2 insides vs 1 mini suite w/ large balcony

[cruise cruise cruise]

We (me, DH, DS 13 and DD 11) will be sailing on Getaway next April. I had us booked in 2 adjoining inside cabins, but yesterday switched us to 1 mini suite with large balcony. We are paying $150 more for the mini suite, but now also get the UBP.

I know the room will be tight. But I am hoping we can spill out onto the balcony for extra space.

Did I make the right decision? What do you think? Help me feel OK with my decision (big balcony but small room, UBP), or tell me I should go back to the 2 insides (a bit more space, 2 bathrooms, 2 closets, 2 tvs etc).

[Medtech2]

We (me, DH, DS 13 and DD 11) will be sailing on Getaway next April. I had us booked in 2 adjoining inside cabins, but yesterday switched us to 1 mini suite with large balcony. We are paying $150 more for the mini suite, but now also get the UBP.

I know the room will be tight. But I am hoping we can spill out onto the balcony for extra space.

Did I make the right decision? What do you think? Help me feel OK with my decision (big balcony but small room, UBP), or tell me I should go back to the 2 insides (a bit more space, 2 bathrooms, 2 closets, 2 tvs etc).

YES! You did good!

 

Those insides are incredibly small and claustrophobic.

 

Now you can open that balcony door to a big space where all of you can fit in the sunlight and fresh air, plus you will be getting an incredible shower...

[ExpatBride]

For DH and me, I'd take the mini suite. If SS13 & SD15 were coming with us, I'd go for the two adjoining insides.

 

A mini suite is still pretty small, IMO too small for 4 people. I would not want to be in such close quarters with 2 kids and no privacy for the length of a cruise.

Edited April 24, 2015 by ExpatBride

[kjquilts]

Another option for you :) Family Oceanview Category 01 Less money than the mini suite and still qualifies for the UBP.

Family oceanview does have two closets. Bathroom has a large sink and a tub.

 

Here is a youtube video for Getaway showing daytime set up

 

 

Here is a youtube video showing the bed set up .... it is for the Breakaway, sister ship to Getaway. Think it is cute how she calls it a suite.

 

 

We have this category booked for 4 adults Breakaway to Bermuda and for 3 adults on the Escape :) First time ever in less than balcony but lol we're cruising more and need to conserve some $$'s. On these ships there is so much to do we don't plan on spending a lot of time in the cabin.

 

Edited April 24, 2015 by kjquilts

[bangzoom6877]

What about two connecting oceanview cabins? Was there a huge price difference for those?

 

DH and I have looked into mini suites for the 4 of us as well (we have 2 sons, ages 8 and 10), but we decided to stick with the two connecting inside cabins. We have always cruised with the two of them in connecting cabins and we would miss the privacy as well as the two bathrooms and the storage space. I know it doesn't have the perks of a suite, but we feel like we're staying in a suite since we have two rooms. I priced two connecting oceanview rooms for our sailing in July on the Breakaway to see if it was worth it to get the UBP included, but the difference in fare totaled $600 and we wouldn't be drinking $600 in drinks on our cruise. We would also be on deck 5 as opposed to deck 12 where we have the two inside cabins (right next to my sister's two cabins and my parents' cabin too). A mini suite was even more of a difference, and two connecting balconies were $1000 difference. So we stayed with the two connecting inside cabins on deck 12, no UBP but we had gotten $100 total in onboard credit when we booked with our TA last September, plus we got extra Latitudes points for booking more than 9 months in advance.

[seguetocaribe]

We (me, DH, DS 13 and DD 11) will be sailing on Getaway next April. I had us booked in 2 adjoining inside cabins, but yesterday switched us to 1 mini suite with large balcony. We are paying $150 more for the mini suite, but now also get the UBP.

I know the room will be tight. But I am hoping we can spill out onto the balcony for extra space.

Did I make the right decision? What do you think? Help me feel OK with my decision (big balcony but small room, UBP), or tell me I should go back to the 2 insides (a bit more space, 2 bathrooms, 2 closets, 2 tvs etc).

 

We struggled with this too. On our recent Getaway cruise, we had originally booked one regular balcony but the prices came down to the point where we were able to add on another (connecting) balcony for just a few hundred dollars more! Now we are spoiled! Love having connecting rooms so that my 2 daughters (both age 11) can have their own space and we can have ours.

We just booked the Escape for next spring and the prices are too high to do the same thing again :(. So, we booked a minisuite with large balcony hoping (like you) that the extra balcony space will help offset the tight feeling in the room. Although, I am going to watch the prices and see if they come down before final payment is due to switch to 2 connecting balconies again as that is the ideal way to travel for us.

[murcor]

Although we have never done 2 inside rooms, I think you will be very happy with the mini suite. As a family of 4 with two teenagers 15 & 14, we get just a regular balcony room and it is great for us. We consider the balcony an extension of the room 🌅

[cruise cruise cruise]

Thank you to all who have given your opinions and thoughts.

 

I am not interested in 2 ocean view rooms. We had a window once, but other then being able to look out and tell if it is day or night, if it does not open, it is of no good to me. Before booking the inside cabins, I had priced everything out and 2 OV would be $1000 more. although we would get the UBP, even paying for drinks out of pocket, we will not spend anywhere close to $1000.

 

Our specific sailing is now (as of yesterday) offering 3/4 passenger free. This is how we were able to get the mini suite for only $150 more than we had originally booked the 2 insides for. Unfortualty I don't think the price will come down enough to allow us to get 2 connecting balconies. Nor do I think I would want to give up my 100 sq. ft balcony for a 30 sq ft balcony-- but who knows, stranger things have happened!

Edited April 25, 2015 by cruise cruise cruise

[LakeWobegon]

Good luck on whatever you end up with. We considered a mini suite for 4 (about same situation as you)and I am sure it would work, definitely, but ended up going with two connecting large balcony rooms on Escape next spring. During Easter week, the price was about 20% more. That's a good deal more but felt the value is there as when we travel, we actually do like to hang out in the room quite a bit in the mornings.

[bangzoom6877]

Thank you to all who have given your opinions and thoughts.

 

I am not interested in 2 ocean view rooms. We had a window once, but other then being able to look out and tell if it is day or night, if it does not open, it is of no good to me. Before booking the inside cabins, I had priced everything out and 2 OV would be $1000 more. although we would get the UBP, even paying for drinks out of pocket, we will not spend anywhere close to $1000.

 

Our specific sailing is now (as of yesterday) offering 3/4 passenger free. This is how we were able to get the mini suite for only $150 more than we had originally booked the 2 insides for. Unfortualty I don't think the price will come down enough to allow us to get 2 connecting balconies. Nor do I think I would want to give up my 100 sq. ft balcony for a 30 sq ft balcony-- but who knows, stranger things have happened!

 

I feel the same about regular ocean view rooms, and $1000 is a huge difference! For us it would have been a $600 difference and we didn't take it because 1, we're currently on deck 12 mid-ship which is basically right in the middle (everything is on decks 6, 7, 8, 14, 15, 16 that we would utilize most of the time) and the OV would have been on deck 5 (lowest passenger deck), and 2, we wouldn't spend $600 on drinks anyway so paying that much more to get the UBP and lose out on the $100 onboard credit plus the extra latitude points for originally booking early doesn't make sense at all.

 

You need to go with whatever makes you the happiest! A large balcony is wonderful too, you could enjoy your morning coffee out there and relax before heading out every day. Plus in the evening it's a great thing to have for winding down. :)