Why is the front of the ship not good?

[Cats' slave]

Sorry, I don't know what to call the front of the ship, in other words, the opposite of aft.

 

I notice that people tend to avoid those cabins but I don't know why. Is there more motion there or more noise?

[Merion_Mom]

It's the bow.

 

Yes, more motion.

[wrp96]

A lot more motion and there are no balconies on the very front of the ship with the amazing views of the wake like there are with the very aft cabins.

[RED318is]

The motion is worse than midship. Low bow cabins are noisy because of the anchors and the bow thrusters.

[pacthepuppies]

Sorry' date=' I don't know what to call the front of the ship, in other words, the opposite of aft.

 

I notice that people tend to avoid those cabins but I don't know why. Is there more motion there or more noise?[/quote']

 

we had the very front cabin on deck 10 on the radiance and only felt a little motion leaving mexico... there is nothing 'wrong' with them per say- but people all have a preference... i was worried after i read all the threads as i had booked it before i found this site- but really it was a great cabin- so...

[superjerryw]

Sorry' date=' I don't know what to call the front of the ship, in other words, the opposite of aft.

 

I notice that people tend to avoid those cabins but I don't know why. Is there more motion there or more noise?[/quote']

 

The same is true in the back (aft) of the ship. The most stable part of the ship is on a low deck in the center of the ship. As you move towards either end of the ship the motion becomes more exaggerated. Similarly, the motion becomes more exaggerated as you go to a higher deck. A cabin on the lowest deck in the center of he ship will feel less motion than a cabin on a higher deck on either end of the ship. That being said, we just had a cabin near the front of the ship and felt nothing at all. It really depends on the sea conditions during the cruise.

[MrsPete]

There's nothing wrong with the front part of this ship. It's just that the other parts have good things going for them, while the front is just average, nothing special as staterooms go. Thus, people who are "in the know" or who 'specially care about their room will usually choose something else. I've personally been in the third room from the very front, and there was nothing bad about that room -- it just wasn't quite as nice as some of the other rooms (though since I was upgraded from an inside, I didn't mind one bit!).

 

Mid-ship is preferred by those who fear being seasick; it's where you'll feel the least movement. Also, it's closer to everything.

 

Aft is the favorite of those who want the bigger balconies (without extra cost) and those who want quiet.

[springtxbill]

We actually prefer the forward rooms. Maybe a little more motion but a lot quiter.:)

[johnjen]

The same is true in the back (aft) of the ship. The most stable part of the ship is on a low deck in the center of the ship. As you move towards either end of the ship the motion becomes more exaggerated. Similarly, the motion becomes more exaggerated as you go to a higher deck. A cabin on the lowest deck in the center of he ship will feel less motion than a cabin on a higher deck on either end of the ship. That being said, we just had a cabin near the front of the ship and felt nothing at all. It really depends on the sea conditions during the cruise.

 

Thank goodness for that! We're booked on deck 2, two OV cabins directly in the center of the ship, right across from the elevators, too. After a twenty year career in the navy, I could never shake off the seasickness!

[Lowcountrygal]

I intentionally booked a Deck 10 forward cabin on a Radiance class ship. I didn't want to look down from my balcony and see lifeboat canopies!

[windjamming]

I intentionally booked a Deck 10 forward cabin on a Radiance class ship. I didn't want to look down from my balcony and see lifeboat canopies!

 

Agreed! Other nice things about forward cabins - closer to the gym/spa, further from the dining room and Windjammer (to burn off more calories!), closer to the theater, and closer to the promenade cafe for late night snacks and tea!

[Druke I]

Aside from the "more motion" in heavy seas forwardf there are also sometimes noise issues, when the anchor is being lowered or raised, and also from the bow thrusters when thrusting into or out of piers/wharves, etc.

 

We prefer the good old midship's locations.

[CruiserKatie]

I booked yesterday and got the front of the ship-Deck 3.

Should I try and change it to mid ship.

 

We have always stayed mid-ship, had no problems. I am more afraid of the noise issues than anything?

 

I have room 3515 and our friends have 3517.

 

HELP

[rolloman]

Front of the ship is called the Focsle and the rear is called the Fantail.

[Nancyquilts]

All things being equal, we prefer the front of the ship. Nancy

[superjerryw]

I booked yesterday and got the front of the ship-Deck 3.

Should I try and change it to mid ship.

 

We have always stayed mid-ship, had no problems. I am more afraid of the noise issues than anything?

 

I have room 3515 and our friends have 3517.

 

HELP

 

If noise is your main concern it really depends on how late you sleep. Since the ship ties up to the dock in most ports the anchor is not used so noise from lowering the anchor is not a concern. The anchor will only be used if the ship stays at sea and passengers use a tender to go ashore. The bow thrusters will be used to manuever the ship close to a pier so if you like to sleep later than the time the ship is scheduled to arrive in port it might be an issue. The only other noise issue in the front of the ship is the potential noise from the water hitting the front of the ship as it sails. If you have an outside cabin on a low deck you might hear the water smacking the side of the ship. It all depends on where your cabin actually is in relation to the bow and the design of the ship (how far forward you actually are). We once had an outside (porthole) cabin on HAL's old Westerdam on a low deck. The cabin was very far forward and you could hear the water hittng the side of the ship as it sailed.

[no_wake]

I did a forward cabin on a North Pacific crossing last fall on Diamond Princess - my cabin was directly center under the bridge. It was great for seeing where we were headed. Pulling into and out of port was fantastic. I had a balcony but it could not be used while ship was underway due to winds. I did enjoy it though - it was "home" for a month-long journey! Was there motion? YOU BET!! Crossing the North Pacific between Alaska and Russia, on the roughest nights, I was literally being tossed up from my bed - and I am a BIG guy!! Would I book that same cabin again? YOU BET! Better than an E-ticket Disney ride! :D

[one4cruisin]

I am booked on the Enchantment and I have an inside cabin in the front of the ship. The lowest and most forward cabin available and the cheapest, which is why I booked it. I have stayed in similar cabins before and found that it really didn't bother me. I could hear waves at times but heck that was fine with me. I wasn't looking for a room with the feel of a Holiday Inn. If I could afford a balcony cabin I would leave the door open so I could hear the waves and smell the salty air. Its a matter of personal preference.

Enjoy your cruise!!!

[jchiefs13]

I've only ever heard the anchor dropping once... and while it woke me, is there a better way to wake up than to know you're somewhere new and it's time to get up, look out the window and see today's port?

 

JC

[Sandy Sails]

It may also depend on the ship. I just got off the Empress a couple of weeks ago - was near the front on Deck 4. Every morning when pulling into port, our room would start shaking and it would just roar. Sometimes at 5 a.m. but usually around 6 a.m. Not sure what caused it but it was rather annoying. Luckily it only lasted about 30 minutes so we could usually go back to sleep. Gotta say, walking the promenade at night, the back of the ship was the most beautiful. The big wake in the moonlight - just can't beat it! Of course it helped that there was a full moon.

 

I prefer middle of ship. My next cruise on the Freedom, I'm on the 8th deck in the middle. Because it's a bigger ship, it probably won't have any motion.

 

Take 2 ginger root capsules every morning and 2 every evening - wards off sea sickness. It really works! The Empress is so small and doesn't have the normal stabilizers the other ships do. So it was rocking & rolling almost the entire time. Was actually kinda fun.

[Lowcountrygal]

I've only ever heard the anchor dropping once... and while it woke me, is there a better way to wake up than to know you're somewhere new and it's time to get up, look out the window and see today's port?

 

JC

 

Agreed !! Well said, JC !!

[sha88]

Sorry' date=' I don't know what to call the front of the ship, in other words, the opposite of aft.

 

I notice that people tend to avoid those cabins but I don't know why. Is there more motion there or more noise?[/quote']

 

I'm no expert, but for our first cruise last summer, we were in a very forward cabin on the Grandeur. Loved it! We did hear the anchor, but it was never annoying to us...just a fun part of cruising. We have booked a forward cabin on the Empress this Fall, and I do have a concern, that since she is a smaller ship we may feel more motion. But, you know what they say, "The real sailors always want to be up front.":D I know I read that somewhere!

[mimikens]

Funny - I avoid midship it at all possible. I love the aft balconies, but I love the most forward cabin on deck 10. I have had that cabin on 3 different cruises. On the Radiance Alaska cruise, I was able to talk to the captain from my balcony. I gave him some tips ;) I was in the same cabin on the Serenade Transatlantic where we had 26 foot seas. You do feel the motion a lot, though I tend to feel it more in the aft cabins.

[one4cruisin]

Hi Sha88---I was on the Nordiac Empress cruising to the bahamas about 10 years ago. I had an inside cabin on the lowest deck in forward most area of ship. Personally it didn't bother me. Some vibration at times, sometimes heard the anchor and sometimes waves but I didn't regret it. Hope this helps you.

Enjoy you cruise.