Carnival Pride Suite or Connecting Balcony Rooms for 2 and 6 year olds?

It looks like we are going to go on our first family cruise with two other families next month. We are looking at the Carnival Pride b/c it take 2 year olds in the camp and we live near DC (and it sails from Baltimore so we can eliminate the flight).

I am debating between two adjoining balcony staterooms or a suite for us. The adjoining balconies are a little more expensive but not much. My 2 year old will not sleep if he see us, so I was thinking two rooms, but the reservation agent told my husband that the suites have a privacy curtain which could divide the room. I honestly dont know which is a better option. I may spend some time in the room given naps, etc. so I wouldnt mind a slightly bigger space.

Any advice on this? Please?!

There are those on cruise critic who are big fans of having connecting staterooms vs a suite with small children. I'm not one of them. I prefer to have us all in one larger space, where I can see everybody. Having only one door is important for my peace of mind, especially with a 2 year old. The doors do not have chain lock like hotel rooms do. If the door handle is used from the inside, the child can exit. Now, the doors are heavy, so it's not likely, but it is possible. Also, stateroom attendants have keys, so they can enter at will. Shouldn't be a problem, but still the security of my kids is my responsibility.

I had connecting cabins the first time my ds, then 2 sailed with us. We all ended up in one cabin except for sleeping anyway. It was very cramped. I was somewhat nervous the entire cruise because I couldn't see both doors and so could not keep tabs on security issues. Since then, we've all stayed in one cabin, and mom's sanity is improved. ;)

At night time, everyone is generally pooped, so getting the youngest to sleep is not a problem.

Having two rooms would give you more room, but we always go with the suite. You get VIP boarding that way. I know the doors are heavy, but my 3 year can open them. I was shocked.

I would go with the 2 connecting rooms....You already said your child won't sleep if you're in the room....put the kid to bed in the other room and be done with it! And, you appreciate the 2 bathrooms.....and the privacy you'll have if you gently close the connecting door!

Ouch, this is a lot to think about. I didnt realize the doors couldnt be secured from within- is that for sure. My husband is 6'7" so my 2 year old is huge.

In the suite, the call rep said there was a curtain, but I find no evidence of that at all- can anyone comment on that?

I researched the curtain issue quite a bit for the same reasons as you. The only curtains I found were the 1/2 curtains that hide the main bed on Disney. Oh - and NCL has them too I believe. But, no Carnival. My DH and I are thinking of taking a roll of duck tape and taping a sheet up between beds. Not sure if it will even work. Need to try it at home. And even if it does stay, not sure it will really help. Our 2 year old will probably end up sleeping with us for most of the time unfortunately

I assume from your title, you talking about 2 rooms next to each other that truly connect with a door between the two cabins that could be left open so you can at least hear what is going on in the other room.

We were on the Pride last week. We had "adjacent" category 8C rooms (two separate rooms next to each other and no connecting door) and me, DH and my 4 year old were in one cabin and my 6 yo, 9 yo and my mother (grandma) were in the other cabin. We had the ship open the balcony divider so we could go back and forth on the balcony without having to deal with keys and locks and such.

As was mentioned:

1. the room doors are heavy and my 4 year old was not really able to open them by himself. My 6 yo and 9 yo had no problem.

2. there is no way to prevent someone on the inside from opening the door to the hall

Other things to note:

3. there is a lock on the balcony door but it is below the handle and is easy enough for a 2 year old to turn

4. the room insulation is pretty good. We never heard anything from the rooms next to us. Unless your connecting door is open, you will not hear anything from the room next door.

5. Our kids were very busy and by the time it was nighttime, they were out cold in no time. Maybe it won't be much of a problem that he can see you.

6. Two rooms was nice because we were not obligated to turn off the TV or sit in the dark if the kids were ready for bed and we were not.

7. My 6 year old loved using his room key so he would travel between the rooms in the hall, not via the balcony. I was terrified that some fingers were going to get pinched in those heavy doors.

8. Think about your 6 year old (and 2 year old) and how likely it is that he/she will get into something or decide to take a trip down the hall when not in your line of sight. In a second room, there will be areas that you cannot see from your room. And, you might not hear them either - especially if they are in the bathroom and the bathroom door is closed.

9. The bathroom door does lock from the inside. I did not notice if there was any kind of fail-safe to get into the bathroom from the outside. I am sure there must have been.

hb5

Ok, suite it is. Thanks so much. I cannot take the risk of them getting out even if I get no sleep the entire cruise.

and by the way, the detailed feedback....amazing. Appreciated.

If you are concerned about the door to the hallway (or the balcony door), there are small plastic alarms that can be purchased at most hardware stores. They stick on the door (you can put them up high) and can be turned on or off at will. They will emit a shrill alarm if the door is opened. We used them at home when the grandchildren were younger to keep them out of certain rooms when they were playing in the house (this after they had gotten into my walk-in closet and made a "fort" out of my clothes).

To get our kids to sleep when they were that age (we had the same problem, they wouldn't sleep if they could "see us") we would get the suite and walk outside on the balcony and shut the door but keep the curtain open enough that I could peek in and see them when I wanted to. :)

I can tell you, even now, my kids are too young (in my mind) to have connecting balcony cabins.

The suite was a good choice.

To get our kids to sleep when they were that age (we had the same problem, they wouldn't sleep if they could "see us") we would get the suite and walk outside on the balcony and shut the door but keep the curtain open enough that I could peek in and see them when I wanted to. :)

 

I can tell you, even now, my kids are too young (in my mind) to have connecting balcony cabins.

 

The suite was a good choice.

I so agree. My oldest is turning 12 and youngest 6 (and he is REALLY responsible) and I am still not sure I would put them even in an inside room across the hall, much less a balcony.

One possibility you might consider on the Pride is the connecting balcony/interior cabin toward the front of the ship. If you look at the deck plans, on deck 5 it's 5106/5108 and 5105/5107. There's a similar arrangement on decks 6 and 7. You get a balcony and a connecting cabin with no balcony.

We are booked in 5107/5105 on Carnival Pride for Nov 7. My boys will be staying in the inside cabin. :confused: I am wondering if we can move the bed or any furniture across the outer door so the only access they will have to get in or out will be through our connecting cabin door? I am a little nervous about them escaping and wandering around without Mom or Dad knowing of their little adventure!!! :eek:

If I were in your shoes, I'd have to choose the suite. My two year old is a silent escape artist, and I'd never be able to sleep worrying about her getting out into the hall or onto the balcony.

We hardly ever see our son. He spends almost all his free time in Camp Carnival. We then take advantage of after hours child care for late evenings and he has a blast. By the time we get him back to the room he is just about asleep.