Booking children in their own stateroom

[Circusboy354]

We are a family of 5, 2 adults and the childen will be 10, 4 and 2 when we cruise.

 

We wanted to book the Grand suite for all 5 but princess will not allow 5 in the suite. They offered us the family suite, which is basically a minisuite with an added inside and in our eyes is far from ideal for what we want.

 

I'm now looking at an S3 with the inside next to it, B753 and B749. As there are good benifits for having a suite I want to book 2 adults and 1 child in the suite and the other two children in the inside. Will Princess allow us to book it like this?

 

We plan on all of us using the suite to sleep and using the inside in the evenings if one of the adults wants to stay up late without disturbing the others.

 

Will Princess allow us to book two children in the inside next to the suite?

[Shogun]

Hi

 

I would book one adult into each room type

 

how you then use them is up to you

 

yours Shogun

[capriccio]

Hi

 

I would book one adult into each room type

 

how you then use them is up to you

 

yours Shogun

 

OP - if you do that realize that only the adult and child(ren) booked in the suite will be entitled to the full suite benefits (breakfast in Sabatinis, specialty dinner on the first night, additional cruise credit, etc.) since the benefits are not transferable.

[skynight]

We are a family of 5, 2 adults and the childen will be 10, 4 and 2 when we cruise.

 

We wanted to book the Grand suite for all 5 but princess will not allow 5 in the suite. They offered us the family suite, which is basically a minisuite with an added inside and in our eyes is far from ideal for what we want.

 

I'm now looking at an S3 with the inside next to it, B753 and B749. As there are good benifits for having a suite I want to book 2 adults and 1 child in the suite and the other two children in the inside. Will Princess allow us to book it like this?

 

We plan on all of us using the suite to sleep and using the inside in the evenings if one of the adults wants to stay up late without disturbing the others.

 

Will Princess allow us to book two children in the inside next to the suite?

 

Here is your answer from the passage contract:

”...Guests under the age of 21 years must travel in a stateroom with a Guest 21 years or older who shall assume responsibility for their care during the cruise. For families or groups booking multiple staterooms, the minimum age for at least one person in each stateroom is 16 years of age, provided they are traveling with a parent or legal guardian….”

Recommend going with the family suite. Believe the family suite is two outside mini sized cabins connected together with a common sitting area and large balcony, not a mini and an inside as you describe.

Alternately you can book one adult in a full suite and one in the inside cabin as you propose. The adult booked in the inside cabin probably will not receive the suite benefits.

Another possibility is forgetting the suite and booking two balcony cabins or two mini suites next to each other. Most cabins have connecting doors between the balconies. A few Princess ships have connecting inside doors.

[Potstech]

Sounds like you want to put a 10 and 4 year old in a cabin by themselves. Sorry but that sounds like a very bad idea. Would not do it. And I think it may cause problems if the staff questions it. Go with the family suite. It will be better for everyone.

Edited June 12, 2016 by Potstech

[moki'smommy]

No, children cannot be booked in a cabin by themselves. The specific policy is quoted in an above post.

[Pam in CA]

You must book an adult in each cabin. The adult and children booked in the non-suite will not be allowed to take advantage of the full suite perks regardless of sleeping arrangements.

 

Leaving the 10yo in charge of a 4 and 2yo in their own cabin will probably not be allowed. Personally, I think that's a huge responsibility for a child.

 

As others have said, your best and safest bet is the family suite.

[Kamloops50]

We are a family of 5, 2 adults and the childen will be 10, 4 and 2 when we cruise.

 

We wanted to book the Grand suite for all 5 but princess will not allow 5 in the suite. They offered us the family suite, which is basically a minisuite with an added inside and in our eyes is far from ideal for what we want.

 

I'm now looking at an S3 with the inside next to it, B753 and B749. As there are good benifits for having a suite I want to book 2 adults and 1 child in the suite and the other two children in the inside. Will Princess allow us to book it like this?

 

We plan on all of us using the suite to sleep and using the inside in the evenings if one of the adults wants to stay up late without disturbing the others.

 

Will Princess allow us to book two children in the inside next to the suite?

 

Kids of your age have to an adult on the booking . After your on board you can rearrange the sleeping accommodations any way you want . You'll have to go to Customer services and get extra keys to the cabins.

[Circusboy354]

You must book an adult in each cabin. The adult and children booked in the non-suite will not be allowed to take advantage of the full suite perks regardless of sleeping arrangements.

 

Leaving the 10yo in charge of a 4 and 2yo in their own cabin will probably not be allowed. Personally, I think that's a huge responsibility for a child.

 

As others have said, your best and safest bet is the family suite.

 

I think you missed the line where I said we were all going to sleep in the suite, I have no intentions of leaving any of my children in another cabin without an adult.

 

We don't want to take 2 balcony cabins either as we don't want to be split over two rooms. There is very little information on the Family suite and most of what I can find is pretty negative.

 

We may choose to look at other lines with rooms / suites for five.

Edited June 12, 2016 by mcferran1

[Circusboy354]

Duplicate

Edited June 12, 2016 by mcferran1

[Pam in CA]

I think you missed the line where I said we were all going to sleep in the suite, I have no intentions of leaving any of my children in another cabin without an adult.

My apologies. I did miss that.

 

Princess cabins are generally laid out with less sleeping area and more storage. This makes it difficult to squeeze in another bed or cot, even in a mini-suite. Princess is not the best line for five passengers in a cabin. Other lines have cabins with larger sleeping areas that are more flexible. Even though they have a lot less storage, they might be a better fit for you.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

Depending on what vessel you go on their should be connecting cabins. I'd do that instead. I think you wanted to do a suite because you have 5 people and once you realized that wasn't allowed, you are thinking suite still. Just do two balcony staterooms. Some are connecting cabins and others only have a connecting balcony. As others have said- you will need to book one adult in each cabin. Once onboard- that's a different matter. I would never have allowed my 10 year old to be responsible for the 4 year old. Not a good plan. I wouldn't have anything less than a connecting room.

Edited June 12, 2016 by rebeccalouiseagain

[san diego sue]

Recently booked connecting balcony cabins for our family.

They connect inside the cabins as well as the balconys.

This is on the Ruby Princess (in the high 500's on some in Caribe, Baja, and Aloha decks).Great for kids. We were lucky that at least one child was 16 in each of those so didn't need to put a parent in each. We intend to leave those inside doors opened between all the time.

[moki'smommy]

We may choose to look at other lines with rooms / suites for five.

 

As you noted, there are other lines that provide larger cabins and suites for 5 or 6 people as well as connecting cabins (meaning an interior connecting door). I'd suggest you look at lines that have a younger demographic, catering more to families. All the DCL ships have both cabins and concierge suites that sleep 5. You'll also find them on RCCL. Not only do these cabins come equipped with a 5th bed (rather than trying to move in a cot), they are also larger overall than most of the Princess cabins I've seen.

 

One advantage to connecting cabins is that you will double your storage, bathroom space, and TVs. The obvious downside is that you pay adult rates for the first two people in the cabin. A cabin that sleeps 5 will allow you to pay the 3/4/5th person rate for the children, but unless a suite, it also means the same basic bathroom set up as a cabin for 3 people.

[caribill]

We wanted to book the Grand suite for all 5 but princess will not allow 5 in the suite. They offered us the family suite, which is basically a minisuite with an added inside and in our eyes is far from ideal for what we want.

 

The family suite is two cabins connected to each other internally. If you have two children sleep in the "inside" cabin, they will likely be closer to you and more easily accessed by you than they are at home in separate bedrooms.

[santopdown]

OP - if you do that realize that only the adult and child(ren) booked in the suite will be entitled to the full suite benefits (breakfast in Sabatinis, specialty dinner on the first night, additional cruise credit, etc.) since the benefits are not transferable.

 

I wouldn't be too concerned about the full suite benefits. The cruise/key card is not a photo id. I don't think any of the staff will know whether "John Doe" is a 10 year old or a 40 year old or if "Jane Doe" is 4 or 30.:)

[cheeseclan]

The staff at Sabatinis or Crown grill have a list of who is in the suites and therefore who will be at breakfast. So if the 40 year old goes in place of the 10 year old they will know.

you must be in the suite to use the perks.

[icat2000]

I wouldn't be too concerned about the full suite benefits. The cruise/key card is not a photo id. I don't think any of the staff will know whether "John Doe" is a 10 year old or a 40 year old or if "Jane Doe" is 4 or 30.:)

The cruise cards do have A on them which I was told stands for Adult.

 

Its normally next to your cruise credit number example 5A

[santopdown]

The cruise cards do have A on them which I was told stands for Adult.

 

Its normally next to your cruise credit number example 5A

 

I had never noticed that number. Just looked at the card from my last cruise and saw "5A" just as you gave in your example. Everyone in my group was an adult so I have no way to compare that with a child's card.

 

Does anyone have a recent cruise card that was for a child?

[notentirelynormal]

I wouldn't be too concerned about the full suite benefits. The cruise/key card is not a photo id. I don't think any of the staff will know whether "John Doe" is a 10 year old or a 40 year old or if "Jane Doe" is 4 or 30.:)

 

The staff does indeed have a list that they check when you go to breakfast. Even after the first day they use the check list. I imagine they are marking who does and does not use the suite benefit.

 

Of course there is an indication of adults and minors. It comes in handy in the bars when teens try to buy drinks etc.

 

The breakfast isn't the end all. Sure it is nice not to have the masses and you get one on one service but if you have to miss it due to booking two rooms you will survive. You can always order a full breakfast to your suite if you want.

[notentirelynormal]

We are a family of 5, 2 adults and the childen will be 10, 4 and 2 when we cruise.

 

We wanted to book the Grand suite for all 5 but princess will not allow 5 in the suite. They offered us the family suite, which is basically a minisuite with an added inside and in our eyes is far from ideal for what we want.

 

I'm now looking at an S3 with the inside next to it, B753 and B749. As there are good benifits for having a suite I want to book 2 adults and 1 child in the suite and the other two children in the inside. Will Princess allow us to book it like this?

 

We plan on all of us using the suite to sleep and using the inside in the evenings if one of the adults wants to stay up late without disturbing the others.

 

Will Princess allow us to book two children in the inside next to the suite?

 

No Princess will not allow you to book a minor in a cabin even if it is next to you. I had the same issue. I am taking my four grandchildren who will then be 6, 8, 10 and 12. I was going to put at least the two oldest in that cabin and that is what I originally booked.

 

After about three weeks I decided that wasn't the right move. I just couldn't be comfortable with them across the hall from me no matter how mature they were. Now we are booked in two mini suites side by side. They will sleep in one and we in the other. At least that is the plan. Obviously if one has a problem they will be in with us. The balcony doors will be open so we can wonder between the two cabins.

 

At no time will one of the kids be asleep in the cabin without an adult. Well, the 12 YO is actually old enough to babysit so he will be in charge at night. Regardless, Grandpa will probably be asleep and in close range during the evening hours. Even if we start at the show and one quits, the others will stay and Grandpa will hold down the home fort.

 

So, that is your option. The family suite or two side by sides. Your comfort zone is what counts.

[trishh]

I had never noticed that number. Just looked at the card from my last cruise and saw "5A" just as you gave in your example. Everyone in my group was an adult so I have no way to compare that with a child's card.

 

Does anyone have a recent cruise card that was for a child?

I have childrens cards from the last 10 years and there is nothing indicating Child.

Trish

Edited June 15, 2016 by trishh

[trishh]

We are a family of 5, 2 adults and the childen will be 10, 4 and 2 when we cruise.

 

We wanted to book the Grand suite for all 5 but princess will not allow 5 in the suite. They offered us the family suite, which is basically a minisuite with an added inside and in our eyes is far from ideal for what we want.

 

I'm now looking at an S3 with the inside next to it, B753 and B749. As there are good benifits for having a suite I want to book 2 adults and 1 child in the suite and the other two children in the inside. Will Princess allow us to book it like this?

 

We plan on all of us using the suite to sleep and using the inside in the evenings if one of the adults wants to stay up late without disturbing the others.

 

Will Princess allow us to book two children in the inside next to the suite?

They won't let you book the kids in a cabin by themselves until the oldest child is 16, however as others have said once your on board you can configure the cabin however you like. We started putting ours into their own inside when they were 12 and 10, but I do have friends who's kids were much younger and in a cabin alone. The cabin stewards don't seem to care or mind.

Trish

[cheeseclan]

notentirelynormal,

 

FYI when we were on the Emerald for the NYE cruise, we found that the mini suites on emerald deck had connecting doors in them. It seems that some of the ships are doing this during dry dock. Nice for families that need connecting rooms.

[sherryf]

I have childrens cards from the last 10 years and there is nothing indicating Child.

Trish

 

I was trying to find one of my kids' cards to see what they say, and only could find mine. Down in the right bottom corner of mine, it says 5A. This indicates that I had 5 previous cruises (at that time) and that I'm an Adult. The children's card don't have that A because they aren't adults. I can't recall if 18-20 is considered "adult" or if they have a different indication. I wish I could find my son's card from that cruise because he was 18. Maybe someone else here remembers.