Party of 5

[melly424]

We are thinking about organizing a a cruise as a family reunion. Most of us have been on a few cruises, but certainly are not experts! My question involves the rooms. Our family has 3 children (ages 17, 15, and 11). We are thinking we will need to get 2 rooms, but we also thought about a suite. I am a budget queen, so the cheaper the better! How many people does a suite sleep? We realize it will be crowded, but we are not in the room that much anyway. Does anyone have any input on this? Thanks!

[PattyG12]

I think it really depends on the ship. Unfortunately, you're really not allowed to "squeeze" more people in. For lifeboat purposes, you'll have a maximum occupancy and won't be able to get more into a room. Think about bathrooms too. With 5 people, I'd get 2 adjoining rooms so we'd have at least 2 bathrooms. Many suites have only 1 bathroom and I'd never be able to do that with the whole family. Enjoy your family trip ... we did it last year and it was wonderful. BTW, 6 of us had 3 rooms and it worked out very well. :D

[yogi2929]

Price things out--Sometimes it is cheaper to do a double and a triple than a suite. Look at all combos. OV/OV, OV/IS, IS/IS

[cruiselover57]

We are thinking about organizing a a cruise as a family reunion. Most of us have been on a few cruises, but certainly are not experts! My question involves the rooms. Our family has 3 children (ages 17, 15, and 11). We are thinking we will need to get 2 rooms, but we also thought about a suite. I am a budget queen, so the cheaper the better! How many people does a suite sleep? We realize it will be crowded, but we are not in the room that much anyway. Does anyone have any input on this? Thanks!

 

Two cabins for sure as mentioned. There aren't always that many connecting rooms available but the cruise line must give you 2 rooms right next door to one another (or in very close proximity because of the children's ages). Maybe by putting your request in now and seeing what cabins are available, should guarantee you something.

[cb at sea]

Call the cruiseline and talk to someone on the phone...they can give you the "up to the minute" prices and options!

Frankly, I'd rather have something that would give me 2 bathrooms...just for the convenience of it. We're used to multiple bathrooms at home...I don't like to 'downgrade' on vacation!

[Aunty Pat]

When booking cruise for my family of 4, usually on Holland America, it has always been cheaper to book 2 connecting veranda cabins than a suite large enough to sleep 4. We not only got 2 bathrooms, the convenience of the night owls in one cabin and the early risers in the other, we also received double the extras like bottles of wine, on board credit, etc. that are given on a per stateroom basis.

 

 

That said there are some cruise lines that have "family suites" that sleep 5.

 

Aunty Pat

 

Barefoot Windjammer - Phantom ‘81

K&D German Rhine Line ‘84

NCL - Norway ’85, Pride of America ’05, Southward ’87, Star ’97 & ‘05, Starward ’92, Sun ’02 & Windward ’93

RCC - Song of America ‘89

American Hawaiian - Independence ‘98

HAL - Volendam ’99, Noordam ’06, Oosterdam ’07 & ‘09, Statendam ’02 & ‘08, Prinsendam ’03 & ’06, & Zuiderdam ’04, ’06 & ’07, Westerdam ‘09

Carnival - Spirit ‘05

Celebrity – Summit ‘05

Cruise West - Yorktown Clipper ‘06

Princess - Golden Princess ‘07

A & K - East Queen ‘07

Cunard - QM2 ’08

Crystal – Serenity ‘09

Pending Cruises:

Oceania – Insignia, June 17, 2010

[carolinesmom]

We are a family of 6 and the cheapest option for us was two connecting rooms that each sleep 3. You may not need connecting rooms, since your children are older, but it was something I insisted on since my children are younger. It does depend on the ship, though. Either call the cruiseline or speak with a good travel agent.

[pg.]

When we brought out 3 kids, they were 16, 14, and 10,, we got a triple inside, and directly across from them a double balcony. Worked very well.

[gertz]

Even if you could you wouldn't want to. It would be terrible.

Book a outside with or with out balcony and an inside directly across from it.

[Bonnie J.]

We go off Carnival's Glory two weeks ago and had a cabin that easily sleeps 5. It was one of 4 cabins right smack in the very front of deck 10 overlooking a small deck. It was an inside cabin WITH A WINDOW! Our bed(s) were together under the window but would be separated in an L shape. We had a double bed sofa and a pull down bunk above the sofa. It is a handicapped cabin so had a BIG bathroom. (We did not know it was handicapped when we booked it and no one told us this.) If the beds were in an L you could probably get a roll-a-way or crib in the room. It was cabin 1002. (Cabin next to us, 1001, did not have sofa or pull down but was big, could probably get three roll-a-ways in it!)

The Glory is a Conquest class ship so the other Conquest class ships should also have this same cabin.

I can email you a picture of it if you'd like, bonniejns@hotmail.com, subject Glory.

[Donray]

Two cabins for sure as mentioned. There aren't always that many connecting rooms available but the cruise line must give you 2 rooms right next door to one another (or in very close proximity because of the children's ages). Maybe by putting your request in now and seeing what cabins are available, should guarantee you something.

 

They do have to give you two rooms even near each other since you cannot book a cabin withour an adult being booked in each.

[matj2000]

The standard cabins on ships are very small. You do not want to be in a room with 3 kids that big, you guys would be all over eachother. It would be no fun.

[Jimnbigd]

My stepson always books 2 inside connecting cabins, with his 3 daughters in one cabin. You did not say the gender of your 3 kids. If mixed, are they OK sharing a cabin? Or, you could split by gender -- boys in one cabin (including husband) and girls in the other (including wife). Frankly, with a family reunion and kids, there probably won't be a "romantic time" anyway for the two of you.