What would you do re: stateroom?

[mymollysue]

We have decided to book a family trip on the Quantum of the Seas for 2015. We have 2 kids who will be 5 and 2 at the time of sailing. We are debating between booking a 300 sq foot outside cabin or 2 adjoining inside cabins. The two adjoining inside cabins would be $700 more. The cruise would be either 8 or 10 nights.

 

The benefit of doing the adjoining cabins is that the kids would be in one and DH and I would be in the other. Plus we would have an extra bathroom. We are doing this on the Breakaway in December.

 

Do you think it is worth the money to have 2 cabins instead of one big cabin?

[tamsocal]

we travel with 5 - I still prefer larger cabin/suite vs adjoining cabins. I would also pick verandah single cabin over inside adjoining.

 

we like the extra space and if I had teenagers I would take the extra bathroom probably- but the 2 yr old isnt going to shower on their own- so I can't see how that would be of benefit to me.

 

I absolutely would take suite amenities single cabin over 2 cabins-- but you didnt mention that the outside cabin vas a suite.

 

When we have had adjoining cabins the major benefit I found was when the kids were at the ages of still taking naps. I could sit in the other cabin while they napped.

This was still possible though with a large verandah cabin- I just sat on the balcony- which was honestly more enjoyable then sitting in the cabin

 

at 2 yrs I would want a pack n play and would prefer the larger cabin with a PNP. Also would leave the PNP up all the time vs when in an inside smaller cabin- we would collapse when they werent sleeping to gain more space

[Keith1010]

I would pick two connecting cabins.

 

The two bathrooms are a plus and I think it would make it easier for sleeping.

 

Keith

[Prinycesa07]

I would save the money, 5 and 2 are still young kids. Now, when they get older, i'd go with the 2 rooms.

[Gunner22aa]

First you will have some privacy. Second the children will have real beds to sleep in and not either a pull out 3/4 couch to share or more importantly at their age raised beds that pull out from the wall or cealing and are 5-6 feet off the ground. The perfect solution would be a family suite if one is available and within your budget. Everyone gets a good bed and a balcony to boot.

[Scrapnana]

Normally I would encourage people to go with the two cabins but in your case I would do the large outside. At the ages of 2 and 5 I would worry about them even in an adjoining cabin.

[Terpnut]

We have decided to book a family trip on the Quantum of the Seas for 2015. We have 2 kids who will be 5 and 2 at the time of sailing. We are debating between booking a 300 sq foot outside cabin or 2 adjoining inside cabins. The two adjoining inside cabins would be $700 more. The cruise would be either 8 or 10 nights.

 

The benefit of doing the adjoining cabins is that the kids would be in one and DH and I would be in the other. Plus we would have an extra bathroom. We are doing this on the Breakaway in December.

 

Do you think it is worth the money to have 2 cabins instead of one big cabin?

We have been cruising with our kids regularly for over 12 years, and we ALWAYS book connecting staterooms versus cramming 3-4 into one stateroom. We enjoy the additional space, privacy and the extra bathroom--of course it comes at an additional cost! :)

Normally I would encourage people to go with the two cabins but in your case I would do the large outside. At the ages of 2 and 5 I would worry about them even in an adjoining cabin.

When the OP says "adjoining", I assumed she means connecting. OP, do you mean connecting or adjoining? With a 5 and 2 YO, I agree with Scrapnana that I'd definitely have connecting staterooms. Our kids are now 14 and 12 YO so when we sail the Med in July, we have booked adjoining (and not connecting) staterooms for the very first time.

[tamsocal]

First you will have some privacy. Second the children will have real beds to sleep in and not either a pull out 3/4 couch to share or more importantly at their age raised beds that pull out from the wall or cealing and are 5-6 feet off the ground. The perfect solution would be a family suite if one is available and within your budget. Everyone gets a good bed and a balcony to boot.

 

I guess everyone is different- I wouldnt want my 2 year old in a regular bed- they did great in the pack n plays. I guess if we could get bed rails that might make a difference.

 

My kids sleep great on the floor-- so my choices I guess are all about me :D

 

last year we used the regalo cots in a family suite- worked perfect and they loved them.

we pick 2 connecting vs one large based on price, sleeping arrangements, balcony vs dont care, napping needed or not likely for the kids, etc. Suite amenities vs not, etc-- lots of variables.

With 5 of us- most of the time we purchase 2 cabins and only use one. We had 2 on our cruise to Panama and only went in the balcony cabin while we sailed thru the canal- only met our cabin steward once :) for that cabin

[mymollysue]

I meant two connecting insides. :)

 

We have been cruising with our kids regularly for over 12 years, and we ALWAYS book connecting staterooms versus cramming 3-4 into one stateroom. We enjoy the additional space, privacy and the extra bathroom--of course it comes at an additional cost! :)

 

When the OP says "adjoining", I assumed she means connecting. OP, do you mean connecting or adjoining? With a 5 and 2 YO, I agree with Scrapnana that I'd definitely have connecting staterooms. Our kids are now 14 and 12 YO so when we sail the Med in July, we have booked adjoining (and not connecting) staterooms for the very first time.

[Prinycesa07]

I think a big part of it depends on you & your kids. My 2 yr old will only sleep in a crib & my preschooler would never sleep in another room on vacation. She still often wakes up & comes to my bed so she would be afraid if she woke up in a different place. I also wouldn't feel comfortable with them in another room. Call me a paranoid mom lol.

[mymollysue]

We decided to go with the Large Oceanview. For the Breakaway in Dec, we are going with 2 connecting interiors (we would leave the door btw open). I guess we will see how both options work!

[Terpnut]

I think a big part of it depends on you & your kids. My 2 yr old will only sleep in a crib & my preschooler would never sleep in another room on vacation. She still often wakes up & comes to my bed so she would be afraid if she woke up in a different place. I also wouldn't feel comfortable with them in another room. Call me a paranoid mom lol.

I agree it is a highly personal and subjective decision. We've traveled all over the world on numerous vacations (probably over 320 nights over 12+ years), and we've shared a room with our kids (whether hotel room or cruise stateroom) for perhaps 6 of those nights. And that happened in China and Italy where we could simply not get connecting or adjoining rooms! So our kids, even since they were infants, have never needed or wanted to be in the same room as mommy and daddy! :p

[Terpnut]

We decided to go with the Large Oceanview. For the Breakaway in Dec, we are going with 2 connecting interiors (we would leave the door btw open). I guess we will see how both options work!

BTW, having had dozens of connecting rooms in various hotels and cruise ships over the years, I will just add that some connecting arrangements work better than others. On most RCI ships for example, the connecting door is in the middle of the room. This works much better with younger kids because you can easily peak around the doorway to check in on them, and as you said, you can leave the door fully open, slightly ajar or close it entirely depending on your particular comfort level and needs at the moment. On Celebrity's S-class ships however, the connecting arrangement uses a "master" door in front of the two main stateroom entry doors. This layout allows for more cabin space (because it doesn't intrude where the sofa typically is) and provides much more privacy for each group, BUT if you have little ones, it's noticably further so you can't hear what's going on next door as well and it's a longer walk to check in on them. So I don't recommend X's S-class ship arrangements for connecting rooms for families with little ones or for paranoid moms. :) I've also found connecting arrangements in many hotels to be a little weird too, but that's another subject!

 

So the lesson learned is: make sure to check the specific connecting room layout or arrangement for your specific ship, and do NOT assume it is the common mid-room connecting door layout!

[RSLeesburg]

wow. tough choice. I would take the larger room and the suite perks, as your children are still younger, and wait to book two rooms when they are older.

[boulders]

I've done 2 connecting rooms and I've done a 300 sq ft oceanview. I much prefer the ocean view. With the connecting rooms, my youngest was 2. I did not like not being able to see him and make sure he was not in any mischief or trouble at all times. During waking hours, he usually spent all the time in my room anyway.

 

On Tuesday, I had one of those F cabins as well as a family junior suite on hold. Due to my C&A balcony discount, the family junior suite was only $700 more for 3. It has 1.5 baths, a large balcony, double C&A points and is more amidships. However, with little kids, NOT having a balcony can be a good idea.

[cb at sea]

On vacation, privacy is important (to me, anyway!!!)...so I'd do the 2 cabins, so hubby and I could have some adult time! Simply close the connecting doorway, and it's a private as your bedroom at home (with the door closed!).

Vacations can be sexy..I wouldn't want the kids next to me 24/7!

[chrisc71]

I would go for the one larger room. If they were teens I would see thee benefit of two bathrooms.

[mymollysue]

Thank you everyone for your advice. For this trip, we decided to go with one larger room. We are very excited!

[monkeyluis]

I have a 6 & 9 year old. We always book inside. They sleep on the bunks or a bunk & trundle. We've done that for several years. I don't know that a 5 & 2 yr old need their own room, even adjoining.

[delily]

I would definately prefer the larger outside cabin with a window (very important to me since I hate not being able to tell what time of day it is when I wake up during the night). Your kids are so young that they'll take up little room anyway. For me, two inside rooms would mean paying more for something that isn't as nice.