Royal Family Suite too tight for 8??

Doing some planning, and here is my issue. It will be my core family of 5 (2 parents, 2 daughters (21 and 18), and son (14)), and a friend with each kid...total of 8....

I would like to consider an Grand Suite and possible 2 interior rooms across the hall, since we would like to have a large room for us all to gather when we need to, plus the wife and I really have enjoyed suite perks when we travelled previously without kids.....problem is, I am having a little bit of guilt that the kids won't be able to enjoy some of the suite perks...so I am thinking a royal family suite may be the way to go, BUT:

1) Is it realistic to try and get this many people 'comfortably' into the single royal family suite, without feeling we are on top of each other...

2) The dates I am looking at aren't even available yet, so does anyone have a cost comparison to help aid my decision? I am assuming Grand Suite + 2 interiors (K) would be around $10-11K, but have no idea what a Royal Family Suite would cost with 8 people..

Thanks!

D:D

what ship?

On a Voyager class..yes, IMO it will be too crowded...2 in the master bedroom, 2 on the sofa bed and 4 into what is essentially an inside cabin

Doable..yes....but IMO you'll go nuts. I wouldn't put more than probably 5 or 6....you'd have to put the girls in the room, you and your spouse in the master, and the 2 boys sharing the sofa bed....

that's and RFS on Explorer...it was just mom and I..we booked a suite guarantee and scored that!!

yes you can do it....but you'll have zero privacy.......

oops..so sorry...on the Freedom OTS...

D:D

oops..so sorry...on the Freedom OTS...

 

D:D

OK...well.....the ship is just a bit longer...so that video won't be exactly the same...but it should be close..and well...it will give you something to do! :D

Doing some planning, and here is my issue. It will be my core family of 5 (2 parents, 2 daughters (21 and 18), and son (14)), and a friend with each kid...total of 8....

 

I would like to consider an Grand Suite and possible 2 interior rooms across the hall, since we would like to have a large room for us all to gather when we need to, plus the wife and I really have enjoyed suite perks when we travelled previously without kids.....problem is, I am having a little bit of guilt that the kids won't be able to enjoy some of the suite perks...so I am thinking a royal family suite may be the way to go, BUT:

 

1) Is it realistic to try and get this many people 'comfortably' into the single royal family suite, without feeling we are on top of each other...

 

2) The dates I am looking at aren't even available yet, so does anyone have a cost comparison to help aid my decision? I am assuming Grand Suite + 2 interiors (K) would be around $10-11K, but have no idea what a Royal Family Suite would cost with 8 people..

 

Thanks!

 

D:D

With kids of those ages I would say yes. The 2nd bedroom has pullman beds that would probably be uncomfortable for older girls.

Option is a connecting room to RFS if available. I don't know what suite perks are important to you but most of them are for adults over 21.

I just noticed that as well regarding the connecting room, which raises the thread I put on earlier today about extension of immediate family with connecting cabin regarding suite perks...With only 1 child over the age of 21 with us, it is really the boarding, but more importantly the reserved seating at shows and poolside for all 8 of us at the same time that is the main consideration...and not the concierge/free booze...

Still waiting to hear from someone regarding predicting the cost of the RFS, versus the Grand suite+2 interiors...

D:D

I got an estimate for the cost of the RFS on the Freedom for a 7-day cruise in the summer from the LA on Liberty.

It is about $19,000 for 8 people.

I just noticed that as well regarding the connecting room, which raises the thread I put on earlier today about extension of immediate family with connecting cabin regarding suite perks...With only 1 child over the age of 21 with us, it is really the boarding, but more importantly the reserved seating at shows and poolside for all 8 of us at the same time that is the main consideration...and not the concierge/free booze...

 

Still waiting to hear from someone regarding predicting the cost of the RFS, versus the Grand suite+2 interiors...

 

D:D

Doing some planning, and here is my issue. It will be my core family of 5 (2 parents, 2 daughters (21 and 18), and son (14)), and a friend with each kid...total of 8....

 

I would like to consider an Grand Suite and possible 2 interior rooms across the hall, since we would like to have a large room for us all to gather when we need to, plus the wife and I really have enjoyed suite perks when we travelled previously without kids.....problem is, I am having a little bit of guilt that the kids won't be able to enjoy some of the suite perks...

It is admirable that you feel guilty. With that being said, try to get over it. ;)

Sure, the kids will be scarred for life, but ..... it will be a good learning experience that will prove to make them better in the long run.

If it was up to me, I would put all the kids in steerage, as they would probably have a better time there than in a luxury suite. Kinda like buying the thousand dollar toy, and they have more fun playing with the box.

i had an owners suite but my friends had a regular outside cabin. as long as one of us (me) showed our card, they were able to sneak in with me - like lounge chairs, private beach at labadee, preferred seating. they were with me so much that the conceriege thought we were all suite members.

I would put the kids in an inside as well. Realistically how much of the suite perks would they take advantage of? My guess is they will not be spending much time in the room anyway so it won't matter to them. I would think (hope!) they would be grateful to be on a cruise (with a friend even!!!) that they would be happy with whatever they get.

i had an owners suite but my friends had a regular outside cabin. as long as one of us (me) showed our card, they were able to sneak in with me - like lounge chairs, private beach at labadee, preferred seating. they were with me so much that the conceriege thought we were all suite members.

Sorry, but I consider that an incredibly tacky and dishonest thing to do. Certainly nothing to brag about.

Not related to your question, but if any of the friends are under age 18, I think you need a notarized letter from both parents of each child granting permission for you to take them out of the country. I just didn't want you to get to the ship and then find this out. Also, doesn't RCI has some rule that one adult in a non-connecting cabin has to be at least age 25? That might mean you have to do the royal suite perhaps with the connecting cabin, although I know families put kid in inside cabins across the hall all the time. Not sure how this works or what the rules are.

Too many in a royal family suite! It's perfect for 4 adults.

8 people and 2 bathrooms?

The couch is not very comfortable as a bed and small for two.

You can all board together regardless of category room.

And to the poster who bragged about "sneaking in" their friends-for suite perks-I certainly wouldn't be announcing it to the world. It was dishonest!

I think you'd be better off with connecting rooms

Hi

We had the RFS on Navigator of the Seas a few weeks ago. We shared it with my sister n law and her family. THere were 4 adults and 4 kids. Everyone slept comfortably including my 16 year old and his mother on the couch. The problem is that I don't think teens would like sleeping on the pullman. The master bedroom would be great for you. The other problem is noise at night. We went to bed at 11pm but my sister n law and her son liked to stay up late talking and watching tv which we had to listen to until they went to sleep.

We also had 2 inside rooms for more family and they joined us in our room as well. The balcony is huge so everyone could enjoy. I wouldn't worry about seating at the shows as I didn't think it was that great. As for the pools, as long as you have a suite i wouldnt' worry about your kids not being able to be with you. They rarely sit still anyways.

The price of our suite was $6000, We got a great deal but you won't get that deal on a freedom ship. That being said I would stick with Freedom class, the suite was great but voyager class is not for families.

Triena

I was in the Royal Family Suite on the Jewel of the Seas (total 5 people).

I wouldn't book 8 in a RFS... too many people and not enough space or privacy.

Regarding RFS on JOS: Two bathrooms for 8 people is not a good idea. The second bedroom is very small and doesn't have enough closet space for 4 people. For us the twin beds were against the walls and the night stands fit perfect between the beds. The only open space was between the beds (width of 2 night stands) and a little space at foot of beds. Also, the second bedroom didn't have a TV.

The sofa sleeper in any cabin is not comfortable like a bed. If someone watches TV in the living area, people in bedrooms will hear the TV.

The size of the master bedroom and bath was wonderful, but only for the two people that get to sleep there. The large living area was nice for everyone to get together, but not enough seats for 8 people. If I remember corectly, we had a sofa and chair in the living area and a small table with two chairs in the small dining area.

My kids would of preferred their own room for private conversation, more space and just two people sharing one bathroom. Teens and 20+ are more interested in ship activities and not cabin size or perks. JMHO

We had royal family suites for ten. Five per cabin was full enough for me. For the sake of the girls not having to share room with little bro and his friend would be nice. If you can get quad for the girls and double for the boys the girls don't even have to be close by. Everyone gets a bit more privacy. More room and more bathrooms would be useful for all.

You are correct about the notarized letter. But RCCL allows you to book your children in an adjacent or across the hall room. On our Allure trip last summer, DH and I had a balcony with the kids (11,12 and 14) in an inside acroos the hall. On our norwegian cruise the previous summer, we had to book it with the girls and me in the inside and DH and son in the balcony.

Thanks guys, I really am leaning towards not cramming us all in, despite the allowable capacity....Thank you all for the input!!!

D:D

Wow you must get dizzy on a horse so high :rolleyes:

Sorry, but I consider that an incredibly tacky and dishonest thing to do. Certainly nothing to brag about.