Sofabeds vs Pullmans

[MissCheekx]

So, what's the difference? We will have 2 adults and 2 children in the room. Which set-up would work best?

[disneyfan68]

Depends on the age of your children. My almost 13 yo son shared the sofa bed with my 10 yo daughter on freedom and was fine. We had a junior suite and sofa bed pulled out was fairly large and quite comfortable. I think the Pullmans would be better for older children.

[Jace_91]

So, what's the difference? We will have 2 adults and 2 children in the room. Which set-up would work best?

 

You should look in to getting the kids an inside room across the hall from you (if you have ocean view or balcony) have done 4 people in a room on freedom before and it works its just very cramped.

[disneyfan68]

You should look in to getting the kids an inside room across the hall from you (if you have ocean view or balcony) have done 4 people in a room on freedom before and it works its just very cramped.

 

That really depends on the age of the kids. You are suppose to be 21 to be in your own cabin unless an adult is in there with you. On our last cruise a family did that and had 3 boys ages 13, 10 and 8 in there own cabin. I would never do that. Connecting is one thing, but across the hall no. That's just me.

[Familygoboston]

Depends on the age of the kids-

Pullmans are pretty high up for little ones, but with the sofa bed, you have "sharing issues". If it were me, I'd put wee ones ( under 7) together on a SB, and bigger ones (8 and up) in their own pullmans, less fighting that way! My DD is 5 10 and requested the sofa bed because she feels she' d be a bit claustrophobic in a pullman.

If your 4 includes 2 teens (especially if they are tall or large) I'd try to swing the 2nd cabin- even if you have to book a lesser category. The physical space is small for 4 adult sized people and the single bathroom is hard to manage with teens.

Good luck!

[MissCheekx]

My kids will be too young to be in their own cabin, so that wouldn't work. What is a pullman bed?

[disneyfan68]

Flips down from the wall or ceiling. Like the other poster said, better for older children. What are their ages?

[joeybutta]

Pullmans work great for us. The pull out couch takes up WAY too much room ...especially when you have to get up in the middle of the night and use the bathroom.

[reallyitsmema]

My kids will be too young to be in their own cabin, so that wouldn't work. What is a pullman bed?

Have you already booked your cabin? If you have, there is a symbol beside the cabin number on the deck plans that will tell you whether your cabin has pullman or a sofabed.

[MissCheekx]

We haven't booked, yet. This will be a surprise spring break 2014 trip for the kids. Still a Freedom class ship, but not the Freedom. We actually have 3 kids who will be 12, 7 and 6 then, and will be booking with my brother and his 3 kids the same ages, plus my mom. We are trying to figure out if the sofabeds would work better or the pullmans, but we weren't even sure what a pullman was.

[SamFritz]

The nice thing about the Pullmans is that you get more floor space. Once the sofabed is out there's almost no room in the cabin.

 

 

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[powellzk]

My son (17) has slept on both, sofa bed with egg crate mattress and pullman. He said the pullman is much more comfortable. The pullmans also have a ladder and side rail.

[reallyitsmema]

We haven't booked, yet. This will be a surprise spring break 2014 trip for the kids. Still a Freedom class ship, but not the Freedom. We actually have 3 kids who will be 12, 7 and 6 then, and will be booking with my brother and his 3 kids the same ages, plus my mom. We are trying to figure out if the sofabeds would work better or the pullmans, but we weren't even sure what a pullman was.

Look at the pictures in this thread to see what pullman look like stored and pulled down.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1518372&highlight=pullman+pictures

[MissCheekx]

Thanks for the pic, that was very helpful. Upon further investigation, however, it looks as if pullmans aren't an option for the balcony cabins. But, thanks to everyone for their assistance!

[jpolm]

That really depends on the age of the kids. You are suppose to be 21 to be in your own cabin unless an adult is in there with you. On our last cruise a family did that and had 3 boys ages 13, 10 and 8 in there own cabin. I would never do that. Connecting is one thing, but across the hall no. That's just me.

 

Where'd you get 21. I believe it's 17. I just asked a week ago before we booked. It definitely was not 21 for the oasis.

[Cuizer2]

So, what's the difference? We will have 2 adults and 2 children in the room. Which set-up would work best?

 

These are Pullmans, they come down from the ceiling ...

 

 

This is a sofa bed. It come out of the sofa ...

 

[reallyitsmema]

Thanks for the pic, that was very helpful. Upon further investigation, however, it looks as if pullmans aren't an option for the balcony cabins. But, thanks to everyone for their assistance!

Another option is a unique set of cabins on deck 9. It is a balcony cabin with a connecting inside cabin. There is one set on each side of the ship, 9696 connected to 9701 and 9396 connected to 9401.

 

I think there is also a set at the front of the ship that are balcony connected to an oceanview. I didn't go looking for them though.

 

Edit: just looked, they are on deck 9 also. 9520 and 9518 and other set is 9220 and 9218.

[publicpersona]

Thanks for the pic, that was very helpful. Upon further investigation, however, it looks as if pullmans aren't an option for the balcony cabins. But, thanks to everyone for their assistance!

There are definitely balcony staterooms with pullmans on the Freedom class ships you are looking at. I was in one last week.

[reallyitsmema]

There are definitely balcony staterooms with pullmans on the Freedom class ships you are looking at. I was in one last week.

There are balcony cabins with a single pullman, did you actually have 2 pullman? The OP needs 2.

[bus man]

OP, just so you know, the picture of the room with the sofa bed in Cuizer2's picture is definitely NOT a standard balcony room. It's a suite of some sort. (Never been in a suite, so I don't know what type.) The sofa bed in a standard room, when deployed, will take up most of the floor space.

 

FWIW, my son was aged 5-1/2 when we cruised last spring, and he slept in a pullman bed. He loved it, and there were no problems whatsoever. (Well, except for me lying awake at night, scared that he would roll off in his sleep! :eek: )

[Cuizer2]

OP, just so you know, the picture of the room with the sofa bed in Cuizer2's picture is definitely NOT a standard balcony room. It's a suite of some sort. (Never been in a suite, so I don't know what type.) :eek: )

 

Both pictures are from the Royal Family Suite.

[MissCheekx]

Booked!! We also had the added issue of wanting a connecting cabin with my brother and his kids, so they wouldn't be running around in the hallways! There were limited connecting quads and none with Pullmans, so we snatched up what we could. I doubt the kids will mind the sofa beds.

[Esmerelda]

Both of my sons agreed the pullman beds were WAY more comfortable than any sofa bed they've slept on onboard a ship. I think the youngest age they used a pullman was 4 or 5. We had no problems with it, there are side rails on it.

 

I have to agree with both of them. I've laid down on both, did not like the sofabed, the pullman much more comfortable.

 

Happy sailing!

[Jenjer]

I would do a pullman 1000X over a sofa bed.

 

My kids are 10 and 8 all they did was fight on the sofa bed. So much, much, much, easier on the Pullman.

 

No one could steal covers or pillows or touch each other with cold feet.

 

Yes Freedom has pullmans. They are like bunkbeds with a ladder and side guard my 8 yo did not have any problems at all.

[will773]

Booked!! We also had the added issue of wanting a connecting cabin with my brother and his kids, so they wouldn't be running around in the hallways! There were limited connecting quads and none with Pullmans, so we snatched up what we could. I doubt the kids will mind the sofa beds.

 

Congrats on your booking. Sounds like your family is going to have a great trip!