Two Teens + Two Adults = One Cabin??

[bonvoyagie]

I would go with a 2 br suite - two bedrooms two bathrooms and three overall spaces to hang out.

[ChiefMateJRK]

11 minutes ago, bonvoyagie said:

I would go with a 2 br suite - two bedrooms two bathrooms and three overall spaces to hang out.

Is that the same price as a single balcony or two insides?

 

(obviously rhetorical question - some folks budget and pay for luxury, others just need a place to sleep, shower and 💩)

[New2cruise2022]

I traveling with my two teens (17 and 15 son). First cruise. Just the three of us. We have an inside family that is right next to elevators. 
 

NCL is offering upgrade to balcony guaranteed for $159 total but I can’t choose the room. 
 

Thoughts?

[JBCall]

Thanks for all the advice.

 

Yes, we have done 4 in larger cabins on other lines as well as two cabins.  However, the kids are much bigger than the last time we did that. I had not realized that the inside cabins were not directly across from the balconies so we might look into connecting cabins.

Did I see that if we have two connecting balconies we cannot open the divider between balconies?

[Sailing12Away]

2 hours ago, JBCall said:

Thanks for all the advice.

 

Yes, we have done 4 in larger cabins on other lines as well as two cabins.  However, the kids are much bigger than the last time we did that. I had not realized that the inside cabins were not directly across from the balconies so we might look into connecting cabins.

Did I see that if we have two connecting balconies we cannot open the divider between balconies?

Correct. You can unlock the interior doors, but not the exterior balcony walls.

[Deacon22]

upgrade

[PATRLR]

9 hours ago, New2cruise2022 said:

I traveling with my two teens (17 and 15 son). First cruise. Just the three of us. We have an inside family that is right next to elevators. 
 

NCL is offering upgrade to balcony guaranteed for $159 total but I can’t choose the room. 
 

Thoughts?

I'd take that upgrade in a heartbeat.  But we don't really care about our room location, we've done "guarantee" rates many times and never regretted it.    I suppose if you are a sensitive sleeper and noise above or around you will be a problem then the guarantee rate isn't for you.  But do you really know your inside is in a good location for noise?  Did you look carefully?

But with a crowded room, that balcony and large glass will help make it feel less crowded and at times will be welcome additional space.

[New2cruise2022]

15 minutes ago, PATRLR said:

I'd take that upgrade in a heartbeat.  But we don't really care about our room location, we've done "guarantee" rates many times and never regretted it.    I suppose if you are a sensitive sleeper and noise above or around you will be a problem then the guarantee rate isn't for you.  But do you really know your inside is in a good location for noise?  Did you look carefully?

But with a crowded room, that balcony and large glass will help make it feel less crowded and at times will be welcome additional space.

I really have no idea about anything. First cruise. I consulted with family about the location but who actually knows. I really only plan on being in the room to sleep and spending the rest of the time in all of the other areas of the ship. 

[PATRLR]

1 minute ago, New2cruise2022 said:

I really have no idea about anything. First cruise. I consulted with family about the location but who actually knows. I really only plan on being in the room to sleep and spending the rest of the time in all of the other areas of the ship. 

Exactly, so it's already a crap shoot for you.  I'd take the upgrade.  Just make sure you are getting all the same perks (free drinks, free specialty dining, OBC if any, etc) that you are getting with your current room - ask the agent to be sure.

[mjkacmom]

3 hours ago, New2cruise2022 said:

I really have no idea about anything. First cruise. I consulted with family about the location but who actually knows. I really only plan on being in the room to sleep and spending the rest of the time in all of the other areas of the ship. 

Cruise cabins are tiny, smaller than you can even imagine. I’m claustrophobic and wouldn’t do an inside by myself. I also wouldn’t put 4 people in a 4 person tent.

[cruiseny4life]

5 hours ago, New2cruise2022 said:

I really have no idea about anything. First cruise. I consulted with family about the location but who actually knows. I really only plan on being in the room to sleep and spending the rest of the time in all of the other areas of the ship. 

In April, my husband and I took our first cruise together (I cruised Carnival way back in 2009). So I consider this my first cruise, again. 

 

I was really surprised at the amount of time we chose to spend in our stateroom. After reading Cruise Critic, watching YouTube, and reading reviews, I really thought I'd be out and about enjoying the ship. Well...we didn't really do a lot of that.

 

We did have a pass to the thermal suite so we spent a good 12 - 15 hours there over the course of a week. We didn't see any shows, we're not really drinkers so spent barely any time in the bars. One sea day I did spend about three hours with July (bartender) at the Waterfront's Sugar Cane Mojito bar enjoying his company and the fine drinks he concocted. Then I promptly went to the room, ordered a pizza, and conked out for two hours until about 4 PM. My husband watched a movie while I was passed out.

 

We did have the unlimited internet service, so enjoyed catching up on some reels, shorts, and social media. I also read the NY Times a lot. I spent a little time on Cruise Critic too. We also just spent time on the balcony and talked. I'd say we spent a good 40% of our sea day/after excursion time right there in the room. 

 

So, even though I planned to spend a lot of time not in my room, that wasn't the case. Of course, you and your family, may be different. Perhaps you really will explore the ship, go to all the entertainment, enjoy the slides...but don't discount the pleasure of doing nothing while in your stateroom. Nothingness is a pleasure to me, unless I'm contemplating the great beyond! 

2 hours ago, mjkacmom said:

Cruise cabins are tiny, smaller than you can even imagine. I’m claustrophobic and wouldn’t do an inside by myself. I also wouldn’t put 4 people in a 4 person tent.

This is the truest statement ever! I've spent more time than I care to remember trapped in a tent claiming to fit the number of us in the tent...thankfully, most of that time was as a kid, but there's been some adult times like that too! I've learned my lesson now. My husband and I don't share our four-person tent. It's just us...and four dogs. 

[ChiefMateJRK]

2 hours ago, mjkacmom said:

Cruise cabins are tiny, smaller than you can even imagine. I’m claustrophobic and wouldn’t do an inside by myself. I also wouldn’t put 4 people in a 4 person tent.

I'm guessing that you never lived in a college dorm? (the old school ones, not the upscale ones at some of today's most prestigious/expensive schools)

[twobeautifulgirls]

We have been doing this for years. We sail next month with our 22yo and 19 yo daughters in the same cabin. Yes it is crowded but we work it oit. With 3rd and 4th passengers free it was hard to pass up.

[New2cruise2022]

54 minutes ago, twobeautifulgirls said:

We have been doing this for years. We sail next month with our 22yo and 19 yo daughters in the same cabin. Yes it is crowded but we work it oit. With 3rd and 4th passengers free it was hard to pass up.

I know, right! I have an older son that will probably invite himself when he finds out. Not sure how easy it is to add someone late. 

[Sailing12Away]

15 hours ago, New2cruise2022 said:

I know, right! I have an older son that will probably invite himself when he finds out. Not sure how easy it is to add someone late. 

Depends on how close to sailing.

 

I snagged a 3br villa for a steal of a price about 2 weeks before sailing. Initially booked it with just 3 people, was able to add on a 4th a few days later and only had to pay the taxes & fees for them at the time of adding them on.

 

The closer you get to sailing the more challenging it becomes though.

[New2cruise2022]

6 minutes ago, Sailing12Away said:

Depends on how close to sailing.

 

I snagged a 3br villa for a steal of a price about 2 weeks before sailing. Initially booked it with just 3 people, was able to add on a 4th a few days later and only had to pay the taxes & fees for them at the time of adding them on.

 

The closer you get to sailing the more challenging it becomes though.

Thanks for sharing your experience and advice!

[Sigyn]

I would absolutely get two cabins. We have three kids - ages 14, 19 and 21, and when we took all three to Italy five years ago, when they were 9, 14 and 16, we booked two rooms in every hotel. More expensive, but there was no way we were squeezing five people in one room, even hotel rooms that were much bigger than ship cabins. The only exception was in Rome, when we had a two-bedroom suite with a separate living room. I had booked us for one cruise, but had to cancel, and in that instance, I did what others are suggesting, booking an inside cabin and a balcony cabin. I put one adult in each cabin for booking purposes, and I was going to put all three kids in the inside and the adults in the balcony when it came time for sleeping arrangements. Another corridor is fine with your kids 14 and 16. Obviously you wouldn't do that with younger kids, but if they're responsible kiddos they can handle being down a different hallway on the ship. 

Edited November 5, 2022 by njsmom

[Georgia_Peaches]

On 11/3/2022 at 10:55 AM, sid_9169 said:

Not for all the money in the World would I cruise with four people in one cabin... 

I might be willing to give it a go for all the money in the world 😁

[njkate]

On 11/3/2022 at 1:03 PM, ChiefMateJRK said:

On many itineraries, two insides cost no more than one balcony.  OP was planning on a balcony.

I get that, on my last transatlantic, which is a two week cruise, there was a family of 4, two adults, two teens in an inside, people do it all the time, myself I could of never sailed a 2 week cruise with 4 people in an inside cabin

[phillygwm]

I'd spring for a second room if you can afford it.  I travel solo, usually in a balcony, sometimes a Club.  It's fine for me, maybe even for a couple (though I'd find it a bit cramped with someone else.)  You CAN squeeze 4 in, but I personally wouldn't.  

 

As for the Club Balcony, that's basically just a larger bathroom.  The sleeping quarters are very similar to a regular balcony.

[mjkacmom]

23 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

I'm guessing that you never lived in a college dorm? (the old school ones, not the upscale ones at some of today's most prestigious/expensive schools)

I spent 4 years in a cinderblock room for 2 with a bathroom down the hall, no a/c. I’ve had 5 kids at 6 different public colleges, 6 different dorms, one was in a forced triple freshman year. Couldn’t do it now, and those dorm rooms, although small, appeared bigger than an inside cabin, especially newer dorms (2 dorms were only a couple years old).

[ChiefMateJRK]

10 minutes ago, mjkacmom said:

I spent 4 years in a cinderblock room for 2 with a bathroom down the hall, no a/c. I’ve had 5 kids at 6 different public colleges, 6 different dorms, one was in a forced triple freshman year. Couldn’t do it now, and those dorm rooms, although small, appeared bigger than an inside cabin, especially newer dorms (2 dorms were only a couple years old).

Yet you wouldn't "do an inside by yourself?"  I find that hard to believe.

[seekatz]

For sure 2 cabins. We sailed with our kids only once had 4 in a cabin, never again.

Enjoy your cruise and go for 2 rooms.

[CanadianShark]

We’ll be doing this for our March 10th cruise. Teens are 14/16 and yes it’ll be tight but I know we’ll only be using the room for sleeping and getting ready so we can manage. We did get the large balcony which I feel will give us some extra space if we can to relax in the room for a bit. Can’t wait to get back to cruising!! 🙂

[mjkacmom]

41 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Yet you wouldn't "do an inside by yourself?"  I find that hard to believe.

Actually, not hard, as I stated I’m very claustrophobic, the lack of a window would make it impossible. We are still not ready to cruise again because the thought of being quarantined in a cabin is terrifying.