Room Dilemna, 2 Adults, 3yo and baby

[shayoon]

I am trying to book the new Carnival Magic 7 day cruise. All connecting rooms are sold out. 1 balcony room costs more than 2 connecting rooms. The suite is way too expensive. I am so sad.

Plan A: Book one room, save the extra money and tough it out. This would require me and DH sleeping in the upper bunks and letting the girls sleep on the bed. But what about nap time, or when they go to bed at 8...we are stuck on seperate upper bunks...doesnt sound fun

 

Plan B: 2 seperate rooms next door to each other, we would sleep with one kid each...i just feel like we would be all seperated, especially in the evenings and nap times...

 

what should we do?? our 3 yr old naps 2-3 hours a day, plus the baby is only 6 months and naps all day long...so we should anticipate alot of time in the room. Plus what if they get sick...

[bliss_fully_happy]

Are you saying a balcony room is out?

Personally we do the balcony room.

We went on CCL Fascination in a balcony room.

 

The 3yo slept on the couch (turned toward the wall) we had the crib by the couch.

Then there was a curtain that seperated that part of the room from the bed.

 

If a balcony is not an option. Try to find a room with a couch. Maybe an oceanview?? The 3yo can sleep on it and you and hubby in the bed. Do no inside rooms have the couch? Good luck.

 

I personally would not have separate inside rooms. Just my opinion. I don't know the difference in a balcony versus 2 inside rooms, but i would take the balcony to watch the waves any day!

[parrotthead]

Do a Balcony..Coves are nice...on second thought ..with a 3yo I wouldnt do a cove (no glass 'wall' only bars on the side--detail might show up on attached pic)

sorry,.... Id do a balcony, Carnival will provide a Crib...3yo could have bunk or couch...

that way at naps or early bed time, you and hubby could hang out on balcony and enjoy quiet time.

(remrmber Camp Carnival has 'free play' in the mornings that you can enjoy with baby... you stay and play along..no charge for this---also evening babysitting for both in CC--fee applies):D

[kimmimom]

I would have the 3 YO sleep with you two and have the baby in a packnplay. Our youngest has slept wtih us many a times (she is now almost 9 though). Is there another ship you could choose or you are set on that one?

[parrotthead]

Since you anticipate being in cabin a lot, if you can swing it...Id get the balcony... (weve found that the more we spend on a cabin the more we use it and enjoy it anyway)

Otherwise..do an OceanView. but with 3/4th person rates, all in one room should be cheaper.... also you can book a cabin that is rated for '3' since the 4th is a crib. :)

What dates are you looking at?

[shayoon]

I just got off the phone with Carnival...they checked 3 other dates and connecting inside rooms are sold out :(

If i decide to go, one balcony will be the only option....

Oceanviews are more expensive than balcony, they dont know why maybe most are sold out...

 

I had my heart set on 2 rooms...the space and the privacy...the quiet and dark sleeping times...so now i have to spend $400 for ONE room just to get a couch and balcony...sigh...have to think about it...

 

NOTE to self..book connecting rooms at least 6 months in advance...

[parrotthead]

Youd love the balcony!

think of it as only $100 pp more

:)

[cb at sea]

Had they been available, connecting is the way to go.

 

I'd do the balcony, so you'll have someplace "to be" when the 3 year old is napping. The baby...stick it in a stroller..and let her/him nap there....babies are pretty good at sleeping anywhere around the ship!

[Essiesmom]

Are the Family OV cabins sold out? Twins/king, two uppers and sofabed. Put the 3y/o on sofabed and crib for the youngest. Split bathrooms...More space. Only on Dream class. EM

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Youd love the balcony!

think of it as only $100 pp more

:)

Good tip ....

[huneymoonerz]

We stayed in an inside. Our newly 3 year old loved the upper berth. It's very hard for them to fall out. Baby stayed in a packnplay that we brought with us.

[katyf]

We did this last year on the epic....we had a 4yo and a 1yo in a balcony room.

 

Heres what we did:

 

DH and I slept in the big bed w/ 4yo between us (it was a King, so it worked). 1 yo was in a crib (really a pack and play) in the sitting area.

 

Naps were taken in the stroller.

 

At night, we would get 1yo asleep in the stroller, bring 4yo to kids club, enjoy a nice dinner. Around 9pm, bring 1yo back to the crib (luckily he transfered OK) then one of us would run out to pick up the 4yo.

 

Also, I brought a black sheet and string to 'block off' the crib section of the room, so that we could have low lights and TV on w/o disturbing him. We had full access to the room other than the balcony while he slept.

 

All and all it really worked out fine....just requires a bit of planning. I highly recommend the sheet (we'd just put it up at night) and the most reclining stroller you can find.

 

HTH!

[Colorado Kat]

If you get the balcony, you & hubby will have a pleasant place to sit and talk while the kids sleep.

[boulders]

I prefer NOT to have connecting rooms on a ship. I had my only one when my youngest was 3. I did not like having so much space for him to be out of my sight. It is so easy for young kids to open the cabin door and escape to the corridor. I much prefer having one room.

[Marie51]

I just got off the phone with Carnival...they checked 3 other dates and connecting inside rooms are sold out :(

If i decide to go, one balcony will be the only option....

Oceanviews are more expensive than balcony, they dont know why maybe most are sold out...

 

I had my heart set on 2 rooms...the space and the privacy...the quiet and dark sleeping times...so now i have to spend $400 for ONE room just to get a couch and balcony...sigh...have to think about it...

 

NOTE to self..book connecting rooms at least 6 months in advance...

 

I have to disagree with the others who tell you that you will be fine in one cabin. If I had to share a cabin with a 6 month old and a 3 yr old, I would not go. There is a certain level of comfort that you have to consider that will make your vacation enjoyable.

I have booked connecting cabins and always do it a year in advance. Otherwise they get sold out. If I were you I would have the travel agent find you a date where connecting cabins are avaliable and go then, even if you have to wait. Or how about looking at a different ship.

If you had your heart set on 2 rooms you might be sorry if you don't do it that way.