FOS - Statement Confusion

[GrammieMame]

We have been Disney cruisers but now the boys are older (16 & 13) and we think FOS would be just the ticket. I'm looking at balcony staterooms and only see rooms with 2 twin beds and (maybe?) a fold-out sofa. I even went to the Jr. Suite level and still see that set-up. The Disney ships have 2 twins and 2 bunk beds that work great for 2 adults and 2 children. Does the twin bed & sofa arrangement work with teens? Any alternatives.

 

Also, are children charged the same price as adults for being the 3rd & 4th occupants of the room?

[rummenroman]

We have been Disney cruisers but now the boys are older (16 & 13) and we think FOS would be just the ticket. I'm looking at balcony staterooms and only see rooms with 2 twin beds and (maybe?) a fold-out sofa. I even went to the Jr. Suite level and still see that set-up. The Disney ships have 2 twins and 2 bunk beds that work great for 2 adults and 2 children. Does the twin bed & sofa arrangement work with teens? Any alternatives.

 

Also, are children charged the same price as adults for being the 3rd & 4th occupants of the room?

 

If you can afford it get two rooms. One for you and the other half, and one for the boys. You will get two bathrooms, and you and the other half will have a room to yourself;). I do know RCCL allows this as long as you are next door to each other.

 

Yes children are charged the same as adults. At the ages your boys are they will eat eat eat....or at least i did at that age.

[cb at sea]

No JS's have pullman beds--that's probably what you want, if you're going to put 4 in 1 cabin.

A JS will have twin/queen bed and a sofa that will sleep 2. I would NOT sleep on the sofa--give it to the kids and parents get the "good" bed!

2 rooms is a better option--even if they aren't connecting!

[spanner14]

And not all JSs have a sofabed, some only have sofas along with the double bed. The deck plans will show whether or not a JS has got a sofabed.

 

There is a curtain between the double bed and the sofabed on Freedom but even so, if you can afford it, I'd go for two rooms (interconnecting or one balcony and the inside cabin right across the hall). Otherwise it's a cabin with twin beds and pullmans.

[marci22]

I would look for rooms that have pullmans vs. the sofabed. Two teens in a sofabed is not as comfy. They will like having their own pullman. If you get a JS, you might be able to fit a rollaway cot in addition to the sofabed but I think pullmans are comfier than a rollaway.

 

My other recommendation is to go ahead and book 2 D2's, because I have seen them reduce prices on those quite often. (as opposed to the D1s). On our July FOS cruise (peak season) they were selling the D2s for $1200 while insides were around $1000pp (about a month before sail date). If you are going off-season there is a better chance of them discounting rooms.

 

Another idea is to book them into an inside across the hall from your balcony. The 3rd and 4th prices have been quite high lately, making it a better value to just book an extra inside room.

[akcruz]

I agree with the other posters here, if you can swing it, get 2 cabins. What we do is get a balcony for DH and I, then an inside across the hall for kids. My kids are now 14 & 19 but have been doing this for the last few cruises and it works just fine. On the Freedom you even have the option of the Promenade cabins if that appeals to the kids. My kids did one and while they liked it they actual prefer the layout of the inside and since they didn't really use the window we save the $$ and get the inside!

 

BTW, your kids will love the Freedom, my son was 13 when we went last year and he had a blast.

[BPWJR]

In a JS with sofa bed can get a roll-away in there and then teens not on top of each other. If can get two cabins, have the suggestions above or look back on Deck 9. Have an interesting balcony connecting to an inside cabin in rooms 9396 & 9401 or 9696 & 9701

[GrammieMame]

Great advice!! If the kids cost the same, why not get 2 rooms. We definitely want a balcony and if the kids can use the inside room then it wouldn't be as expensive. A couple more questions:

 

What's the difference between a D1 and D2?

 

What's an "interesting" balcony? I have read about the hump balcony rooms and like the idea of being near the center elevators and stairs. Do these rooms have inside rooms across the hall?

 

Another question. I never use a TA; always book myself. People talk about the TA being better because if the price goes down you get a discount. Wouldn't that also be the case if you book direct with RCCL?

 

And, are some decks preferable in terms of being quiet? Not being under a noise making activity on the deck above you?

[FigmentsKiss]

What's an "interesting" balcony? I have read about the hump balcony rooms and like the idea of being near the center elevators and stairs. Do these rooms have inside rooms across the hall?

 

Another question. I never use a TA; always book myself. People talk about the TA being better because if the price goes down you get a discount. Wouldn't that also be the case if you book direct with RCCL?

 

And, are some decks preferable in terms of being quiet? Not being under a noise making activity on the deck above you?

 

I'll answer what I can, but there are others that can probably do a better job.

 

I always book myself. I just like having that control. Our stateroom category just went down for our Nov cruise, and I called up and got the price adjustment. IMO, if I have to rely on a travel agent, what if they aren't checking the prices every day and miss it? What if I call and alert them and they don't call? Many TAs do provide incentives like OBC, and that can be a huge draw. It's all about what you like. I've switched my stateroom twice because a room I liked better popped up as available. Couldn't do that with a TA, well I could, but I suppose I would start to become annoying.

 

I haven't cruised FOS yet (still counting down the days) so I can't answer specifics about the ship and what decks are better (if any) but we have a hump on our upcoming cruise and had one on Mariner when we cruised her. I loved it for the location. There are inside staterooms and promanade inside staterooms nearby.

[marci22]

Great advice!! If the kids cost the same, why not get 2 rooms. We definitely want a balcony and if the kids can use the inside room then it wouldn't be as expensive. A couple more questions:

 

What's the difference between a D1 and D2?

 

 

On FOS, there are only D1s on deck 10. On deck 9, there are D1s (high occupancy, and hump) and D2s (doubles). On deck 8, D1s are high occupancy, D2s are doubles. The hump cabins here are Es (smaller than Ds). If you look at the deck plans, you will be able to figure it out.

 

I wanted to add: when you are comparing a [quad balcony] vs. [D balcony + inside], price the [D1 with 4 people] (quad) vs a [D2 (double, priced lower) + inside]. That gives you a more accurate comparison.

[kjkrmk]

We've sailed on the Mariner out of canaveral with a balcony cabin with the kids across the hall in an inside cabin. Worked great for us and let them sleep in if hey wanted to...which they did.

[digital_curator]

In terms of decks, we really like 7 or 8- only a few decks above the Promenade on deck 5 for snacks and drinks, while only a few decks below the pool and buffet areas. This way we could always take the stairs. Also, you would be sandwiched between cabin-only decks so they are a little quieter.

 

You might want to consider a balcony for you and a Promenade cabin for your kids- center of the ship and they will have a view for the parades and other "action" on the Promenade.

 

Enjoy the cruise!

[GrammieMame]

Can you elaborate on the "interesting" balcony rooms you mentioned on deck 9?

[clochette]

We also were DCL cruiser and moved to RCCL, we book a balcony room for us, and an inside across for the kids, and the price is very comparable to the kids being in our rooms. It is great to have the extra room and 2 bathrooms. I did love the cabins on DCl, I thought they were great for families, and the girls loved the beds, RCCL cabins are not as great for families.

[akcruz]

Couple things I think I can answer

 

- The interesting cabins referred to above are balcony cabins connected to insides or oceanviews. These are either at the way front or way back of the ship and book FAST. Hard to get, but if you do worth it.

 

- The hump cabins are nice, but if you book one, you will need to have an adult in each cabin as there are no inside close enough by the have RCI say you are across the hall. Hump cabins are nice if you are on your own, but with the second cabin, I would stick with ones across the fall.

 

- My preference is deck 9, sandwiched inbetween decks with other cabins and close to the pool, windjammer, teen area, etc. Others have their preferences which differ. Think about where you will spend most of your time and get a deck close to that.

 

- The difference between the D1 and D2 is usually location on the ship and how many people it can hold. The D1 & E1 cabins are the only balconies (excluding suites) that can hold more than 2. The D2, D3 & E2 cabins only hold 2 people. Otherwise all D cabins are the same size and all E cabins are the same size.

 

- Personally I book directly so that I can have control over my reservation. I have used a TA in the past and got some OBC but only did this as it was a late booking and didn't expect any changes to be needed. I prefer to know what's happening and not need to call anyone else to do something for me. Again, my preference, you and others may feel different.

 

Give RCI a call, let them know your situation and they will help you to figure out what cabins will meet your needs. Think that's it for your question, book it and start planning :D.

[tchrmom]

 

Give RCI a call, let them know your situation and they will help you to figure out what cabins will meet your needs. Think that's it for your question, book it and start planning :D.

 

This is what I did last year....when I made the MONUMENTAL leap of faith, and tried The Liberty. At first, I booked us in one room.....like I had always done with Disney. (We always got at a Cat. 10...liked the split bath) Then, someone on my "meet and greet" thread asked what kind of room I had....when I told them, she said it would be VERY tight with 4 people. She suggested 2 connecting interior rooms.....since we prefer them, and have always stayed in one. It was.....if memory serves me correctly.....about $200.00 more for the kids to have an adjoining room. It took DH and I about 5 seconds to decide to try it. BEST move we ever made!!!! When getting ready, you have 2 sinks, 2 toilets, 2 showers......and when you shut the door........privacy for mom and dad. (*wink, wink*)