tips for booking a cruise with children

[dishie02]

Hey,

 

I need advice. We would like to take our children on a cruise with us. They are ages 7, 7, and 9. I have found cruise deals that will allow us to book all 5 of us into one room but it appears to just be a regular oceanview room. There is NO WAY we would all fit along with our "stuff". Can anyone tell me what to look for and how to book a cruise that will allow us to comfortably fit our family?

 

Thanks!

[2Cruise4Ever]

Dishie ~ Me, DH, DS (7yo), DD (2yo) went on NCl's Dawn last June in an AB Penthouse. This cabin was perfect for us. It actually sleeps 5. There are 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and the cabin itself is huge!!! It's pricey, but well worth it. Not only do you have this huge cabin and some privacy from each other, but there are other perks as well - Butler, Concierge, priority embarkation, disembarkation, and some other VIP perks along the way.

 

The second bedroom is a pullman bed that sleeps two and one that comes out of the wall like a bunk bed that sleeps one. It's a very small room, but they're really only there to sleep anyway. I took lots of pictures. Album 1 and 3 have the pics of the cabin:

 

http://community.webshots.com/user/richardsjlsg

 

We're going again next year. This summer the Dawn begins a new itinerary:

 

NYC, Bermuda, NCL's private island (Great Stirrup Cay), Nassau, and back to NYC.

 

Also, Royal Caribbean has family suites that have a second bedroom. I've never been in one, but from what I've seen and heard, they're very roomy.

 

Happy Sailing!

[Arwenmark]

book adjoining cabins and book yourself into one with one or two children and Husband into the other. It will cost more but give you more room and two bathrooms.

Or book a suite, or on some lines a family cabin.

[matt32703]

We are a family of 5 and always book 2 cabins (adjacent). I have 2 teenage sons and we put then in on cabin. My wife, young daughter (7 soon) and I share the other cabin.

 

With your children's ages ... I would have Dad sleep in one cabin with some of the kids and you in the other with whats left; if you were to go with adjacent cabins. With adjoining cabins, you could leave the door between the cabins open and have the children share a room and you and your husband share the other.

 

I suggest this because we always find using the 2 cabin option to be much less expensive than trying to get a large suite. It really comes down to what you want to spend. Good Luck!

[Hootsie]

We have three teenage daughers and book them a cabin right next to ours. They love having their own space and will order room service at 3am (just because they can). For us, it's cheaper than booking a huge suite and frankly, we don't spend much time in our rooms anyway. I'd rather take the difference and use that money in ports to shop. (-;

[cruisinbuddy]

If you haven't ruled out Disney, try them. We went in '03 with 3 teenagers. Get a deluxe family suite that sleeps 5. A queen bed, couch pulls out, top bunk flips down from ceiling and murphy bed in the wall. When the beds are put away there's lots of room. Hard to get to balcony when murphy bed is down, but you can step over. Plus the fact that it's Disney and the kids will have a great time and they don't have to be hanging off of you all the time. Good hiding spot is the adults only pool.

If you need a tip to get room service on the last night let me know. Ok I won't make you wait. We phoned over & over again but the line was busy, off the hook. So when I got back from getting my last beer they told me no good lines still busy. Well here's the trick, phone the pursers desk and when they answer say "oh sorry I ,meant to phone room service, could you connect me please". 20 minutes later we had our pizzas. HeHe.

Whatever cruise line you do have a great time & don't forget to make time for you & spouse, it's your vacation too.

[wrp96]

One thing, very few online agencies will allow you to book 5 people in one room over the internet. For some cruiselines, bookings for over 4 people in one stateroom cannot be done over the internet. For example, RCI has several different types of family staterooms that hold 5 people or more and have more room than regular staterooms, but you can only book a maximum of 4 people online with RCI. So then it is necessary to call, either RCI directly, a local TA, or the customer service line of an online agency. I know a couple of other lines have this option as well.

 

And as one of the other posters suggest, another option is to book two connecting staterooms. It will give you more room, two bathrooms, but peace of mind because you can still keep a direct eye on your kids.

[jerseygirl3]

Hootsie, it's a whole different situation to put 3 teenagers in a cabin by themselves next door to yours. The OP's children are very young; I would never feel comfortable leaving kids that young in their own cabin.

 

To the OP, if you can't find a cruiseline that offers adjoining cabins where the door between the two cabins can be left open, try Disney. It will probably be more suitable to your young children anyway. I would also suggest checking with a brick and mortar travel agency, as they probably can consolidate a lot more information for you quickly as to cabins that will allow 5 and will be roomy enough without breaking the bank.

 

Good luck and have a great cruise.

[hotmike98]

I agree that the internet may not let you book 5 people in a cabin that would accommodate 5. The mini-suites on Princess have a queen size bed, plus a small sitting area with a drop from the ceiling bunk and a smallish sofa pullout bed that MIGHT hold two small children, but it's technically listed as for four people. You might want to call Princess direct.

[JackieH]

Im having the same dilema. We have booked 2 inside staterooms on the Valor for August.We can not really afford the suite. When we cruise our kids will be 12, 7 and 2. The 2 yr old will either be in a crib or my bed. I feel the extra cabin is a waste of money. We did 4 of us in an inside cabin on RC. granted the room was small,b ut managable. I hate spending the money on another room when one room would do us fine.