Help needed choosing cabins on Imagination

[starfish54]

We are a family of 3, my son is 4 years old.

We are planning Aug 20th LAX 3 night cruise on Imagination and I noticed some of their cabins are pretty small and has half-bunk style beds.

Are there actually any inside cabins with King beds (for 3 of us to sleep in same bed) or 2 bed (2 full or twin) options?

 

What type of cabin would you choose in order to fit comfortably? Since it is a short trip, I prefer not to spend too much for balcony or suite. (I don't even see any cabins with balcony)

 

Thanks in advance.

 

PS: We cruised with NCL in the past, this would be our first time on Carnival, are there any suggestions?

Edited June 27, 2015 by starfish54

[SadieN]

We've done many triples on the Fantasy class ships out of Long Beach.

 

Most triples are two twins (pushed together for a large bed) and a bunk bed.

If you do not want your son in an upper, you can ask for a rollaway or trundle. Book this way over the phone. The rollaway is what you'd have at home. A trundle will store under the bed during the day. All are comfortable.

You'll have more 'room' in the cabin if the lower beds are split, one under the window and the other along the wall. (The insides have a faux window).

 

Stay away from the bunk bed (1A) only cabins don't even know if they'll hold three. Ocean View and Inside cabins are identical. The aft facing ones are slightly deeper.

 

FWIW--- the redone bathroom vanity is horrible. They are much better on other Carnival ships.

 

For cabin location....

Stay clear of cabins near the center stairwell. The Casino bar smoking area is at the top and the smoke travels down this shaft.

 

****

This class was designed before everyone had to have a balcony. Some of the 8 have added on balconies, otherwise only suites have them.

Edited June 27, 2015 by SadieN

[stormynow]

Really like the inside's on the Verandah deck. Close to everything. Not very many so need to book early.

[starfish54]

We've done many triples on the Fantasy class ships out of Long Beach.

 

Most triples are two twins (pushed together for a large bed) and a bunk bed.

If you do not want your son in an upper, you can ask for a rollaway or trundle. Book this way over the phone. The rollaway is what you'd have at home. A trundle will store under the bed during the day. All are comfortable.

You'll have more 'room' in the cabin if the lower beds are split, one under the window and the other along the wall. (The insides have a faux window).

 

Stay away from the bunk bed (1A) only cabins don't even know if they'll hold three. Ocean View and Inside cabins are identical. The aft facing ones are slightly deeper.

 

FWIW--- the redone bathroom vanity is horrible. They are much better on other Carnival ships.

 

For cabin location....

Stay clear of cabins near the center stairwell. The Casino bar smoking area is at the top and the smoke travels down this shaft.

 

****

This class was designed before everyone had to have a balcony. Some of the 8 have added on balconies, otherwise only suites have them.

 

Thanks for the info, I think two twins will be just fine, looking at the ship plan, it's hard to tell, but based on the pictures and details, Port Hole rooms are about same price as inside ones and they seem to have two beds separated, but while they list "some up to 4" for inside cabins, port hole has only "up to 2".

Is 4E recommended?

 

Thanks for the info on Balcony.

 

 

Really like the inside's on the Verandah deck. Close to everything. Not very many so need to book early.

 

 

Thanks, which one is Verandah deck?

Here it doesn't mention anything about Verandah.

http://cruise.expedia.com/Ship5.aspx?item=937099&tab=2

[SadieN]

The deck plans on carnival.com are very good. Scroll and click to see what is in each cabin.

 

Note--- only suites have fridges and hair dryers in this class. Bring your own hair products.

We prefer low and aft. Others will chime in on other locations.

 

Verandah should be deck 11.

Edited June 27, 2015 by SadieN

[ccruisequeen]

3 beds separated. Cot under the dresser

 

I still cruise for Warm Chocolate Melting Cake (with 2 sugar-free vanilla ice-creams)

[starfish54]

The deck plans on carnival.com are very good. Scroll and click to see what is in each cabin.

 

Note--- only suites have fridges and hair dryers in this class. Bring your own hair products.

We prefer low and aft. Others will chime in on other locations.

 

Verandah should be deck 11.

 

Deck 11 has only 8 inside cabins! I doubt they are still available, but I will ask. On NCL I actually didn't want to choose higher decks because on decks like 11 (with foot traffic on above and below) people used to use these hallways to go from one end to other and use the exists at the forward or back of the ship. Does 11 also have doors leading outside at the forward end?

 

Decks 5, 6, and 7 seems to exclusively for cabins, would that make deck 6 the quietest with nothing happening above or below it?

 

[ATTACH]353747[/ATTACH]3 beds separated. Cot under the dresser

 

I still cruise for Warm Chocolate Melting Cake (with 2 sugar-free vanilla ice-creams)

 

That's a great picture, is that inside cabin? Looks OK for 3 night cruise, although I'd prefer 2 + 1 combination, this would be great for 3 kids in next cabin.

[ccruisequeen]

Deck 11 has only 8 inside cabins! I doubt they are still available, but I will ask. On NCL I actually didn't want to choose higher decks because on decks like 11 (with foot traffic on above and below) people used to use these hallways to go from one end to other and use the exists at the forward or back of the ship. Does 11 also have doors leading outside at the forward end?

 

Decks 5, 6, and 7 seems to exclusively for cabins, would that make deck 6 the quietest with nothing happening above or below it?

 

 

 

That's a great picture, is that inside cabin? Looks OK for 3 night cruise, although I'd prefer 2 + 1 combination, this would be great for 3 kids in next cabin.

 

Yes it's a inside cabin on empress deck. We usually get a disabled cabin since I use a walker. My parents can't do bunks

 

I still cruise for Warm Chocolate Melting Cake (with 2 sugar-free vanilla ice-creams)

Edited June 28, 2015 by ccruisequeen

[ccruisequeen]

We've done 4-day cruises in this cabin with no problems

 

I still cruise for Warm Chocolate Melting Cake (with 2 sugar-free vanilla ice-creams)

[SadieN]

Riviera 4, Main 5, Upper 6 are very quiet. Empress 7 be careful what's above you. Many are under the galley or showroom. Not many pax will be in the hallway on verandah, but they are forward, mainly above the shuffleboard and below/near the younger kids clubs.

 

In the picture in the post #6 the bunk would be on the side wall. There is no corner box but there are two night stands.

 

***

Room Service menu is on the back of the papers you'll get at embark. Don't throw it out ;)

Edited June 28, 2015 by SadieN

[maritaysa]

Since you are sailing with your son, I also recommend the Verandah deck if you can get it. It's so close to Camp Carnival. If you can't, then I would recommend the Empress deck aft. This way you would be close to the Lido Restaurant. There are aft facing Oceanview cabins that are nice.there's also stairs back there, so that you could pop up to the Serenity deck on the next level, or to the Lido Restaurant two decks above that.

[starfish54]

Thank you all.

Hopefully we are not too late to get the good cabins. Does August cruises sell out fast? Is there a way to check how much has been sold so far so we can know if we should wait or not. I just find near $400 per person to be on the higher side for 3 night cruise, but there is nothing else in August from west coast, so we have no other choice.

[SadieN]

Summer cruises are always higher.

This weekend is the last hurrah! for many as many schools start the next week.

Go to carnival.com for availability. It shows cabins in groups of 10. Any less and you know it's selling fast.

Edited June 28, 2015 by SadieN

[idlenote]

Be careful on Deck 7, cabins around 150 through 170 can have noise problems from the galley. We learned this the hard way on the Imagination, 15 days from Port Canaveral to LA, every other night they woke us up with crashing and banging coming from above and we had to call guest services and complain.

[starfish54]

Be careful on Deck 7, cabins around 150 through 170 can have noise problems from the galley. We learned this the hard way on the Imagination, 15 days from Port Canaveral to LA, every other night they woke us up with crashing and banging coming from above and we had to call guest services and complain.

 

Thanks! I figured Deck 6 or even Deck 5 would be our best bet (other than the suggestions made in earlier posts).

 

Summer cruises are always higher.

This weekend is the last hurrah! for many as many schools start the next week.

Go to carnival.com for availability. It shows cabins in groups of 10. Any less and you know it's selling fast.

 

Thanks for the info, I'll check it ASAP. I was thinking about waiting until Aug 1st week then decide but that's way too close especially since there are no other options (just one more boat that week, that's all).

 

It's just I can't make up my mind because the other option was to stay somewhere in California for the vacation instead of cruise, but turns out Cali is not as beach friendly in terms of resorts as I thought. I figured it would be like SoBe but it's not. :confused:

 

 

I checked the rooms, not much left (or not listed) and on the inside cabins only 4,5,6 is left. I assume Deck 5 should be OK, anything I should be aware of? It seems like 5 and 6 are the ones covered by rooms on above and below.

 

I can't find anything on upper decks, nothing inside or even ocean view.

Edited June 28, 2015 by starfish54

[maritaysa]

There are 4 cabins available for triples on the Verandah deck-V8, 12, 20 & 24.

Edited June 28, 2015 by maritaysa

[starfish54]

We just learned Budget doesn't have rental counter anywhere close to the port, this is a problem because we are using Budget to pick up in Las Vegas and drop it in LAX/LGB (if we do vegas before cruise), or pick up at LAX/LGB and return in Vegas after cruise.

 

I read in some posts that only Enterprise has counters close by and possibly shuttle. Is this correct? Should I start a new thread asking for car rental shuttle from Los Angeles cruise terminal? This is a huge inconvenience because we will already be paying $30/person for shuttle from (or to) airport.

[SadieN]

On deck 6 just stay about 5 cabins away from the center stairwell because of the casino smoke.

 

Confirm if Enterprise is open on Sunday's.

 

LGB is much closer to port than LAX. For example flat rate taxi at the end of your cruise would be $68 to LAX and just under $40 to LGB.

Could take a shared shuttle for $17/pp from the airport to the cruise port. Most use Super Shuttle or Primetime. At debark they are lined up.

 

****

If you want a beach resort check out the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego. The Grand Dame of beach resorts.

 

The West Coast Departure board has tons of info.

Edited June 28, 2015 by SadieN

[starfish54]

Thank you so much for all the info!

SadieN, I won't do Enterprise, they are very expensive. I was trying to figure out what to do in Los Angeles after arriving at 7AM. Last time NCL allowed us to stay on board until high noon, but I heard Celebrity may not allow that, is this correct? What's the latest we can disembark? I guess with later disembark, chances of getting on board shared shuttle will be less.

 

My flight will most likely be 4PM ex LAX.

Thanks for the tip on Deck 6!

[SadieN]

Last off is around 10am. The CD usually begs the last 50 of us to get off the ship. :D.

 

Check out the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. They'll hold your luggage and you can take the free Long Beach Passport bus to it. ( get the number of a taxi at port) The bus stop is in the parking lot, under the trees. Many of the crew take this. Your son would love the touching pools. You can see it all in less than four hours.

Edited June 29, 2015 by SadieN

[eponym]

Aquarium of the Pacific is absolutely a great suggestion by SadieN. I'm not sure when they are open, but is very worthwhile. I think AAA and others have discounts to it.

[starfish54]

Last off is around 10am. The CD usually begs the last 50 of us to get off the ship. :D.

 

Check out the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. They'll hold your luggage and you can take the free Long Beach Passport bus to it. ( get the number of a taxi at port) The bus stop is in the parking lot, under the trees. Many of the crew take this. Your son would love the touching pools. You can see it all in less than four hours.

Thank you so much!

I am changing my schedule, I'll plan now on flying directly to LGB/LAX then take 8/13 sailing instead of 8/20, spend 8/16 in LAX/LGB area (suggestions/sightseeing is welcome! I will have a rental on 8/16) then drive to Las Vegas 8/16 evening/night, and fly back to NY on 8/21.

What do you think? So we can spend 8/16 (Sunday) in LAX area, if the aquarium is open. You said number of a taxi at port, but what is LGB Passport? Is it something I can take from port?

 

Aquarium of the Pacific is absolutely a great suggestion by SadieN. I'm not sure when they are open, but is very worthwhile. I think AAA and others have discounts to it.

 

I have AAA, thank you so much.

Does Celebrity have AAA discount as well?

[SadieN]

Which airport are you flying into? LAX and LGB are completely different. LGB is in Long Beach.

 

Google 'Long Beach Passport Bus'. It has stops at the Maya and Queen Mary.

 

Las Vegas is a good 5-6 hour drive from Long Beach.

[starfish54]

Which airport are you flying into? LAX and LGB are completely different. LGB is in Long Beach.

 

Google 'Long Beach Passport Bus'. It has stops at the Maya and Queen Mary.

 

Las Vegas is a good 5-6 hour drive from Long Beach.

 

Thanks, not worried about the drive to Vegas, we can take all the time we need and I prefer at night so hopefully 4 year old DS can sleep.

 

If I can pick up the car on 16th early morning, I can just then drive to Aquarium.

[Rosefloater]

You said number of a taxi at port, but what is LGB Passport? Is it something I can take from port?

 

I have AAA, thank you so much.

Does Celebrity have AAA discount as well?

 

Here is a link for the Passport bus. It is a free bus that goes around to the main attractions in Long Beach, WalMart and around north Long Beach. There are many stops along the route, not just the ones that are listed. The drivers are very helpful.

 

The port stop is in the parking lot by the row of trees in front of the Queen Mary.

 

BTW - You do know this is for Carnival and not Celebrity.

Edited June 29, 2015 by Rosefloater