Family cruise logistics question

[Isle_of_Skye]

My husband and I just sailed on our first cruise on the Koningsdam through Norway and had a great time. I'm looking into booking a cruise to include our four kids, probably Alaska next summer. Our kids are currently 18, 15, and 10 year old twins. I'd like to book connecting rooms for us and the twins with an adjoining room for our older kids.

 

Question - is this easier through the HAL site or through a travel agent?

 

Second cruise newbie question - is there a room option for 6 people that makes more sense?

 

Thank you!

[richwmn]

My husband and I just sailed on our first cruise on the Koningsdam through Norway and had a great time. I'm looking into booking a cruise to include our four kids, probably Alaska next summer. Our kids are currently 18, 15, and 10 year old twins. I'd like to book connecting rooms for us and the twins with an adjoining room for our older kids.

 

Question - is this easier through the HAL site or through a travel agent?

 

Second cruise newbie question - is there a room option for 6 people that makes more sense?

 

Thank you!

First question, you would be better off using a Travel Agent, and not a big box. Pick an agency where you can talk to the same person each time and who will become familiar with your needs. The PCC department at HAL would also be a good place, but not the general reservation number or web site. With the size of your booking, you should have someone in particular you can talk to. Also, a Travel Agency will give you some good perks because of the size of your booking. If you use a PCC to set it up, you could then transfer it to a big box before final payment to pick up some on board spending.

 

Second question, the Koningsdam and Nieuw Statendam have one, or maybe two, family rooms. I don't remember what the maximum occupancy is on them. Other ships max out at 4 per cabin, and that would be crowded, even for your kids. If you can handle it, the setup you propose with 3 cabins might be best. You might also consider a balcony for the adults, with the kids having two inside cabins across the hall if you book early enough to accomplish that.

 

One other thing to consider. In general you have to have 1 adult (21) in each cabin. You might have to "pull some strings" to get a cabin with just your older two in it. Once on board, you can adjust as necessary.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

You definitely need to talk to a TA.

The 2 newest ships Koningsdam and Nieuw Statendam do have a few Family cabins -- but they can only handle 5 passengers.

You will need 2 cabins -- to get connecting cabins you will need to book soon.

[richwmn]

Here is the description of the Family Oceanview Staterooms:

With accomodations for five guests, this stateroom includes two lower beds convertible to one queen-size bed and one upper bed—all are our signature Mariner's Dream™ beds with plush Euro-Top mattresses, plus one sofa bed for two persons. There are two bathrooms: one with bathtub, shower, sink and toilet, one with shower and sink.

According to one site, there are 32 of them.

[baggal]

I would book 3 cabins. That extra bathroom, storage and "hangout" space will be well worth the cost of the third cabin.

 

 

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[kb4683]

Two things come to mind --

1. From their screen name, I wonder if they really are from the Isle of Skye which might mean they have different booking options than those of us in the USA.
   
2. I interpret they want to book only 2 cabins -- one for themselves and the twins and an adjoining one for the older kids.
   

[danacline]

We have 4 kids. On several of our cruises, we had inside cabins next to each other (some connect, some do not). Usually the wife and girls in one, me and the boys in the other.

 

4 in an inside cabin can be done. We did Europe in NCL's oldest smallest ship, and by then my son was 6'2" and daughter almost 6'. It was cramped, but we were there only to sleep. My son and I took all our showers up in the gym, so the girls were able to monopolize the bathroom.

[catl331]

I interpret they want to book only 2 cabins -- one for themselves and the twins and an adjoining one for the older kids.

"... connecting rooms for us and the twins with an adjoining room ..." sounds like 3 rooms to me.

I think I'd try two connecting cabins of 3 each, initially booked with one adult in each and rearranged on board.

[MsMolly]

We have four children as well.(ages 14, 16, 19 and 20) We have cruised a few times with them. We have had adjoining cabins for 2 cruises and put 3 in each cabin. One cruise we could not get adjoining cabins so we booked balcony cabins next door to each other and had the steward open the divider between our balconies so went back and forth that way. I thought this way would bother me but it worked great and meant we could get cabins on a deck we preferred and closer to mid ship. For our first few cruises we booked through a travel agency. After that I started booking with a personal cruise consultant with Hal. If I can get any perks, I would go back to a travel agency as I really don't see a benefit with booking one over the other.

[lastlook]

I booked 3 balcony cabins in a row for our family of 6 (3 generations) last year through our usual agency but first studied the deck plan of the ship that we were going to be sailing on, to find two mid-ship cabins that connected and a third non-connecting cabin next to the two that connected. When I called our agent she was able to confirm that those 3 cabins were all available, so I booked them with a "no upgrade" notation to make sure that none of us would be moved without our consent.

 

I always pack a doorstop (rubber wedge) when I travel and it came in handy for the parents to keep the connecting cabin door to their kids' (teenagers) cabin open when desired.

 

Prior to sailing, we requested that the fridge contents be removed to avoid any temptation and/or surprise bills for the parents and plenty of room for things they might want to put in their fridge.

 

After boarding, we were able to have the cabin stewards unlock/open the balcony dividers so that we could be together for sail away(s).

 

Hope you find the perfect cabins for your family and have a wonderful cruise to Alaska!

[fatcat04]

We are travelling as a family group of 6 and did just what you are talking about, 2 adjoining and one next to that. 3 balcony cabins in a row on the NA. We will ask the cabin stewards to open up the balconies. The extra bathroom was a big plus for us booking 3.

I agree with the others. Book early and use a Personal Cruise Consultant from HAL or a more personal TA, not a big box.

[petepie]

We put 4 of us in a verandah on Westerdam and it was fine, so I don't think you would need 3 cabins Ms for six people. It's tight at night when the beds are out, but they only are out from after dinner until breakfast.

 

As for booking, I have booked multiple cabins through the big box agent on a Disney and celebrity cruise. It worked fine, they were able to book them for me no problem, I think I had to hold on the phone a few mins while the big box agent called to to cruise line to confirm the cabin selections. We even had each cabin on different reservations (different people paying), and they got them all linked together.

 

Having adjacent verandahs is really nice when they open the dividers.