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Family staterooms


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I have searched but can't find too much info on family staterooms. I just booked a cruise on Celebrity and was surprised to find out that they even had these rooms. So to help out families I thought we could start a thread with info about the types of family staterooms on different ships or things you do to make your room more family friendly. So help another cruiser out! Tell us about your family tips for staterooms.

 

So for my discovery: Celebrity has family balconies that can accommodate 5 or 6 depending on the ship. They will not come up on an internet search as you have to call them ( or travel agent to book.)

 

Sometimes two connecting staterooms can be cheaper then one larger room ( such as a Mini suite).

 

A lot of the family staterooms are available on RCI Oasis and Freedom class, but they require a minimum of 5 to book but can accommodate 6. After final payment they usually open up these rooms to smaller size families if they haven't been booked.

 

My room tip: I taped the drawers shut on my dresser to keep my toddlers from Opening and closing it on their fingers. Tap is also great for covering outlets in a pre-cruise hotel room.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

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We had a Family Veranda stateroom on Celebrity Summit - luckily one of the huge corner balcony rooms - it was great for us. It popped up on the X website about 9 months prior to sailing - sent an email to our TA to grab it, he had it within minutes. Thankful for an attentive TA! It was great!

 

We taped the drawers and doors too - good tip! By the end of the week our LO figured it out though... :rolleyes:

 

Enjoy you cruise!

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We are booked on the Constellation for next January in a family verandah. It looks fantastic on you tube. It will be so great to have a little extra space and a bigger balcony. Normally we'd be falling over one another in a conventional quad.

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We got one of the coveted family corner rooms on deck 8 too. I was amazed as well when I saw videos. We have a large group sailing this time so I think we will have the party room.

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We've been in the Family OV on the Royal Caribbean Navigator--and have two booked on the Liberty for Thanksgiving.

 

It was a great room, roomy, good closet space, a neat bunkroom that the kids adored, and really big windows. The only downside was only one bathroom for six people.

 

It may be a little more difficult this time with 4 teens along (3 girls)!

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Question: how does a family IN or OV for 5 or 6 compare to booking two connected IN or OVs?

 

Feel free to answer re: any cruise line, but I'm most curious about RCI.

 

I would just look it up on the website, but of course RCI hides family cabin pricing and availability from view (for good reason, IMO).

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Question: how does a family IN or OV for 5 or 6 compare to booking two connected IN or OVs?

 

Feel free to answer re: any cruise line, but I'm most curious about RCI.

 

I would just look it up on the website, but of course RCI hides family cabin pricing and availability from view (for good reason, IMO).

 

I think there is just one bathroom in the Family Insides and oceanviews on RCI. There may be some family cabins with two baths, although I don't have experience with them--probably they would be classed as suites then.

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Oops ... I meant to clarify, what's the PRICE difference, not the layout difference. :o

 

Oh, I misread your question. So far, for us, the family OV has worked out to be a better deal--we've had one on a cruise with 7 grandkids, plus a balcony--9 people total. We have two booked around Thanksgivng 2014, plus one inside for 12-13 people.

 

We got a great deal on the first cruise because it was the end of Jan. and we hit a terrific sale. The Thanksgiving cruise we booked with the 3-4 passenger sail free deal, so that was a good price too.

 

Pricing varies so much from day, week or month that it's hard to get a handle on what's the best deal.

 

We did like the Family OV cabins a lot--very big and the kids loved the bunk room. All four girls usually slept together there--don't ask me why, but they liked being squeezed together, I guess. This year they will be 4 years older, so that will probably change.

 

If money wasn't a priority, I'd think two or more cabins would be great, for the extra bathrooms if nothing else.

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We travel with our 4 kids, ages 3-16, and have always had either connecting (interior, oceanview, and promenade) or the family oceanview (FO). The FO's have always been cheaper than 2 oceanviews, but sometimes two interiors would have been slightly (a couple of hundred dollars) cheaper. I do use a price drop website so that I can grab pricedrops as soon as they become available (and they are more rare for FO's). For our TA cruise it dropped significantly.

 

Both arrangements are nice and have their pros and cons. I prefer the FO's because of the large living space. With two connecting there really isn't a nice spot for everyone to just hang out together. It's especially nice for my youngest to have a large area to just putter around and play (makes it feel more like home). We put my youngest on a folding cot (one that we bring) in the bunk room so that my oldest can have the sleeper sofa to himself.

 

I think all of the RCI classes have rooms that sleep 6. We've booked ones on freedom (they have a ton of great options), Voyager, Radiance, and Vision (these are called family jr. suites but the price isn't too bad bc of the 3-6 passenger rate.).

 

We booked our next cruise during the kids sail free promo and to my surprise all 4 kids were free because we were all in one room! We still have to pay taxes and fees, but it was a tremendous deal.

 

The two cons that you will often hear about the FO's are the motion because on most ships (not freedom class) they are at the very front and because of the single bathroom. We definitely felt motion on our transatlantic crossing, but the room was very worth it because of all of the space for such a long cruise. The single bathroom doesn't bother us (and we have 3 bathrooms in our home), but I think that will vary greatly by family. Some use the fitness center showers as backups, but we didn't find that necessary.

 

I hope this information helps other families looking for larger cabins!

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  • 2 weeks later...
We travel with our 4 kids, ages 3-16, and have always had either connecting (interior, oceanview, and promenade) or the family oceanview (FO). The FO's have always been cheaper than 2 oceanviews, but sometimes two interiors would have been slightly (a couple of hundred dollars) cheaper. I do use a price drop website so that I can grab pricedrops as soon as they become available (and they are more rare for FO's). For our TA cruise it dropped significantly.

 

Both arrangements are nice and have their pros and cons. I prefer the FO's because of the large living space. With two connecting there really isn't a nice spot for everyone to just hang out together. It's especially nice for my youngest to have a large area to just putter around and play (makes it feel more like home). We put my youngest on a folding cot (one that we bring) in the bunk room so that my oldest can have the sleeper sofa to himself.

 

I think all of the RCI classes have rooms that sleep 6. We've booked ones on freedom (they have a ton of great options), Voyager, Radiance, and Vision (these are called family jr. suites but the price isn't too bad bc of the 3-6 passenger rate.).

 

We booked our next cruise during the kids sail free promo and to my surprise all 4 kids were free because we were all in one room! We still have to pay taxes and fees, but it was a tremendous deal.

 

The two cons that you will often hear about the FO's are the motion because on most ships (not freedom class) they are at the very front and because of the single bathroom. We definitely felt motion on our transatlantic crossing, but the room was very worth it because of all of the space for such a long cruise. The single bathroom doesn't bother us (and we have 3 bathrooms in our home), but I think that will vary greatly by family. Some use the fitness center showers as backups, but we didn't find that necessary.

 

I hope this information helps other families looking for larger cabins!

 

We are going to be on the Explorer of the Seas in the family oceanview and I would love if you could tell me where the furniture is placed compared to the window. On one photo is shows a bed and couch and in another the bed is facing a different direction and there is also a chair under the other window. I know it is not a big deal but I am an early riser and would love to be able to just look out the window without bother others.

Thanks

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We've been in the Family OV on the Royal Caribbean Navigator--and have two booked on the Liberty for Thanksgiving.

 

It was a great room, roomy, good closet space, a neat bunkroom that the kids adored, and really big windows. The only downside was only one bathroom for six people.

 

It may be a little more difficult this time with 4 teens along (3 girls)!

 

I am also booked on the Liberty Thanksgiving week (leaving 11/22/14)...Got the amazing kids sail free deal too.

 

We scooped up a corner aft cabin. I have heard great things about these cabins regarding size etc. Was just curious if anyone knew the difference between one of the corner aft rooms and a Family Oceanview?

Also curious what an approximate cost difference might be...

 

Thank you!

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We were in a family inside cabin on the Norwegian Breakaway. The only differences that I noticed from a regular inside cabin was the location (same floor as the kids club) and the fact that all the rooms around us were families with kids also so it wasn't loud at night with drunk people but we heard the kids up early on either sides of us. Pick your poison ;)

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We are going to be on the Explorer of the Seas in the family oceanview and I would love if you could tell me where the furniture is placed compared to the window. On one photo is shows a bed and couch and in another the bed is facing a different direction and there is also a chair under the other window. I know it is not a big deal but I am an early riser and would love to be able to just look out the window without bother others.

Thanks

 

The Explorer has 8 FOs (I think), but they vary in their arrangement depending on your deck. I think most of them are set up like a large oceanview cabin, with the bunk room right inside the door, and a chair between the main bed(s) and the window(s). Deck 8 is different, and I think those FO's are preferable because they are larger and the living space is more defined.

 

I'm the same way and like to know ahead of time what the room will look like! Google your cabin number and see if you can find any pictures (make sure it is for a Voyager class ship).

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just off the RCI Radiance in family suite #8500...additional sleeping area would not hold porta-crib with the single bed already in there...had a major problem having them remove the bed to accommodate it...otherwise..what's the point if not able to use it. But in the end it did work out. Cabin was great especially for just 2 adults and a 17 month old...plenty of room.

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We've done the family oceanview balcony on Allure. Size size it was similar to a JS, but I stead of a walk in closet, there were bunkbeds behind a curtain. That space also had a tiny closet. The living area had a sofa bed that should sleep 2, we didn't use it, and there was a curtain that could be pulled to make the living area and bedroom separate. Prior to that cruise we had been in 2 connecting cabins, and really missed the second bathroom and tv. Our favorite by far was the Royal Family Suite on Allure...2br, 2 bath and living area. 3 tvs made our youngest DD VERY happy lol. The balcony was big enough for a full size table and four chairs, and two padded loungers. The price hasn't been right to do it again, so we're back in two connecting balconies again next week.

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  • 1 month later...

I managed to snag a Promenade family inside room on the Indy of the Sea for a great deal. A spectacular room, especially because there was only my 18m son , wife and I. So much room for my son to play, and he got the bunkbed all to himself. The walk in closet was so big that it could have also been his bedroom! The Promenade view was good, as we could catch the parades without leaving the room.

 

Unfortunately I've spoiled my family.... They're expecting this kind of room for all future cruises!

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We also did the family promenade on the Liberty of the Seas. We are a family of 5. It was fantastic. Our DDs (6 & 4) loved the bunk beds and there was plenty of room for a pack n play for our DS. The two window seats were great and I loved the walk in closet and it had a tub (always a plus). But the best thing for us was it was located on the promenade right across from the coffee shop, so during nap times my husband and I would take turns and who ever wasn't in the stateroom would only have walk by on the promenade to see if the curtain was drawn or not to know if nap time was over. It worked the best for us so far. Next cruise we are doing adjoining balconies on Carnival Pride, that was all that was available at time of booking, so we will see how that goes.

Edited by No Nap Nattie
Wrong ship name
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  • 1 month later...

Just realized that I never updated after our trip. We had a great time and the family stateroom worked out fantastically for DH, Me, and our 2 little ones. The separation that creates the 2 rooms gave the kids a quiet sleeping area while we were still able to watch tv, talk, etc. we had no noise and no issue with movement (even on sone rougher sea nights). Both the kids wanted to sorry in the same bed so only 1 of the 2 couches was made up every night. We were just 2 floors under the buffet which made for several late night pizza runs. We had plenty of space for luggage and storage.

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Booking two connecting rooms on explorer, cost just $100 more for us than cramming in one regular inside room. One hint is that if you are interested in a family or connecting stateroom, try the cruise lines site if the rooms are not showing any availability on the generic travel booking sites. By specifying that you need two rooms together it seems to show more rooms available on the brand website...you can always transfer your bookings to a travel agency to take advantage of additional credit offers.

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