bridge.  Great views.  Returning one evening, the Steward had closed my curtains.  I opened them.  Within a very few minutes, there was a loud knocking on my door.  I opened the door and my frantic Cabin Steward rushed into the room, yelling:  "The Bridge called!  The Bridge called!  Close the curtains!"  I kept them closed after sunset afterwards.  

[donaldsc]

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

This is quite true.  I had a stateroom directly under the Bridge.  Great views.  Returning one evening, the Steward had closed my curtains.  I opened them.  Within a very few minutes, there was a loud knocking on my door.  I opened the door and my frantic Cabin Steward rushed into the room, yelling:  "The Bridge called!  The Bridge called!  Close the curtains!"  I kept them closed after sunset afterwards.  

 

I wonder if the description of the room includes a statement that "room curtains must be kept closed at night".  I seriously doubt it and most people would vbe totally unaware of this requirement.  I would be extremely unhappy if I booked that room and was told that had to keep my curtains closed.    I like to look outside of a room even if it is sort of dark and I can't see much.  

 

DON

[lenquixote66]

We were advised to always book mid ship which we had been doing.On a recent cruise the only cabins available that we were interested in were as close to the front as you could imagine .We took a chance and everything was fine.

[George C]

We have had several cruises with a cabin or suites at the very front of the ship, no problems, just a little more rocking, I prefer back/aft for the view.

Edited August 4, 2021 by George C

[Ashland]

On 8/2/2021 at 2:21 PM, rkacruiser said:

 

This is quite true.  I had a stateroom directly under the Bridge.  Great views.  Returning one evening, the Steward had closed my curtains.  I opened them.  Within a very few minutes, there was a loud knocking on my door.  I opened the door and my frantic Cabin Steward rushed into the room, yelling:  "The Bridge called!  The Bridge called!  Close the curtains!"  I kept them closed after sunset afterwards.  

These cabins usually have a very large sign warning you about keeping the drapes closed at night.

We've had family stay in some of these and saw the signs.

[crzndeb]

I’ve had forward cabins several times on Carnival. I usually try to get a porthole cabin. I like them, because there is a lot less foot traffic. Sometimes the waves will hit the sides of ship and there can be a loud bang, but doesn’t bother me. I’m an early riser, so I’m normally awake if there is a need for the anchor dropping at tender ports.
I did have a forward cabin on the Vista, with the big deck out the window. Yes, the curtains need to be closed at night, but that’s ok since it’s a public deck out the window, and with lights on in cabin at night, I don’t want people looking in. During the day, the windows are more mirrored with cabin lights off

Also, I always pack earplugs, so any noise is usually muted anyway.

[rkacruiser]

33 minutes ago, crzndeb said:

Sometimes the waves will hit the sides of ship and there can be a loud bang, but doesn’t bother me. 

 

Doesn't bother me either wherever my stateroom is located on the ship.  Marriott Resorts don't have that feature that I like.  😀

 

1 hour ago, Ashland said:

These cabins usually have a very large sign warning you about keeping the drapes closed at night.

 

On 8/2/2021 at 6:38 PM, donaldsc said:

 

I wonder if the description of the room includes a statement that "room curtains must be kept closed at night". 

 

There was no indication in the brochure's deck plan that curtains needed to be closed at Sunset.  But, there was a small placard on the wall near the windows to inform that the curtains needed to be closed at night.  My problem was:  I never saw it.  The right side of the curtain when it was open covered the placard.  

 

[Ashland]

On 8/2/2021 at 3:38 PM, donaldsc said:

 

I wonder if the description of the room includes a statement that "room curtains must be kept closed at night".  I seriously doubt it and most people would vbe totally unaware of this requirement.  I would be extremely unhappy if I booked that room and was told that had to keep my curtains closed.    I like to look outside of a room even if it is sort of dark and I can't see much.  

 

DON

Just turn the lights off in your cabin and you can certainly then see out of these front cabin windows, my extended family enjoyed doing this. Just make sure you close the drapes before you turn the lights back on.

 

This has always been an onboard policy (signage) and it's never been part of the description when booking these cabins. The signs in the Radiance class cabin (#8500) window were extremely visible!

[donaldsc]

43 minutes ago, Ashland said:

Just turn the lights off in your cabin and you can certainly then see out of these front cabin windows, my extended family enjoyed doing this. Just make sure you close the drapes before you turn the lights back on.

 

This has always been an onboard policy (signage) and it's never been part of the description when booking these cabins. The signs in the Radiance class cabin (#8500) window were extremely visible!

 

My point is that I want to know if there are any restrictions to specific cabins before I book the cabin.  Most people would not care about the requirement that the curtains be drawn at night and probably wouldn't even know about the restriction.  Some people including me would care and would not book the cabin if I had to keep the curtains drawn.  By not describing this restriction, the cruise company is essentially lying to me about the cabin.  What next - not indicating if a cabin as restricted visibility.

 

DON

[evandbob]

On 8/1/2021 at 9:13 PM, navybankerteacher said:

There are no passenger cabins at "...the very front of the ship...".  (The pointy end.).  On lower decks forward you will be near the chain locker (anchor chain), and if the ship does drop anchor while you are in your cabin you will certainly hear the clanking --- you will most likely feel heavy vibrations as well.    Barring that, forward cabins tend to be quieter than those all the way aft - as they are above the screws or azipods - which can cause noisy vibrations.

Hopefully the anchors won't be dropping when you dock at a pier in port.  They should only be deployed in tender ports in open water.  The vibrations are usually from side thrusters, fore and aft, which guide the ship towards the dock.  If the ship arrives at a port in the early am, these might disturb one's sleep.

 

Waves hitting the ship cross wise in heavy seas can also be jarring.  That's why we prefer mid deck, mid ship balconies.

[crzndeb]

2 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

My point is that I want to know if there are any restrictions to specific cabins before I book the cabin.  Most people would not care about the requirement that the curtains be drawn at night and probably wouldn't even know about the restriction.  Some people including me would care and would not book the cabin if I had to keep the curtains drawn.  By not describing this restriction, the cruise company is essentially lying to me about the cabin.  What next - not indicating if a cabin as restricted visibility.

 

DON

Personally, I would rather the bridge be able to see at night, without glaring lights possibly hindering their sight lines. And if you want your curtains open with your lights on at night, you aren’t going to see anything outside anyway, so what’s the point? If your lights are out, you can open curtains. 

[navybankerteacher]

35 minutes ago, evandbob said:

Hopefully the anchors won't be dropping when you dock at a pier in port.  ...

Generally correct, but when entering St. George in Bermuda on Norwegian Sea in 2002,  she dropped anchor before going alongside the pier - to hold position.  I had an inside stateroom, amidships all the way forward on lowest passenger deck -- I think the chain locker was about one foot forward of my head --- the vibration shook everything, and the noise was awesome - a hell of a way to wake at about 5:30.

[Ashland]

2 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

My point is that I want to know if there are any restrictions to specific cabins before I book the cabin.  Most people would not care about the requirement that the curtains be drawn at night and probably wouldn't even know about the restriction.  Some people including me would care and would not book the cabin if I had to keep the curtains drawn.  By not describing this restriction, the cruise company is essentially lying to me about the cabin.  What next - not indicating if a cabin as restricted visibility.

 

DON

Well....now you know not to book a front facing cabin on RCI if you want your drapes open at night.

 

[Markanddonna]

The only penthouse I've ever been in was on the Norwegian Jewel. I believe the 9th deck. When it dropped anchor in early morning, I thought a train had driven through the cabin. It was way too windy on the very large balcony when we were at sail. 

[rkacruiser]

21 hours ago, donaldsc said:

What next - not indicating if a cabin as restricted visibility.

 

Those indications already exist in the deck plans that I have observed.  (Example:  Deck 4, certain Cabin  Categories on the HAL ships.)  

 

My first such surprise with an outside cabin was on the Home Lines' Oceanic.  I was on the lowest passenger deck; there was a deadlight attached to my porthole.  One evening, I returned to my cabin to find the Cabin Steward had covered the porthole with the deadlight because of expected very rough seas.  My "outside" became an "inside" that night.  

 

Probably better to have done than having the porthole broken by a wave crashing against the side of the ship.  Since my bed was directly below the porthole, I'd prefer not be awoken by a cold salt water bath!  😁

[Heidi13]

On 8/4/2021 at 6:20 PM, evandbob said:

Hopefully the anchors won't be dropping when you dock at a pier in port.  They should only be deployed in tender ports in open water.  The vibrations are usually from side thrusters, fore and aft, which guide the ship towards the dock.  If the ship arrives at a port in the early am, these might disturb one's sleep.

 

Waves hitting the ship cross wise in heavy seas can also be jarring.  That's why we prefer mid deck, mid ship balconies.

 

The Master can utilise the anchor in a number of ways,  when docking. In ports with a reasonable swell, the anchor is dropped about 100 yds off the dock and is used to hold the ship slightly off the berth. When approaching a berth, the Master may also drop and dredge the anchor to assist in swinging the head around and/or reducing speed.

 

Although rarely used these days, a Meddy moor requires the use of both anchors, with the ship perpendicular to the dock.

 

There is much truth to the saying the anchor is the Master's best friend. Saved me multiple times.

 

[canlin1]

We have had several 'front of the ship' cabins on Carnival, called 4J. We do balconies also but not always available when we book or too expensive or not needed. (Didn't pay for a balcony on an Alaskan cruise, too cold to sit out on.)I think all were on the Empress deck 7. They are interior rooms with a small additional charge for having a picture window. Located over the bridge, you can walk out in the hallway to an exterior door on each side of the front to a small deck. Often windy outside but private enough. We love these rooms, have found certain ones are shaped oddly and may or may not be bigger than the standard. Only caution is to keep your curtains closed when others are out there. We have not really ever felt more movement up there either.

Edited September 19, 2021 by canlin1
additional information to add

[ALD18]

To far from the buffet:)