quad occupancy -- how bad is it?

[AnneBonney]

We (me, hubby, and two daughters 10 & 5) are currently booked in a quad verandah cabin on the Westerdam. I was looking through old threads and came across an alarming number who said "never again" with actually having four people in a quad.

 

Is there anyone who disagrees with this statement? Will time spent in the cabin be unbearable if all four of us are there?

 

Thanks!

[BM64]

It is not horrible at all. my girls were 11 and 6 when we had a quad verandah on the Zuiderdam, was it a little tight when the sofa bed was pulled out yes but it was fine. The key is to keep the cabin neat. We are booked on the Noordam in the same verandah cabin in the Spring.

 

You'll have a great time.

[doone]

My sisters have done it on the Volendam and Veendam, it was difficult, but you can do it. Like my sisters said, they couldn't live like that forever, but its fine for a 7 or 10 day cruise. You'll be fine, enjoy your cruise.

[ekerr19]

We've done it several times. Our kids are a bit older, but they still don't seem to mind. We usually only put 4 in the cabin if it's an S category.

[kura]

We travelled to Alaska in 2001 with our 2 sons 13 and 15 in a quad. It was an outside (no Verandah) on the Statendam. We had a great time! We are Australians and had actually spent 3 months travelling through Canada before hand....we have been ble to take our boys all around the world because we have shared rooms with them. It doesn't cost much extra for the kids that way!

[Momee]

I have traveled on the NCL Dawn in a quad with myself and three children and on the Carnival in a quad with 2 Adults and three children where a bunk came out of the ceiling.

I am booked on the Noordam in March in a Verand. Quad with 3 large teenagers who are as big as adults, its all I can afford and I think we will be fine. Tight but fine. Have a Wonderful Cruise.

[hammybee]

We have sailed as a triple when we cruise with DD. The killer for us is the bathroom. Teens often do not understand the concept of in/out.

[jtl513]

With kids that age you'll be fine. I wouldn't try it with any three people being over they age of 15, though!

[Lefty Bob]

Three women - one bathroom?:eek:

[muffin]

Doesn't apply to the OP, but if you have extra teens or adults along, don't forget to utilize the showers in the spa/gym area. Nice big ones, with hairdryers etc ...they can take a lot of the crunch off the cabin facilities. You can even take your new dinner clothes with you and emerge all ready to go.

[earl_m]

Its not so b ad if it family. but 4 grown ups must be terrible!! no private

time for you.

[cruising agent]

I am going to sail with three other women in a quad verandah cabin. Not even a suite. This was a last minute trip and one not in the budget so we knew it would be tight but we do not care. We are going to coordinate shower times and also use the spa for showers. Only planning to use the cabin for sleeing. Where there is a will, there is a way.

[JudyM]

Anne, thanks for bringing this up. Some friends and I are contemplating a knitting cruise with four in a room. We know we'll be spending most of our time outside the room, and we're confident we can work around the bathroom sharing with a little planning. But - all four of us will be bringing large and well-stuffed knitting bags on board, and probably adding to our stashes during the cruise. How much of a problem is storage space going to be for us?

[muffin]

Suggest you limit yourselves to one medium piece of luggage each. That way the suitcases will fit under the bed. ( the steward can take any that don't away for you to another storage area. ) Then you can use your suitcases for the new stuff, or finished items until you have to pack to come home. Sounds like taking a fold-up second bag for new goods would be in order for you all.!!! You can do the final pack up two at a time, and leave the bags in the hall as you finish with them!. Happy travels!

[JimVrhovac]

With two kids should not be a problem. Can pull cown the bunk beds and put them into the top.

 

Worst I ever say was when a large group went and 4 adults all weighing 300+ lbs we in a small inside cabin. When they talked about it evberyone was rolling on the decks laughing.. Fortunately they were real good friends and no one was killed

 

Ruth & Jim

[x lindsay x]

Did four adults in a room with my family right after I graduated college. It was on the Zuiderdam in a verandah stateroom. It was a first cruise for 3 of us so we didn't really have the packing thing down at that point so storage was a little tight due to unnecessary items we all brought. For the price no one was able to complain.

[jcrandle]

Our first cruise was a seven night on the Carnival Holiday with 6 and 11 year old daughters AND DMIL in one cabin. We had an absolute BALL!!! We were shoehorned in, but everyone had a great attitude, and lots of fun.

 

It really depends a lot more on the occupants than the accommodations.:)

[kura]

Have travelled a lot with our children when they were younger and I would only have them with us. I would not like the idea of young children in a cabin or hotel room on their own.

[cruzinwieds]

When my kids hit 13, they got their own inside cabin and the parents get the balcony across the hall, much much better.

[kryos]

I don't know ... I guess I was raised in a different era. When I was a kid, any vacations we took involved lots of family members -- my parents, me, my brother and his wife and their five kids. We were always shoehorned in ... with small cottages, two bedrooms, one bath ... ten of us to share.

 

We all lived to tell about it. We learned cooperation ... and the adults ensured that the kids all shared and had consideration for each other. Bathroom was truly shared. It was not unusual to have my three nieces all in there at the same time ... one brushing her teeth, one on the toilet and one in the shower ... or my sister-in-law fixing her hair with me in the shower and maybe mom popping in to take a quick "tinkle." Privacy was just something we knew we weren't going to have ... and if we wanted to go on vacation, well ... we had to deal with that. Money was not something there was plenty of ... so we made do. And you know what the funny thing is? Those vacations in those crowded cottages ... where there were no alternative facilities to use (like the shower in the gym) ... were some of the most fun times I ever had as a kid. Everyone had fun and everyone learned to share ... the facilities, the chores, food ... everything.

 

I guess today things are different ... but I wouldn't trade the good times I had on those "shoehorned" vacations for all the tea in China.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[Two if by Sea]

I think what is different is that many of us have grown up to a higher standard of living much faster than our parents ever did.

[babyher]

This April will be the first cruise DW and I will take two of the kids DD16 and DS15.

 

We thought about a suite for all of us or a quad , and then the bathroom issue came up . Between DW and DD , that would be a nightmare.

 

So we opted for a balcony for us and a inside across the hall for kids.