Inside Ststeroom...4 people...pics and advice?

We’ve never done an inside room before but we’ve always cruised during the school year when we’ve pulled the girls out. After our last cruise when we did that, we have decided it is NOT worth saving the money. However, the costs of cruising during off school time (spring break or summer) are quite a bit higher than we’re used to paying. For the first time ever, I’m looking at inside staterooms for us so that we can still cruise every year vs every 2 years.

Has anyone done this with 2 teenagers? Do you have pics of how “tight” the room looks? I do feel like, when we’ve had a balcony, we tend to spend more time in the room than we we’ve done an ocean view.

Ugh. I hate typos. 😳

Have you priced the cost of 2 cabins? We travel with 4, kids are 9 and 11, and have often found the price of two cabins to be cheaper than jamming 4 in one cabin.

Unless you get a spa cabin, you can forget using the bathroom with 2 teenage girls. At least with a spa cabin 2 of you can use the spa showers. I have done a spa balcony cabin with 4 women and it wasn't bad because 2 of us would use the spa showers every day. It was a little crowded but not really all that bad. And the cost wasn't really all that much more than a regular balcony cabin.

Have you priced the cost of 2 cabins? We travel with 4, kids are 9 and 11, and have often found the price of two cabins to be cheaper than jamming 4 in one cabin.

I have done that. It’s definitely cheaper with all 4 in one cabin. :( I just asked my girls a hypothetical question. “Would u rather cruise every 2 years with a balcony or every year with an inside cabin?” They chose every 2 years. :rolleyes: Spoiled! When I change it to ocean view every year they choose that. :confused:

Unless you get a spa cabin, you can forget using the bathroom with 2 teenage girls. At least with a spa cabin 2 of you can use the spa showers. I have done a spa balcony cabin with 4 women and it wasn't bad because 2 of us would use the spa showers every day. It was a little crowded but not really all that bad. And the cost wasn't really all that much more than a regular balcony cabin.

You can use the showers without paying for the spa, they are in the men's and lady's locker rooms respectively. The showers are really nice and private. The showers in the spa are open with no door, so it's a bathing suit shower.

I have done this with my husband and two tween boys. It is tight but totally doable. The biggest thing is to just not pack ANYTHING you don't need and think light. Only one curling iron, one set of make up if possible, etc.... only the exact clothes and shoes you need (and I mean try one pair of dress shoes for all your outfits each, one sandal each and that is it lol!).. The less the better. Girls tend to over pack, and with three of you - OH boy lol!

Just plan enough time for getting ready and kick hubby out! Tell him to take a walk and be back in an hour. Have him get ready first and leave, and then each of you can shower quick and get ready together. It could totally work, especially like you said - to cruise every year instead of every two.

Everyone is gonna have to kind of be prepared to settle in for bed at the same time too... even if it is to lay there and read or ipod it..... Everyone climbing over each other in and out of beds is asking for trouble (learned this first hand when our son face planted it in the room trying to climb over us to get into the bed).

Sure seems like it would be too tight for my taste. When the whole family goes we just get two cabins and the 2 oldest get that. Pretty sure I’d go nuts with everyone jammed in, getting ready at the same time, etc

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Another good idea is to separate the bed into twins and put them under the pullmans (think two bunk beds). This keeps the floor space more usable and avoids the tight feeling. Agree with the PP about keeping 'stuff' to a minimum;):). We did this a few years ago on Fascination with our kids (late teens and early 20's at time). HTH

We’ve never done an inside room before but we’ve always cruised during the school year when we’ve pulled the girls out. After our last cruise when we did that, we have decided it is NOT worth saving the money. However, the costs of cruising during off school time (spring break or summer) are quite a bit higher than we’re used to paying. For the first time ever, I’m looking at inside staterooms for us so that we can still cruise every year vs every 2 years.

 

Has anyone done this with 2 teenagers? Do you have pics of how “tight” the room looks? I do feel like, when we’ve had a balcony, we tend to spend more time in the room than we we’ve done an ocean view.

Insides are 160 sq ft versus 185 sq ft for a balcony and the newer ship have much less closet and drawer space.

Does the ship you have chosen have the Ocean View cabins with an extra half bath? That could alleviate some of the crowded feeling.

I have done that. It’s definitely cheaper with all 4 in one cabin. :( I just asked my girls a hypothetical question. “Would u rather cruise every 2 years with a balcony or every year with an inside cabin?” They chose every 2 years. :rolleyes: Spoiled! When I change it to ocean view every year they choose that. :confused:

Sent from my SM-N950U using Forums mobile app

I just did a mock booking on an interior of the Horizon cruise in july.

1 interior 4 ppl $4137.60

2 interior 2/2 -$4077.60

But when I did this for 2 balconies it was $300 more.

Inside cabin on valor at thanksgiving. Our teens did not pack light but they loved it. We had three teens, 18, 16, 13 and a 9 year old sharing this room. Two girls (older) and 2 boys, cousins took turns getting dressed, using restroom, etc for privacy and the older teen girls either used the showers in the gym or in our other cabin when needed. Most times when some were in the room, others were in the pool, at the game room, at the teen clubs, watching movies outside,etc. they truly used the room just to sleep.

This is my sister in the picture, the mom of the teen girls. Plenty of room and the bunks stayed down the whole time.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Are you familiar with what the pullman beds look like? The ones that fold down from the ceiling. They have two hinge points. It folds down vertically first, then the bed portion folds down horizontally. The entire bed then creates an "L" shape hanging from the ceiling. When all the way down, they're low and you do have to duck under them. Your steward will more than likely stow them away during the day.

When we were on the Conquest two years ago (us 2 adults and our teenage son), the steward would usually fold the horizontal portion of the bed to vertical, then leave the vertical portion hanging down. This was fine for us. We had our main bed moved together as a king in the center (truly just two twin beds pushed together), so with the pullman hanging vertically, there was still enough room to walk beside our bed. But as someone else suggested, you could leave your floor beds as twins against each wall and have the space in the middle of the floor open. The beds are tall enough that you can get suitcases under them. We got two large suitcases and three carry-ons under our king bed. We didn't spend a whole heck of a lot of time in our room anyway. When we did, our son would sometimes lay in his bed and play his games (we'd fold it down all the way) or two of us would lay on the bed and the other sit on the little stool for the vanity mirror.

Here's an image of a room pretty close to what we had, but we didn't use the second pullman. I guess you have to ask yourself how bad you want to go. Yeah, it would probably be tight at times, but hey, it's a cruise! Is it worth it to you? :)

Not true, 2 insides with 2 and 2 is cheaper than one with for INSIDE Onlyaverages between 60-100 cheaper. Go figure. No other combo is cheaper , just inside/inside

 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Forums mobile app

I just did a mock booking on an interior of the Horizon cruise in july.

 

1 interior 4 ppl $4137.60

 

2 interior 2/2 -$4077.60

 

But when I did this for 2 balconies it was $300 more.

Thank you! I wasn’t doing it correctly. You are correct. On the cruise I was looking at, two insides were cheaper.

Inside cabin on valor at thanksgiving. Our teens did not pack light but they loved it. We had three teens, 18, 16, 13 and a 9 year old sharing this room. Two girls (older) and 2 boys, cousins took turns getting dressed, using restroom, etc for privacy and the older teen girls either used the showers in the gym or in our other cabin when needed. Most times when some were in the room, others were in the pool, at the game room, at the teen clubs, watching movies outside,etc. they truly used the room just to sleep.

 

 

This is my sister in the picture, the mom of the teen girls. Plenty of room and the bunks stayed down the whole time.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Thank you! The visual helps. That must have been a fun cruise! I could see my girls and their two cousins doing this, but after seeing it there is NO way I would chance it. I could probably be “ok”. But my husband will feel incredibly crowded, and my girls would probably feel like they can’t breathe and start fighting. :rolleyes:

Are you familiar with what the pullman beds look like? The ones that fold down from the ceiling. They have two hinge points. It folds down vertically first, then the bed portion folds down horizontally. The entire bed then creates an "L" shape hanging from the ceiling. When all the way down, they're low and you do have to duck under them. Your steward will more than likely stow them away during the day.

 

When we were on the Conquest two years ago (us 2 adults and our teenage son), the steward would usually fold the horizontal portion of the bed to vertical, then leave the vertical portion hanging down. This was fine for us. We had our main bed moved together as a king in the center (truly just two twin beds pushed together), so with the pullman hanging vertically, there was still enough room to walk beside our bed. But as someone else suggested, you could leave your floor beds as twins against each wall and have the space in the middle of the floor open. The beds are tall enough that you can get suitcases under them. We got two large suitcases and three carry-ons under our king bed. We didn't spend a whole heck of a lot of time in our room anyway. When we did, our son would sometimes lay in his bed and play his games (we'd fold it down all the way) or two of us would lay on the bed and the other sit on the little stool for the vanity mirror.

 

Here's an image of a room pretty close to what we had, but we didn't use the second pullman. I guess you have to ask yourself how bad you want to go. Yeah, it would probably be tight at times, but hey, it's a cruise! Is it worth it to you? :)

 

Before our last cruise on the Elation, I would be like “it’s a cruise! Most definitely worth it.” However, I wanted to go home one day after the cruise began because of the stateroom we were in. Now I’m aware that it’s better to pay more for a room that gives my girls a little breathing room. I needed this “reminder” since I apparently forgot how important it was to have a balcony with my two girls (they can fight and argue like crrrraaazy). :rolleyes:

I never understand why it's such a big deal. When I started going on cruises, the cabin was 116 sq feet. We never spent time in the stateroom. It was the bedroom. Just like at home, I only sleep in the bedroom. Yes, I do book balconies, because sometimes, it's a nice quite place on a long cruise to unwind without all the other people. I don't do it because of space. It's like, oh my gosh, it's so small.....but you are on a ship, of course it's small. Oh my gosh, one bathroom. Maybe it is a good idea to teach the kids to share, and hurry up?

Seriously, there are more important things in life, like family time, than being concerned over an extra 50 sq ft

We did an ocean view with four of us. I would not do it again. Our family needs a little more space and an extra bathroom. Lesson learned for us.

We originally booked this setup for our upcoming cruise, but it looked way too tight. Grabbed an ocean view with the sofa bed and upper pullman, just for the pure square footage.

2 double insides is not always cheaper than 1 quad, but its always worth looking. When we cruise with our children, it is always a double for parents and 1 or 2 quads depending on whether all or some of our kids are sailing. Not one time has it worked out that splitting the kids was cheaper, but I always look. We have never had any problems with the quads, but I will admit that it might be too squishy for me personally.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Forums mobile app

I have done that. It’s definitely cheaper with all 4 in one cabin. :( I just asked my girls a hypothetical question. “Would u rather cruise every 2 years with a balcony or every year with an inside cabin?” They chose every 2 years. :rolleyes: Spoiled! When I change it to ocean view every year they choose that. :confused:

Have you looked at the French door "insides?" They might be cheaper than an ocean view but still give natural light.

We've done 4 in a room twice. It's tight. On the Paradise the Pullmans were offset, on opposite sides of the room, but one near the back wall and on the other side near the closets. the bed was perpendicular to the pull-downs and the head of the bed was under one of the Pullman beds. It was a little bit challenging to walk around the foot of the bed with the bunk down on that side, and I had to be careful getting out of bed to not hit my head. Otherwise it was tight but not really an issue. It was just a 4 night trip both times, I could see storage being an issue on longer trips.

I never understand why it's such a big deal. When I started going on cruises, the cabin was 116 sq feet. We never spent time in the stateroom. It was the bedroom. Just like at home, I only sleep in the bedroom. Yes, I do book balconies, because sometimes, it's a nice quite place on a long cruise to unwind without all the other people. I don't do it because of space. It's like, oh my gosh, it's so small.....but you are on a ship, of course it's small. Oh my gosh, one bathroom. Maybe it is a good idea to teach the kids to share, and hurry up?

 

Seriously, there are more important things in life, like family time, than being concerned over an extra 50 sq ft

"You people make such a big deal out of extra space. Well yes, I do book balconies, BUT IT'S NOT FOR THE EXTRA SPACE!" LOL News flash, if you book it to enjoy the balcony, you booked it for the added space.

Before our last cruise on the Elation, I would be like “it’s a cruise! Most definitely worth it.” However, I wanted to go home one day after the cruise began because of the stateroom we were in. Now I’m aware that it’s better to pay more for a room that gives my girls a little breathing room. I needed this “reminder” since I apparently forgot how important it was to have a balcony with my two girls (they can fight and argue like crrrraaazy). :rolleyes:

I get what you're saying about needing the space. Our first cruise was two years ago, just us and our son, so we were fine in one room. Yeah, it was lacking in privacy, but since it was our first, he was 15 at the time, and didn't have anyone his own age, we didn't see the need to get his own cabin, not that we could've afforded it. When we originally booked our upcoming June cruise, it was with another family. It was going to be four adults, four kids. We got the kids their own room...our son and his three cousins (all girls). They get along and we figured he could just excuse himself when they needed to get ready or whatever. But they ended up cancelling on us, so we were left with the decision to not go ourselves, or pay more to take one of our son's friends. We finally decided to make it work with a friend and considered putting all of us in a four-person room to save money, but we wanted our privacy and since they're 17 yrs. old, we wanted them to have their own space too. So we left it at two interiors, they'll be next door.