Best way to save with multiple rooms and guests?

[SFamilyCruise]

I am getting ready to plan a cruise for my family of 6 (2 adults 2 teens, and 2 littles,  ages 6.5 and 4.) and trying to figure out the best way to book our state rooms. In general I prefer inside state rooms because I get motion sick easily (yea, I know crazy in love cruises but get sick easily on them.) But now with such a large group we obviously cant do one state room or easily do an inside stateroom. What is the best way in general to book a stateroom (or two) to accommodate a large group as well as maximize the savings. I know in one stateroom we would get a discount for the 3rd and 4th passenger so would it be cheaper to do 2 state rooms, 1 with 2 and the other with 4 guests? Does it really even work out better? In general I don't squabble over a few hundred bucks but I'm curious if anyone has figured that out. Are there any state rooms on the big lines that would accommodate 6 people? 

[LHT28]

I would book 2 insides  next to each other 

put 3 in each cabin  you may have to put 1 adult for each cabin  depending on the cruise line  & the ages of the teens

You could check around  & compare prices  for larger cabins 

[angie7911922]

I agree. I would also book two inside staterooms, right next to each other. That's going to be cheaper than looking at the verandas and suites.

[OCruisers]

4 minutes ago, angie7911922 said:

I agree. I would also book two inside staterooms, right next to each other. That's going to be cheaper than looking at the verandas and suites.

 

Also having two bathrooms is very nice.  

[simplyrubies]

Put down another vote for two insides next to one another. Depending on the line and the age of your teens, you may need to put one adult in each room with two kids in each. For example, Royal Caribbean mandates that there must be someone of at least 21 in each room. On Carnival, you could have the two adults and two littles in one room and two teens in another if you wanted as guests 13-17 can be up to 3 staterooms from their relative/guardian. 

 

Whether you book with a travel agent or do it on your own, you can try to find inside rooms that are right next to another or right across the hall. I would not go any more than a few rooms away, and being on a different deck would be an absolute no no! If you can get connecting staterooms, even better.

 

You could also look into the family rooms on some lines. Royal has their family interior which will fit 6 and could be cheaper than two staterooms depending on your cruise, but you'd have to look in advance.

[cb at sea]

If you plan on putting the "littles" and the teens together, I'd get connecting cabins...gives you immediate access thru a door between the cabins.

[SimplyMarvie]

We had a similar question with our family of five, and it was one of the things that I really appreciated having a TA help us with -- booking online we couldn't do two cabins in one booking and had to book one and then go and try to book another close or next door, which is hard because putting different numbers of people in the cabin changed the availability (or everything was sold out in the two minutes it took to complete the first booking? Who knows, but it was a right pain.) 

 

The TA was able to run the numbers and check various alternatives and found us the perfect combination of outside cabins -- an inside is fine, but if you've got kids who are afraid of the dark, it might be tough for them. Those cabins get DARK. I love it... my seven year old, not so much. The price was only a few dollars more, and we're right next door instead of down the hall -- plus, she did all the work! 🙂

[Mr. Candyman]

On 3/27/2019 at 6:32 AM, simplyrubies said:

Put down another vote for two insides next to one another. Depending on the line and the age of your teens, you may need to put one adult in each room with two kids in each. For example, Royal Caribbean mandates that there must be someone of at least 21 in each room. 

 

 

Just wanted to let you know that's not the case with Royal.  I am traveling with my wife and 4 kids (oldest kid being 19) and the 4 kids are in an interior with us directly across the hall. Either my TA told me or I read on here that the rooms just have to be within 2 or 3 cabins of each other.  

[simplyrubies]

Thanks for the confirmation @Mr. Candyman. Goes to show that not everything written on cruise blogs is necessarily true! Great news for families. 

[ed01106]

Here is what I would do two adjoining rooms (or at least close to each other)-  one of them with four bunks (unless 6.5 & 4 can sleep in the same bunk)  if the cruise line requires an adult in each room -- then book it that way.  But for the actual cruise - mom and dad share a room for 2 and the four kiddies are in the other room.  Nobody is going to be inspecting to make sure that everyone sleeps in the correct room.