River cruise cabins

Checked October 2026

Choose the cabin type first, then the deck from that ship's own plan. AmaWaterways sells outside twin balcony staterooms, and single staterooms with French balconies on select ships. On the Nile, the tour operator Egypt Escapes lists ships with French balconies or large panoramic windows. Ask for the deck plan and the cabin number in writing.

These facts come from AmaWaterways and the tour operator Egypt Escapes, read on 15 October 2026. Each is a seller describing its own ships.

Which cabins should I avoid on a river cruise?

Avoid choosing on the deck number alone. Numbers differ from ship to ship, and mean something only against that ship's plan.

Read the cabin type carefully, then ask three things about it:

Where does it sit on the deck plan?
What is its window or balcony, and does it open?
How do you get from the cabin to the shore?

What cabin types do river ships list?

AmaWaterways names these types on its life on board and solo travellers pages:

outside twin balcony staterooms
on select ships, a limited number of single-occupancy staterooms with French balconies, at 140 sq ft

So one line sells more than one kind of balcony cabin. Ask for yours by its name on the seller's own list.

Nile ships come in similar terms. On Egypt Escapes' vessels page, MS Royal Viking has outside cabins with French balconies. Sonesta Star Goddess has all outside cabins. Several ships have large panoramic sliding windows. Our page on a dahabiya or a larger ship compares cabin counts on Nile boats.

What is the best floor to have a room on a cruise ship?

Pick it from the plan of your named ship. Mark the cabin you're offered. Then look at what sits above, below and beside it.

Is level 7 on a cruise ship good?

That depends on the ship. Ask for the plan of the ship you're booking. Check what is on each deck. Ask which decks you can reach without stairs.

Lifts and gangways

Cabin choice and access go together. AmaWaterways' first-time cruiser FAQ says its ships are not equipped for guests with limited mobility. Gangways at embarkation points may not be able to accommodate them.

Egypt adds a twist. The line's Egypt guidance says itineraries sometimes need walking through adjacent ships or narrow gangways.

Egypt Escapes' vessel pages mention no lifts. That gives you no answer either way. Ask for the lift in writing, for the named ship.

Get it in writing

Ask for the deck plan, the cabin number and the cabin type by name. Our travel team at The JLT Group plans and books the cruise. They'll be in touch to talk it through. Use the form below to send the month and number of people.