3 adults to a cabin - advice?

[BellaCaps]

We are going on a Cruise in May on Grandeur of the Seas. It goes to Florida and then 2 stops in the Bahamas, leaving and returning to Baltimore. There is a group of about 10 of us. One girl backed out, leaving a close friend of mine and my boyfriends without a roomie and chances are no one to find to come along at this point. We decided to let her room with us, despite him and I losing our privacy. Odd, I know, but we are all close friends - my boyfriend and I once shared a townhouse with her. We were initially in a regular interior cabin but moved to a large Oceanview cabin that contains a sofa and 2 pullman beds. We all think the window will help us not feel like sardines stuffed into a closet. We tried getting two adjoining interior cabins but the price was too high, we got a good rate on the large oceanview. I'm not sure if I would have done this if it were just the 3 of us on the cruise, but with such a large group (now 9 people) it will help break us up a little bit so we aren't spending 24/7 together. Also all 3 of us are pretty low maintenance light packers. I'm sure we will be fine but does anyone have any tips on cruising with 3 people in a cabin? I hear the worst times are when getting ready for dinner or if one of the cruisers is a slob. Any tips would be great. Thank you!

[paul929207]

I would discuss in advance bathroom times. You don't want someone starting their one hour routine in the BR 5 minutes before you plan to use it.

 

I would learn the location of the nearest public restroom

[RSLeesburg]

If you got one of the panoramic ocean views, those are nice sized cabins. Some people on our last Grandeur cruise used the showers and changing rooms at the gym when they had multiple adults in one room. The POV rooms are all by the Centrum, so it's a short walk to the gym from there. Also, there are public bathrooms nearby on deck 8, IIRC.

 

 

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[sail7seas]

No Way; No How.

 

I admire you for being willing to share your cabin but give it very careful thought.

Hope you don't decide it was a mistake. :eek:

[Buck Turgidson]

When I was young this would be no problem, the more the merrier. I am much older now and would rather not have three to a cabin, but would still do it for a good friend .:) I adapt well!!

[sail7seas]

When I was young this would be no problem, the more the merrier. I am much older now and would rather not have three to a cabin, but would still do it for a good friend .:) I adapt well!!

 

You're right..

I didn't consider age. Perhaps when I was younger, I, too, would have agreed to share. :)

 

[cb at sea]

There is no way in the world that I'd share with anyone and my SO! NO way. ABSOLUTELY, NO WAY!

 

You are brave and generous....but we'll see about the "wise" part. A cabin is nowhere near the size of even a crappy hotel room....very brave, you are!

[crusn2gethr]

Most Cruise spas have awesome shower facilities that passengers can use. That would make things easier on the girls getting ready.

[searoses]

Only 2 of us but the rule is one person up at a time even in an hc cabin that is bigger....we get ready quickly....no high maintenance...after a few cruises it's second nature to wait til the other person is showered,etc....great idea to hit the gym...my husband usually gets a spa pass and often showers there.....hair usually slow us girls down but the dryer is at the desk so that can help with traffic....gather your stuff up at night for the next day's activities so you are not fumbling and bumbling more than necessary getting off for fun in the sun...enjoy....with so many of you there should be alone time ....the cabin has a do not disturb sign..cheerfully use it!

[candycaramel]

:rolleyes:

I don't think I would ever, ever, ever, ever let another woman into my personal space with my husband/ boyfriend.

 

I don't understand why she/ you didn't just pay the single supplement for her own cabin if her roommate dropped out. Why do YOU have to take her in by getting a bigger room? Where are the other group members and why didn't they help chip in for her room?

 

As a last resort maybe there is another couple going who are willing to split up so the girls can all room together and the boys can share a cabin? I'm just saying....take care of home first.

 

Oh, and if she does end up sharing the cabin with you and boyfriend make sure she pays a full 1/3 not just the 3rd person in the cabin fare.

[Jasalth]

While I haven't cruised with 3 adults technically, DH and I share a room with our 2 sons, of one who was bigger than both of us on our last cruise so I think he counts! :) And we just booked again with 4 in the room, and they are both bigger than us parents.

 

Dinner is probably the roughest time, but what is key is remembering if you aren't doing anything to active, you don't need to get totally ready right before dinner! Playing trivia or just hitting a bar for a few hours before dinner? No reason not to get basically ready before then! You might not have your dress clothes on, but you can take a shower a few hours before dinner and just change clothes which takes a lot less time.

 

Like was said the spa showers can also be a life saver if say dinner is 1 hour after a port and you do all need to get ready.

 

The only other time that might be an issue is if one or two people want to stay out later than the rest. Even your best friend doesn't want to be woken up by you (or the opposite!) coming in noisy at 3am. The same goes for waking up. If you are planning excursions w/o each other, make sure those plans are known before hand so that no one gets mad being woken up before they expected to be or wanted to be!

[BellaCaps]

Thanks everyone! We are all in our 30's so we aren't young. I am not thrilled about going this route. This other person is a very good friend of ours but she went on the cruise to bunk with the girl who wound up backing out, she doesn't know the others well enough for them to want to chip in to pay for the other portion of her room. And she doesn't have the money for paying for a whole cabin. I know it wasn't our problem but she was so excited for this we felt bad if she would have had to back out too. We are splitting 3 ways. I'm not concerned over us having a falling out, we have been snowed in a townhouse with her and a few other roommates for almost a week before. I think we will be ok here. It is a week cruise so it is a bit long, and with my boyfriend it does stink to know we really won't have much alone time. I'd love for her to break off and get her own cabin but I don't think that happens. Thankfully, she and I aren't too "girly". I don't even dry my hair, neither does she, and neither of us wear much make up or even jewelry. I have no doubt we will have a great time on this cruise but I am a little bit nervous how 3 of us will fit.

[Lerin]

Good luck. I wouldn't do it but you seem confident.

A cruise cabin is in no way comparable to a town home. You're talking about under 150 sq. ft. you may want to google a few photos of 3 in a cabin to get an idea.

[aussielozzie18]

I think its doable. Most people don't spend a lot of time in their cabin anyway. As you and your friend are not high maintenance in terms of getting ready, then the bathroom is not going to be such a big issue. I would make sure you discuss what you are going to do each day and schedule some alone time in the cabin. Hopefully, she is an early riser and can go off to do some exercise or have an early brekky. Maybe some evenings she can go to a show and you guys can stay in. Biggest problem I think will be keeping your cabin tidy and storage. You're going have to respect each others space and keep stuff neat. Suitcases will need to go under the beds etc. Good luck.

[crystalspin]

Bella,

I have never been on the Grandeur, but I have (ocean) cruised 5 times and 3 of them with three adults in the cabin -- and two of them in insides! Those were on the Statendam which I will say has some of the most spacious insides on the seas -- a long sofa rather than a Pullman or drop-down Murphy style. The third person was first my DH's mother, and then my Mom, and then recently my mom again on the Zaandam, where we took an upsell to a balcony cabin.

 

The things that come to mind as far as hints -- divy up the storage space and decide on a lay out for surface spaces (the friend may need the table as a nightstand, for instance, but it might also be where to put the daily newsletter for everyone to get to look at it) -- and everyone commit to staying on top of clutter!

 

Looking at Royal Caribbean Large OV diagram and photo, here:

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/cabinclass/cabinTypes/cabinType/cabin/home.do?br=R&cabincls=O&cabinType=LO&shipCode=GR

 

It shows two possible layouts for the beds. If the twins are crosswise to the room, as in the photo, it will seem more spacious with the beds together. If they are long-wise to the room, as in the diagram, I hate to say it, but the space will seem bigger, a lot bigger, if the beds are separated; also everyone can walk up and look out the window without crawling on the (combined) bed. You and your SO will have to decide if that is an option for the short time of the cruise!

 

The sofa will probably make up by flipping along the length of it, rather than pulling/folding out from the wall. If you get the steward to make it back into a sofa every morning, it will give you more the feeling of a place to socialize during the day (on anyday you're at sea anyway). The first two MOM trips, the third bed stayed made up for napping (his mother was seasick most of the time to and from Hawaii! and then we just were sort of used to it on the second Statendam trip with my mom). This last trip the stewards changed it back into a sofa without asking and it was MUCH NICER. With two people able to sit on the sofa and the third on the desk chair, it was pleasant to have a pre-dinner drink or just to chat.

 

Finally. -- get out of the room. Find the places and spaces around the ship where you are happy, and spend time there!

 

P.S. haha Aussielozzie and I were typing at the same time and said almost the same thing! Great minds!!

Edited January 28, 2015 by crystalspin

[RSLeesburg]

The sofa beds we have had on Grandeur pull out, but these were in a Grand Suite, so not sure if this is true for the sofa beds in the OV rooms - although I would all be the same.

 

My original post, I assumed that you were talking about the POV not a LOV. If you can swing it, I would move up to one of these - I think they are the largest OV rooms on Grandeur.

 

Either way, Grandeur is great trip - you will have great time. We did 8 night this past Nov, which was same Bahamas itinerary that you did but with Key West added. You can find the review link in my signature below (need to view the full web site, cannot see this in the mobile app).

 

 

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[Hflors]

I have done this with my sisters. It was tight, but doable. Just make sure everyone knows BEFORE you board the "cabin rules" If you shared living space before then at least you all know how the other person is. (early riser, slob, neat freek etc). I hope all three of you have a wonderful time. Please come back and share after the cruise how everything went.

[HealthyTouch101]

I think you will be fine.

 

Use the public areas for lounging and sipping drinks, etc. This won't be a "love shack" trip, but you knew that when you invited her along, which I think was kind and generous to do for such a good friend. I would have, too, and I am significantly older than you all. ;)

 

I love the spa shower setup on HAL and I am sure it will be fine on your ship. I like a nap some days before dinner, but take it on the top deck in a quiet spot. Maybe you can find one of those for some space away from one another, should you desire it. With other friends aboard, you won't feel you have to spend every minute together. When we have traveled with friends in other cabins, two of us early birds met at early breakfast, but often didn't see one another again until dinner time or just in passing. Made for better dinner conversation. And no one felt compelled to join an excursion or event because the others were---we all had different interests.

 

Have a great time.

[gaelsail]

We've done this, are glad we did, but wouldn't repeat it. Issues were difference in lifestyles- 2 morning people and 1 party person. Insufficient wardrobe storage. 2 good-timekeepers and 1 always late. Inability to take daytime nap due to being constantly interrupted.

 

... so as previously said, house-rules are essential.

 

Just a thought- why did the other person back out? are they insured for this happening? in which case their berth may still be funded?

[LOVINCRUIZIN]

Stay positive :D

I sailed with my BF and two kids for 2 weeks. I asked mykids to choose 2 connecting interiors or a balcony for 4, and they chose the balcony. It worked fine. The hardest part was coordinating the bathroom use before dinner.

I would just ask for a little alone time (or work it around her schedule).

The cabin is a small part of the cruise.

You sound like you will definitely make it work - and you saved some money in the process!!!

[BellaCaps]

Thanks everyone! I'm so glad I found this community. You all have been so helpful. We did sit with her when we offered her to bunk with us and were honest with her - I like to sleep with a white noise machine, he snores - loudly - when drinking. I tend to wake up throughout the night when drinking. He and I used to work at bars so we are usually up until 3am on non work days where she is an early riser, so I let her know that we would be coming in late. I know she gets up early and she is a smoker so we are prepared for her comings and goings. Initially we were in a regular interior cabin but moved to the LOV - it's a big price jump from that to POV and a balcony room but I think this LOV cabin was worth the extra money compared to interior to have even just a little more space and a window. And thankfully I am a reader - I can find a comfy chair somewhere, anywhere, for alone time with a good book and I'll be happy.

Edited January 28, 2015 by BellaCaps
clarification

[LOVINCRUIZIN]

That's the way! Plan on enjoying it - you'll have an awesome time, and your friend should be very appreciative. You can feel good about yourself:)

[cruiseapril]

My sister, daughter, and I have shared a cabin several times. It worked because my sister and I are earlybirds- so my daughter had the cabin to herself from about 6 to 8 a.m. Then, my sister and I planned to dress for dinner early and have a glass of wine in the bar while my daughter got ready. It worked and we enjoyed the 3 in a cabin cruises.

[ger_77]

It sounds like you've already got things worked out - especially since you have shared a townhouse with your friend, and you know each other's schedules. I agree with previous suggestions about separating the beds to make more usable space in the cabin. Another suggestion for all of you - earplugs! If you use a white noise machine, and boyfriend snores, who knows what your girlfriend does in her sleep! LOL Earplugs can be your best friend when sharing a cabin, even with just 1 other person. Oh, and air freshener for the bathroom will help make everything a little more pleasant. Have a wonderful cruise with your group of friends.

 

Smooth Sailing ! :) :) :)

[travlnblueberries]

To the OP.....that's what being a good friend is all about. Not many will understand. Have a great time and enjoy your cruise.