advice for family of 5

[bluenoser2]

We're looking at booking a Carnival cruise next year - we've only cruised with Princess before, but never with our kids. Our 21 year old son is graduating from university next year, and we'd like to take him and our other kids (age 16 and 14 by then) on a Caribbean cruise. Carnival appears to be the only way we'll be able to afford this without waiting until he graduates with a doctorate!!!! DH says that when he's checked, the rooms require that one person be at least 25. I know on Princess that was only 21. Does that mean we would have to split up the kids (and us!) to do this? Has anyone booked 2 rooms and had their kids in one and them in the other. We'd like to book a balcony with an inside across from it, and we'd like to be in the balcony (after all, we are the paying participants!). Any advice?

[LemurCat]

We're looking at booking a Carnival cruise next year - we've only cruised with Princess before, but never with our kids. Our 21 year old son is graduating from university next year, and we'd like to take him and our other kids (age 16 and 14 by then) on a Caribbean cruise. Carnival appears to be the only way we'll be able to afford this without waiting until he graduates with a doctorate!!!! DH says that when he's checked, the rooms require that one person be at least 25. I know on Princess that was only 21. Does that mean we would have to split up the kids (and us!) to do this? Has anyone booked 2 rooms and had their kids in one and them in the other. We'd like to book a balcony with an inside across from it, and we'd like to be in the balcony (after all, we are the paying participants!). Any advice?

 

Yes, book two cabins. Have them assigned accordingly:

 

You and one kid.

Your partner/spouse (I'm assuming you have a partner or spouse over 25) in another cabin with two kids.

 

Then, when you get on board, just have the room keys switched around to you and spouse/partner in one room, kids in the other. Happens all the time.

[Crusin6]

We're looking at booking a Carnival cruise next year - we've only cruised with Princess before, but never with our kids. Our 21 year old son is graduating from university next year, and we'd like to take him and our other kids (age 16 and 14 by then) on a Caribbean cruise. Carnival appears to be the only way we'll be able to afford this without waiting until he graduates with a doctorate!!!! DH says that when he's checked, the rooms require that one person be at least 25. I know on Princess that was only 21. Does that mean we would have to split up the kids (and us!) to do this? Has anyone booked 2 rooms and had their kids in one and them in the other. We'd like to book a balcony with an inside across from it, and we'd like to be in the balcony (after all, we are the paying participants!). Any advice?

On Carnival..if you choose to get connecting..not adjoining..cabins, you can book however you want. Parents in one room, kids in the other. As long as there is a connecting door between the cabins this if fine on Carnival....this I know for a fact.

 

Across the hall is another thing as they could not possible be connecting. Also, you must have your TA link the reservations for the 2 cabins to each other.

[KJPG]

If you put the kids in an inside cabin, you should be able to book them all together.

 

I had my 10yo DD booked in an aft balcony with my 20yo DD (adjoins our cabin). Got a call the day after booking that a minor couldn't be in a balcony without someone being 25. Put young DD in suite with me and DH in other cabin. We'll move all around once on board. Youngest will actually be in suite with us so big kid gets the cabin all to herself anyway.

[bluenoser2]

Thanks for the help - now we can get back to figuring out how, when and where to make this happen! I have a daughter (who has never been on a cruise) that thinks she won't like Carnival as much as Princess (how would she know?) and I think it looks like it will be fun for the kids, so it'll probably be our choice. Hopefully they can share a room without fighting!

[TakeMeAway1001]

Carnival has changed the rules fairly recently allowing your own children to be booked within so many cabins of yours. I know someone knows the specifics and I will go try to find them :)

 

This is what I was looking for... Quoted from another thread >>Carnival has recently rewritten their rules. If traveling as a family, you can now book your children in their own cabin either next door, across the hall or up to 3 cabins away depending on the age of the children<<

[LemurCat]

Thanks for the help - now we can get back to figuring out how, when and where to make this happen! I have a daughter (who has never been on a cruise) that thinks she won't like Carnival as much as Princess (how would she know?) and I think it looks like it will be fun for the kids, so it'll probably be our choice. Hopefully they can share a room without fighting!

 

She probably just like the name. ;)

[kf657]

Our first cruise was RCCL than Carnival, Then Princess-Ruby...Well we were back to Carnival , and now Carnival again...As beautiful Princess was, it was really quite a bit more money and we had all of us in one room...When we go Carnival we can get 2 cabins with balcony, the ports vary a bit, but we have a great time, and no worries over costs.