Thinking of a Family Harbor Suite w/o kids

[mjhbrown]

We are booked on the Vista in May. Lately I've been thinking I'd like to bring my mother (aged 82) along with us. If we do so, I would not keep my balcony but would think about a Family Harbor Suite. I have a couple of questions for anyone that has stayed in one...

1. they are on Floor 2, I've always had a balcony on 7 or 8. Is there much difference? are you super close to the water level?

2. Do people without children stay in these suites? What's your opinion on 2 50 somethings and an 80 something staying there, is it noisy? crowded? etc

3. Am I insane for even thinking about bringing my Mom to share a cabin with us? Will she be comfortable on the sofa bed? The extra bathroom is a big bonus.

 

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

MJ

[drerickson77]

2. Do people without children stay in these suites?

 

 

I guess in a sense your mother would be there with her kid, so you can spin it like that. ;)

Edited September 29, 2016 by drerickson77

[Adge01]

I think it is a great option for you. The extra bathroom and the lounge is a huge bonus regardless of your ages/family situation. If you would all be okay with the excess children, why not.

[jh2360]

I guess in a sense your mother would be there with her kid, so you can spin it like that. ;)

Ha! Very true.

 

Sent from my SM-G920V using Forums mobile app

[Sam_Eagle]

We are booked on the Vista in May. Lately I've been thinking I'd like to bring my mother (aged 82) along with us. If we do so, I would not keep my balcony but would think about a Family Harbor Suite. I have a couple of questions for anyone that has stayed in one...

1. they are on Floor 2, I've always had a balcony on 7 or 8. Is there much difference? are you super close to the water level?

2. Do people without children stay in these suites? What's your opinion on 2 50 somethings and an 80 something staying there, is it noisy? crowded? etc

3. Am I insane for even thinking about bringing my Mom to share a cabin with us? Will she be comfortable on the sofa bed? The extra bathroom is a big bonus.

 

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

MJ

1. I can't answer this one, as I've only stayed on Deck 2. It is close to the water level. I like it on Deck 2.

2. Yes, you will find some staying in the FH without young kids. Not many, but some do. I haven't sailed on the Vista yet, but I haven't heard of many noise complaints in the FH...at least not any more than anywhere else on the ship. If anything, you'll find fewer drunk 20-somethings in the halls late at night. :p

3. Only you will know if she'll be comfortable on the sofa bed, as this is a personal opinion. Personally, I'd have to be certifiably insane to share a cabin with my mother, but that's just my situation (my mother would agree with me).

[HawkIVette]

Just got off the Vista in cabin 2421 with the same situation. The wife and I , but had to take my MIL along. Well, didn't HAVE to, but she has sailed with us before and is real easy to take along. Same situation as you- we are 56, she is 77.

 

We have had 7th and 8th deck balconies before. But first time on deck 2 and loved being closer to the water and ports. As far as being close to the water, you are still up 2 decks, but when we were cruising across the Mediterranean Sea, we did get some waves splashing up on our deck.

 

The nice thing I will say about deck 2 and Family Harbor was the closeness to the lounge. It made it real convenient for getting breakfast. Most days on our Med cruise, we were getting off the ship early (as soon as we could) to go on excursions. We could just cross the hall and eat, then walk down the hall to get off on Deck 2 or Deck 0. No Elevators, no long lines to eat or debark from the ship.

 

MIL also likes coffee first thing in the morning. Very easy for her, not having to take an elevator at all (She's 77 and is directionally challenged - she can never remember which way was fore or aft.)

 

Second bathroom was all her's too. She loved it and made her feel special.

The couch was very comfortable. Suite has a double couch, but steward left half the bed made all the time with the extra half as a chair for her to sit.

 

At night, she would pull the curtain and turn on her TV. She said she did not hear a thing. And with the curtain pulled, it was very dark for her , as the main cabin lights did not shine in there, but only in the hallway created by the curtain.

 

The only bad thing about the Family Harbor Suite was the noise at night. Not real loud except for last night of our cruise. Scraping things across the floor, dropping things in the galley. MIL and my wife said they didn't hear a thing (heavy sleepers, must be cause they slept through the 2 bears I heard growling all night in my room). But I am a light sleeper ( or the bears just kept me up all night) and heard the noise right above my head a little each night.

 

Hear is a link to my post with pics of our cabin.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2406899

Edited October 1, 2016 by HawkIVette

[mjhbrown]

Thanks for your input, everyone, I changed our reservation today and took a Family Harbor Suite. I will bring earplugs for my DH who is a light sleeper.

 

As far as the 'bringing my mom' issue, all I have to say is that she stays out later than we do! We were on a cruise with her 2 yrs ago and when we watched the cabin television we saw her on stage with a comic, we saw her jitterbugging in the club with a gentleman, we saw her taking the hip hop class and everywhere we went on the shop people greeted her by name! She will own the Vista!

[skewsus]

I would love to sail with your Mom! She sounds like she is a hoot! Enjoy your cruise!