Bed "doubler" - good idea?

[phaelon56]

I found a great price on this item ($35 plus $5.95 for shipping)

 

http://store.yahoo.com/comfort/playhouses.html

 

and ordered one in the hopes that it will help alleviate a pesky issue on cruises. I've been on only one cruise but my GF and I found that the twin beds (setup as a queen) had a tendency to separate when we were uhhhh... active and even when we were just sleeping a small split developed. One of us always ended "sleeping on the crack" if we tried to snuggle up at night.

 

I'm surprised I could find no discussion of this item with a forum search and hope I didn't spend my money foolishly. Have any of you tried it and can confirm if it's helpful?

 

By the way... I originally found ths item in the SkyMall catalogue on an airplane and was surprised to find they had a competitive price (but they were still $10 more than the place listed on the link). I did a Google and found a half dozen merchants carrying this item but not sure if it's all the same brand or not.

[Leo Jay]

I too am surprised that this doesn't seem to be more of an issue -- at least I've never heard it mentioned before. I think it's pretty common for twins to be put together on cruises, so I'd think many people would have experienced the discomfort you and your GF did. My GF and I are cruising for the first time next month, so I'm curious to hear what people say about the 'bed crack' issue... I think I'll post something in the Carnival board...

[JoyAnn]

I didn't have this problem on my first cruise on Holland America where they put the twins together in our outside cabin. Bed stayed together just fine. I think they attached them to the headboards or something.

[phaelon56]

I didn't have this problem on my first cruise on Holland America where they put the twins together in our outside cabin. Bed stayed together just fine. I think they attached them to the headboards or something.

On the Princess Grand the only thing holding the beds together was the sheets. I don't recall the beds being on caster but it doesn't take much for a small separation to develop - e.g. 1/2" or more is enough to be felt because the edge of the mattress tapers downwards. And once a small crack opens it gets wider up the stretching limit of the sheets. I'm not sailing until late October but will report back on my results of no else has feedback sooner.

[JoyAnn]

We're back on HAL in an outside cabin again, so I'll have to see if this happens to us on this longer cruise in September. We had a queen and king on our second and third cruises because we were in mini suite and suites so it wasn't an issue.

[T_Bird]

We are lucky enough to have never had beds separate on us. Gosh, I hope I did not just curse us for our upcoming Honeymoon cruise...

[phaelon56]

I'm in a mini-suite on this upcoming Princess cruise but like most (or possibly all) cabins on Princess there are always twin beds that combine to form a Queen when specified. Not sure of any of the larger suites have a real Queen or larger twins that combine to form a King but I'm not taking my chances on bed separation this time - the doubler is coming with me!

[Leo Jay]

I'm in a mini-suite on this upcoming Princess cruise but like most (or possibly all) cabins on Princess there are always twin beds that combine to form a Queen when specified. Not sure of any of the larger suites have a real Queen or larger twins that combine to form a King but I'm not taking my chances on bed separation this time - the doubler is coming with me!

 

Let us know how it works, eh? As someone said above, given the way mattress surfaces taper at the edges, I can't imagine NOT being able to feel the crack otherwise...

 

unless each person is very disciplined about staying on his/her own side...

 

which ain't no fun... ;)

[SailAways]

On NCL ships, you can ask for an egg crate (foam type mattress pad) to be put on the two twin beds. There is some sort of locking device which holds the two beds together. A CC poster commented about being cautions to not bump your knee against this when the beds are in the twin configuration.

Perhaps you could ask your room steward what is available on the particular ship that you will be sailing on.

[GCurry]

Funny, we've never had a problem with this for what ever reason. At first I thought it might be the difference between cruising with a wife rather then a GF, but no, that couldn't be it!

Perhaps they also use a queen mattress pad to help hold them together?

[Leo Jay]

Funny, we've never had a problem with this for what ever reason. At first I thought it might be the difference between cruising with a wife rather then a GF, but no, that couldn't be it!

 

Hey, I thought all that sea air was supposed to turn back the clock anyway... ;)

[98Charlie]

With NCL (I think) there is a lock to keep the two beds together. Other lines that we have been on the beds are just pushed together.

 

From the web site:

Installs in 2 minutes: push your twin beds together; place sheepskin along the middle of the bed; buckle the top and bottom straps along side of mattress; pull loose end of adjustable straps to tighten. Use under king-size sheets and mattress pad.

It looks like they suggest that you use a mattress pad to avoid a lump between the two beds.

 

FWIW I would use bungee cords or duct tape (the handyman's best friend :D ) wrapped around the legs to avoid separation.

 

Charlie

[phaelon56]

Funny, we've never had a problem with this for what ever reason. At first I thought it might be the difference between cruising with a wife rather then a GF, but no, that couldn't be it!

Perhaps they also use a queen mattress pad to help hold them together?

That may be why at age 50 (almost) I've never been married ;)