Pullman bed questions

[kelkel2]

We’re going on a cruise in January with our 2 kids. We have a suite booked with a couch and a Pullman. We don’t actually want to use the Pullman, but I have a feeling since there’s 4 of us on the reservation Carnival will automatically assume we want to use it. Will it be made and ready for us when we go to our room or is it something that we have to request to have made up? We don’t want our steward to waste time making ours up when we’re not going to use it. 

[tm_aw_love]

21 minutes ago, kelkel2 said:

We’re going on a cruise in January with our 2 kids. We have a suite booked with a couch and a Pullman. We don’t actually want to use the Pullman, but I have a feeling since there’s 4 of us on the reservation Carnival will automatically assume we want to use it. Will it be made and ready for us when we go to our room or is it something that we have to request to have made up? We don’t want our steward to waste time making ours up when we’re not going to use it. 

When we sailed with kiddos, it was not pulled down either time. One time we asked them to, and the other time, the kids shared the couch... entirely up to you. 

 

[kelkel2]

2 minutes ago, tm_aw_love said:

When we sailed with kiddos, it was not pulled down either time. One time we asked them to, and the other time, the kids shared the couch... entirely up to you. 

 

Perfect. That’s exactly the info I was looking for. I was just hoping to avoid our steward having to do the work to make 

it up if we weren’t going to use it. 

[tm_aw_love]

2 minutes ago, kelkel2 said:

Perfect. That’s exactly the info I was looking for. I was just hoping to avoid our steward having to do the work to make 

it up if we weren’t going to use it. 

Worst case scenario, if they have it pre-made, you can let them know that you don't plan to use it and they will stow it away. 

[ShakyBeef]

Another option, and it's entirely up to you and your kids, of course:  both kids could sleep in the Pullman and you could keep the couch in couch form, not made up into a bed.  Then you have the kids' bed up, out of the way, ready at all times for naps, etc.  And you also retain a fully-functioning couch for the family, below it.  You also save some floor space this way, since the back of the couch cushions that get removed to convert it into a bed are stored on the floor beside the couch when the Room Steward converts it into a bed.  Just an idea, in case this would work for your family and maybe you hadn't thought of it.🙂  

[cruisingguy007]

50 minutes ago, ShakyBeef said:

Another option, and it's entirely up to you and your kids, of course:  both kids could sleep in the Pullman and you could keep the couch in couch form, not made up into a bed.  Then you have the kids' bed up, out of the way, ready at all times for naps, etc.  And you also retain a fully-functioning couch for the family, below it.  You also save some floor space this way, since the back of the couch cushions that get removed to convert it into a bed are stored on the floor beside the couch when the Room Steward converts it into a bed.  Just an idea, in case this would work for your family and maybe you hadn't thought of it.🙂  

 

Great point! I've been wondering how it works in the family suites with the couch beds and Pullman, if you need all three. With once a day cabin care now, it seems you are either forced to sleep uncomfortably on top of the couch or go without a couch as it will be left in bed configuration all day. Kinda makes me wish we got two cabins instead, I like having a couch to sit on and it kind of defeats the purpose of a suite if it's left unusable as a bed the entire time. From what I'm seeing in videos, this seems to be the case with these family suites and you end up with no couch nearly the entire cruise. Maybe they're easy to convert and we could do it ourselves and then tuck the Pullman back up also? I haven't been able to find any definitive answers.   

[ShakyBeef]

15 minutes ago, cruisingguy007 said:

 

Great point! I've been wondering how it works in the family suites with the couch beds and Pullman, if you need all three. With once a day cabin care now, it seems you are either forced to sleep uncomfortably on top of the couch or go without a couch as it will be left in bed configuration all day. Kinda makes me wish we got two cabins instead, I like having a couch to sit on and it kind of defeats the purpose of a suite if it's left unusable as a bed the entire time. From what I'm seeing in videos, this seems to be the case with these family suites and you end up with no couch nearly the entire cruise. Maybe they're easy to convert and we could do it ourselves and then tuck the Pullman back up also? I haven't been able to find any definitive answers.   

 

You can't put the Pullman away yourself - it requires a key to lock it in place, which the Steward keeps.

 

This will be my first cruise that twice daily servicing of the cabin will not be an option.  On our last cruise, in 2020, we were still able to get it by request.  So, yeah, because my girls are older and one sleeps on the Pullman, and one on the couch, we will probably lose the use of the couch because it will always be a bed.  But I'm going to ask about it anyway.  The Room Stewards that service the Suites are said to be the best stewards onboard.  And Suites do pay higher autograts, so, I don't think it's asking too much to have the couch bed put away, our trash removed, and our towels exchanged in the morning.  Our regular service will be in the evening.  This is my hope and my plan, anyway.  If the Steward says "no", I guess we'll just deal with it.

[cruisingguy007]

16 minutes ago, ShakyBeef said:

 

You can't put the Pullman away yourself - it requires a key to lock it in place, which the Steward keeps.

 

This will be my first cruise that twice daily servicing of the cabin will not be an option.  On our last cruise, in 2020, we were still able to get it by request.  So, yeah, because my girls are older and one sleeps on the Pullman, and one on the couch, we will probably lose the use of the couch because it will always be a bed.  But I'm going to ask about it anyway.  The Room Stewards that service the Suites are said to be the best stewards onboard.  And Suites do pay higher autograts, so, I don't think it's asking too much to have the couch bed put away, our trash removed, and our towels exchanged in the morning.  Our regular service will be in the evening.  This is my hope and my plan, anyway.  If the Steward says "no", I guess we'll just deal with it.

 

I'll probably request the same, sounds like a good plan, just need to get my daughter to not be a sleepy head in the mornings and try to get everyone out to breakfast at a decent time everyday as to provide some consistency. I don't necessarily need service twice a day but would like use of the couch during the day and conversion to sleeping quarters in the evening sometime. I've been looking high and low for info on how this works and appreciate the insight. 

[kelkel2]

1 hour ago, ShakyBeef said:

 

You can't put the Pullman away yourself - it requires a key to lock it in place, which the Steward keeps.

 

This will be my first cruise that twice daily servicing of the cabin will not be an option.  On our last cruise, in 2020, we were still able to get it by request.  So, yeah, because my girls are older and one sleeps on the Pullman, and one on the couch, we will probably lose the use of the couch because it will always be a bed.  But I'm going to ask about it anyway.  The Room Stewards that service the Suites are said to be the best stewards onboard.  And Suites do pay higher autograts, so, I don't think it's asking too much to have the couch bed put away, our trash removed, and our towels exchanged in the morning.  Our regular service will be in the evening.  This is my hope and my plan, anyway.  If the Steward says "no", I guess we'll just deal with it.

Not a bad idea! I also wonder how easy the couch is to turn back into a couch during the day. I don’t mind having it as a bed during the day, but it would be nice to have use of the couch. 
The Pullman just freaks me out a tad. Maybe we’ll give it a try? But my kids occasionally roll out of bed at home and I’m worried they’d get hurt on it. They’re only 4. 

[ShakyBeef]

12 minutes ago, kelkel2 said:

Not a bad idea! I also wonder how easy the couch is to turn back into a couch during the day. I don’t mind having it as a bed during the day, but it would be nice to have use of the couch. 
The Pullman just freaks me out a tad. Maybe we’ll give it a try? But my kids occasionally roll out of bed at home and I’m worried they’d get hurt on it. They’re only 4. 

 

There is a rail on the Pullman bed, which helps prevent falls.  Also, on our first cruise, when I was pregnant with my 2nd, and my 1st was only 3, we had her in a Pullman and the Steward brought us extra pillows to fold and stuff under the railing to ensure her safety.  It worked out great.  But only you know if this will work for your children, so I don't want to push you towards something with which you might be uncomfortable.

 

As for converting the couch bed back to a couch on your own, assuming it is the same style couch as in the Suites on Spirit Class (I didn't catch what ship you're sailing), it's not difficult, just a little bit work.  There will be 2 drawers underneath the couch where the bedding is stored, and the back cushions are just left on the floor beside the couch, so you could do the process yourself, if you feel like it.  Good luck with whichever method you choose!🙂

Edited September 29, 2022 by ShakyBeef
typo

[kelkel2]

21 minutes ago, ShakyBeef said:

 

There is a rail on the Pullman bed, which helps prevent falls.  Also, on our first cruise, when I was pregnant with my 2nd, and my 1st was only 3, we had her in a Pullman and the Steward brought us extra pillows to fold and stuff under the railing to ensure her safety.  It worked out great.  But only you know if this will work for your children, so I don't want to push you towards something with which you might be uncomfortable.

 

As for converting the couch bed back to a couch on your own, assuming it is the same style couch as in the Suites on Spirit Class (I didn't catch what ship you're sailing), it's not difficult, just a little bit work.  There will be 2 drawers underneath the couch where the bedding is stored, and the back cushions are just left on the floor beside the couch, so you could do the process yourself, if you feel like it.  Good luck with whichever method you choose!🙂

Thanks, I’m sure I fear of the Pullman is completely irrational, I think I’ll just have to see it in person and it will probably be fine. We’re on the Mardi Gras!

[tm_aw_love]

41 minutes ago, kelkel2 said:

I’m sure I fear of the Pullman is completely irrational,

The first time we had our son (4 YO) on a pullman, he tried to climb down first thing in the morning for the bathroom and accidentally fell... a medical center visit and several stitches on his forehead prove that your concern is not irrational at all. 

[kelkel2]

14 minutes ago, tm_aw_love said:

The first time we had our son (4 YO) on a pullman, he tried to climb down first thing in the morning for the bathroom and accidentally fell... a medical center visit and several stitches on his forehead prove that your concern is not irrational at all. 

Ok, this is exactly what I’m worried about. Especially with my son because he’s a rambunctious one and isn’t careful with anything. 

[ShakyBeef]

11 minutes ago, tm_aw_love said:

The first time we had our son (4 YO) on a pullman, he tried to climb down first thing in the morning for the bathroom and accidentally fell... a medical center visit and several stitches on his forehead prove that your concern is not irrational at all. 

 

Yikes!😲  Definitely not irrational!  I'm a worrier, too.  And i think we moms are a little too quick to judge ourselves.  I respect and empathize with every parent's concerns and fears for their children.  That's why I said I don't want to push kelkel2 towards something with which she might be uncomfortable.  It is a legitimate concern.  I'm so sorry your son was injured.