Cabin question with toddler and infant

[JenAndDan]

We will be sailing on the Oasis in November when DS#1 is 3.5 and DS#2 is almost 18 months. I believe our cabin (OV Balcony) has a fold out couch. When we cruised the last time in this category with just DS#1 (about same age DS#2 will be), we had him in the pack and play and this worked out great for us. Just thinking about space, I don't think there would have been room for the pack and play and the couch to be folded out. If not, option one would be turn couch around and not fold it out and have DS#1 on that and DS#2 in pack and play and option two would be just to let both boys be on the fold out couch. Not sure if DS#2 would be ready for that yet. Anyone else travel with a 1 year old and a toddler. What did you do?

[mjkacmom]

I'd do couch and P&P. However, you will be sailing with a toddler and a preschooler - I don't think an 18 month old is considered an infant anymore!

[bliss_fully_happy]

I would do the couch turned toward the wall and the pack and play.

[cb at sea]

True...you no longer have an infant! You have a toddler...congrats! I, too, would use the sofa turned toward the wall....long enough, and they can't "fall" out!

[pitz0005]

Does the room have a pullman or could you get one with a pullman? We put our son 2.5 in a pullman last week with the railing and it worked great. There is no way they could fall out and worst case if they did it would be onto the be below. You could then use the couch for the 1.5yo.

[JenAndDan]

Thanks. I believe it just has a fold out couch. I guess I consider my DS an infant because he still is an infant! We aren't cruising until November so he is only 8 months right now:)

 

I wanted to know if other people had done this before (the couch turned around AND a pack and play) and if it was "doable." Luckily, I am the only female and since having kids I have downsized the amount of stuff I bring on a cruise so I am not worried about closet space. We had the same size cabin when we cruised with our older DS and it was fine. The only difference is - we used the couch for our stroller (folded up). We will just have to find another place for it (or them) or we can store them in my parents cabin (right next door). I had initially thought of connecting balcony cabins but decided against it (I'd be too nervous). Another option would be to get connecting OV cabins but we would not be right next to my parents and we would give up the balcony we love so much.

[elephant98]

Having stayed in an ocean view balcony cabin on the Allure, I think that you will likely have to go with the turn the couch around and use a pack n' play option. There wasn't enough space in our balcony cabin to have the couch open and use a pack n' play at the same time.

 

When we sailed on the Liberty of the Seas, we had a cabin (couch next to closet, bed next to balcony) where there was actually enough space to put an opened pack n' play in the space between bed and the sliding glass door for the balcony (the privacy curtain could close, hiding the pack n' play. It was very convenient not having to break down the pack n' play every night and we stored it there; but, never chose to have our infant sleep in it there due to light/noise/safety concerns. This was a unique feature, though, because of where the cabin was located (midship, near a bend, so that the cabin had a few extra square feet compared to other balcony cabins). Perhaps there are a few similarly situated cabins on the Oasis/Allure, but I don't know this for a fact. Just speculating.

[JenAndDan]

Having stayed in an ocean view balcony cabin on the Allure, I think that you will likely have to go with the turn the couch around and use a pack n' play option. There wasn't enough space in our balcony cabin to have the couch open and use a pack n' play at the same time.

 

So did you have 2 kids and do this? I wasn't planning on closing the pack and play each day (we did not do this on the SOS). We know it leaves very little floor space but we definitely utilized the balcony as extra room.

[elephant98]

So did you have 2 kids and do this? I wasn't planning on closing the pack and play each day (we did not do this on the SOS). We know it leaves very little floor space but we definitely utilized the balcony as extra room.

 

We only have one child, who was just shy of two years old when we cruised on the Allure in September of last year. Our room configuration had the bed next to the closet and the couch next the sliding door to the balcony. We started out with our toddler in the pack n' play in front of the couch and, while cramped, we were still able to get around in the room while the pack n' play was still open. So, by simply turning the couch around to face the wall, it shouldn't take up any more space.

 

On one particular night that he was having trouble sleeping, we tried bringing our toddler into the bed with us, but there really wasn't enough space for all 3 of us. (It seems our toddler needs more room than us adults! lol.) So, I ended up leaving him in the middle of the bed with my wife and I moved to the couch. I couldn't convert the couch into a bed while the pack n' play was still open. There simply was not enough room. So, I had to break it down before I could make the couch bed.

[G&TQ]

Couldn't you turn the couch around and use it for both children with thier heads at opposite ends?

[JenAndDan]

Couldn't you turn the couch around and use it for both children with thier heads at opposite ends?

 

 

Folded up - both kids would not fit on the couch. However, depending on what my DS#2 is like at the time of sailing, we may opt NOT to have a pack and play and have both boys on the couch - folded out. As long as I can get the couch up against a wall or some sort of barrier, my older son will not have a problem being on the outside. We shall see. There is plenty of time - just wanted to see what other people did. I will be able to see what DS#2 is like this summer when we travel in hotels and whether he still does well with pnp or not. I have a feeling in the future, as the boys get older, we will be booking connecting cabins.

[parrotthead]

Which ever you decide...just remember the cabin will be Crowded... we just got off the Carnival Triumph yesterday. (8mo and 11yo in tow) ~I know your on RCL, not CCL, but cabin sizes are comproble -Carnival might be a bit larger--we were in Balcony..which takes inside cabin space away...) but this will give you some idea... (see pics) we rearranged(2nd pic) and got a tiny bit more space...but it was tight..