family of 6

[sweetmommieof4]

What are my best options for a family of 6? Are there any family staterooms? Would 2 rooms for 3 people be better? The oldest childs age is 16 and the youngest is 5. Any help will be appreciated.

[mirthmaiden]

We have 6 in our family (kids are 17, 16, 11, 10) We booked two adjoining cabins. We had to book each cabin as "2 adults, 1 child." We were told that after we board, we can work out the sleeping arrangements however we want, but I was not allowed to book a separate cabin with just the kids - not saying it hasn't ever been done, or isn't possible; that's just what we were told at the time.

[spbflseas]

I would agree that 2 adjoining cabins would be a great option.

[cruz1234]

I would get the 2 adj rooms also..gives you 2 bathrooms and double closet and drawer space.

[larkwind]

Or check out a larger room with a balcony (or outside) and an inside right across the hall. When I priced this combo, sometimes they were cheaper than 2 regular balconies. Rhapsody had this arrangement; Jewel doesn't...

 

We booked two side by side hump cabins; they don't ajoin but our kids don't need the supervision that an open door allows (yours sound old enough too). But our balconies are each large enough for all of us to enjoy so we get our family time.

[bankofdad]

We're just back with our family of six, and we did adjoining staterooms. Like others have said, two rooms gives two bathrooms and two storage areas. Six in any onboard stateroom, to me and this is JMHO, would mean contstant traffic especially when getting ready for the evening and dining rooms.

 

Like mirthmaiden, we booked "2 adults, one child" in each cabin.

[mirthmaiden]

We're just back with our family of six, and we did adjoining staterooms. Like others have said, two rooms gives two bathrooms and two storage areas. Six in any onboard stateroom, to me and this is JMHO, would mean contstant traffic especially when getting ready for the evening and dining rooms.

 

Like mirthmaiden, we booked "2 adults, one child" in each cabin.

 

Hey bankofdad...can I get a loan from your bank? :D I sure need it after paying for 2 adjoining balcony cabins! Going anwhere with 6 people sure gets expensive :eek:

[bankofdad]

Going anwhere with 6 people sure gets expensive :eek:

 

Isn't that the truth! My AMEX bill for our last cruise is on the way:eek: , and I think I'll hide when the mailman brings it! But our upcoming cruise on Explorer is just DW and I:D. Just spending a little of our kids inheratence on our own!

[Peggy13]

We are also a family of 6 (kids 20, 18, 13, 11) - we usually book adjoining cabins and do 3 and 3 ....last time the oldest (girl) had a cabin with her cousins. It does get expensive with 6!!!

[lktomkies]

Add another family of six, going broke paying for two cabins! I wasn't able to get connecting outside cabins on our upcoming Thanksgiving cruise on the Jewel, but we were able to get side by side. Our kids are 16, 14, 11, and 7. The older three are girls, then the 7 year old son. Our plan is to have the three girls in one room, and have our son in our room with us. For us, it made much more sense to have two rooms with two bathrooms. The family staterooms may sleep six, but only have the one bathroom, and I believe are more expensive than two standard outsides.

 

Linda

[bankofdad]

How times have changed for many of us! I remember when I was growing up the old red chevy station wagon with all of us piled in driving from Chicago (of course at 4AM with Dad driving) heading for.....Southern Illinois!

 

Now, DD says - WHAT! I'm not going to the spa to have my hair done on the first day!!!! How can I look my best during this trip! We're in Hawaii, and you remember how my hair looked the last timewe were here! (DD is 9y.o.)

 

Ohhhh how the wallet suffered on this last one:eek: !

 

(I'm MOSTLY making a joke:D )

[LisaGoeke]

We were in a family oceanview stateroom, holds up to six people. It worked out great for us and we also got a great price on it!

[sas80]

Are you kidding me?????

 

Get you and hubby a balcony room and put the kids right accross the hall in an inside stateroom!!!!

 

This hurts WAY less on the pocket book and they are simply a knock away!

 

Besides that, they're sleeping! What do they need natural light for anyways????

[rjg41]

Are you kidding me?????

 

Get you and hubby a balcony room and put the kids right accross the hall in an inside stateroom!!!!

 

This hurts WAY less on the pocket book and they are simply a knock away!

 

Besides that, they're sleeping! What do they need natural light for anyways????

 

This is the best way to go, cost wise. The way you do this, as stated in an earlier post, is book one adult into each room. The cruise line does not care what your sleeping arrangements are. To monitor the kids, as I posted on your Princess post, use a two way baby monitor.

[EBFURR]

We have a family of four and sometimes travel with six (2 extra friends of kids). We have tried:

 

- Four to a room. Avoid if at all possible unless it is a suite

- Adjoining cabins (ours were both inside for cost reasons). A very good setup. The extra bathroom and closet are great. We had a party of four this time.

- Parents in one cabin (1 inside) and two kids on either side (2 more inside cabins) for our party odf six. These were not adjoining, we could not find any when we booked, but they were all side by side. This worked out well; you can put kids (even 12 yr olds) in a seperate cabin if the cabin is next door or across the hall. Not as good as adjoining, but guest relations will give you extra room keys for the kids' rooms so you have access.

- We now have booked a balcony for us and two insides across the hall for kids & friends. No problem booking this way, did it on board with the loyalty ambassador. We expect it to be like the 3-in-a-row setup except that we will have our own balcony to use.

[stillfrantic]

We only have 3 children but have gotten connecting staterooms each time. We hoped the verandahs could open to connect and make one large balcony but the divider had to stay in place. We still had the connecting door and we could still talk around the verandah dividing partition if we were not all on one deck.

 

We initially booked a Royal Family Suite that would have been terrific. The cost was actually a little less than we paid for 2 verandah rooms but it was a different cruise and that could have been the difference. Those suites have 2 full baths and a seperate bedroom for the kids also. They sleep 8 with the last 2 on a sofa bed in the living room.

 

We did not have to book an adult in each cabin. RCI said as long as the rooms were connecting we could book kids only in the second room. On Disney we had to put an adult in each on paper. This made for tough key times once onboard. I was much happier than RCI let us book the guests where everyone would actually sleep.

[cen822]

we are a family of five kids 19, 18, 12. we booked an outside balcony and an inside directly across hall for kids. A little pricey but worth it for some quiet time with the DH.

[cen822]

we are a family of five ( kids 19, 18, 12). we booked an outside balcony and an inside directly across hall for kids. A little pricey but worth it for some quiet time with the DH.

[sweetmommieof4]

Thanks everyone for all the replies. I'm thinking about doing 2 adjoining rooms. One with the kids and one for dh and I. Maybe even a balcony!!!

[wrp96]

On the Voyager class, there are a couple of D1 balconies that are right next to insides. They are at the very back of the ship, I think on the 8th deck. You might see if you could get those rooms.

[cusyl]

We were in a family oceanview stateroom, holds up to six people. It worked out great for us and we also got a great price on it!

 

 

What ships have the family suites? I have been searching and haven't run across them yet.

[mcfaddensfarm]

I'm pretty sure that all Voyager class ships (and the new Freedom) have Family Oceanview cabins. These do not have balconies, but have the large round windows. They are considered Category FO & can be found on the very forward of the ship on decks 6, 7, 8 & 9. On the new Freedom, they have also added family cabins to the regular inside cabins & promenade cabins. You can find all of these on the RCCL web site. Just choose a ship & then click on deckplans.

[wrp96]

What ships have the family suites? I have been searching and haven't run across them yet.

 

Vision class, Radiance class, Voyager class, and Freedom class all have Family Oceanview Staterooms and Royal Family Suites.

 

Monarch and Majesty also have Royal Family Suites.

 

Freedom will also have Presidential Family Suites, Promenade Family Staterooms, and Family Inside Staterooms

 

You can't book any of these family staterooms online because they require at least 5 people to book. So if you want one, or even want to know if one is available, you have to call either RCI or a TA.

[justjack]

Diddo on the ajoining rooms. That is what our family doing........:p :)

[beth4652]

We cruised to Alaska when our kids were 21, 17, 17 and 16. We had two rooms --- one with DH, DS and myself; the other with 3 DD's. We all felt squished. This time kids are 24, 20, 20 and 19 and we have three cabins.