High Maintenance Family?

[hince57]

If I take the family (6 month old ds & 3 year old dd) the dw wants to have the infant sleep in the same stateroom with us and wants our 3 year old to stay, by her self in a connecting stateroom. Is that over the top? Our 3 year old isn't too good about sleeping in the same room as us, and we're worried about the tight quarters. Anyone tried something like this before?

[katyf]

you should check out getting a suite w/ at least two rooms instead of doing that. I'll bet it will wokr out cheaper, since the way you sugguested you'd pay full fair for all 4 of you. This way only you and your wife would be charged full fair. Plus...you'll have a nicer/more spacious area most likely.

[crusinmama06]

Get a balcony cabin. Put the 3 year old down to sleep and retire for the evening out on the balcony with your hubby for a little quiet time. :D

[hince57]

i couldn't find any two-bedroom suites on the carnival ecstasy...do they have one that would accomodate?

[abolanowski]

If I'm not mistaken, the official policy on most cruise lines is to not allow minor children to stay in a separate cabin from their parents, even adjoining ones.
My 28 month old can open our front door (deadbolt and all) and I know this because I came out the bathroom and found her in the driveway. So I would be wary of leaving a mobile child on his/her own while I slept. Just some food for thought.

[PattyW]

Neither of the Carnival ships that leave out of Galveston have two bedroom staterooms, but most of the other ships which sail out of Galveston would have something to accommodate you:

1) RCCL Splendor, Voyager and Rhapsody: Royal Family Suite
2) Grand Princess: Family Suite
3) NCL Dream: no 2 BR staterooms but the Penthouse and Owners suites at least have one bedroom separate from the living room where you could close the door.

I was worried about this when we first sailed with babies/toddlers, but having a balcony cabin seemed to allow us to muddle through (without having us pay an arm and a leg for a huge cabin). We'd camp out on the balcony until she was fully asleep.

[Heatherco]

We've done this before on Carnival's Victory and Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas. It worked out awesome and was much less money than getting a family stateroom or suite. What you would do is just book yourself and one child in one room and your wife and other child in the other room. You can just keep the doors open in between. So much nicer than being crammed into one room. Plus you get two bathrooms and don't have to pay for a suite if you don't want to.

Enjoy.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I also wouldn't like the idea of a child being alone in a cabin. Especially after the Star Princess fire. That happened in the middle of the night.

[adamsmom]

I agree on getting adjoining rooms with a door inbetween, or perhaps a balcony where you could hang out until the child was asleep. Leaving them in a room alone? Would you leave the child in a hotel room next door? Too many extremely frightening things could happen in that situation. Our kids stay in the same room with us (11 and 7 years old), and the annoyance is that they wake us up far too early in the morning. But we can handle it for a week--we just try to sneak in a nap while they are at the kids club. ;)

[adamsmom]

I agree on getting adjoining rooms with a door inbetween, or perhaps a balcony where you could hang out until the child was asleep. Leaving them in a room alone? Would you leave the child in a hotel room next door? Too many extremely frightening things could happen in that situation. Our kids stay in the same room with us (11 and 7 years old), and the annoyance is that they wake us up far too early in the morning. But we can handle it for a week--we just try to sneak in a nap while they are at the kids club. ;)

[lucitemomma]

Last year my 3 yo daughter slept on the bed that folded out from the wall. We were a little worried about her falling, but our bed was under the bunk and the railing was very generously sized. It wasn't too bad getting ready in the morning because the bed folded right out of the way, and the novelty factor had her really willing to go to sleep. She's looking forward to her 'bunk bed' for this this year's cruise

Ooops! Forgot about one other item! AAA has a security wedge that goes under the door in hotel rooms to prevent intruders from coming in. A screw holds it tight in front of the door. It may be just the thing to keep a little someone IN the room if you go with adjoining cabins.

[JillinCalgary]

Do you mean you'd have two room with a door that opens inbetween, not outside in the hallway? Of course that's fine! But if you're talking about two rooms side by side without inner access then forget it. I can't imagine how that would even be allowed.

One Cruise we took we had three little ones, all in the same room. We opted for the 4 bunk style with the addition of a crib. Let me tell you about our cramped quarters! lol Our only saving grace was that my husband and I enjoyed our time on the balcony while naps took place and while the kids took their time to fall asleep for the night. Not my idea of perfection, but we didn't know any better.

Our past cruise with our youngest being out of a crib we faced this same sleeping dilemma. Most Cruise lines haven't accounted for my family - 2 adults, three children ages 7, 5 and 2. In my opinion there aren't enough family suites or options out there. Luckily we found one on an NCL ship and loved it. 2 interconnecting staterooms! They basically opened up an entire wall between the rooms. Each basically had their own bedroom and a huge sitting area between them. It was great and I highly recommend this option.

[whale-watcher]

The Royal Family Suites on RCI ships are wonderful for families with young kids. Our children are a little older, and we prefer princess where we can have side-by-side cabins or suites that interconnect via the balcony.

[hince57]

we ended up getting cat j (int) staterooms on the rhapsody with connecting rooms (2 adults and 1 child in each room)...thought about getting the royal family suite, but just a little too much $$ (the good news is we'll be right across the hall from it so we can take a quick peak in there hopefully!:D

[pg.]

Um, you would really put a three yr old in a room by themselves and think that would work out? My you are an opitimist. I think a family suite( and most ships have a few,but you have to BOOK FAR AHEAD is the best bet. Or have all of you in one room( a mini suite on Princess) would give you enough room a and a tad of privacy.. the balcony is a great escape.

Remember you and the wife will have hours alone with infant during day when three yr old is in the kids club, so if it is just a need for a little "grown up alone time", nudge nudge wink wink, then you can enjoy lovely afternoons when the baby naps. LOL

[hince57]

thought about it, but as you see above, we're getting connecting rooms and having the three year old stay with the grandparents...i wanted to the rfs, but a little too much dinero...