We get used to 'sea legs' on said carrier, kind of like walking on a trampoline all the time, it's different and you become pretty good at walking on backyard trampolines from WalMart when you are ashore.
Also, you get really good at aiming when standing in the mens room in rough seas, especially useful when you have had a rousing friday night out at thhe club. Some of the most valuable training we receive is living conditions, we learn to accept crowded, small rooms, eating brown lettuce at sea, and especially learn to appreciate a USAF Q room. Could go on about the 'valuable training and experience' you didn't get that I did. <BG>

Chris,
I recommend you take whatever floats your boat and whomever will accept you. Love the Navy, enjoyed day carrier landings and the like. Really wasn't fond of night landings in crappy wx. Loved the comradarie, but will find that in any service really. I really enjoyed the West Coast cruises (Asia, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, and Persian Gulf) but the East coast bases are in better towns (Jacksonville, Norfolk) and Atlantic/Mediteranean deployments, but everything has positives if you look for them. I wanted carrier based because that was the real difference of being a naval aviator. If you go Navy, you simply want to make the cut to whatever you desire, Strike, Maritime, Rotary, C2/E2. Strike and E2/C2 will get you a carrier, Rotary will likely get you shipboard ops. (I still think some of the finest aviation skills any Navy Aviator has demonstrated was during a VertRep (vertical replenishment- a helicopter flying supplies from a supply ship to the other ships in the battle group) being flown by a H-46 crew. It was mesmerizing how they deftly flew around the ships crashing through rough seas with wicked winds drop with amazing precision a slung load into tight quarters on a smallboy or carrier. If you get rotary (helos) the advantage is you can fly Kingairs later (C-12's or instruct in the coming T-6's) since dual rated and then fly in the Guard/Reserve and Airlines later.
P-3's and C-130's are more like USAF in my opinion. P-3's don't fly as much since airframe is tired.
Get the ubiquitous F-18?, will have several possible mission options.
Anyway, to recap: Get Strike, Maritime, etc first, then concentrate on what airframe (mission) appeals to you, then lastly worry about what coast you want. It will go in that order anyway.
Stay in long enough, will see both coasts anyway if you want (maybe even if you don't want <g>)
Good luck in your Naval Aviation career.