21 Best River Cruise Cabin Tips, Secrets, & Things to Know (Former Director Reveals)

On Viking's longships, the French balcony stateroom is 135 square feet and the standard stateroom is 150. So the cabin with the balcony door is the smaller room. That's one of 21 things to know about a river cruise cabin, from booking it to sleeping in it. I spent 22 seasons as a river cruise director. This video covers what the balcony really costs you in floor space, square footage that includes the veranda, suites that aren't two rooms, getting the bed setup you want, sharing a cabin with three people or a grandchild, when your cabin number gets assigned, upgrading and downgrading, cabins near the engine, bathtubs vs showers, noisy mornings in port, storing your suitcases, the safe, what toiletries, robes and slippers are already there, heated bathroom floors and climate controls, the fridge and bottled water, smoking rules, bed firmness, butler service, picking a balcony for the month you sail, and number 21: the cabins where the window becomes the balcony. Facts were checked in October 2026 from the cruise lines' own pages, Cruise Critic's ship reviews and travel writer Wendy Perrin. Ships within the same fleet can differ, and lines change their policies, so confirm with yours before you book. This channel is independent and not sponsored by any cruise line.