How would you arrange cabins for 2 parents and 3 kids?

[spleenstomper]

I've never cruised before and want to take the kids out of New Orleans in the next year, but I am unfamiliar with the cabin set ups. How do most of you do 2 cabins? The kids will be 10, 8 and 8. What would be the best way to handle this? I wouldn't mind an inside stateroom for this or anything above that.. except I would guess I would be nervous with a balcony.

 

Or does anyone know where I can read anything about this topic? Thanks in advance.

[rebeccalouise]

Don't be nervous about the balcony. Unless your kids are totally out of control there is no way they are going to sit on the railing or stand on a chair and look over the railing. I have traveled with my sons at various ages and the balcony has never been an issue.

 

Depending on the cruise line, you can get connecting rooms. I know Celebrity has them. As for cost, it would probably be cheaper to do connecting outside staterooms. I don't care for insides and I don't think three kids should be in a room alone. That's just MHO.

[rfamcruise]

We are taking our 3 kids on Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas. They have several options for families. We are getting two connecting cabins, but they also have some ocean view family rooms that sleep 6. They are all the way to the front of the boat. We decided on the connecting cabins because of two bathrooms (we have 3 girls - two will be teenagers:) :)

 

They have other ships that offer connecting rooms. So do the newer NCL ships. Have fun planning. This is our first cruise with them, so I don't have too much more advice.

[spleenstomper]

Thanks so much. I guess after my cruise this June, I'll have a better idea of layout and family rooms.

[Paleochick]

I'd do two connecting cabins or a cabin for 5. There are some Carnival cabins that sleep 5, but not on all ships. Try to find a cabin or cabins mid-ship. I think that's best for your first cruise since you don't know how you'll react to ship motion. Mid-ship is less rocky is choppy seas. I wouldn't worry about a balcony with kids...if you can afford it, definitely get a balcony!

 

Happy planning.

[JillinCalgary]

I have three children as well, ages 3, 5, and 7. When it was the four of us we simply shared one room (2 bunk bed variety). When our youngest was a baby we still only shared one room because he was in the crib. This was an exeption for us, not a rule, because they don't allow 5 per room (but because he was in a crib). This last Cruise we got connecting rooms (window only, no balcony). It was fabulous!!! I can't agree with the other poster more - nothing beats having 2 bathrooms.

 

I wouldn't even consider two rooms that didn't connect. Honestly I don't think it would be allowed anyway. 10 is much too young to hold that responsibily. Of course you and your husband could always split up and divvy out the kids amongst yourselves.

 

Enjoy!

[kamper427]

NCL Sun has rooms that accomodate 5 people. They are inside rooms with a sofa/sleeper, a pull-down bunk, and the standard twin/queen conversion. These rooms are a little larger than the standard inside room, but they are still a tight fit if you are not accustomed to close quarters. This worked well for our family, but we are used to traveling in an RV. One advantage of staying in one room is that NCL sometimes offers 3rd, 4th, and 5th passengers for $199.

[bmgaritty]

I've done the connecting cabins with 4 adults and one toddler. It great. I think you will appreciate the extra room and bathroom.

 

I do think the kids might be a bit young to be in a separate cabin, even if it was across the hallway.

 

Have a great cruise!

 

Barbara

[spleenstomper]

Oh, yeah, I'd be nervous with the kids somewhere else. It is good to know about connecting cabins as well as rooms for 5 people. Dh and I are going alone to Hawaii and then I'm sure I'm going to have the cruising bug!

 

Thanks!!!

[cdngb]

When the kids were younger we had the boys in one cabin with Dad and the girls in the other with Mom. Except for sleep time, we were always together so it was no problem, and there was always time for Mom and Dad to be alone.... All the best.

[beach410]

On Carnival you can find rooms to fit 5, they add and extra bed then remove it during the day and put it back in the eve. Might be a little tight when just getting up and getting ready, but I have heard others say it was fine, but that is your other option if there are no connecting rooms. My kids are older when we travelled with 5 so we did an outside and they got an inside right across the hall.

[spleenstomper]

Thanks! I can't wait to plan the next one. Do most of you just book through the internet? The cruise company? A TA? Thanks. I don't have a TA... I just used AMEX travel services for the Hawaii cruise.

[pazandak63]

We did this once and put ourelves ina balcony and the kids in a inside accrost the hall....

Could save $$ by doing this with a ocean view and an inside....

[katmandoo]

Saves a ton of $ and lets us use the extra for shore excursions.

Registered me and 8yr old in balcony and put 4 in cheaper inside cabin. We can put my 2yr old to bed around 8or 9pm (crib so she cant get out) with a baby monitor and someone in the opposite room, then my boys (6,8) can go in whenever, 10 or 11pm and we will have an adult sleep in that cabin with them for safety sake. It will work out.

It saves us at least $700 instead of connecting balconies.

 

(Having a balcony is not an issue, the kids cannot open the door to outside on their own.)

[soccermom4]

We cruised last summer on RCCL Grandeur of the Seas with our 4 kids (5, 7, 9, 10). We got 2 connecting inside rooms. The kids had the "bunk room" - 2 sets of double bunks. We had the other room. It worked out great (as long as you keep stuff off the floor). You'll have a blast.

[boulders]

My kids are 11 and 8. I was also nervous about a balcony. I considered getting an inside room across the hall, but there was nothing available as I booked only 3 weeks from the sail date, and I was also nervous because of the children's ages. So, I booked us one oceanview stateroom. There were no balconies available at the time.

 

I'm going on Navigator of the Seas and was able to upgrade to a Family Oceanview a couple of weeks before sail date. Normally, you can only book these if there are 5 or more in the party, which you will have. There is no balcony (which may be a good thing) and only 1 bathroom. The cabin we will have is over 300 sq. ft. The kids will have a separate sleeping area with 2 bunk beds. There is also a sleeper sofa, so it can sleep 6. It is right at the front of the ship, but on a fairly high deck, so hopefully we will have a nice view, without too much motion. :eek:

[helenb]

On Princess' newer ships, you can book 2 balconies next to each other. All balconies have connecting doors between them. Ask the room steward and he will remove the door, so you can effectively have 2 rooms off of one big balcony.