Crown Balcony Cabin with Children

[cococruiser]

I have just booked for August 07 on Crown Princess. I have booked a balcony cabin on Baja deck . I am travelling with my husband and 2 children. I have been allocated a cabin which says on the deck plan can be converted to accommodate a third person.

 

I have contacted Princess and have been told there will be one child above and a rollaway for our 2nd child. My children will be aged 6 and 9 when we travel, so I do want them with me in the same cabin.

 

Can anyone out there please let me know what the layout will be like and will the cabin be terribly cramped? Should I try again to change cabin?

 

I have got so much help from these forums and this is my first post! Thanks.

[Eskwire]

You MIGHT be cramped...it depends how organized you are. I think your steward will help you by folding up the rollaway bed during the day so you will have more walking space. It will be tight at night. If you plan on not being in your cabin that much it will be fine and certainly doable for the week.

 

If you have the $$$$ I recommend a mini suite, as you will have the extra sitting area for the pull out and the kids can share the bed in the pullout. You also get some extra storage.

[Eskwire]

Double post...sorry.

[cococruiser]

We were considering a mini-suite, but I think we would prefer to spend the money on board!!

 

I plan on being out of the cabin most ot the time.

 

Getting ready to go out morning and evening is my main concern. As you say I think organisation is the key.

[DrivesLikeMario]

OMG! Is all I can say! "Are we going to be cramped?" YES, absolutely YES! Those cabins are really small, add to that a third person in a bunk AND a roll-away? Yikes! The roll-aways take up a lot of room. I can just hear everyone at night banging their toes on beds jutting out everywhere. I very strongly recommend a mini-suite. Prices may come down and then it'll be more affordable for you. We had a mini-suite on the Grand when our kids were your kids ages and I wouldn't go in anything less.

[Toto2Kansas]

Sorry, it is difficult enough thinking of 4 in a quad cabin, but in a cabin designed for 3, total nitemare. I agree with LadyJag, this isn't something I would even attempt. The balcony cabins are small to begin with, I don't even know where they could put a roll-a-way in them and still leave any room at all to walk, even to the bathroom. Evenings and mornings will not be a pleasent experience.

[simatravel]

You will be cramped. We just returned from the Crown yesterday and we have 2 kids, 7 and 3. From our previous experience we booked the Mini Suite with a fold out bed and above bunk. It was just right. Even if you think you will not spend time in your room, you will. Think of changing for dinner, getting ready to go to bed and other times you might be in the room. I would recommend the mini-suite.

[cococruiser]

Thanks everyone,

 

This is confirming my worst fears!! I will now seriously consider upgrading.

[iamcruisemom]

Yes, you will be cramped. Having said that, our first cruise was on the Seabreeze (Premier). It was a last minute thing and we took what cabin we could get. Since it was a very old ship, some of the cabins were very small. Our cabin was 100 square feet, and we were in it with our then 4 and 2 year old. We had a great time!! Now we book mini-suites, but we always have fun-no matter what size the room is. Go with your gut-you'll have fun either way.

[cococruiser]

Thanks for that positive slant!

 

I just don't understand why Princess have allocated us a three berth as opposed to a 4 berth.

[CruiseInOnMama]

Hi! What did you decide to do? I'm taking the Crown on 09/06/07 and have the balcony room too. But we only have one child going...a 5 year old. Pictures of the room look small even for 3. I was figuring about putting him in the upper berth but I wondered what stops him from falling out...anyone know? You'll have to let me know what you decided and how your trip was before we go on ours! Thanks.

[jbrambach]

Hi! What did you decide to do? I'm taking the Crown on 09/06/07 and have the balcony room too. But we only have one child going...a 5 year old. Pictures of the room look small even for 3. I was figuring about putting him in the upper berth but I wondered what stops him from falling out...anyone know? You'll have to let me know what you decided and how your trip was before we go on ours! Thanks.

 

They put a rail on the side of the bed to prevent falling off.

[flarad]

We went from a quad on Emerald to two balconies on the Lido for only $100 more. You might check out adding a cabin. It's odd how it works out close to the same.

[cococruiser]

We have decided to stick with the balcony room.

 

I have made a few calls to our TA and they have convinced me that all will be OK. I know from looking at the pictures it will be tight - lucky we are a close family!. At least I am prepared for a squeeze and will not be shocked when we get on board. Thats the great thing about these boards.

 

I will certainly let you know all about it when I get back.

[katisdale]

I think it will be OK but why not ask to be put on the waitlist for a four bed cabin? Then you would not have to mess with the rollaway which really eats up space? I imagine that all of the 4 bed cabins are currently spoken for.

[CMM]

Can't comment on the Crown, but we did 4 in a cabin on Celebrity Mercury. It had one pull down, and a cot that they folded up during the day, but it was still in the room during the day. The kids were 4 & 6 at the time. Was it crowded? YES! But it was a blast! We love camping etc. so we were fine with it. We didn't even have a blacony to escape to. At the time my hubby was a smoker so he had to walk a pretty good distance to smoke which took the most coordination having kids to look after.

Have a great time!

We are looking forward to our upcoming Crown cruise without our kids. That will be fun in different ways too.

[pg.]

Wow, some of you are spoiled rotten, ha ha. We camp in a motorhome with three kids.For weeks at a time. Less floor space then in a cabin, and we cook and eat in it too. As well as store clothes for three weeks.

 

Yes , it will be cramped, but it is only sleeping and washing. You will be absolutely fine, attitude is everything. Most moms still supervise kids cleaning and dressing so they might as well be right there with you.

Get kids ready first for formal night, then send hubby ( men just shower and put on their suits, takes ten minutes, LOL ) and kids out of cabin so you can dress in peace. It will be just fine as long as you have a helpful hubby.

 

PS Once hubby takes kids out of cabin, pour yourself a drink, and go sit out on the balcony for ten minutes before you get ready.... ah, a nice built in break!

[turbo46032]

I've done a CB with a 2+2 bunk balcony and a KP with a 2+1+1 rollaway. I'd do the 2+2 again, but not the rollaway ever again... Thanks to the itinerary we were never in the cabin, so we did not mind, but the rollaway in a multi-sea-day itinerary is a baaaaad idea. It really blocks the balcony. Get on the waiting list for the 2+2 if you can, but I would not worry too much either way.