I am claustrophobic and have been on 5 cruises so far, all the gulf ones and Alaska. We only book balcony rooms and it gives me a place to step out and chill any time I want. I also love the views. On the Alaska trip it's a requirement, found our balcony one of the best viewing spots at times. Also, one of my kids suffers from motion sickness and we have given him Ginger pills for this for over 15 years. The DR recommended it. They work as good as Dramamine but no side effects. I talked to a fellow traveler on one trip that was upset the Dramamine patch made him sooo sleepy. I told him about ginger pills and he bought some at the next port and took off the patch, later he said it worked great. Another suggestion, familiarize yourself with the deck maps prior to the trip and when you get on the ship take a little time to walk around and explore each deck and make notes. This will allow you to plan your days and know where your going. Also, the ships publish a daily newsletter they leave in your room which outlines the next day's port times/activities and ship activity times/locations. This will allow you to get the most out of the trip and keep you in control. Remember, the best part of cruising is you can do it your way and don't have to follow the crowd. I keep my excursions simple, maybe one or two planned ones, the rest of the ports we just explore, do a tour of the area, etc. Have FUN!!!