NCL Jewel Mini-Suite: Sleeping Arrangements for Toddler Twins?

[lisa928]

DH and I have been on NCL four times before, once with our twin girls. Last time we had a mini-suite with two pack-n-plays when they were 18 moths. The next we will be going we will also be in a mini-suite but they will be almost three. They will have been in a toddler bed for about four months before, but at that they still have the short side so where they do not fall out. When on vacation in hotels we always use two portable beds which works out great. They are indented in the middle so it is much harder for them to roll out, as they have to go up hill. I know the couch comes out to a bed but I am concerned about them rolling out even without the ship rocking! I am seriously considering bring the portable bed with me since they fold up very small and effortless. My concern is their footprint (26” wide by 48” long). If I put them side by side with the short side to the couch would both fit on the one side of the curtain. That if I did would DH and I be able to get around them to the balcony if they are 48” long? I realize that no one ever takes a tape measure to tell me the dimensions, but thought someone might have better special awareness than I do.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions or advise.

[tunseeker1]

When are you going? I'll take a tape measure with me on my next cruise and measure for you!

[lisa928]

October, that would be great!

[tunseeker1]

I am going sept. 10!

[lisa928]

Perfect. I will subscribe to this thread for when you respond. I cannot wait! The other alternative if to have them sleeping on folded blankets on the floor.

[tunseeker1]

:( I can't measure the room on my cruise because the upsell fairy called today and gave us a good deal on a 2 bedroom garden villa.

 

Sorry I couldnt help.

[lisa928]

Wow, congrats and thanks for still thinking of me! Maybe with this bump in the thread someone else can help.

[topspot]

How about putting the mattress from sofabed on the floor. I saw someone on CC who had pictures of their child's "bed". Thought it was a great idea. I think they had a pullman that dropped down from the ceiling. I don't know if that would make a difference.

[lisa928]

How about putting the mattress from sofabed on the floor. I saw someone on CC who had pictures of their child's "bed". Thought it was a great idea. I think they had a pullman that dropped down from the ceiling. I don't know if that would make a difference.

 

I thought about that and had two concerns. First is it removable and second is there enough room on the floor for it, as there would be no overlapping area with the couch when it is open.

[lisa928]

dupe

[Mom2B&Z]

I haven't been in a mini suite (yet...that's in January!) but I can tell you with the couch pulled out into the bed in a balcony there is just enough room to walk by sideways on the way to the balcony. At least in the room we were in, the sofa bed definitely had an indent where people had slept before, so our youngest (who had just turned 3) was fine.

What I would do is use the pull out bed, but pack a bed rail. The sofa is right against the wall, so the inside child will be fine, you just need something for the outside. I've successfully packed a safety 1st bed rail in luggage by breaking it down to the way it came packaged from the store, then packing clothes around it.

[No Nap Nattie]

We will be in a mini suite on the Sept 10th sailing of the NCL Jewel. We requested bed rails for the sofa bed for my DD (she is 3 almost 4, but only 38 inches tall), they said that they would provide them. I never thought they would, but figured it wouldn't hurt to ask. Better than going out and buying travel bed rails, we'll see how it works out. But atleast they will provide them if you ask for them.:)

[lisa928]

We will be in a mini suite on the Sept 10th sailing of the NCL Jewel. We requested bed rails for the sofa bed for my DD (she is 3 almost 4, but only 38 inches tall), they said that they would provide them. I never thought they would, but figured it wouldn't hurt to ask. Better than going out and buying travel bed rails, we'll see how it works out. But atleast they will provide them if you ask for them.:)

 

 

I love you!!! That was so easy and will make things so easy. Thanks so much!

[lidolovers]

Hi No Nap Nattie, we are booked in a mini suite in Dec with out 18 month old and I would like to know how that dividing curtain worked out for you as we are planning on doing the same thing. Were you able to get some privacy and do things quietly on the other side?

 

Funny about your name. Our son is called Nate and we call him No Nap Natey because he hardly ever naps well. (Sleeps like a rock at night though)

 

 

Thanks

[No Nap Nattie]

We leave tomorrow for our cruise so I will let you know how that works out. This is our first time in a mini suite. We are hoping that it is big enough since we have two little girls.

 

And yes, my oldest is Natalie, she decided to stop napping when she was 2 1/2 years old, she is almost 4 now, when ever she was cranky or acting up we used to say "No Nap Nattie strikes again!"

[jtdlmc]

Is there a bunk in the mini suite or just a double sofa?

[No Nap Nattie]

I love you!!! That was so easy and will make things so easy. Thanks so much!

 

 

We are back from the Jewel and our first time in a mini suite, all I can say is "mini" is not an understatement. I can't imagine how we would have gotten by in a smaller room. The mini suite is very long but narrow. And when the sofabed is pulled out there was very little room to walk by to get to the balcony.

 

They did provide bed rails after we insisted to the room steward that NCL had told us they had them & do provide them, so be firm & insist that he/she check. The room steward however would only put them on the main bed, not the sofa bed, I guess because he folded the sofa bed away every morning & didn't want to take it off everyday. So they do have bed rails, but as for working for us, not so much. Our DD loved sleeping on the sofa bed, it was a "full" size bed. Two little ones could fit on it no problem, as far as rolling off, well, it could happen. I would ask for extra pillows to shove inbetween the sofa bed & the glass doors, the other two sides, try the bedrails, either your own or their's, but their bedrails are the half bed size, not the long ones.

 

There really isn't that much room even with the sofa bed folded up, I can't imagine two portable beds fitting, during naptime we had the pack n play next to the sofa so we could close the curtains & it just fit in the space.

 

Good Luck!

[No Nap Nattie]

Hi No Nap Nattie, we are booked in a mini suite in Dec with out 18 month old and I would like to know how that dividing curtain worked out for you as we are planning on doing the same thing. Were you able to get some privacy and do things quietly on the other side?

 

Funny about your name. Our son is called Nate and we call him No Nap Natey because he hardly ever naps well. (Sleeps like a rock at night though)

 

 

Thanks

 

 

Our Nattie slept on the sofa bed with the curtain. It blocked out the light pretty good, but not much of the sound. And the TV is on the side of the room with the sofa bed, so not much late night TV watching. But I was able to catch up on my reading, in fact I was finished with my book by Wednesday.:D

[Sunshine424]

I don't know about the room or the ship - but we just came back from a cruise (family view room on the Summit) and I got from One Step Ahead - blow up bed rails. They roll up and are nothing to carry. It comes with a foot pump but it was easier to blow them up with my mouth. They just get put under the fitted sheet. It kept my DD who rolls all over in her bed - and I just pulled it out at the end of the trip and deflated it and repacked it. You get 2 rails - so you could use 1 per bed if they are up against the wall or one on each side if you have a double bed.

[sandywfrog]

Hi Lisa,

Since you are already back I wondered if you have any tips. I am cruising to Alaska this summer with my twin one year olds. Any advice would be great! Thanks.

[lisa928]

The bed rails only work if they are on the main bed so we gave them back. We put the girls up and down but this is actually perpendicular to the bed as it is wider than longer. We then arranged the blankets so they were folder over with them in there but the openings went toward the middle. So in other words they were facing each other.

I hope this helps and remember to pack your patience!

[sandywfrog]

Great, thanks! I am fine with placing pillows or blankets to keep them in place, but I wasn't sure if there would be any extra! They move around so much I might just have to pack them along the side and dress them in warm pjs and no covers. Any other tips, tricks, or suggestions worth mentioning? The trip is for my parents 50th anniversary, and both sets of grandparents are going. That should be a great help. I am more worried about the flight than the cruise!