Carnival Cabins - Upper/Lowers with Young kids

[Tiggs14]

We've never cruised before and are currently looking at adding a Carnival cruise to the end of our Disney vacation in September 2010. We're a family of 4 with two boys ages 4 and 5. We're looking at booking an inside cabin with 2 lowers and 2 uppers (basically the cheapest cabin offered).

 

My question/concern is putting the boys on the upper beds. Has anyone put kids that young up there and if so were there issues? I have horrible visions of them falling out of the beds during the night. As much as I'd rather them to sleep on the lower beds I don't feel anymore comfortable with hubby and I using the upper beds as we're both larger people.

 

Any help advice would be greatly appreciated.

[cb at sea]

There are railings...they won't fall out! If they routinely fall out of bed at home, don't use the beds---put them on the floor! Kids don't care...they can sleep anywhere! For them, it would be "adventure sleeping"!

[HappiTravels]

We've never cruised before and are currently looking at adding a Carnival cruise to the end of our Disney vacation in September 2010. We're a family of 4 with two boys ages 4 and 5. We're looking at booking an inside cabin with 2 lowers and 2 uppers (basically the cheapest cabin offered).

 

My question/concern is putting the boys on the upper beds. Has anyone put kids that young up there and if so were there issues? I have horrible visions of them falling out of the beds during the night. As much as I'd rather them to sleep on the lower beds I don't feel anymore comfortable with hubby and I using the upper beds as we're both larger people.

 

Any help advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

Forgive me if I am misunderstanding but last year when we were on the Carnival Splendour with our 2 children in the same room we had a double bed for us and bunks for the kids. With them just being 4 and 5 I would think that they would both fit on the bottom bunk and you and hubby would have the double bed. You could use the top bunk for extra storage.

[Essiesmom]

OP is most likely looking at a cruise from Port Canaveral, or maybe Tampa, and probably on a Fantasy class ship. Those cabins would only offer upper bunks, no lower bunks or convertible couchs. EM

[cyntil8ing]

Our five year old did well in an upper last summer. There was even a light up there for her. She has never fallen out of bed at home. There is a railing, but it runs only about half the length.

 

[crusinmama06]

I haven't allowed my 5 year old in the top bunk yet. On the cruises where we had a top bunk, I pulled the mattress off and threw it on the floor. :)

 

I read here about a boy who fell out and broke his leg on the cruise. His mom posted here. So I have been kind of leery about letting the youngest up there.

 

My oldest started sleeping up top when she was about 7. My youngest WANTS to sleep up top. It always upsets her that her older sister gets the "best bed" ;)

[Tiggs14]

Thanks for the replies everyone! I really do appreciate the advice.

 

The boys both sleep in twin sized car beds at home so they're held into their beds by the sides. They are both all over their beds during the night which is what has me really leary about placing them up high with what looks to be a less than ideal railing on the bed.

 

Is there enough room in a standard inside cabin to pull both of the mattresses down and place the boys on the floor? Has anyone done this?

 

We're looking at sailing out of Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and Miami on a 4 or 5 night cruise right now haven't finalized that decision yet.

[A&Jfamily]

Thanks for the replies everyone! I really do appreciate the advice.

 

The boys both sleep in twin sized car beds at home so they're held into their beds by the sides. They are both all over their beds during the night which is what has me really leary about placing them up high with what looks to be a less than ideal railing on the bed.

 

Is there enough room in a standard inside cabin to pull both of the mattresses down and place the boys on the floor? Has anyone done this?

 

We're looking at sailing out of Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and Miami on a 4 or 5 night cruise right now haven't finalized that decision yet.

 

Are you driving or flying? You could take sleeping bags or invest in an inflatable bed if you feel they need a "bed". My kids will sleep on anything, so I would just pull the comforters down from the top beds, spred one on the floor and let them use the other to cover up with.

 

You can move the beds around. You would actually have more space if you asked your steward to leave the bunks up, and put the twins together against one wall for mom and dad. You would then have the other side of the room on the floor for a nest for the boys. Just be careful not to step on one of them when you get up! To me, that is the best of both worlds as mom and dad are together, there are no bunks hanging down, and the kids are safe.

 

PS - 1) go for 5 nights - it will actually feel like a vacation. 2) go out of Tampa - it is so, so much easier than dealing with all the ships out of Miami/FLL. I believe the Inspiration or Imgaination is out of Tampa and it has had the evolutions of fun upgrade with the waterslides for the kids and the serenity area for adults. Can't wait to try one of these refitted ships out!

[CeleBrat]

We allowed DD to sleep in the top bunk when she was 4, but we brought along a collapsible bed rail (by Safety First). It was several feet long, and ran nearly the length of the bed. So, we felt secure that she wouldn't fall out. Here's a pic:

 

http://www.epinions.com/review/Safety_1st_Portable_Bed_Rail/content_57351900804

 

It easily came apart and fit into our suitcase. However, the drawback was that we had to hand-carry it off the ship since the suitcases are always taken away by the porters on the last night of the cruise.

 

We just recently retired that bed rail, and she now sleeps up top with only the regular cruise-ship bed rail.

 

CeleBrat

[TeresaJ]

My 4 1/2 year old slept on an upper last Spring on the Destiny without problems.

[pwkreis]

My DS was 4 and my DD 6 on their last cruise. There was no problems at all with my DS on the top bun k while his sister slept on the bottom. Don't worry & enjoy!