Staterooms Near Stairs and Elevators

I think it depends upon the cruise line. If its a party ship - younger demographic - higher probability of noise at all hours. If its a line that caters to a more mature demographic, probably doesn't;t matter.

I have mobility issues and I always choose a cabin close to the lifts/elevators. I never have an issue with noise or dings from the lift. But it does mean I can do more with my children without stressing about the distamce from my cabin. So we love it. Have tried the very front and the very back. But definitely prefer a mission cabin by the lifts. To be fair I would take a lifeboat just to be on a cruise....lol

I prefer to be away from the lobby, stairs and elevators. I like a cabin at the end of the hall way so less traffic and quieter. I'm young enough to not mind the walking down the hall ways. I prefer the walking, just as I try and take the stairs when ever I can.

Good thinking. That never occurred to me. but then, we've never had an inside. AND, if you think about it or actually see ships plans (the ones you don't see), those insides probably share walls with all kinds of maintenance passages and storage facilities. I'd welcome comments from folks who regularly book insides. other than it being dark heheheheh.

I guess this needs some clarity. If as we usually do .. book a balcony then being by the stairs and elevators (which are usually together or side by each) is a definite benefit as it makes getting around so much better and with a balcony being on the outside side of the hall the noise is minimal. However an inside cabin being on the inner side of the hall and possibly adjacent to and sharing a wall the stairs or elevator shafts ... now that I can see as being problematic and possibly noisy.

We like being near the elevators (They have stairs? ) Noise has not been a problem.

I have been corrected by "the boss"....that's 3 cruise lines, I omitted 2 on RCCL, quite awhile back, and there was noise from one elevator and they shut it down for a day to fix whatever it was. I didn't remember any noise from it actually in our cabin, which couldn't have been more than 3-4 doors down. She remembered the inconvenience of several thousand of your closest friends waiting for elevators. Mea culpa..

I think the whole issue is overblown. We have sailed on many different classes of ships, on two cruise lines (mostly NCL), and go out of our way to select midships cabins that usually are within about 3 doors down from the stairs/elevators. It has never been a problem. and we've done it enough to know its not just dumb luck. I think a bigger problem is being 15-20 cabins down a looooooong narrow companionway. Selecting what is above and below etc is an artform...agree completely...

We like rooms near the elevators too. I don't like the tiny hallways and feel claustrophobic if I'm too far from the larger lobby type openings by the elevators. I also don't hear much noise, but I have a great ability to tune a lot of things out. We look for rooms that are above or below other rooms though and not above or below bars/pools/restaurant areas to avoid excessive noise.

This is also our preference. We tend to also book as high of a deck as possible, this reduces the foot traffic noise which is more of a distaction than the dings or mechanical noises.