If I had £1.00 for every time a client asked me. “What’s the best side to be on?” I would be very wealthy by now. Normally when I get asked that question, I would start by looking at the Itinerary of the ship and the route it is going to be taking, however this is still not 100% fool proof, most people want to have a land view but its not always the case.
The accuracy of the berthing location of the ship is not set in stone and can change at any given time. There are some factors which need to be taken into consideration. The ship may enter the port in reverse due to space and the lack of manoeuvrability. A schedule change from other cruise lines may alter your berthing location too, it really does depend on the day.
More importantly when planning a cruise holiday I think is to consider where on the ship you want to be placed if you want quiet. So not above or below a nightclub is wise also not to be near a lift and the stairs unless you have mobility problems as you may find a lot of people congregate around the lift area and that can be rather noisy. Mid ship and ensuring only cabins are above you and below you are I feel the better thing to take into account, and above all to make sure you book the right cabin for your own personal needs.