Best & Worst Rooms on Spectrum of the Seas

Following the amazing success of the earlier Quantum-Class ships for Royal Caribbean, the cruise line took a slight departure and created a sub-class of Quantum Ultra ships, starting with Spectrum of the Seas.

With it, some new accommodation options were offered, along with the introduction of one of the best suites in the whole fleet, which had debuted on the Oasis-class Symphony of the Seas one year prior.

But with loads of stateroom and suite options comes some difficult decisions when you’re booking – which is the right one for you, and are there any you should avoid?

In this guide, I’ll tell you everything you need to know.

How to Choose the Best Cruise Cabin

While I’ve written this guide specifically about Spectrum of the Seas, I also have a handy checklist you can keep with you that applies to any ship.

Just drop your email in this form and I’ll send it straight to you.

The Different Rooms on Spectrum of the Seas

There are well over 2,000 staterooms and suites on Spectrum of the Seas, including a wide range of Inside, Oceanview, Balcony and Suite options. So, how do you pick from so much choice?

You can probably narrow it down a little based on your budget, and some of the categories are specialist too, such as being suited for people with accessibility needs.

Let’s start by taking a look at all of the cabin options on Spectrum of the Seas:

Room	Type	Max. guests	Decks	Average Size (sq ft)	Average Balcony Size (sq ft)
Interior	Inside	4	3, 7-13	166	N/A
Interior Accessible	Inside	4	8-11	256	N/A
Interior with Virtual Balcony	Inside	4	9, 10	166	N/A
Connecting Interior	Inside	2	7-11	166	N/A
Studio Interior	Inside	1	6-13	101	N/A
Ocean View	Outside View	4	3, 8, 9	182	N/A
Ocean View Accessible	Outside View	4	3	270	N/A
Spacious Ocean View	Outside View	4	8-11	214	N/A
Ocean View Balcony	Balcony	4	6-13	198	55
Ocean View Balcony Accessible	Balcony	4	7-9	298	55
Connecting Ocean View Balcony	Balcony	2	7, 9-11	198	55
Ocean View with Large Balcony	Balcony	4	7-13	177	65
Obstructed Ocean View Balcony	Balcony	4	6-13	198	55
Studio Ocean View Balcony	Balcony	1	6, 7	119	55
Sky Balcony Suite	Suite	4	13, 16	198	55
Junior Suite	Suite	5	6-13	276	81
Junior Suite Accessible	Suite	4	8	354	81
Sky Junior Suite	Suite	2	15, 16	267	81
Grand Suite – 1 Bedroom	Suite	4	13	388	109
Owner’s Suite	Suite	4	16	541	259
Grand Loft Suite	Suite	4	15-16	775	216
Ultimate Family Suite	Suite	10	15-16	2,766	212

Spectrum of the Seas Room Sizes

One quick but important note – the room sizes listed in the table are averages. Some might be slightly smaller, but some might even be slightly bigger.

The best thing you can do is check the Spectrum of the Seas deck plans when you’re booking a room. They’re accurately drawn to scale, so you can see which rooms look to be slightly bigger or smaller, or have a slightly extended balcony.

Often they’ll be the same price as a regular-sized room in the same category, so you can nab a bargain.

Spectrum of the Seas Rooms to Avoid

A lot of thought was put into the stateroom options on Spectrum of the Seas, and there are some spectacular choices available. Still, not every cabin is right for every cruise passenger. It’s not that there are bad cabins, just some that maybe you would like but someone else wouldn’t, and vice versa.

While it’s true that the Quantum Ultra-class ships aren’t the biggest in the Royal Caribbean fleet, they’re still pretty massive, and so it’s worth planning which parts of the ship you’ll spend the most time in, and using that info to work out a good stateroom – you don’t want to have to trek up loads of floors and across the length of the ship a couple of times a day if you don’t have to.

So, here are some of the cabin types and cabin locations to consider avoiding:

1. Obstructed View Rooms

6160 to 6232, 6560 to 6632, 7110 to 7116, 7510 to 7512, 7514, 7516, 8112, 8114, 8116, 8512, 8514, 8516, 9114, 9514, 10116, 10516, 11118, 11518.

On deck 6 you’ll find that most of the balcony rooms are behind lifeboats. Many people hate these obstructed views, although some like the fact that they’re a little cheaper than regular balconies.

I’d suggest taking a look at this video from Emma Cruises before you book one of these, to make sure that you know what to expect…

Unusually, Spectrum of the Seas also has ‘obstructed’ balconies towards the front of decks 7 to 11 as well. These are different though because the obstruction is a metal structure that makes the balcony look like this…

Other ships have these too. On Carnival cruises they are known as Cove Balconies, while other cruise lines have different names like ‘sheltered balconies’.

Only Royal Caribbean calls this balcony type ‘obstructed’. The actual view isn’t really obstructed at all, and this could be a good cabin to have on a cold weather cruise where it might be windy and rainy.

2. Cabins Directly Adjacent to the Royal Theatre

3146, 3149, 3546, 3549

But there are four rooms on Spectrum of the Seas that share a wall with the Royal Theatre, which is where nightly live performances will take place. While they don’t run super late, it’s best to steer clear if you want a good early night ahead of the next day’s adventures. It could be noisy here.

There are a few more places on a ship where you might suffer from some noise disruption. Common locations on a ship include above the loudest bars, or below the pool deck, and that advice would apply on Spectrum of the Seas too.

3. Rooms a Very Long Walk from Elevators

Because of the size of Spectrum of the Seas, she has some slightly awkward elevator placement. She’s not big enough to fit three sets, so instead there are elevators near the front of the ship and then in a mid-ship location, slightly towards the aft.

It means that any of the aft-facing rooms from Deck 8 upwards, and a handful of inside cabins on Deck 7, are quite a long walk from the elevator.

It’s not an issue for most people – especially if you want to get those steps in to burn off the buffet food each day – but if you’re carrying younger children back from the kids’ clubs (right at the front of Deck 11) when they’re tired and napping at the end of the day, you’ll definitely notice the distance!

4. Deck 11 Forward Rooms Without Kids

11118 to 11160, 11518 to 11560

The staterooms and suites right at the front of Deck 11 are adjacent to the Adventure Ocean kids’ clubs. There are Balcony Staterooms, Junior Suites and Inside Staterooms there, and regardless of which one you choose, you’re going to experience a higher level of traffic outside the room – and a lot more noise.

If you aren’t sailing with kids, then this is probably one of the worst places you can book, unless you plan on being out of your room nice and early and staying out until late.

Otherwise the excited kiddos on their way to the kids’ club, or the many parents picking the kids up, could easily disturb you.

5. Expensive Suites

Spectrum of the Seas has several expensive suite options options. While they are fantastic, it’s definitely something to think very carefully about when deciding whether they’re worth the money.

It’s not just about whether you can afford the high prices (up to £20,000 per person, per week for the Ultimate Family Suite). It’s whether you’d be better booking that, or choosing a Grand Suite for a week and then having the budget spare for another 1-2 cruises in a Grand Suite again.

You need to check out the Royal Caribbean Suite perks to see what’s included, as well as having the extra space, but for a lot of people, it’d make more sense to choose a cheaper option (including some of the smaller suites) and book several cruises instead.

6. Rooms That Can Cause Seasickness

The worst places on any ship for seasickness are right at the forward or aft parts of the ship, on the highest decks. That’s where you’ll feel the most motion.

With Spectrum of the Seas, height isn’t a huge issue – there are no decks above Deck 13 with accommodation options. However I’d still steer clear of Deck 12 and Deck 13 rooms if you know you suffer badly from motion sickness.

The best rooms would instead be something mid-ship and lower down, preferably with a balcony so you can focus on the horizon and get some fresh air while lying in bed. In fact, the obstructed balcony staterooms could be ideal if seasickness is your concern.

7. Connecting Cabins If You’re Not Booking Both

A common problem with cruise ship staterooms is when you book a connecting room without needing it. The shared doorway between connecting rooms is not great at isolating noise, so while it’ll stay locked if there are strangers on the other side, you might hear more from their room than you would in a regular stateroom. And equally, they might hear more from you.

All kinds of noises can come from an adjacent stateroom. Loud snoring, arguments, other things… If you’d rather avoid the risk of hearing those, don’t book a connecting stateroom. Leave those for when you’re travelling with a group and want to book both together.

8. “Large Balconies” That Aren’t Much Larger

The Ocean View Balcony rooms on Spectrum of the Seas have a reasonable-sized balcony at 55 square feet, but you can pay extra if you want one that’s classed as having a large balcony.

However, you only get an extra 10 square feet. It’s not a lot considering you’ll be paying extra for the privilege.

On earlier Quantum-class ships, paying for a Large Balcony would get you an additional 25 square feet, so Spectrum of the Seas (and sister Odyssey of the Seas) don’t offer the same value for these rooms.

9. Deck 13 Rooms

I mean, it’s Deck 13 – why tempt fate?

I’m joking, of course, but it does seem odd that the Quantum-class ships are the only ones in the Royal Caribbean fleet that have a Deck 13. Most skip it, going from Deck 12 straight to Deck 14, and that is because of superstition.

It’s not like the Quantum Class set the tone for Royal ditching superstition – the newer Icon-class ships also avoid a Deck 13.

The Best Rooms on Spectrum of the Seas

While most rooms are great, here are some of the standout rooms on Spectrum of the Seas:

1. Studio Rooms

The Quantum-class ships for Royal Caribbean introduced more options for studio rooms. On other ships, it can sometimes be rare to get a room designed for single passengers, and when you do it’ll be an inside room, 99% of the time, with maybe a chance of a window, unless you’re willing to pay double the fare to book a regular room as a solo passenger.

While many of the studio rooms on Spectrum of the Seas are Interior, there are also Balcony options too, which is fantastic for single travellers who don’t want to miss out on waking up to a wonderful view.

Solo travel is becoming more and more popular, so it’s great for guests to have this option on the ship.

2. The Ultimate Family Suite

Yes, I know I said that expensive suites might be one to avoid. But if you do have the money, you won’t find a better family suite with any other cruise line, and only the Icon Class ships’ Ultimate Family Townhouse can compare within the Royal Caribbean fleet.

Spectrum of the Seas’ Ultimate Family Suite is two storeys of fun-packed accommodation. It’s much bigger than the equivalent suite on the Oasis-class ships that have it too – over twice as big as the version on Symphony of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas.

It even has a bathroom that extends over the side of the ship!

While the balcony is smaller, it’s still ample, and you get some nifty extra features like a staircase piano that plays notes as your ascend or descend.

A massive cost? Absolutely. One only for the richest guests? Of course. But a suite that kids will adore? 100%.

3. Corner Spacious Oceanview Staterooms

From Decks 8 to 11, the staterooms right at the front of the ship are Spacious Oceanview rooms. They can’t be balconies, because the wind would force the balcony door to remain shut most of the time, so instead they offer a bigger Oceanview room with a fantastic view.

If you can book one of the corner rooms, you’ll get even more space – they’re considerably bigger again! Just check the deck plans and you’ll see what I mean:

4. Virtual Balcony Staterooms

First introduced on Spectrum’s sister ship, Quantum of the Seas, the Virtual Balcony staterooms are a great alternative to a regular Interior stateroom. You still get a view – albeit on a digital screen. While it won’t help with the lack of natural light, it is good if you want to see what time of day it is (the virtual balcony is a livestream from outside the ship) and it’s better than just having four plain walls.

What’s a shame is that Spectrum of the Seas is the only Quantum-class or Quantum Ultra-class ship to not have accessible versions of these rooms. If you use a wheelchair or mobility scooter and want a Virtual Balcony room, you’ll need to try the other ships in the fleet.

5. Deck 11 Rooms with Kids

See every reason I gave for not booking a Deck 11 Forward stateroom if you didn’t have kids? Reverse those if you do. It’s great being so close to the kids’ clubs, and having the pool deck and buffet restaurants only a couple of decks away too. Super-convenient, especially when it comes to collection time and the younger kids are refusing to walk and have to be carried in your arms.

What is the Best Deck on Spectrum of the Seas?

There’s no single best deck on Spectrum of the Seas, but it’s recommended to have staterooms above and below you if you want the least noise – so Decks 7 to 12 would be the better options. Avoid rooms on Deck 11 near the front of the ship if you don’t have kids, but anything mid-ship towards the aft would be fine since that’s away from the kids’ clubs.

What is the Best Room on Spectrum of the Seas?

The biggest room on Spectrum of the Seas is the Ultimate Family Suite, and it is a stunning option, though it’s very expensive. The Interior Staterooms with Virtual Balcony are a great option if you’re on a budget and want to enjoy some form of view, even if it is digital.

Choose Your Own Room or Go for the ‘Guarantee’ Option?

When booking your Spectrum of the Seas room, you’ll be able to pick a category and then have the option of paying extra to choose your specific cabin number, or opting for a cheaper ‘Guarantee’ room where the cruise line will pick your room for you.

It’s risky, because you can only select whether you want Interior, Oceanview, Balcony, or a specific Suite type. You can’t pick a deck, so you could end up with one of the rooms I’ve told you to avoid.

Still, if you’re laid back and don’t intend to spend much time in your cabin anyway, the saving might be worth it to you.

Find More Information About Spectrum of the Seas Cabins

To put this guide together, I spent a lot of time reading Spectrum of the Seas reviews and browsing some social media groups and forums. I recommend you check them out, too. You might find specific information on a stateroom you have your eye on.

• Spectrum of the Seas Facebook Group
• Spectrum of the Seas Reviews

Related Posts

• Spectrum of the Seas Statistics & Facts
• Quantum Class Cruise Ships: Everything You Need To Know
• Royal Caribbean Ships Ranked From Best To Worst