Suggestion for Carnival Conquest Cabins

[Catclaws]

I will be taking my kids on their first cruise in July. We are planning to travel on the Carnival Conquest. I was interested in suggestions as to the best choice of cabins. I understand they consider the 6E ocean view cabins on the Spa deck as "Family" cabins. Would this be a better choice than an 8 level balcony cabin. Any additional information would be appreciated. :)

[sunkey1]

The 6E cabins (billed as "family" cabins) are typically larger than the balcony cabins because what would be the balcony is enclosed as part of the room instead. Personally it would kill me to be able to see all that ocean, port, etc. out there but not to be able to smell and feel it, etc. If you have really small children you may feel safer without the balcony. We've taken our kids on two cruises (our third with them is in three weeks) and they love the balcony. Being able to stand or sit there without a lot of people around and look for dolphins (nope, we haven't seen any yet but they keep hoping! :)) is really cool for them. One of the big pluses for my husband and I is that it's great to be able to go out there in the mornings while the kids sleep in a little and just relax while we wait for them to wake up. You don't feel like you're "stuck in your cabin" waiting for them that way. Considering that 6E's usally cost as much as a balcony, I would go for the balcony. JMO Whatever you do, have a blast!!!

[JrMafia90]

It depends on the age of your children. If you don't think they are safe on the balcony then get the family stateroom.

[powers64]

IT LOOKS LIKE YOU CRUISED EVERY YEAR FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS, HOW DO YOU DO IT? YOU ARE SO LUCKY! THIS WILL BE MY FIRST AND I ALREADY AM LOOKING AROUND FOR THE NEXT ONE CAUSE JUST FROM ALL THE RESEARCH I KNOW I WILL LOVE IT. BUT IT JUST SEEMS SO DARN EXPENSIVE TO DO THAT OFTEN, IS THE TRICK TO BOOK EARLY AND IN A LOWER RATE LIKE AN OV OR INSIDE GUARANTEE OR MAYBE YOU ARE EXTREMELY RICH- HAHA. I HOPE I AM NOT BEING NOSY, I DONT MEAN TO BE, I JUST WANT TO CRUISE ALL THE TIME TOO AND IF THERE IS A SECRET I MUST KNOW IT, JUST KIDDING AGAIN. BUT IF YOU DO HAVE A CRUISE STRATEGY (OR STRATEGERY AS BUSH WOULD SAY-I LOVE HIS WORD FUMBLES) COULD YOU GIVE ME A LITTLE ADVICE,PLEAAAASE? WE SAIL IN 13 DAYS YIPEE DIPEE DOO DAH. ACTUALLY NOW THAT I THINK ABOUT IT ALMOST EVERYONE HERE CRUISES ABOUT ONCE A YEAR SO IF EVERYONE COULD GIVE ME A LITTLE TIP OF THERE OWN, I COULD BE JOINING THE CLUB WITH YOU ALL. THANK YOU ALL, I AM SO GREATFUL TO YOU FOLKS, I AM SO GLAD I FOUND THIS SITE, AND JUST IN TIME FOR ME, YOU ARE ALL SO HELPFUL TO EACH OTHER AND TO ME, I WOULD STILL BE IN THE DARK IF IT WERE NOT FOR YOU GUYS,AND I WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE EXT. CORDS, STICK EM NOTES AND DUCT TAPE, ACTUALLY WHY THE DUCT TAPE, WHAT IS ITS USE BESIDES FOR REPAIRING A DAMAGED SUITCASE? I BOUGHT 6 BOXES OF ZIPLOC BAGS ON SALE, MY HUSBAND THOUGHT I WAS NUTS. THATS ALL FOR NOW, THANKS FOR LISTENING.

[Catclaws]

My youngest is five. Since the 6E cabin costs more than many of the level 8 cabins. I will probably go the balcony route. The idea of sitting out on the balcony in the morning is a pleasing picture. Thank you very much for the information.

[sunkey1]

Catclaws, the first time we took our kids they were 4 and 6 and I was a little nervous with the balcony. We just laid down strict ground rules with them about the balcony (they couldn't be out there without Mom or Dad) and absolutely no standing on chairs. Thank goodness this was one of those times when they really did listen well! ;)

 

Powers64, I took my first cruise (a 4 nighter) as a graduation present from/with my Mom back in 1979. Then we went on the maiden voyage of the SS Norway (7 nights) in 1980. Since then I've rarely missed a year and when I met my husband I got him hooked on it (along with our best friends) so we go every year now and for the past few years it's been two a year. Every now and then we think we really should do something different but when we start looking at the prices and compare, we just can't do it. (My husband wanted to go back to a Caesar's resort in the Poconos for our 15th anniversary as that's where we went for our honeymoon - I priced it out yesterday at almost $5000 - that's two cruises for us!) It's just so hard to beat the value and convenience of a cruise. I told him we'll compromise - lets' spend that $5000 and take a really nice cruise to Europe or Tahiti :D

Anyway, you'll be the rare exception if you don't get sucked into this disease we all know as cruise addiction! ;)

 

P.S. Six boxes of ziploc bags are probably too much - just take a box of small and a box of large and you should be in good shape, more room for other stuff!

[sea_u_onboard]

Catclaws - What date in July are you sailing?

[Catclaws]

We are traveling 17 July.

[powers64]

thanks for the answer sunkey1, i appreciate it. and yes, i think i will be a cruise adict after the first day of the cruise. and like you said, when you compare the costs of trips it does come out cheaper to cruise. i wish i had known that years ago, would have been cruising all along, instead of upstate ny all the time. thank you again.

[sea_u_onboard]

We are traveling 17 July.

Leave it in one piece for me. :D

[Cruising89143]

I had the family stateroom one time and did not care for it. The windows slant in towards the cabin and takes up that additional floor space. It did on the Victory anyway. Also because the entire wall is made of glass the room stayed hot during the day even with the drapes closed. If you do not want a balcony then I would suggest just a regular outside stateroom and save your money. For me it would be a baclony but it depends on each person and how much one would use a balcony.

[Catclaws]

Thanks for the help. Booked a balcony during the one day sale!

[BettyB2]

Thanks for the help. Booked a balcony during the one day sale!

You WILL LOVE the balcony and become an addict like the rest of us!!!!!! We booked during the one day sale also and got a wonderful aft cabin...cannot wait to sail again

enjoy your cruise.......:D

[MelBCroozer]

We had a balcony for the first time on the Conquest in '03. It was nice, but I don't think we used it that much. My husband used it the most since he got up early and also to wait while us girls got dressed. We are cruising this summer on the Glory and are getting 2 connecting cabins (Oceanview) on the Riviera deck. The 2 cabins on that deck are cheaper than 1 cabin with the balcony on the upper deck, plus our daughters will have their own space and so will we!!

 

Tropicale 6/85

Festivale 7/87

Enchanted Capri 10/98

Celebraton 6/00

Inspiration 6/01

Conquest 6/03

Holiday 2/04

Glory 6/25/05

[aaaa]

I have had and 8e balcony on both the Conquest (3/03) and Glory (3/04). This past March we decided to try the SPA deck family room on the Valor. (We booked this because we did not use the balcony much and thought the extra room would make a difference). Like the previous poster stated the Ceiling to floor wall is slanted. In my opionion, because of the slant, the extra room is wasted. It because a dumping groud for extra stuff in the room. My kids decided since we had that extra room their clothes could be piled up in a corner. It took only a morning to straighten them out! I didnt notice any real heat issues....it seems our room was always cold.

 

I think we will go back to an 8E balcony next March.