Family of 6

[Orlandorandall]

We are looking at taking a cruise out of NOLA on the Dream possibly next year. There will be six of us with the kids being 5,11,13 and 14 at the time.

What would be the best room configuration for us? This year we took a cruise with the older three and had connecting ocean view rooms. It seemed to work very well. We would like to have connecting rooms again, with either the older three in one or even all four kids in one.

Which would be cheaper?

Also we are ok with the kids being in an interior but My husband needs at least a window. Is there a configuration where we could be connected that way?

Any advice would be appreciated.

[cb at sea]

Since you pay "full price" for the 1st 2 bodies in a room, it shouldn't make much difference how you split them up...check on both options when booking....once you're ON the ship, you can put whoever you want, wherever you want them! You are chained in the cabin you're booked in!

 

Check the deck plans if there is an inside across from the OV!

[Orlandorandall]

Thanks for the advice. I'm having a hard time with carnivals website for some reason. It keeps saying I can not have multiple tabs open even when I do not. I would call to look at options but I'm not quite ready to put the deposit down so I don't want to call and bother a PVP quite yet either. I just didn't know if anyone had previous experience on what kind of connecting rooms the dream does offer.

[sbnuggie]

Howdy,

 

I have a family of 5, (me, wife, twins 15 and 11yr old) and we always book connecting rooms. They are the best as you get two bathrooms, me and the misses sleep in one room with our own privacy ;) and the kids in the other room. We've had both Oceanview and balconies just depending on the age of our kids during our previous cruises. The last time we were on the Dream in 2013 out of Orlando we did do the Connecting Cove Balconies and by far the best rooms we've ever had.

 

We just booked the Dream out of NOLA for next June 2018. We again went with Cove Balconies. But this time Carnival is carefully controlling the capacity on these NOLA bookings so we couldn't get connecting coves as their wasn't a proper configuration for us (2person/3person rooms). In other words, we couldn't book the 4 person cove connecting to the 4 person cove (small square on deck plans) since it was going to be 3 kids in one room and 2 adults in other.

 

So we went with adjoining rooms, rooms next to each other but does not have a connecting door. However the rooms we have the cove balcony divider opens up between our two rooms so we will have one long balcony. I had to look at a special website which shows which balcony dividers open up to find exactly what we wanted. Its a carnival travel agent website, I don't have the link handy, its goccl or something similar.

 

Carnival allows unattended kids to be in their own rooms so long as they are adjoining or directly across the hall at a certain age. I believe, not %100, the age is 12yrs old. At the time of sailing my kids will be 16 and 12 so we qualified.

 

I had to call Carnival Direct and speak with a PVP to book the rooms. You've got a younger 5 yrs old, I would still do connecting OV at this point for piece of mind versus a balcony. But again, Carnival is really strict on the capacity on these sailings so they may want you to book 3 person room and 3 person room. There are a few 4person/2person OV connectors but this sailing is uber popular (from what we were told) so the sooner you book the better chance you'll have of getting what you want.

 

Also, don't interchange the terms connecting and adjoining, they are different in the world of carnival bookings versus other cruise lines and you can confuse the PVP's.

 

Good Luck

[springs741]

 

Also, don't interchange the terms connecting and adjoining, they are different in the world of carnival bookings versus other cruise lines and you can confuse the PVP's.

 

Good Luck

 

 

You shared some great advice. Clear and logical and based on your experience.

 

I just wanted to let you know the people that answer the phone at Carnival are customer service reps not PVP. Personal Vacation Planners are assigned to you and are much more knowledgeable. When you said you can confuse a PVP I knew you were refereeing to a CSR. (Not that PVP can't make mistakes)

 

 

AND to sbnuggie be sure to price those rooms both ways. On our Thanksgiving cruise we booked 3+3 and saved over $500. Our preference would have been 2+4 but that was a significant savings. My PVP said sometime that is just how the pricing goes. Ours were cove balconies and apparently there are more 3 person than 4 person rooms

[BoDidly]

You shared some great advice. Clear and logical and based on your experience.

 

I just wanted to let you know the people that answer the phone at Carnival are customer service reps not PVP. Personal Vacation Planners are assigned to you and are much more knowledgeable. When you said you can confuse a PVP I knew you were refereeing to a CSR. (Not that PVP can't make mistakes)

 

 

AND to sbnuggie be sure to price those rooms both ways. On our Thanksgiving cruise we booked 3+3 and saved over $500. Our preference would have been 2+4 but that was a significant savings. My PVP said sometime that is just how the pricing goes. Ours were cove balconies and apparently there are more 3 person than 4 person rooms

You gave exceptional advice as well.

[Orlandorandall]

Thanks again guys! This information is going to be so helpful for us!

[momof4girls]

I agree about checking the pricing! When we cruised with all four of our girls, it was more expensive to book 2 and 4 then it was 3 and 3. The price of the 4th passenger was as much as the first. Just check both ways. Definitely depends on when you are cruising.

 

We did connecting ocean view rooms. It was perfect. And on the Dream you will have an extra bathroom to get ready in. No extra toilet but it will have a bathtub and sink. Came in very handy!

[canadaman111]

We are looking at taking a cruise out of NOLA on the Dream possibly next year. There will be six of us with the kids being 5,11,13 and 14 at the time.

What would be the best room configuration for us? This year we took a cruise with the older three and had connecting ocean view rooms. It seemed to work very well. We would like to have connecting rooms again, with either the older three in one or even all four kids in one.

Which would be cheaper?

Also we are ok with the kids being in an interior but My husband needs at least a window. Is there a configuration where we could be connected that way?

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

 

We have a similar situation. We have 4 kids between 16 and 4. We are doing our first cruise in February on the Breeze. We booked 2 connecting rooms that hold 3 each. We found that to be the best option for us.

[Orlandorandall]

We have a similar situation. We have 4 kids between 16 and 4. We are doing our first cruise in February on the Breeze. We booked 2 connecting rooms that hold 3 each. We found that to be the best option for us.

If you do t mind me asking, what type of room did you book? We are having a hard time deciding between an oceanviews or balconies that connect if we decide to go the connecting route. We like being more midship like deck 6-7 but it seems like the highest we would be able to go with an oceanview would be 1 or 2. We have also considered booking my husband, 5 yr old and myself in either a balcony or oceanview and putting the older three in an interior to save a bit but My husband really liked the ease of the connecting doors and we can't decide if it's worth saving a few hundred dollars.

[GroveGangSix]

If only 1 adult drinks.... put the adults in separate rooms for drink package purposes. We have four teens also and play with the bookings to get the best price.

 

Happy Cruising! GG6

[canadaman111]

If you do t mind me asking, what type of room did you book? We are having a hard time deciding between an oceanviews or balconies that connect if we decide to go the connecting route. We like being more midship like deck 6-7 but it seems like the highest we would be able to go with an oceanview would be 1 or 2. We have also considered booking my husband, 5 yr old and myself in either a balcony or oceanview and putting the older three in an interior to save a bit but My husband really liked the ease of the connecting doors and we can't decide if it's worth saving a few hundred dollars.

 

We booked deluxe ocean view connecting rooms on deck one. Your right,can't get ocean view higher then deck 2. If you go higher up the ship and get balconies you could connect the room by opening the balcony divider

[Orlandorandall]

If only 1 adult drinks.... put the adults in separate rooms for drink package purposes. We have four teens also and play with the bookings to get the best price.

 

Happy Cruising! GG6

That's a great thought. Neither of us have ever bought the package but my husband may be interested. I on the other hand would be on the news for falling off the boat if I had access to that much alcohol so it wouldn't be an option for myself.

[cruisemom67]

It's really easy to switch rooms when on board, just go to guest services and they will remake S&S cards so you can have adults together.

 

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

[attran99]

It's really easy to switch rooms when on board, just go to guest services and they will remake S&S cards so you can have adults together.

 

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

 

Will that affect the Cheers program charges if purchased prior to the trip? This is a great reference thread!

[momof4girls]

That's a great thought. Neither of us have ever bought the package but my husband may be interested. I on the other hand would be on the news for falling off the boat if I had access to that much alcohol so it wouldn't be an option for myself.

 

We did that when we had connecting ocean view rooms. We just had one room set up with the king bed and one where they were separated. My husband bought Cheers and I did not. So much cheaper that way!

[cganesh]

Just make sure that if booking 3 & 3 and plan to sleep 4 & 2 there are enough beds especially if one is an inside cabin none of which have sofas. You really need a PVP to help you put unless you're patient enough to spend a lot of time looking at deck plans. The PVP can also see all available cabins and not just the 10 that you can see with each search. Check out Steve's cruisers FBpage(PVP). That's who I use.

 

Cherie

[johno1234]

Thanks for the advice. I'm having a hard time with carnivals website for some reason. It keeps saying I can not have multiple tabs open even when I do not. I would call to look at options but I'm not quite ready to put the deposit down so I don't want to call and bother a PVP quite yet either. I just didn't know if anyone had previous experience on what kind of connecting rooms the dream does offer.

 

Forget about the website. If you want connecting options give them a call. They see staterooms that don't show as available on the web.

[uprivermama]

Thanks for the advice. I'm having a hard time with carnivals website for some reason. It keeps saying I can not have multiple tabs open even when I do not. I would call to look at options but I'm not quite ready to put the deposit down so I don't want to call and bother a PVP quite yet either. I just didn't know if anyone had previous experience on what kind of connecting rooms the dream does offer.

 

Try a different browser, or clear the cookies/cache from your current browser. Worked for me :)

[originalgeek]

Will that affect the Cheers program charges if purchased prior to the trip? This is a great reference thread!

Yes, you can book 1 adult per room and divide the kids among them and get cheers for the one drinker. Then once on board, sleep wherever you want (between your two rooms. Don't try to sleep in my room. Unless you're bringing booze.)

You can go to guest services and get room keys made for whoever needs to get in the other rooms in any config you want. They do it all the time.

[Catrin]

Hi...Joining this conversation a bit late... but we have cruised with 6 in our family several times.

 

We have had connecting Ocean View rooms three times... it is just like a BIG room with two baths. We shared the baths and kept the door open between rooms most of the time except bedtime.

 

We also had once two side by side balconies.. that we opened the partition. Thing is, the rooms themselves were not connecting and you had to go either outside or to the balcony to walk between cabins.

 

We preferred the Ocean View by a mile. It just worked out better for us.

 

Because the doors were open between all the time, never really mattered what key was used. Kids just slept where they wanted.

 

Good Luck!