Alaska cruise with 3 young kids

[gkrnjlr]

Does anyone have any information on which ships on which cruiselines allow 5 people in one cabin for an Alaskan cruise?

 

We are a family with three small kids (ages 6, 5, and 2 next year when we want to do the Alaska cruise....) and want to be in one cabin.

 

Any help would be appreciated.

 

Thanks!

[Paumavista]

Royal Caribbean I know has the "family staterooms" - I know we could have gotten an oceanview family room that accomodates up to 6. I think they have them in all categories......interior family, OV, and balcony.

 

Almost all lines will also have different levels of "connecting" cabins. This is different from "adjoining" in that the rooms will actually have an interior door vice just being next door to one another. But it will mean having 2 cabins.

 

Actually we are a family of 5 this trip and except for the "Family" cabins (which were more expensive than 2 connecting cabins) we found no ships traveling in Alaska with a "regular cabin" for 5. (Years ago the older carnival ships had rooms for 5....maybe they still do....they would bring in a small kind of roll-away bed for the 5th person)....It made for a pretty crowded room but if all you're doing is sleeping........

 

Judy

[lmg1230]

Princess may be a possibility. We had a minisuite on our cruise to Alaska on the Diamond Princess. While we are only a family of 4 the minisuite could easily have slept 5 as it had a pull-out sofa (double) and a pull-down berth. I'm not sure though whether Princess allows you to book 5 people in the room.

[boulders]

I had a family oceanview booked on RCCL's Radiance for an Alaskan cruise this summer for 4 people. Normally, you can only book them for 5, but I guess they weren't selling. Anyway, the price was LESS than one regular balcony cabin. You can't book these cabins through the website as it will only let you book a maximum of 4 in a cabin. You will have to call, once the itineraries are released for 2010.

[wrp96]

Princess may be a possibility. We had a minisuite on our cruise to Alaska on the Diamond Princess. While we are only a family of 4 the minisuite could easily have slept 5 as it had a pull-out sofa (double) and a pull-down berth. I'm not sure though whether Princess allows you to book 5 people in the room.

 

 

The only rooms on Princess that you can book for more than 4 people are their Family Suites, some of the most expensive staterooms on their ships.

[gkrnjlr]

WOW lots of information here. Thank you!

I didn't expect to get so much info - so this is a big help.

 

Is there much to do in Alaska for children? Specifically ages 6, 5, and 2?

 

Thanks!

[MellowMel]

We found plenty to do in Alaska for our nearly 5-year-old and 7 year-old last summer. I'm not sure which ports you are looking at but our kids loved our excursions . . . whale watching and Mendehnall Glacier in Juneau, the White Pass Railway in Skagway and the Crab Extravaganza in Prince Rupert. They absolutely loved Alaska and still talk about it. They want to return in the next couple of years . . . before the glaciers are gone!

[mommamd]

We are booked on the Serenade of the Seas in June 09, my children are 12 and 10; I am hoping to get some fun excursions for them, is the pool very cold? Will they be bored on the days at sea? Any one have tips for keeping these cruisers occupied during the glacier viewing days?

I hope we can do some wildlife viewing and mild hikes.

I went to Alaska 14 years ago sans children, will be a whole new world!

[wrp96]

The outdoor pool may or may not be cold depending on the weather. But watch the compass for the "family times" in the Solarium, which is when your kids can use the covered pool which will be much warmer.

 

You will probably find that you won't have to worry about keeping them "occupied" as there activities onboard the ship geared especially towards them. Definitely encourage your kids to go to Adventure Ocean especially the first night as that is when they will meet other kids.

[rebeccalouise]

On all of my Alaska cruises (2 on Princess, 2 on NCL) the pools have been heated outside.

 

To the OP- get two connecting rooms- do NCL. They are not as expensive and allow 2 year olds in the youth program.

 

GET 2 CONNECTING ROOMS and book early because getting two together can get to be more difficult later. This way you will have more space, two tvs, two bathrooms, more storage space.

 

Also, I highly recommend doing the roundtrip out of Seattle. It is less expensive to fly there than to do a split ticket (Vancouver/Anchorage).