advcie for a large family...

[ToadStar]

My fh and I are going on our first cruise next year and I would like to plan a family cruise after that. We each have 2 children from previous relationships making us a family of 6. I've been trying to figure out how I would go about booking a cruise for a family of this size - every site so far has said there is a limit of 5...

[GirlWriter]

Have you considered booking 2 (or even 3) side-by-side cabins?

[SuperCoolOne]

You would probably have to call on the phone to book. You will be looking at booking a suite or see if there are 2 connecting rooms (with a door between them) that may work for you.

 

If the children are old enough, you could also book them in a separate room (like an inside next door or across the hall) if you were comfortable with that.

[needalatte74]

Many ships have connecting cabins. the trick is that you have to book early to get your choice.

 

On our next cruise we booked our 18 and 11 yo in the inside cabin directly in front of us. My husband and I took the outside cabin with our 4 yo.

 

It can work for you.. :D

[jerin]

We have 4 children and can never book online, always have to call. Royal Caribbean has cabins that sleep 6 -- Royal Family Suites on most ships, Family Oceanviews on the Voyager class and Family Promenades on the Freedom Class. (The bigger ships have the same classes as the smaller in addition to the other options.)

Unfortunately, they go very quickly, as sometimes they ignore their own rules and let parties as small as two people book these sometimes.

Our other option is to get connecting rooms -- a double and a quad occupancy (one for us, one for the kids). We did this on Carnival once (only had 3 very small children) and naturally got the drunk guy banging on the kids' door, traumatizing them and the sticking connecting door that made it difficult to get to them. They're older now, so that configuration is becoming more of a possibility.

 

NCL says that they have cabins for 6, but they've never had an itinerary that has worked for us, so I haven't tried.

I think that Carnival has some suites for 6, and also has the connecting option, but since our bad experience with the drunk was on their ship, dh doesn't want to try again.

[teemsum]

You would book connecting staterooms.

 

Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Solstice-class ships, Princess, Norwegian and Disney have them.

 

 

Cruisingly Yours

[luckynumber6]

I have 6 kids that we travel with... we are also a blended family. Our children are all 13 and under and have been together since they have been very young so they are OK in small quarters together...We have done connecting OV rooms that each slept 4 on Carnival. We had 2 bathrooms - we always kept the door open between...each person is only able to bring a carry on...It was doable and fun with some creative storage solutions. You really are never in the room....Next year -2011 - we are staying for the first time in a family suite on RC that sleeps 8 with 2 bathrooms and over 600 square feet. I got a ridiculous deal..it was only $300 over 2 connecting small inside rooms....so jumped at it.This large room has no balcony, but personally feel balconies waste of money for us, but room does have a large window. Remember - you will never really be in the room. I have used an online travel ageny to book connecting rooms that each sleep 4. You can find this info also on the websites for the cruise lines. I had to call the cruise line to book the large room that slept 8 though. Hope this helps....

[ToadStar]

Thanks so much! I was thinking I was going to be unable to do this (since we would never leave any of the kids out) or each of us adults was going to have to register with our children and pay through the nose for a family vacation doing it that way.

[luckynumber6]

I just wanted to clarify one thing....you will have to put an adult "officially" registered in each room. Once you get on board...switch everyone around how you want - meaning you and husband can be in same room and kids in other or whatever, but officially an adult needs to be registered in each room. They will switch your sail and sign card around once on board to match who really is in room if worried about charging issues. Another thing I thought of....this has been a problem for us in the past. When we book two adjoining rooms, the computer views it as 2 seperate bookings ...NOW these bookings are always supposed to be linked and I make multiple phone calls to ensure, BUT we have gotten on board and found out that each room was booked to a different table for dinner....even though wasn't supposed to be. I always call a few weeks before cruise to ensure we are all together for dinner, but sometimes this happens. If you notice not at same table, I immediately head to the dining room and explain the situation...only once told they didn't know if they could put us back in one table...that is then when they had to deal with a lunatic mother - ME - who proceeded to tell them how many thousands of dollars i had spent to bring all 6 of my kids and how I expected to eat with them....a table was found for us....probably not one of my proudest moments, but I couldn't imagine not sitting together...so just watch your dinner seating wiht large groups....

[mjkacmom]

We are a family of 7, so we just book ajoining cabins, just like we do with hotel rooms.

[Marie51]

We have done this 3 times. We have had connecting cabins on Disney, Carnival and Royal Caribbean and it works well. We love having connecting cabins. This way you have 2 bathrooms.

[cb at sea]

You do NOT have to have an adult in each room....what happens when there are 2 adults and a BUNCH of kids???that need more than 2 rooms!....but you will need to book on the phone (or with a TA)...not online to do that!

[Marie51]

Please don't say that you will not spend much time in your cabin. This is misleading. The nicer your cabin is, the more time you spend in it. And balconies are wonderful.

[Cruising Mom O'4]

We have 4 children - ages 6 to 11 - and have booked on Carnival - a GS suite with the connecting OV room to accommodate all 6 of us. We call a travel agent to check prices and availability - and it was a long phone call to search for something that would work. DH and I had the same suite by ourselves on our last cruise and it was wonderful... I'm hoping that it will work out well this time with the kiddos in tow!

[williamson_ja]

We're bringing 6 kids with us on our next cruise (so, 8 of us total) We've booked 2 connecting ocean-view rooms. I think it will work out great for us. It's our first time taking the kids with us because it's pretty expensive to bring 6 kids with you. We got a great deal with HAL where the

3rd and 4th person in the room sail free and so could finally afford to bring them all. I hope you're able to book your cruise and have a wonderful time with your family.

[mjkacmom]

You do NOT have to have an adult in each room....what happens when there are 2 adults and a BUNCH of kids???that need more than 2 rooms!....but you will need to book on the phone (or with a TA)...not online to do that!

 

When I booked our cruise, I made the mistake of booking the first cabin with DH and I in it, with 2 kids. When I attempted to book the second cabin, with just the kids, the NCL TA said we couldn't do that, and it took forever to re-do it. So, I don't know what would've happened if we booked 3 cabins.

[teachnh]

You do NOT have to have an adult in each room....what happens when there are 2 adults and a BUNCH of kids???that need more than 2 rooms!....but you will need to book on the phone (or with a TA)...not online to do that!

 

We have four kids and when booking on the phone with Carnival or NCL the TA's have always told us someone over 18 must be in each room? Maybe other lines will let you do it? Same as others have stated, we always book connecting rooms so we can have two bathrooms. Then when we get there we have the four kids in one room and we are in the other. We leave the doors open during the day and slightly open at night. Have fun!:)

[nyorkermom]

I have 6 kids that we travel with... we are also a blended family. Our children are all 13 and under and have been together since they have been very young so they are OK in small quarters together...We have done connecting OV rooms that each slept 4 on Carnival. We had 2 bathrooms - we always kept the door open between...each person is only able to bring a carry on...It was doable and fun with some creative storage solutions. You really are never in the room....Next year -2011 - we are staying for the first time in a family suite on RC that sleeps 8 with 2 bathrooms and over 600 square feet. I got a ridiculous deal..it was only $300 over 2 connecting small inside rooms....so jumped at it.This large room has no balcony, but personally feel balconies waste of money for us, but room does have a large window. Remember - you will never really be in the room. I have used an online travel ageny to book connecting rooms that each sleep 4. You can find this info also on the websites for the cruise lines. I had to call the cruise line to book the large room that slept 8 though. Hope this helps....

 

 

Could you give me any idea on what the cost is on a family suite this size..we have a family of 7 and would like to all be together :)

thanks so much !

Cara

06E18AEB-0C2B-B8F7-6E69-FA9CBEA1A918

1.03.01

[beachchick]

I have 6 kids that we travel with... we are also a blended family. Our children are all 13 and under and have been together since they have been very young so they are OK in small quarters together...We have done connecting OV rooms that each slept 4 on Carnival. We had 2 bathrooms - we always kept the door open between...each person is only able to bring a carry on...It was doable and fun with some creative storage solutions. You really are never in the room....Next year -2011 - we are staying for the first time in a family suite on RC that sleeps 8 with 2 bathrooms and over 600 square feet. I got a ridiculous deal..it was only $300 over 2 connecting small inside rooms....so jumped at it.This large room has no balcony, but personally feel balconies waste of money for us, but room does have a large window. Remember - you will never really be in the room. I have used an online travel ageny to book connecting rooms that each sleep 4. You can find this info also on the websites for the cruise lines. I had to call the cruise line to book the large room that slept 8 though. Hope this helps....

 

Hi. Would you mind specifying which category you booked on RCI for next year? I ask because I wasn't aware that any of the Royal Family Suites (RFS) did not have the nice big balcony. That is the suite with a master bedroom and master bath, plus a kid's "bunk" room and second regular bath in the hall and that sleeps 8. The Family Oceanview (FO) is not a suite, has only one bathroom, has no separate master bedroom, and sleeps 6. There is a bed area, a sitting area, and a kid's bunk "room" with a curtain that pulls across.

 

I'm perfectly willing to concede that I may not be completely up to date on new categories, but I want to make sure I know which category you mean.

 

beachchick

[zstell]

Our first cruise we split boys/girls (we have 5 kids). The next cruise only 3 of the kids were with us. Our PVP at Carnival said it is fine to book the kids in a cabin by themselves as long as they are directly next to us or directly across the hall. The youngest was 11 then, maybe it's an age thing?????

[onthelake]

If you google "six suitcase travel" you will find a website that helps larger families find what they need in a variety of travel venues. You will see a tab for cruises. Good luck.

[Aelsantokie]

My fh and I are going on our first cruise next year and I would like to plan a family cruise after that. We each have 2 children from previous relationships making us a family of 6. I've been trying to figure out how I would go about booking a cruise for a family of this size - every site so far has said there is a limit of 5...

 

We have 5 kids, one girl and four boys who are the same age. Our first cruise we did connecting rooms which was VERY convenient since they were younger and needed a lot more help from me.

 

We could not get anymore connecting rooms after that and we either had to get one balcony (I can't do without at least one balcony room) and one interior. And how we split up the kids in which room just depends on how the room is configured. For instance: On our 8/2010 cruise the balcony room had a king bed and one extra whereas the interior had 4. It seems like I always end up in the balcony room with one of the kids in bed with me and my daughter always wants to room with me, and daddy gets 3 kids in the interior room.

 

I've only cruised Carnival with the exception of one and even the suites mostly only allow up to 4.