Quad Room ideas

[werchy]

We have just booked on the conquest. We are a family of four: mom, dad, and 2 daughters 14 and 12. We usually get the girls their own room, but to help cut down on the cost, decided to share a balcony cabin for this cruise. In the cabin are 2 twin beds (or convert to king), one wall bunk, and a single couch that converts to a single bed. Any ideas on how to best utilize the space to make for a more comfortable sailing so we don't all feel like a bunch of sardines packed in a can???

[dssking]

I am in a similar situation for the Feb 9 sailing on the Triumph. Our two children (Ages 2 and 5) will likely take the lowers and the wife and I will take the uppers.

 

Since we don't intend to spend a lot of time in the cabin, (it's an inside), I don't think it should be a problem. If the kids decide to go back sometime before 10 for bed, a couple extra hours in there before our bed time isn't an issue.

 

What I'm saying is this : sleeping and waiting around everyone to get ready in the morning won't be an issue. You have the balcony to curb your insanity. Don't worry..........you're on vacation. ENJOY!

[Muumuu]

When we do a quad we pack light and usually do 1 or 2 loads laundry,try to keep colors that will mix and match well - unpack ASAP and store the luggage out of sight - cannot do without our over door shoe hanger for all those loose things - with each cruise we have purged from our packing list - some can shower in the gym - keep the room neat as it does help - organize packing so duplicates are eliminated, like 1 hairdryer, 1 brand shampoo for all - single formal night outfit as you ususally have it on only 2 -3 hrs. - and with the kids, I made them carry on their own carry on as the weight of it for them cuts down on what they take. Number one - pack light.

[gail811]

Luggage stores well under the beds. Use the huge drawers under the couch for storing clothes and souvenirs if you buy any. Some people move the table out to the balcony. I shared a cabin with my mom and 2 sisters and we had plenty of room just by staying organized.

[RoofingPrincess]

Depending on the layout of the room, will there be more space if the two lowers are not converted to a king? And if so, are you and hubby willing to sleep apart for the vacation? IME (one oceanview and two insides), there was a lot more room in the cabin with the lowers separate, as they were pushed against the wall; the combined space in the middle was much more useful than having a small space on each side of the combined bed.

But in a balcony room, where the heads of the beds are not on the wall opposite the door, this may not be as big a factor.

You really wouldn't have to decide on the bedsplitting till you get there and see the room. Despite asking for twins every time, on two of the three cruises the bed was made up as a double, and we had to ask the cabin attendant to split it.

[ELECIA]

I don't know how "diva" like your daughters are, but I went on a spring break cruise with 3 other girlfriends when I was in college. Overall the room was just fine for what you use it for :resting and getting ready. The only issue was all of the girly hair products, skin products, makeup etc. It ended up covering the bathroom and cabin counters. My suggestion (of your girls are into that stuff now), would be to pack those caddies (the plastic ones kids pack to college, can find at LNT or BBB) and put all of their shower/getting ready stuff in them. Good luck and have a great vacation!

[bstman]

We did 4 in an inside last summer. It was crowded but we made it. I carried a hanging shelf. It hangs in the closet and has about 6 six shelves. Takes up some closet space but the shelves came in more useful. We put socks, underwear, swimwuits and things like that. It is made of fabric so it folds up small to pack. They have at Lowes and Wal-Mart. Also, an over-the-door shoe organizer is good. This folds up small and is great for curling irons, electronics and stuff like that-it saves your drawer space. And you can use it for shoes!!:D I also found a collapsable laundry hamper at wal-mart ($5) It folds up VERY small. We just put it in the corner for dirty clothes-it has handles so you can just pick it up and take to laundry room. We did 3 loads of laundry-take change!! Your balcony will help, we went to the room to get ready for dinner in shifts. My daughter and I got ready then my son and husband got ready. But it was nice because while the guys were getting ready my daughter and I had some time to hang out together. You will have blast don't worry!!

[Elaine515]

We've always booked an inside cabin for the four of us, myself, husband, 2 girls, now 17 & 13 and have never had a problem with room... We did/do bring extra hangers with us. We also designate one shelf space in the closet to each of us... My husband & I share one drawer for underwear, while each of the girls get their own drawer (usually the desk has 3 drawers).

 

Another suggestion which now that the girls are older, on formal nights, my husband showers and dresses first, leaves the cabin, goes to the atrium, orders a drink :) and then lets us girls get showered, put on the make-up, fix the hair, get dressed etc!!!

 

You are very rarely in the cabin... It'll work....

[jiggs]

another trick, depending where your cabin is, you can use the spa showers. On some classes of ships, they're actually nicer 'rainfall' showers than what is in the room. Then people would only need to worry about getting changed. Its pretty handy if you're on an upper deck, if you were too far down, it might not be worth the walk.

 

As so many others have said, you won't be in the room long enough to be bothered by it. It will feel crowded when you first get there and have your luggage and all 4 of you there, but it will get better once everything is put away.

[Suebee42]

I've only ever done a quad with 4 adults... I'm sure it'll be less crowded with two kids and two adults! :D

 

Even so, we survived. We didn't spend a lot of time in the cabin at all, so it wasn't too bad. Luggage does store well below the beds, so that's not really a problem. :)

 

Scheduling bathroom time was fun, but we did it. :)

 

I'm leaving Saturday for cruise #2, once again in a quad with 4 adults... though this time it's my "baby" brother and his fiance joining us, instead of two "random" friends, so I can yell at him to get out of my way. Haha!

[FloridaLaura]

I also enjoyed all of the tips, we will be on Glory in April and there will be 4 ladies in a balcony cabin. Does anyone know if the glory spa showers are the rain fall showers as discussed above? tia

[gazingm42]

We have had this same type of room on the conquest with our family of 4.

 

Its really not bad.

 

Just pack smart. Bring bags that can fold under the beds. Big hardside

and some soft side with metal frames will no slide under the bed.

 

Our steward would fold the bunks up during the day. This gave us lots of room

during the day.

 

We have no complaints on the room with 4.

[Tbay-eh]

We have just booked on the conquest. We are a family of four: mom, dad, and 2 daughters 14 and 12. We usually get the girls their own room, but to help cut down on the cost, decided to share a balcony cabin for this cruise. In the cabin are 2 twin beds (or convert to king), one wall bunk, and a single couch that converts to a single bed. Any ideas on how to best utilize the space to make for a more comfortable sailing so we don't all feel like a bunch of sardines packed in a can???

:cool: :cool: We sailed the same way on two occasions. My advice is to put suitcases under the king bed and use for shoes and dirty laundry. Have the girls keep all toiletries in a bag and take out only when needed (don't leave stuff laying around) Check the sofa - usually drawers under there. Keep room tidy and everything put away, if messy seems so much smaller and cramped. Remember the spa - you and hubby can go there to shower and get ready and leave girls to use cabin. Or use balcony to change etc if at sea - can put on makeup etc out there. Have a great cruise.:cool:

[sysguy]

We just had this situation on Triumph. The 2 twins were pushed together for DH and I and the kids took turns sleeping on the couch and the upper.

We kept the upper bunk set up all the time because we found the kids enjoyed going up there to read or watch t.v. out of everyones way. We didn't have any issues with bumping into it or anything.

The couch/bed didn't have any storage under it, but that may just be on Triumph.

The biggest tip I can offer is to keep the room clean! Use your over the door hanger ( I actually brought 2, one for inside the bathroom and one for outside), I also brought extra hangers, that I just left there, as I hung everything to keep the drawers from becoming too full.

I kept a pop-up hamper in one closet for dirty clothes, used suction cups on the mirrors for our lanyards ect...and just tried to keep things where they belonged.

Because of this we really had no space issues at all. The balcony was heaven and did come in handy, we could send the boys outside while us girls got ready etc..

Have a wonderful cruise!!:D

Cindra

[werchy]

These ideas are wonderful!!! Keep them coming if you think of anymore. I am making an ongoing list.

thanks so much!!:D

[letsgocruz1]

We just had this situation on Triumph. The 2 twins were pushed together for DH and I and the kids took turns sleeping on the couch and the upper.

We kept the upper bunk set up all the time because we found the kids enjoyed going up there to read or watch t.v. out of everyones way. We didn't have any issues with bumping into it or anything.

The couch/bed didn't have any storage under it, but that may just be on Triumph.

The biggest tip I can offer is to keep the room clean! Use your over the door hanger ( I actually brought 2, one for inside the bathroom and one for outside), I also brought extra hangers, that I just left there, as I hung everything to keep the drawers from becoming too full.

I kept a pop-up hamper in one closet for dirty clothes, used suction cups on the mirrors for our lanyards ect...and just tried to keep things where they belonged.

Because of this we really had no space issues at all. The balcony was heaven and did come in handy, we could send the boys outside while us girls got ready etc..

Have a wonderful cruise!!:D

Cindra

 

What a great idea! Did you use the suction cups w/hooks and then have a hole punched in your card?

 

We are going to be in the same situation on the Glory (2 adults, 2 kids) so I am looking for tips as well. I like the over the door organizer idea, too.

[sysguy]

Thanks!!

Yes, we had the purser's desk punch holes in our cards to hang on the lanyards. Mine and my DD's (10) lanyards also had clip watches attached as we don't wear watches on board but still need to know what time it is!!

We used the suction cups with hooks and had several as we put not only the lanyards but the kids goggles, the medals they won, and anything else that neede to be there!

The desk gets so cluttered that it was nice having all that stuff up off it.:)

Cindra