Enjoying a view from the ship’s aft can be almost hypnotic because of how alluring the ocean looks when you have nothing in front of you blocking it.

Speaking of views, when your ship is leaving port, having an aft view gives you the best perspective.

Royal Caribbean has caught onto this this trend and announced pricing changes related to aft rooms. Aft facing balconies and Junior Suites are now going to be separated out as new categories.

However, if your room doesn’t face backwards and is just a standard room towards the back, you may just end up with the same room as a mid-ship cabin, but with a longer walk.

Movement at the aft is a bit less drastic than a room forward, but still isn’t the most stable place for those who are prone to seasickness.

What are the benefits of being in the front of the cruise ship?

Rooms towards the front tend to be cheaper than other rooms largely because there’s less demand for a cabin at the front.

Just like rooms towards the back, it’s a longer walk towards the front and most of the signature activities and public areas are further away.

Plus, the front of the ship gets the most movement of any area. The higher the deck, the more noticeable that rolling and swaying motion tends to feel. That makes it less desirable if someone is worried about motion sickness.

The reason why you might feel more movement at the front is because the front of the ship faces the most wind and direct hits from rolling waves, translating to lots of motion and sea spray.

Besides a cheaper price, rooms at the very front have a unique perspective.  On many Royal Caribbean ships, you’ll find family oceanview cabins at the front that offer significantly more living space without the price of a suite.

Another nice benefit of a front room is it can feel more secluded because there’s far less foot traffic.