First time cruise on NCL Jewel with two young kids

[mlcruiser2010]

My husband and I are planning our first cruise with our kids (3 and 1 years old). We are on a pretty tight budget and are thinking about booking an inside cabin. The website states that an inside cabin is around 140 sq.ft. Is this is enough space for the four of us with a crib in the cabin? Is an Ocean View cabin worth the extra money? Are there decks that are better/quieter than others? Should we even attempt to go on a cruise at this time?

 

Thanks for all your help.

[duckygator]

My husband and I are planning our first cruise with our kids (3 and 1 years old). We are on a pretty tight budget and are thinking about booking an inside cabin. The website states that an inside cabin is around 140 sq.ft. Is this is enough space for the four of us with a crib in the cabin? Is an Ocean View cabin worth the extra money? Are there decks that are better/quieter than others? Should we even attempt to go on a cruise at this time?

 

Thanks for all your help.

 

I really enjoy cruising, but the rooms are very small. I have had inside cabins, handicap access cabins, oceanview cabins and a large balcony cabin. None of them were "roomy." The good part is that you try to spend as little of time in the cabin as possible. It will be tight in an inside stateroom, but it would be tight in a balcony room as well. It is not worth the price for the oceanview if you are looking for more room.

 

I would recommend booking your room through a travel agent as "run of the house." What this means is you pay a very low price and the cruise line assigns you to whatever room they want. Sounds risky, I know, but I have been pleasantly surprised and unless I'm booking a balcony or better, I always book "run of the house." You will get your room assignment a few weeks before the sail date. While you will pay for an inside stateroom, you will get at least that and maybe better!

[garycarla]

Run of the house - also know as Guarentee can save money. You can also get any room they want to assign you. Totally up to them.

 

On a side note, understand there are age limits for kids club. Pretty sure your one year old is out. Also, no swimmers or diapers in pools.

[FLAHAM]

In planning your budget, bear in mind that your 3 year old will incur a $12 daily service charge. You and your husband will each also incur this charge but your 1 year old will not. Total will be $252 for the week.

[mlcruiser2010]

The price difference between getting a guarantee cabin and an assigned cabin is $100 on their website. So, I should just save a $100 and get a guarantee cabin?

[garycarla]

The price difference between getting a guarantee cabin and an assigned cabin is $100 on their website. So, I should just save a $100 and get a guarantee cabin?

 

Sure, as long as you are going to be happy no matter where they put you. In all reality, there are not really bad cabins, just some that maybe aren't so great. Some people do this all the time and they are very happy. Some do it and come back here upset that they got changed to another cabin. Remember, they can change right up until you board.

[bakerintn]

an inside or ocean view cabin will be very tight with a crib / pack-n-play. If your older child can sleep in a bunk bed, then a crib could possibly go between the two twin beds. Otherwise it will be in the hallway that leads outside and to the bathroom. Hopefully others will post here who have actually used a crib.

 

here is a picture of the bunk bed and the two twin beds set apart to give you an idea. The other bed on the floor is a trundle bed that is usually set up between the two twins, making it wall to wall bed. Maybe the 1 year old could safely be on this giant bed with you??

[gliles]

here is a picture of the bunk bed and the two twin beds set apart to give you an idea. The other bed on the floor is a trundle bed that is usually set up between the two twins, making it wall to wall bed. Maybe the 1 year old could safely be on this giant bed with you??

 

That picture looks really comfy!

 

We've done guarantees and been pleased, but then again we've only been on a dozen cruises and that's many different lines and ships so we don't usually know better about what cabin we want. As someone said, the worst you can get is an inside and that's what you were gonna book anyway. I'd save the $100 for sure but then again I wouldn't have cruised when my kids were that young - they won't remember it and it won't be as fun for Mom and Dad. But if you do decide to go and take the kids, you will all have fun - just not as much :D

[daZboys]

My husband and I are planning our first cruise with our kids (3 and 1 years old). We are on a pretty tight budget and are thinking about booking an inside cabin. The website states that an inside cabin is around 140 sq.ft. Is this is enough space for the four of us with a crib in the cabin? Is an Ocean View cabin worth the extra money? Are there decks that are better/quieter than others? Should we even attempt to go on a cruise at this time?

 

Thanks for all your help.

 

I have been cruising with my boys (9 and 11) since they were 1 and 3 years old. When they were younger we always booked an inside cabin and when he was 1 he slept in a pack-n-play. (I can't remeber if I brought it or the cruiseline supplied it). We liked to choose our location because I would pick an inside cabin that was close to the kids club. My 3 year old was the only one that was old enough to participate and he loved it. We had to drag him away to spend time with us.

 

We have taken 6 cruises with our children and even though sharing an inside cabin is a bit tight, we manage. We had an ocean view cabin on a cruise in Dec(we were offered an upsell) and I must admit that it was not much bigger than the inside that we normally book.

 

I think that cruising is the best vacation to take with kids. Since yours are not in school yet I would suggest that you avoid the school vacation times. There will be less kids in the kids programs and your child that is old enough to attend will probably enjoy the smaller crowd. When my children were that young we got to know the kids crew very well.

 

Hope this helps.

[Chazman]

Is the ocean view worth the extra cost? I say definitely yes. We took our 3 and 1 year old kids 2 years ago on the Jewel and stayed 10 days in a deck 5 ocean view room. The big window has a deep sill and also a shelf (see pic) where our kids camped out anytime we were in the room. It's very close to the waterline so you get great views of the ship's wake, spray, sunrises and sunsets - an ever changing picture. Get the ocean view!

[Vyhanek]

We cruise with our children a lot. In fact, I couldn't imagine going on a cruise without kids. It's such a family vacation and everyone caqn find something they like to do!

 

However, I think 3 and 1 are too young. When you still are at the point where you are using a crib in a tiny cabin, when you still need high chairs, car seats, diapers, strollers, etc. to meet your everyday needs a cruise just won't be very convenient for you.

 

I would wait until your kids are 3 and 5. They are old enough both for the Kids Club, you are out of the baby stage and ready to have big kids with all the benefits that come with it.

 

For a baby and 3 year old I think your best vacation is renting a condo on a beach somewhere. You can unpack, spread out and relax better.