Sailing with two teens, need cabin advice

[Cruisebride2006]

Fellow cruisers, need your advice! We are sailing with our two teenage daughters and would like to know what is the best cabin? Due to the size and only 1 bathroom is it smarter and more cost effective to get two cabins? Suggestions? 

[smplybcause]

It's often cheaper to get two - the cabins that hold 4 can get expensive on some sailings. Plus - 4 adults and one bathroom? Ugh. No thanks. 

[DesireeC03]

18 minutes ago, Cruisebride2006 said:

Fellow cruisers, need your advice! We are sailing with our two teenage daughters and would like to know what is the best cabin? Due to the size and only 1 bathroom is it smarter and more cost effective to get two cabins? Suggestions? 

We have done this in several different configurations. Depends on your budget and your relationship preference. I like having a balcony with an interior across the hall so we only pay for one balcony and have access to two bathrooms. But we have also shared one balcony and made it work. The further away the cruise is the better deal you will get, so that plays a factor as well. At the end of the day you will make it work and have fun!

[topnole]

42 minutes ago, Cruisebride2006 said:

Fellow cruisers, need your advice! We are sailing with our two teenage daughters and would like to know what is the best cabin? Due to the size and only 1 bathroom is it smarter and more cost effective to get two cabins? Suggestions? 

Definitely nicer to have 2 cabins with that age of kids.  Cost effective?   That is going to vary a lot.  Could be similar in pricing as 1 cabin, but often 2 cabins is more expensive.   But if it isn’t too much more, get a second cabin.  If money isn’t an issue, get a 2br grand suite.  
 

Good luck. 

[Wanderlust876]

I got a balcony and an interior directly across. I had to call and have royal book it as it won't let you add someone under 21 to a cabin without another adult attached to it. I think I even got a better price by calling. 

[Max and Ruby]

I’ll find out this summer. Booked 2 balconies next to each other ( not connecting rooms) for the first time. In 2019 we shared a balcony on Anthem and 1 bath and the sofa pulled out was doable , but not optimal! 2 daughters. 
 

I booked super early for those cabins and my travel agent got is under a group rate. Around  $5K for the 2 cabins. Oasis of Seas.
 

Would love  to do loft cabin , get 2 bathrooms, but sleeper sofas instead of real beds in living area  and $$$.

 

Good luck!

[Jerseygirl1416]

We’re a family of five and we’ve done lots of configurations too. Firstly, I’d definitely recommend separate cabins. Being in basically a small hotel room with the whole family for a week was challenging and not relaxing. I’ve found the most convenient configuration to be connecting cabins. I’d do whatever category you’re comfortable with and get two connecting cabins within that category.

Edited February 25, 2022 by Jerseygirl1416

[MississippiMom]

We have three daughters and have always booked two cabins in whatever combination happens to be available at that time.  The two bathrooms are a MUST.  But it isn’t just because we have daughters.  It’s because there are five people needing to use the toilet or the shower or the sink.

[RosieRoo]

I sailed with my two daughters all through their teenage years. At first I’d book connecting balcony cabins until I realized they never used the balcony and I was wasting money on it. Then I just booked a balcony with an inside across the hall.  It’s dark and they liked sleeping late so they loved it. Sometimes they will make you put an adult in each room, sometimes not if they are directly across the hall. Either way once on the ship you can change rooms, change keys, get extra keys, etc. 

[Cruisebride2006]

Thank you all! This is so helpful! I agree two teen daughters = the need for 2 cabins and 2 bathrooms! 

 

 

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

13 hours ago, smplybcause said:

It's often cheaper to get two - the cabins that hold 4 can get expensive on some sailings. Plus - 4 adults and one bathroom? Ugh. No thanks. 

Regarding the bolded, I've read that before, but I have a hard time believing it, UNLESS you do two different classes of rooms (like a balcony + inside).  If you're doing two of the same class of room, I'm pretty sure a single room with four would be cheaper.

 

That being said, I totally agree I would not want to put 4 adults in one cabin together for a week.  We do it for weekend trips in hotel rooms (with our teens) and it gets cramped.  

[mil76]

2 minutes ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

Regarding the bolded, I've read that before, but I have a hard time believing it, UNLESS you do two different classes of rooms (like a balcony + inside).  If you're doing two of the same class of room, I'm pretty sure a single room with four would be cheaper.

 

That being said, I totally agree I would not want to put 4 adults in one cabin together for a week.  We do it for weekend trips in hotel rooms (with our teens) and it gets cramped.  

I have done 2 balconies many times with 2 teenage boys, and although it usually isn't cheaper, the difference ends up being worth it.

 

You can find it cheaper on cruises where they are lots of kids (holidays/summer) since the rooms with extra accommodations go for a premium, especially as they start to reach lifeboat capacity.  Not a problem at current passenger levels.

[Merion_Mom]

13 hours ago, Cruisebride2006 said:

Fellow cruisers, need your advice! We are sailing with our two teenage daughters and would like to know what is the best cabin? Due to the size and only 1 bathroom is it smarter and more cost effective to get two cabins? Suggestions? 

 

My advice depends on the ship.  The Voyager and Freedom class ships have a unique combination that would be perfect for your family.  

 

On Deck Nine, the final cabins on both starboard and port sides, before reaching the true aft cabins, are a  balcony connected to an interior.

 

9696-9701 & 9396-9401 on Freedom, Independence and Liberty.

9676-9681 & 9376-9381 on Voyager, Explorer, Adventure, Navigator and Mariner.

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

22 minutes ago, mil76 said:

I have done 2 balconies many times with 2 teenage boys, and although it usually isn't cheaper, the difference ends up being worth it.

 

You can find it cheaper on cruises where they are lots of kids (holidays/summer) since the rooms with extra accommodations go for a premium, especially as they start to reach lifeboat capacity.  Not a problem at current passenger levels.

Didn't I say I agree it would be worth it.  

 

FWIW, I picked a random cruise in June 2023 on Oasis.  Putting four people in a balcony cabin was cheaper than two people in each of two balcony cabins.  If you'd like to find a cruise where two cabins (in the same category) are cheaper than one cabin holding four (in the same category), I'd like to see it. 

 

I mean sure, you can possibly do two interiors for cheaper than single balcony (or a suite), but that's comparing apples to oranges IMO. 

[screwsmcernst]

14 hours ago, Cruisebride2006 said:

Fellow cruisers, need your advice! We are sailing with our two teenage daughters and would like to know what is the best cabin? Due to the size and only 1 bathroom is it smarter and more cost effective to get two cabins? Suggestions? 

When we sailed with our teens,  we got an inside cabin across the hall from our balcony.  On paper, it was DH and son in one cabin, and DD and myself in the other.  Once we were on the ship, we talked to our steward, and explained the actual arrangements, and they didn't have a problem with it.    We got our balcony, and the teens got to feel special with their own cabin.  

  We also made it clear to our kids, that if they disturbed people, or made problems, that arrangements would change, and their "freedom" would end.  Needless to say, everyone had a great cruise.  😃

[jbrinkm]

Our first two cruises with kids were on Freedom class ships and they have quite a few of the double-pullman bed room set ups. We really liked those rooms (the kids LOVED the pullman beds up above) and we were happy with only one room arranged that way - especially since the couch area was always freed up and not used as a bed. We would stagger/schedule showers, use the mirror in the main room for getting ready, and use the public bathrooms if necessary.

 

I was disappointed to find that for our upcoming cruise on Oasis class (we'll be on Allure), there really aren't any of this type of room easily available any more. My kids are of different genders and will be teens on this cruise and I just couldn't see putting them together in a sofa bed, or spending a week with either DH or I in a couch bed with one of the kids. There are some rooms with one pullman bed but the couch was still considered the second bed in those rooms and they are marked as 5+ person rooms.

 

We ended up getting connecting balconies and I was really surprised as to how inexpensive it was compared to what I thought it would be. The kids are thrilled with their own room, I'm happy about the larger balcony (you can have the partition moved), and we'll all appreciate the second bathroom. I did end up using a TA for the first time to help get the best deal and find good rooms once we decided to go this route. Maybe that was why we were able to put the teens in their own room without an adult? The policy on this seems to be all over the place - some say you can't do it, others (like me) have had success with either connecting, next door or across the hall. 

 

I'd definitely look into the second room. From all the posts I've been reading, people with teens seem to be really, really happy with this set up. And as a previous poster said, it might not be that much more than the cost of one room with four people in it, especially if you book early or find an actual great sale.