Best bargain for 5 people

[jangeo7]

Any advice welcome on room configurations that would best suit a family of five. Kids are 10,14, 16. Is it cheaper to book 2 rooms that are connecting or across from each other? Are there standard rooms that can sleep 5 or does it neeed to be a suite? Are 3rd 4th and 5th person cheaper in the same room.Looking for the best bargain over best space.

Hoping to cruise out of NY or Florida

[crzgrl66]

I have found that it is almost always cheaper to book 2 rooms, than a room that holds 5. You get more room & another bathroom so you end up getting more bang for your buck IMHO. :D You can get connecting (share a door), adjoining (next to each other) or directly across. Good Luck

[boulders]

With kids that age, I'd get an inside for the kids and a cabin for the adults. Even if you were to have them in a cabin that fits 5, and there are some, you would still be paying 3rd, 4th, 5th rates. Rates for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd in an inside could be about the same or less.

[5-to-cruise]

I don't know if its a good deal or not... but we booked 2 inside cabins right next to each other. 1 for 3 (me and the 2 boys) and 1 for 2 (for wife and daughter).

 

Price was about 2,200 for 7 day W. Carib. on Liberty over Thanksgiving week. I want to say room cat is 6A?

 

rv

[KarenNC]

We also have 3 children. Some Carnival ships allow 5 people in a regular inside or outside cabin. If your family doesn't spend much time in the room (ours just sleeps there), or doesn't mind being cozy, it's the most economical way.

 

If you need more space, typically it is cheaper to get 2 rooms rather than one that fits 5.

 

Hopefully one of these days more cruiselines will be more accommodating for families of 5!

 

Karen

[dijid]

We did it for as cheap as I've ever seen: 5 in an OV room on the Carnival Fantasy for a 5 night for only $1200 (+$250 tips). Inside View on the Holiday and Fantasy were around $1000. We were glad to have the window.

 

In our case, two insides were not cheaper than one ocean view. My kids are younger, and we're frequent travelers, so staying all in that one room wasn't really that big of a deal. But for other families, it might be a little too cozy.

[josask]

Our TA found us a Family Stateroom on the Jewel for less than 2 adjoining rooms. Our kids are 6, 9 & 13 so I think we'll fit in fine. There is only 1 bathroom this way but we'll make due. It's still far better than when we go camping!!!

[jam82]

For our December cruise it was a little bit cheaper to book a cat 12 and an inside than it was to put four of us in the cat 12. Sometimes it is and somestimes it's not.

[mfinkfamily]

We booked a 5 night cruise on the Carnival Destiny. Me, DH, and our 3 kids, (ages 9,4,and 4) Oceanview cat. 6B. It was a little over 1300.00

 

We sail in November. Can't wait!!!!!

[ruready]

It depends. I know Royal has some larger rooms (I believe they are called Family Staterooms) that are little over 300 sq ft and will hold up to 6 people. There is separate sleeping quarters for the parents (are whomever) and then I believe some bunkbeds or similar arrangement in the living area. I am not sure if you can book these online or if you have to call a TA or the cruiseline directly. Other than these types of rooms, I would agree with others and get two cabins. Also with two cabins you will have two bathrooms to share vs. just one :)

[SelectSys]

...Is it cheaper to book 2 rooms that are connecting or across from each other? ...

Across from each other is definitely cheaper if one is balcony and the other is interior. We did this on our last cruise with similar aged kids and missed being in a connected cabin like we have done on previous cruises.

[timothy998]

It depends. I know Royal has some larger rooms (I believe they are called Family Staterooms) that are little over 300 sq ft and will hold up to 6 people. There is separate sleeping quarters for the parents (are whomever) and then I believe some bunkbeds or similar arrangement in the living area. I am not sure if you can book these online or if you have to call a TA or the cruiseline directly. Other than these types of rooms, I would agree with others and get two cabins. Also with two cabins you will have two bathrooms to share vs. just one :)

 

 

This could be a good option for us. Do you know (or anyone, please) on which RCI ship(s) this option exisits? And is the price comparable to two connecting outsides?

 

Thanks!

[boulders]

There are Family Oceanview staterooms on Radiance class, Voyager, and Freedom classes. The Freedom class also has Family Promenade and Family Interior staterooms. The 1st and 2nd passenger rates are a little more than a large oceanview, but the 3rd and up passenger rates should be the same as the 3rd/4th rates for an oceanview. In general, a single family stateroom option should be less than 2 oceanviews since you are only paying higher rates for 2 passengers.

 

Note that these staterooms have a single bathroom, 2 sleeping areas and a sitting area. The floorplans seem to vary. I've stayed in 2 FOV's with completely different floorplans. Others have reported very different floorplans than the ones I've stayed in.

 

Normally, there is a 5 person minimum to book these staterooms, so you must call a TA or RCCL directly. Only if RCCL releases them to groups of 4 or less will you see them online.

[josask]

This could be a good option for us. Do you know (or anyone, please) on which RCI ship(s) this option exisits? And is the price comparable to two connecting outsides?

 

I fit helps you, we just booked a 10-day Panama cruise on the Jewel in January. I believe they are discounted right now as we are paying just over $4000 (including all taxes, etc.) for 5 of us. I also happen to know that as of Tuesday there were still 2 rooms left so hoping there may even be more of a price drop. I believe there are only 6 of these rooms on the ship.

We looked at the layout in the other classes of ships and we liked that of the Radiance class the best, but that was just our personal opinion. The layout we will have is more like a suite in my opinion than having 2 staterooms. From the research I did before booking it seems like almost everyone who has stayed in these rooms was very happy.