WWYD: cabins for a cruise w/ kids & grandparents

[elizardbethday]

I'm looking at a cruise on the Horizon. 3 kids (will be aged 4-11), 2 parents, and 2 grandparents.

 

Which would you pick: kids & parents in Family Harbor and grandparents in Havana?  Or everyone in Family Harbor?

[Organized Chaos]

Assuming you're one of the parents, have you asked the grandparents if they mind being separated from the rest of you or if they'd rather stay together? That might help make your decision easier.

[JaxsMama]

I would keep everyone together. My kid would want to hang out with his grandparents and vice versa and him not being allowed to go to their pool or possibly sleep in their room one night if they want to wouldn't work for us.

[elizardbethday]

15 hours ago, Organized Chaos said:

Assuming you're one of the parents, have you asked the grandparents if they mind being separated from the rest of you or if they'd rather stay together? That might help make your decision easier.

Right, I'm one of the parents.  It definitely would be easier to ask what they prefer, but I'm booking this trip as a christmas gift and don't want to ruin the surprise!

[mdsgu]

We do this routinely.  2 parents, 2 kids (ages 8 and 10) and 2 grandparents.  We've always booked side-by-side or across-the-hall rooms.  Once, and it was nice, we had adjoining rooms.

[purplephenom]

I think I'd keep everyone together.  Having some of your party in Havana would make it more like you were taking 2 separate cruises and just happened to be on the same ship, rather than a family trip.  If this is a present for the grandparents, it sounds like you would like to spend time with them, and they would like to spend time with you.  You don't have to do every last thing together, but having cabins near each other sounds nice.  

[Darcy03231]

I'd keep everyone together.  

[ishap]

1 hour ago, elizardbethday said:

Right, I'm one of the parents.  It definitely would be easier to ask what they prefer, but I'm booking this trip as a christmas gift and don't want to ruin the surprise!

 

I would try and keep everyone together.  That way eveyrone can have fun without worrying about being in other parts of the ship.  I don't know if you are trying to book online or with an agent, but I can say that a PVP from Carnival would be the easiest way.  They will be able to ensure the rooms are as close as possible and give you the best recommendation for location, side, etc.

[sredish]

We did a cruise with almost the same amount of people as you have (2 kids, 2 parents, 2 grands).  We booked two adjoining balconies, but on the reservation I put one of my kids on the grandparents room so we for sure both had rooms that slept more than two (one room had a pull out couch and the other had pullman beds).  The kids took turns "sleeping over" on the pullman with grandma and grandpa.  It was also nice for naps with the younger one (she was almost 4 when we went and still needed naps most days)...I could put her down and then go over onto my mom's balcony and read a book or watch tv in the room while she napped in quiet.   

Edited June 12, 2019 by sredish

[Organized Chaos]

6 hours ago, elizardbethday said:

Right, I'm one of the parents.  It definitely would be easier to ask what they prefer, but I'm booking this trip as a christmas gift and don't want to ruin the surprise!

 

In that case, my vote is to keep everyone together. I think they'd like that much better as part of the surprise. Obviously one of the biggest benefits to a Havana cabin is the Havana pool area. If they wanted a kid-free place to themselves, they could always go to Serenity. And all of you will be able to check out the Havana area after 7pm.

[jsdst12]

5 hours ago, sredish said:

We did a cruise with almost the same amount of people as you have (2 kids, 2 parents, 2 grands).  We booked two adjoining balconies, but on the reservation I put one of my kids on the grandparents room so we for sure both had rooms that slept more than two (one room had a pull out couch and the other had pullman beds).  The kids took turns "sleeping over" on the pullman with grandma and grandpa.  It was also nice for naps with the younger one (she was almost 4 when we went and still needed naps most days)...I could put her down and then go over onto my mom's balcony and read a book or watch tv in the room while she napped in quiet.   

That's a really good idea!  Will definitely think of this for the next cruise!  Thanks!

[3smithboys]

We’ve done cruises with my mom, and she’s either shared cabins with my boys or with my cousin (who is an adult.) Either way, we like having cabins next to/ near each other. It makes things way more convenient.