Parents in one cabin, kids in a non-adjoining cabin

[71Corvette]

My wife and I are considering booking a cruise and would like to sail in a balcony cabin. However, we prefer to put our kids (11 & 14) in an inside cabin to save some money.

 

For the booking we would put one adult in each cabin and then just have the kids sleep in the inside cabin. Has anyone ever done this before? It seems like it would be a non-issue once you're on board to simply swap cabins. Our kids are well behaved and fairly mature for their age so having them across the hall really isn't a big concern for us.

Edited October 13, 2015 by 71Corvette

[cb at sea]

Tons of folks do that.....you might have to register with 1 adult in each cabin...not a big deal to change once on the ship!

[Crazycombine64]

We have done that once. I booked directly with RCL and they told me it can be done but the rooms have to be adyacent. They found for us a balcony and an interior stateroom right in front each other. My daughter at that time was 19 years old, maybe that was a factor too. One thing you need to ask and ensure is about the muster location of the stateroom. They might be different for each stateroom. In case of emergency you want to be in the same boat. They helped me out finding the right ones.

Edited October 13, 2015 by Crazycombine64

[aronde]

We have done this with our two boys (aged 10 and 12) on Radiance. No problems at all. Guest services will give you extra keys so the adult booked in the interior cabin can get into the balcony cabin and the child in the balcony can get access to the interior cabin.

 

It must happen a bit because our room steward saw we had one adult and one child booked in each cabin and greeted us with the beds in the right place (balcony together, interior apart) as he said he assumed this is how we would want them!

[whitshel]

We have done this as well. We have also done a balcony with the kids directly across the hall, that was allowed with out splitting up the adults

[S.A.M.J.R.]

According to repeated posts here, you do not need to book one adult in each cabin as long as the cabins are directly opposite each other or next to each other. I can confirm we booked our kids in a connecting cabin on Freedom in 2014 with no issues.

[MommaBear55]

Depends on how you feel about how trustworthy your kids are. I would have done it at 12 and 14, not 15 and 17! (Long story, lots of drama, ended well) I think the extra space, extra bathroom and extra privacy is lovely.

[OCruisers]

It's not a problem. So many of us have done this!

Look forward to having a great cruise! :D

[widallas]

We booked through a TA --us in D2 balcony and our boys (14 & 17) across the hall in an interior. We were required to book an adult in each room but both the TA and RCCL told us it was easy to rearrange and get new cards once on board. I think they are as excited as we are!

Edited October 13, 2015 by widallas
Typos

[cincicruisers]

Depends on how you feel about how trustworthy your kids are. I would have done it at 12 and 14, not 15 and 17! (Long story, lots of drama, ended well) I think the extra space, extra bathroom and extra privacy is lovely.

 

OK now you have me wondering what happened. ~curious minds want to know~

[71Corvette]

Thanks everyone. I figured this would be the response but I thought I better ask!

[Ourusualbeach]

In order to book the kids in their own stateroom and sabe the hassle ogpf getting extra keys made you must call Royal directly to do this asitcannot be done online.

 

If you are booking through a travel agent even they must call Royal direct to do this kind of booking. Some agents will tell you that it can't be done but this is only because they don't want to call but book online instead.

[dawso53]

We did this on P&O last year. Booked Dad & son in one and Mum & daughter in other.Then

just went to reception first evening and said daughter needs access to her Dad's cabin and he needs access to hers. So they both had double keys. All done no problems. Room steward knew but nothing said. Ours were boy15 & girl13. Requested single beds for Boy & Dad and queen bed for Mum & daughter

[Russ Lomas]

Booking with one adult in each cabin will let you bring aboard 2 bottles of wine per cabin. If both adults are listed in the same cabin, you may only bring on 2 bottles in total. Not sure if this matters to you or not. Go to Guest Services and switch the names after boarding and get new room keys printed. We have had the kids in a different cabin before and there were no issues. We usually keep one of their keys however so we can always access their cabin.

[TigerCruzin]

Book an adult in each room and double the wine allotment on boarding day.

[MommaBear55]

OK now you have me wondering what happened. ~curious minds want to know~

 

DD1's attitude as a teenager was that all rules were guidelines and meant to be broken or at least bent and twisted. And you know how everyone says their child was talked into it by others? Well, mine was that other. So, after spending a lot of time tracking down my under age child who snuck out after curfew and easily found alcohol to share with any other under age kid she could find, we went back to the booked room arrangements and each night one of us slept on the floor on the mattress we dragged off the bed to block the door so she couldn't escape. Wasn't fun for any of us to have her by our side 100% of the time for the rest if the trip. That was the last family vacation for a few years....

 

Fast forward a few years and she turned into a wonderful adult who couldn't apologize enough for her wayward behavior. Now, eighteen years later, she is a mother and a wife, has two degrees, has been a law abiding citizen since she turned 19 and we travel together several times a year. If only I had had a crystal ball to know how wonderful she was going to turn out.

Edited October 13, 2015 by MommaBear55

[jakenashleysmom]

With their ages in mind, this will totally work. Old enough to sleep in their own room, yet not old enough to be out later than mom and dad! We get connecting outsides for our 18 yr old son and 16 yr old daughter and ourselves...I can't sleep until I know they are in for good.

 

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[griffy116]

We've done it several times with my Grandson and a nephew and then with my Grandson and a friend. Booked a balcony with interior directly across from us, had them phone when in for the night. They were good kids and followed the rules. Booked with nephew and 2 friends on another cruise and vowed NEVER to do it again. They broke every rule from curfew to alcohol they came in and got from my cabub, to having other passengers (girls) in the cabin, to the room steward not being able to get to the beds to make them up because of the mess. This ceased on day 3 and they towed the line rather than being flown home mid-cruise to face their parents. It depends on the age and the kids, honestly.

[gerif]

We did this on P&O last year. Booked Dad & son in one and Mum & daughter in other.Then

just went to reception first evening and said daughter needs access to her Dad's cabin and he needs access to hers. So they both had double keys. All done no problems. Room steward knew but nothing said. Ours were boy15 & girl13. Requested single beds for Boy & Dad and queen bed for Mum & daughter

 

But it is allowed on RCI, so no need for subterfuge. Now, if you want the extra two bottles of wine, that's a different story.

[SRV FAN]

I've seen this done in hotels where there are numerous rooms with lots of youngsters & chapparones....

 

Once all the kiddos are in their rooms at curfew, the chapparones go to each room & place wide tape to the door & frame.... They could still open it to get out if need be, but they can't get back in & reapply the tape! Genious! The kids know this & therfore don't try to go out!

[surreymum]

At that age it wouldn't be a problem. When my youngest was 4 we had our 3 in an inside directly opposite our balcony and were completely freaked out when he woke up in the night and not wanting to disturb his siblings came out and knocked on our door. Fortunately I am a light sleeper and heard him but the thought of him out in the corridor locked out of both rooms in the middle of the night gave me the shivers.