Prinsendam
"Cabins A196 and A197, located at the stern, are extra-large with oversized balconies—36 additional square feet inside and 24 outside—but cost the same as the others in their category. They also open onto a huge deck with a whirlpool that most other passengers don't even know exists." —Cheryl Smiley (see above)

Lindblad Expeditions
Sea Bird, Sea Lion
"Cabin 108 on the Bridge Deck is just around the corner from the Sun Deck—the best vantage point for spotting marine life—so you'll be well placed when the captain announces a breaching whale or a spawning ray in the Sea of Cortes. It's also 13 square feet larger than other cabins that cost the same." —Charles Weston, Pausanias/Carlson Wagonlit Travel, Philadelphia (800-381-3600)

Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian Star, Norwegian Sun
"The mini-suites are a great deal: For as little as $100 more per person over a seven-day Caribbean cruise, you'll get a sitting area, a bathtub, concierge service, and extra touches like fresh flowers and plusher bathrobes. If you're headed to Alaska on the Norwegian Sun, try to book rear-facing cabins 8079, 8279, 9078, 9278, 0067, or 0267, since sea life seems to congregate behind the ship." —Cheryl Cunningham, Vacations to Go, Houston (800-338-4962, ext. 227)

Orient Lines
Marco Polo
"Cabins 504, 505, and 507 on the Main Deck have two windows; others at the same price have only one. Choose one of these cabins and you won't have to spend your voyage gazing at the view from over your roommate's shoulder." —Judy Lucas, Concierge Cruises & Tours, Tucson (800-940-8385)

Princess Cruises
Dawn Princess, Ocean Princess, Sea Princess, Sun Princess
"Outside cabins 222 to 237, 311 to 314, and 712 to 749 on the Dolphin Deck have huge windows that are almost three times larger than those in comparable cabins. Another good choice, if you don't want to pay extra for a veranda, is the Baja Deck's foremost cabins (B206 to B225), which are a very short walk from a deck area that's almost always empty." —Judy Lucas (see above)

Grand Princess
"Cabins 752 and 753 are corner balcony rooms at the stern—on a vessel this big, you needn't worry about motion. Their triple-exposure views are a photographer's dream, yet they cost thousands less per person than the larger premium suites next door." —Nancy Kelly, Kelly Cruises, Oak Brook, Ill. (800-837-7447)

Radisson Seven Seas Cruises
Paul Gauguin
"The least expensive cabins are on Deck 3, but it's worth spending the extra $450 per person on a weeklong Tahiti cruise to upgrade to Deck 4 so you can have a picture window instead of two tiny portholes. The rooms are the same size, but the additional light makes the Deck 4 cabins seem much bigger." —Steven Shulem, Strictly Vacations, Santa Barbara, Calif. (800-447-2364)