Family harbor vs connecting rooms?

[soozles]

Hi all, we are looking into booking the horizon in January 2022, and traveling with our kids who will be 2 and 3 at the time. We are thinking of one of the family harbor rooms vs 2 connecting cabins or maybe a suite... anyone have any recommendations? is the family harbor really worth it? 
 

We originally had 2 connecting rooms on our cancelled cruise, but my kids were going to have been 11 months and 22 months at that time, so we would have had 2 pack and plays. My oldest is already sleeping in a regular bed, and I assume by January 2022, the little one may be as well, so we won’t have as much floor space taken up by the pack and plays. And anyone know if we originally had 2 rooms booked, can we combine the OBC that we got for each room into the one? Or will we just be forced to go on 2 cruises (the horror!)

[stellarose]

we opted for two connecting instead of harbor family . now my kids (really young adults ) will be almost 20 and 18 at time of sailing. so for us the connecting rooms made more sense then the use of the harbor room (tv room/ snacks, etc).  it was actually cheaper (and got spa connecting rooms cheaper).  we were offered a single room in the family harbor area.

 

for the two small kids- do the one room. you may use the family harbor area more. 

[firefly333]

You kids are a little young to enjoy hanging out in the community room in family harbor, maybe in a few years. Ov is the larger cabins than balcony or inside. Balcony same counting the balcony itself. 

 

I'd just get a ov at 220 sf or a balcony myself for 4. 

[kelkel2]

My twins will be 4.5 when we sail. We booked a family harbour suite. We’re looking forward to it. We would love to do adjoining rooms later on, but with them being little we really didn’t think we should. Aside from having more room in 2 cabins, we really felt like the suite would be a great compromise! 

[firefly333]

4 hours ago, kelkel2 said:

My twins will be 4.5 when we sail. We booked a family harbour suite. We’re looking forward to it. We would love to do adjoining rooms later on, but with them being little we really didn’t think we should. Aside from having more room in 2 cabins, we really felt like the suite would be a great compromise! 

At age 4.5 I can see some kids mature enough to go help themselves to milk and cookies so might be good for the. The op said ages 2 and 3, and at that ge they couldnt really enjoy the family harbor room and help themselves without parents supervision imo

[stellarose]

with the two teens we thought the two rooms would work. now they can come and go at their pleasure and not worried about waking us up or whatever . just hope we sail. 

[djb78]

The big question for me would come down to price.

 

But "One room vs connecting" and "Regular vs Family Harbour" are two separate questions.

 

The ocean views (or maybe it's only the "deluxe" ocean views) have a bench for one of the beds, plus a 2nd partial bathroom. That's where there's a lot of value for young families who need more space than an interior but don't quite need the space of two cabins.

 

From there, it's a question of whether the family harbour rooms are worthwhile. When we went on the Horizon in Oct '19 and Magic in Nov '19, it was more than $30/day difference, and we didn't think we'd get value out of that. Our kids were too young for the free babysitting night, we don't really go to specialty restaurants with or without them, and the lounge food wasn't much of a perk when a short elevator ride has even more.

 

But on the Mardi Gras trip we're planning for Oct, the family harbour ocean view is only $5/day difference. With our kids now going to be 5 and 2 in the fall of 2021, we're a little more likely to use some of the perks. Also, on the Mardi Gras, the kid's club is right at the FH floor, giving a bit more value.

 

So while we opted for deluxe ocean view non-family harbour on the Magic and Horizon, if prices hold we'll book for ocean view family harbour on the Mardi Gras for next fall.

[stellarose]

as stated before it was actually cheaper for two connecting spa rooms than one family harbor room on MG. my "kids" will be almost 21 and 19 when we sail. so we wanted them to have their own room.  plus to have the spa perks I can use the spa without the extra cost of the spa weekly pass.  if I had younger kids- the family harbor makes sense. they can use that room. my almost adult kids won't use that room. with the hub chat we can chat with the kids to see if they need us- which they did not a year ago on the breeze.