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Interior Cabin with Children?


ToddlerMom

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We're in an ocean view stateroom for our March cruise. DH vetoed the balcony because he said he'd worry all week about our soon to 2 year old DD which he admits is completely irrational.

 

It looks like interior staterooms are an excellent way to make family cruising more affordable. Although it seems like everyone on CC has balconies, or even suites. How many of you have cruised in interior cabins with your young children? How did it work for you? Did you think it was a good savings or did you regret it? It seems like with a little one you probably spend very little time in your cabin anyway.

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Most people here will say balcony, but it is a financial choice. College is important too! :D

 

Really, it is nap time and bedtime where the balcony comes in handy. You have somewhere to escape to rather than being stuck in the dark in a cabin. And who can argue with this?

 

IMGP7695.JPG

 

She had just turned 2YO in that photo, so you can see there is not a high risk on a balcony. However, they were never out there without us and we made it a point to keep the furniture back from the glass.

 

Our personal experience was that we still felt trapped in the cabin. Once they were asleep we were afraid to make any noise inside the cabin, including using the toilet unless one of us was truly desperate.

 

On that cruise, it was about $35/day for a balcony on the same deck as the inside we had originally book. Well worth it even with the light usage. On the cruises I'm looking at for 2012 it is closer to $100/day, in which case I think I'll book an IS and hope for some price drops. It's a personal valuation... and being trapped in a dark cabin with DW when she's not allowed to turn the TV on isn't a terrible option. ;)

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It depends what line you are sailing. HAL has some HUGE interior cabins (and often promotions for free/drastically reduced 3rd & 4th passenger). I totally get the convenience of a balcony for naps etc, but also take into account how lite of a sleeper you have. Our kiddos snore like logs and can sleep through lights on, etc. The interior we booked on HAL is rumored to be the largest cabin size on the ship, outside of a suite.

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Our first cruise with a little one (1 1/2 at the time) was in an interior cabin. Looking back, I guess it was somewhat of an inconvenience, but no big deal, really. We have to travel often so I'd been in plenty of hotels rooms with a baby by then. Now we have discovered ocean view family suites which we love (we always sail RC). It turns out to not be much more, but we are a family of four now (and sometimes we have to pay for a "phantom" fifth just to get that room). Also - I still will not get a balcony. My kids are 7 and 10, but they sleepwalk. I know I would hear them when/if they would open the door, but still... I just feel better this way.

 

So I think an interior is just fine!

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It depends what line you are sailing. HAL has some HUGE interior cabins (and often promotions for free/drastically reduced 3rd & 4th passenger). I totally get the convenience of a balcony for naps etc, but also take into account how lite of a sleeper you have. Our kiddos snore like logs and can sleep through lights on, etc. The interior we booked on HAL is rumored to be the largest cabin size on the ship, outside of a suite.

 

DD is pretty deep sleeper so I'm not too concerned about making noise and waking her up.

 

I think we'd be on NCL, Carnival or RCCL. Thanks for the heads up about HAL. I never considered them. At what age could DD go to their kids club?

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The kid's club on HAL has a minimum age of 3. Our next cruise, in January, will be the first time my son will be old enough to use Club HAL. From what I have heard, it is a great program and there are generally fewer kids on HAL so the program is a little more personal. I think HAL is a great line for families:)

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I will be traveling with an 11 month old next month in an OV cabin. I will let you know how it goes. Honestly, knowing DS I wouldn't be able to open the balcony door while he is sleeping due to the noise and wind. That being said, if I could have afforded a balcony I would have went for one and figured it out. For us being able to cruise, no matter what type of cabin that we are in, is the most important thing.

 

For sleeping times I plan to bring my Kindle and laptop and we will use a small light or head phones to keep the room dim and quiet.

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I have cruised interrior and exterior. There is no reason to fear that your toddler will fall overboard. The kid would have to move the chairs and climb over some pretty talk rails!

 

Inside makes sense to save money, IMHO lots of people make noise about only willing to sail balcony or view. I personally think if you got the money and don't need to compromise your kids college education, your retirement or maybe something more immediate like afford the best shore excursion, than go outside suite, if not inside gets you the same food, service, shows and saves you tidy bundle for the important stuff.

 

We're in an ocean view stateroom for our March cruise. DH vetoed the balcony because he said he'd worry all week about our soon to 2 year old DD which he admits is completely irrational.

 

It looks like interior staterooms are an excellent way to make family cruising more affordable. Although it seems like everyone on CC has balconies, or even suites. How many of you have cruised in interior cabins with your young children? How did it work for you? Did you think it was a good savings or did you regret it? It seems like with a little one you probably spend very little time in your cabin anyway.

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If price is a major driver then stick to the interior cabin regardless of how many people prefer an outside cabin.

 

Yes, there is a down side to the interior and if there was not they would charge the same as an exterior with a window.

 

But in the end do what works best for your family financially and whatever you do enjoy the cruise. It's nice that you can cruise and and also take the children on the cruise. They will remember these family trips for the rest of their lives. Take lots of photos because I have found that it really helps the kids to remember the trips.

 

Keith

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My last cruise, to Alaska, with ds6, was in an interior. It was my first time in an interior. Previously, we had sailed in balconies or oceanviews. I had booked an oceanview guaranty for this sailing, but Princess called me a few days before sailing and offered to give me an OBC of half my fare if I would move to an interior.

 

I loved the interior - mostly because of the money I saved :D. I also loved it because it made it very easy to sleep at night, and take naps during the day. We had sailed to Alaska in an oceanview before, and because of the midnight sun, I had a hard time sleeping.

 

My first cruise with my youngest was when he was 2. We were in connecting balconies. I hated it. Because of the 2 rooms, I couldn't keep track of where he was and so I was constantly checking. The couple of times I tried to sit on the balcony for some quiet time, ds was constantly coming out and then I would have to back in.

 

For those who say a toddler can't climb, I say Oh yes, they can! My oldest son was about 15 months old. He was happily banging on the piano keys in the living room while I was making dinner in the kitchen. After a few minutes, I heard harder banging on the keys. I went to check on him, and he was STANDING on the keys, reaching for the top of the 5 foot upright. :eek: If the child can push a chair, they can climb on top of the chair and over the balcony. Unlikely? Yes. Impossible? No.

 

OP, do what makes you and your dh comfortable, financially, physically and emotionally.

 

P.S. I have one of those massive HAL J main deck interior cabins for our next cruise, a 24 nighter. I also booked a retreat cabana for some fresh air time. I could have booked a balcony for a little more, but I prefer the space of a larger cabin, and being able to get a good nights sleep. The retreat cabanas come with some nice private waiter perks too.

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You say you are booked in an oceanview cabin but you are asking about an interior. An interior has no window; an oceanview does have a window or porthole.

Also In my opinion it is incorrect to say that you spend very little time in your cabin with a small child....quite the opposite. Even though lots of people say this I think the nicer your cabin, the more time spent in it.

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Also In my opinion it is incorrect to say that you spend very little time in your cabin with a small child....quite the opposite. Even though lots of people say this I think the nicer your cabin, the more time spent in it.

 

 

Yes THIS! You spend the MOST time in your cabin when you have younger children. As my children are getting older, I am more willing to sail in an inside (though I haven't with them, yet). I have sailed in an inside (without them) so I know I can personally manage it. But when my children were younger, there was no way I could have survived an inside.

 

I needed some place to escape during naps. And when my kids went to sleep between 9-10pm, I didn't have to. I could run out to the balcony and watch the waves.

 

Even now, when the kids are sleeping in the morning, I am outside. I am always the first one up and I don't like to tiptoe around the cabin. ;)

 

Sorry, I know it's not what you were looking for, but I have to be honest. And if you don't worry about your child running out the door and jumping off your back deck, then why is the balcony any different?

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Yes THIS! You spend the MOST time in your cabin when you have younger children. As my children are getting older, I am more willing to sail in an inside (though I haven't with them, yet). I have sailed in an inside (without them) so I know I can personally manage it. But when my children were younger, there was no way I could have survived an inside.

 

I needed some place to escape during naps. And when my kids went to sleep between 9-10pm, I didn't have to. I could run out to the balcony and watch the waves.

 

Even now, when the kids are sleeping in the morning, I am outside. I am always the first one up and I don't like to tiptoe around the cabin. ;)

 

Sorry, I know it's not what you were looking for, but I have to be honest. And if you don't worry about your child running out the door and jumping off your back deck, then why is the balcony any different?

 

 

Michelle said it best.

 

Without DS we were never in our cabin unless we were sleeping.

 

With DS we were in the CONSTANTLY! Changing diapers, getting this, getting that, NAPPING, etc. I cannot imagine hiding out in an interior with a napper and early to bed toddler.

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We have been in only insides and OV's. No problem for us. When our girl was 3 (her second cruise), we were upgraded to an OV and that was nice for her as she could stare out the window when we arrive in the port.

 

The day before our first Princess cruise we were offered a move over -- if we postpone our cruise a few weeks, our fare would be refunded and we would be upgraded to a balcony cabin. For various reasons, we turned that down. One of them was our trepidation having an active 5-yr-old. Even after talking to someone at Princess and hearing the height of the wall, we just didn't want to risk it. But there were many other reasons we didn't want to postpone our cruise.

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Planning only my second cruise. On our first, we had the huge Family View cabin on Celebrity Millenium with the HUGE aft balcony - so I'm very very spoiled! To be honest though, not only did we have a port intensive cruise keeping us away from the cabin most of the week, it was so very cold on that Alaska cruise that I rarely used that lovely balcony even when we were in the cabin.

 

This time, as has already been suggested here, I've booked one of the very large inside cabins on HAL Eurodam's main deck, along with a Lido Cabana. We've booked connecting cabins with my mother, so I do have a place to escape to early morning or after bedtime - so that is cheating a bit! I'll have to let you know how it goes but you know what? The cruise fare itself is an amazing bargin compared to our airfare, pre & post cruise expenses, and those oh so expensive excursions. I'm so excited this trip is really happening, and I couldn't be happier with our choice of cabin.

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HALrunner:

Stayed in these cabins three times. They are great, and its a great location. If you are below the Northern Lights, you may have some music at night. Don't worry though on HAL things quiet down earlier:p.

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We're doing the same as HALrunner and doing an large inside on the Eurodam and then renting a Lido Cabana for our "hang out" spot. That seemed the best compromise for our family b/c probably only one of our kids will nap on this trip. Myself and DH can take turns doing the dark inside for the nap while the girls hang out in the cabana and we don't have to worry about them keeping the toddler awake.

 

HAL also makes those insides much more attractive b/c they are cheaper than outsides and verandahs while also being BIGGER than the outsides or verandahs. Note: this is not true of ALL their inside cabins, only some of them. Still, if you can figure out which ones are the big ones, they are a bargain for families because they are the largest quads you can get until you get to the Deluxe Verandah Suite category. My parents will have a Deluxe Verandah on our cruise and their cabin will be much nicer than ours, but we also spent 1/3 the cost for the four of us that they spent on two of them - even taking the cabana rental into account. HAL also made the quad very attractive by doing $49 for 3rd & 4th passengers on our cruise.

 

We did an outside last summer on our Alaska cruise and,IMO, with kids it isn't worth the window. When you've got kids in the cabin, it's not like you sit there gazing out the window. When we were in there, we were usually trying to get them to sleep, and the window made that harder.

 

Before kids I sailed once in an inside cabin and one of the things I distinctly remember is how easy it was to sleep. Almost too easy. LOL

 

The only thing I would caution with an inside is to check square footage. On some lines, the inside cabins are teeny tiny. Make sure you're not booking one of those or you will be pretty miserable with small children in tow.

 

Good luck and happy sailing! :)

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All the light and conveniences of the balcony cabins are true, but if money is an issue, the insides will work just fine. I have mainly sailed insides with my family of 3 or 4, and it was not worth it to us to spend money on a balcony. Without the inside cabin prices, we would never be able to sail.

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Agree with others to check the sq. footage carefully. On a 12 night RCI from Baltimore we were originally booked into an interior 140 sq ft and after price drops ended up in a 190 st ft balcony. That was a huge difference, not even taking the balcony into account. It was big enough that we could nap our son (19 months at the time) and read with a book light or watch tv quietly. He was never on the balcony unsupervised, we never left the door open, and I never felt unsafe.

 

While we were in the Caribbean, the balcony was wonderful. Leaving ports at sunsets was spectacular. But the first 2 days and last 2 days of the cruise it was too cold and windy to be out there.

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We will be sailing with out 2 yo on Xmas day in an inside cabin on cc. We've been in several ov, insides, and one balcony once before DS. It will probably work out for us in the inside because both dh and I are nappers too, so we won't feel trapped with DS tAkes his afternoon nap. Also by the time DS sleeps at night, we can turn in too, so we'll just all catch our zzzzzzzs...

 

I hope our tune wont change once we're on the ship!

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On that cruise, it was about $35/day for a balcony on the same deck as the inside we had originally book. Well worth it even with the light usage. On the cruises I'm looking at for 2012 it is closer to $100/day, in which case I think I'll book an IS and hope for some price drops. It's a personal valuation... and being trapped in a dark cabin with DW when she's not allowed to turn the TV on isn't a terrible option. ;)

 

I am all new to cruising. How does upgrading work? Where can you follow the price for upgrading and when do you upgrade? before the trip I assume, but close to it? Do they advertise cheap upgrades if they have cabins to spare?

 

We have booked an inside cabin for our first real cruise. We are used to 100 square feet cabins on the ships between Sweden and Finland (short cruises we have been on before), so the MSC inside cabins of 140 square feet will seem big to us. :-)

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