Which room is better for teens?

[SunshineGal2022]

I have never been on Carnival. I would like to take my youngest children in 2024 on Celebration.  They will be 13 and 16.

 

There will be one other adult with me, so 4 people in one room. 

 

We LOVE board games.  The Family Harbor Lounge interests me because of this. I also love the thought of my children being able to head to the Family Harbor Lounge and go grab a quick breakfast or snack on their own, and for us to be able to grab a quick, convenient bite before excursions.   They wouldn't be far from us, and could make friends and hang out in the lounge and play video games. There are no balcony rooms in this category though, and no Family Harbor Suites are available on the Celebration cruises I was looking at in 2024. We would be in an Oceanview room.  Will this feel too cramped with 4 adult sized bodies?  I usually like balconies because it gives you a feeling of having a bit more breathing room.  (This room is $3800)

 

The Havana Cabana also interests me. We LOVE to swim, and having a quiet pool away from little ones is a good thing. I don't mind the walkway, as there are locks on the sliding doors.  The swing looks heavenly, as do the padded loungers near the pool.  (This room is $4800)

 

There is the regular balcony that is priced in between both, of course.  But if I must squish everyone into one room rather than two, I would rather enjoy a few perks with the room too. However, I like saving money, and we still must buy airfare to get to FL.  Also, the privacy of the balconies is nice, and the kids can sit outside without supervision at night.  (This option is $4200)

 

Which is the best room option for teens?  The idea was to have their first cruise on a high energy boat that was loaded with activities for them, but also have an amazing room experience they never forget.  I worry the Family Harbor floor will be noisy with little kids running around slamming doors. But they really would enjoy the Family Harbor Lounge. They would also enjoy the private Havana pool and the patio.  I don't drink much so having a bar down the pathway doesn't make a difference to me; I won't buy the alcohol package.

 

An Ocean Suite is $5280 and 2 Cove balconies is $5140.  I don't know what perks you get for Suite level on Carnival, or if that has a private pool too.  2 Cove balconies gives us the most room space but no extras. 

 

Thanks for any suggestions :)

[mjkacmom]

I’ve cruised with teens several times (we now have 5 young adults), they would go to the teen club the first night, they’d meet new friends, and after that we’d see them for breakfast and dinner (I suspect that most teens don’t eat breakfast with their parents but we managed it most late mornings). Choose what’s best for you.

[lazydayz]

It really depends on whether having a balcony or outdoor space is worth $1,000 to you.  If so, I would go for the Havana Cabana.  It is lovely to have your own private space on these large ships.  I doubt your kids will spend much time in the Havana area, but they would enjoy the outdoor space.  

 

While the Harbor Lounge sounds good, I would expect it to be packed with families with very young kids so pretty sure that would NOT be my pick. 

[staceyglow]

When our kids were teens, they spent no time in the room except to sleep and shower. They were off doing activities with the teen clubs, spending time with friends that they made, hanging out on Lido, and going on excursions with us. They couldn't have cared less about an "amazing room experience". 

[doctordi]

My impression is that the Family Harbor area is geared more towards families with littles rather than teens. So, between that and the Havana, I would go for the Havana cabana. But, having sailed with 3 teens myself, the extra space and two bathrooms in the 2 cove balconies would be my pick. 

[snowballs mom]

If within budget I would choose two cove balconies. Having the extra space and two bathrooms would outweigh to rest for me. The ocean suites on the Celebration do not come with any special perks or areas (those are reserved for the Excel suites that a quite a bit more). They are quite spacious and the bathroom is larger but you would still be sharing it with four people. Have you considered a cove balcony for the adults and an interior for the teens?

[nwcruiselover]

I agree with those who suggested 2 cove balconies.  Much more space with only two to a room, and the kids would have their own balcony and bathroom.  The Celebration does have some connecting cove balconies in case you are interested in that and there is availability.

Edited December 28, 2022 by nwcruiselover

[Colorado Beach Bum]

Balcony for adults, kids across hall in an inside.  Did many cruises with the kids during their teen years and they had no problem with the inside cabins.  As others have said, they will never be in their room.  

[SERK]

16 minutes ago, Colorado Beach Bum said:

Balcony for adults, kids across hall in an inside.  Did many cruises with the kids during their teen years and they had no problem with the inside cabins.  As others have said, they will never be in their room.  

This exactly!  I've cruised with my niece and nephew and now with my daughter and they only spent time in room for sleeping and bathing.  They run around the ship doing their own thing most of the time.  I wouldn't waste an extra grand for a kids balcony room.  I'd put that extra money in the Cheers package. 

Edited December 28, 2022 by SERK

[Madhatter12]

My kids are about the age of your kids, 13 and 15 we did the family harbour last year, and I found that it was not worth it for the age group that my kids are. The family harbour is geared toward younger children, not older. The PlayStation and Xbox in  the family harbour is monitored by an employee from camp ocean for certain times of the day. No one really played it. we are going on a cruise in May on the panorama and I just got a regular balcony this time.