Upper Bunk vs sofa bed

[sunrise&set]

I am looking at booking the NCL Epic for next year. It will be me, DH and DS. After reading many posts about the layout of the cabins, I was wondering if it would be better to get a cabin with an upper bunk as opposed to using the sofa bed. I know when the sofa bed is set up, it takes up a lot of space. This isn't just for the Epic but other ships and cruiselines too. DS will be old enough to go on the upper bunk. When cruising with him in the past, he has used the pack-n-play and the sofa bed. I haven't been in a cabin with an upper bunk set up yet.

 

This question really isn't specific to the Epic. Just wondering your thoughts on the upper vs sofa bed for a child who is old enough to use an upper??

[nlt46]

We've used the upper bunk before. It does seem like a long way up there. I know my grand kids would not feel comfortable. The sofa does work. You could turn it to the wall if you were afraid your child might roll off. We have completely rearranged rooms before, and no one has cared. They've even helped when they were around.

 

Nancy

[VikkiGarcia]

My kids always prefered an upper because it has a standard mattress and is as comfortable as the lower beds. Sofa beds always have a much thinner mattress and they take up all your floor space when opened.

[sunrise&set]

My kids always prefered an upper because it has a standard mattress and is as comfortable as the lower beds. Sofa beds always have a much thinner mattress and they take up all your floor space when opened.

 

This is what I was concerned about. We were just on FOS and while the sofa bed was comfortable (and full size), it took up a lot of space which was a real pain getting ready in the morning. I was thinking of using the upper bunk instead but wasn't sure if that got in the way at all too?? He'll be 5 so I'm not worried about him on the upper bunk, I'm sure he'll love it. On Epic, it looks like cabins for 3 have the sofa bed, so I'd have to book a cabin for 4 which has one upper and the sofa bed. Same cost.

[VikkiGarcia]

The upper bunk is high enough that I can sit up on the bed uderneath it and not hit my head (5'3"). My husband takes the open side. So for us it does not get in the way of anything. On some ships the upper bunk has limited viewing of the tv. For us this was never an issue because when the kids returned from kids club in the evening it was straight to bed.

[cantw8togo]

We were on the Epic recently with 2 DS's and the layout is different than any other ship we had been on. The sofa bed doesn't unfold, but rather it rolls out from under the backrest. It is a bit stiff, but I have since read that you can request an egg crate foam topper to make it more comfortable. The upper bunk folds down from the ceiling and when made up, you can't fully open the storage cupboards or walk past it to the balcony without turning sideways. NCL is known for it's cozy cabins and with the beds made up, it was truly cramped, but it was only an issue at night. The bunk is quite high and if your child is younger, moves around A LOT or gets up in the night to use the bathroom, then I would be content to stay with the sofa bed. We found ourselves pulling the sofa bed out from the wall during the day to give us more room to play cards and it was no problem moving it around ourselves.

 

We were on IOS last year in a Junior Suite and were spoiled for room, but I found that the sofa bed mattress was thin and lumpy. The lightweight kids didn't mind, but a heavier adult would find it uncomfortable.

 

On HAL's Volendam, we had a single bunk and a single sofa bed, both of which didn't take up a lot of room and were super comfortable. (Best beds of the five cruises that we have been on.) We left them out all day so that the kids could nap during the day and the layout of the room meant that they weren't in the way like they would have been on the Epic.

 

Hope this helps.

[Cruisin Kay D]

Beware of Quad (for 4) balcony cabins on Westerdam: when loveseat is opened, it extends to the desk/refrig so that you cannot get to the balcony door!! upper bunk is above heads of those in regular bed and low enough that those sleeping in the reg bed hit their heads getting up & down. And we had such a really nice large balcony!!!

Don't know how the triple would be laid out!

Even if you call & ask the cruise line, sometimes they give you the wrong info. We booked what we thought were connecting cabins (door at foot of reg beds) and HAL literature showed a door betw these cabins & the people in Seattle assured us they were, but NO CONNECTION!! Boy was I upset on embarkation day!!!