Three Adults - Cruise

[Cdn_Traveller]

We are looking for a cruise for three adults, my spouse and I, plus my mother-in-law.

 

I do not want to share a cabin with my mother-in-law.

 

Are there cruises that have two separate rooms?

 

We are looking for a more high-end cruise.

 

Thanks!

 

 

[donaldsc]

Where?  When?  How long?   How old are you? What type of activities are you looking for both on and off the ship?  What is your budget?  How mobile are you?  I could give you my suggestions for a cruise that would fill your needs as you have stated them but I seriously doubt if they would meet what you really want?

 

Come back to us w more info and you will gets lots of good suggestions from all of us.  

 

DON

Edited August 25, 2023 by donaldsc

[Cdn_Traveller]

Thanks, Don.

 

We are looking to travel during July 2025.

 

We would prefer 10-15 days. We are open to where the ship travels.

 

We are all very mobile. I am in my late 50s.

 

The budget is flexible.

 

Thanks!

[LHT28]

most cruise lines you can book separate rooms  or adjoining cabins

 

 If you mean 1 suite with 2 bedroom I believe  some of the main stream lines have  those

 

[sanger727]

You’ll have the most space and privacy for the price if you book separate rooms. I know Norwegian has higher end suites with multiple bedrooms. I think Celebrity does too.

[mom says]

Perhaps find a cruise specialist TA who can walk you through your options as to cruise line, itinerary, and cabin/suite options. Every ship can be booked with separate cabins. Most ships will have some adjoining cabins. A few ships will have 2 bedroom suites. It might be easier to figure out where you want to cruise first. You have to start narrowing down your choices somewhere.

[new_cruiser]

On many cruised, single occupancy in a cabin costs double or nearly double the per person double occupancy price - the dreaded "solo supplement". That is, your mother-in-law's cabin would cost about the same as the cabin you and your spouse share if they are the same category. However, there are cruises with a reduced solo supplement or a zero solo supplement.

 

There is a thread on the solo board here where people post solo bargain cruises. 

 

Some cruise lines almost always have cruises with zero or reduced solo supplement. For example Windstar has a specials page listing the reduced/zero solo supplement cruises Star Clippers also always has quite a few. (I mainly like small ships carrying about 300 or fewer so those are the lines I'm most familiar with.)

Edited August 26, 2023 by new_cruiser

[Szt]

We used to cruise with my mom a lot. She had bathroom issues and had to know she would have her own bathroom. Getting a cabin with 2 bedrooms was way more expensive than getting two cabins. We liked balcony cabins and the single cabins were always interior. Earlier post is correct that it costs same for a cabin whether 2 people or 1. Taxes and fees are less but cabin price is not. 
On some cruises we had them remove the barrier between balconies. On some cruises they said that was a fire hazard. No idea why. But they did give us a guest key so we could get into mom’s cabin when we needed. She was in her late 80’s so we needed to know we could check on her. We did find we had to ask the right people. They won’t give you a regular room key because that is tied to the room account, drinks, id, everything. Not all crew members knew they could offer a room access only card. 
But removing the balcony barrier was best, when they would do it. That way we could leave our balcony doors unlocked and go into each others cabins any time. We could peak In and see if she was sleeping. She could come in our room if she needed to. When the drapes were closed she knew to knock. 
Sadly, my mom didn’t make the cruise we planned for her 90th birthday. We had to postpone due to Covid. So we rescheduled for her 91st. She passed away exactly one month before her birthday. She loved cruising. And I am so grateful we were able to share those special times with her. 

[GeezerCouple]

34 minutes ago, Szt said:

We used to cruise with my mom a lot. She had bathroom issues and had to know she would have her own bathroom. Getting a cabin with 2 bedrooms was way more expensive than getting two cabins. We liked balcony cabins and the single cabins were always interior. Earlier post is correct that it costs same for a cabin whether 2 people or 1. Taxes and fees are less but cabin price is not. 
On some cruises we had them remove the barrier between balconies. On some cruises they said that was a fire hazard. No idea why. But they did give us a guest key so we could get into mom’s cabin when we needed. She was in her late 80’s so we needed to know we could check on her. We did find we had to ask the right people. They won’t give you a regular room key because that is tied to the room account, drinks, id, everything. Not all crew members knew they could offer a room access only card. 
But removing the balcony barrier was best, when they would do it. That way we could leave our balcony doors unlocked and go into each others cabins any time. We could peak In and see if she was sleeping. She could come in our room if she needed to. When the drapes were closed she knew to knock. 
Sadly, my mom didn’t make the cruise we planned for her 90th birthday. We had to postpone due to Covid. So we rescheduled for her 91st. She passed away exactly one month before her birthday. She loved cruising. And I am so grateful we were able to share those special times with her. 

 

Regardless of whether a ship allows the balcony dividers to be opened, there are usually cabins that have "interior connecting doors", so one never needs to leave the cabins.  What might appear to be an extra closet or whatever, actually leads to the "cabin next door".  PERFECT for this type of arrangement, as each has it's own full bathroom.  The main concern is there isn't a separate "sitting area" other than whatever chair or loveseat is there if it's a regular cabin (vs. a suite).

Or there could be interior connecting arrangements with one larger suite, and one separate regular cabin.

 

And it is very customary for a passenger to arrange to have another passenger have an extra room keycard for access.  Those do not have any charge privileges, so there's no problem with that.  All that is needed is for the occupant of the cabin/suite to request or agree to giving someone else access.

This is done frequently when extended families cruise together, for example.

And especially when someone has a suite (e.g., the grandparents 😉 ), the others would then have access to the sitting area or such.  In some cases there is a true separate bedroom; in other cases, "suite" really just means "larger cabin", still one area, without separating doors.

And in that case, if the occupant who allowed access wants privacy, just use the bolt, so the keycard won't open the door.

GC

[Szt]

I know there are rooms that connect. For some reason we can never seem to get those. I think because we made reservation separately. On an NCL cruise we asked several people for a key card or some way to get in moms room. We were reputedly told it can’t be done, even when I explained why we wanted it. Finally I asked to speak with a guest services supervisor as she said “of course we can help you. You need a room access only card”. I had to know what it was called apparently. I don’t know why they couldn’t figure it out. It was very frustrating. 

[GeezerCouple]

58 minutes ago, Szt said:

I know there are rooms that connect. For some reason we can never seem to get those. I think because we made reservation separately. On an NCL cruise we asked several people for a key card or some way to get in moms room. We were reputedly told it can’t be done, even when I explained why we wanted it. Finally I asked to speak with a guest services supervisor as she said “of course we can help you. You need a room access only card”. I had to know what it was called apparently. I don’t know why they couldn’t figure it out. It was very frustrating. 

 

Do you look at the Deck plans and request specific cabins or suites?

Those should indicate which cabins "connect" (interior connection; not just "next to each other").

Sometimes those can be taken, either because someone else wanted the connection or because someone just wanted one of them, but in that specific location.

 

We almost always try to reserve early, so we get a good selection and can find the location and configuration/etc., we prefer.

 

GC

[mjkacmom]

8 hours ago, Szt said:

I know there are rooms that connect. For some reason we can never seem to get those. I think because we made reservation separately. On an NCL cruise we asked several people for a key card or some way to get in moms room. We were reputedly told it can’t be done, even when I explained why we wanted it. Finally I asked to speak with a guest services supervisor as she said “of course we can help you. You need a room access only card”. I had to know what it was called apparently. I don’t know why they couldn’t figure it out. It was very frustrating. 

We always get 2 connecting (not adjoining) cabins, go to guest services, and get extra key card because we switch cabins.

[Szt]

9 hours ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

Do you look at the Deck plans and request specific cabins or suites?

Those should indicate which cabins "connect" (interior connection; not just "next to each other").

Sometimes those can be taken, either because someone else wanted the connection or because someone just wanted one of them, but in that specific location.

 

We almost always try to reserve early, so we get a good selection and can find the location and configuration/etc., we prefer.

 

GC

We often book with the “sail away” rate. This is a stripped down reservation where you can’t pick your cabin- just your tier. We save money doing this but the downside is they won’t guarantee 2 cabins next to each other. We always request it- in more than one way. So far it’s always worked out. Before so

one reacts- yes I know, that’s the price we pay for going cheap. 

[whogo]

Book your mother-in-law in a separate cabin on a different deck. Dine without her, sometimes. Have your wife and mother dine without you. Take separate excursions. Do different activities aboard. Surely the three of you have different interests. You do not want to be near your mother-in-law twenty-four hours per day.

[Szt]

On 8/26/2023 at 10:39 AM, whogo said:

Book your mother-in-law in a separate cabin on a different deck. Dine without her, sometimes. Have your wife and mother dine without you. Take separate excursions. Do different activities aboard. Surely the three of you have different interests. You do not want to be near your mother-in-law twenty-four hours per day.

Believe it or not, some people adore spending time with in-laws. I would give anything for a little more time with my mom. My husband feels the same. And I feel the same about my in-laws. 

[Kristelle]

whogo has a point though. Probably not about the separate deck but about doing some things not together.

 

even when you adore spending time with someone, suddenly spending nearly all your time together can lead to friction.

 

I adore my own husband but as I have mentioned before, sometimes end up having silly arguement part way through  a trip because too much togetherness - better to be realistic about this and plan a bit of own space time.

[Shmoo here]

53 minutes ago, Kristelle said:

whogo has a point though. Probably not about the separate deck but about doing some things not together.

 

even when you adore spending time with someone, suddenly spending nearly all your time together can lead to friction.

 

I adore my own husband but as I have mentioned before, sometimes end up having silly arguement part way through  a trip because too much togetherness - better to be realistic about this and plan a bit of own space time.

Not everyone has this situation.   We cruised with my husband's sister & her husband as well as his mother (MIL in our room).  Sure, it was a "short" cruise - 7 nights, but we pretty much spent all our time together with no problem.  

 

My husband & I have taken 3 to 4 month RV trips in the past 3 years.  We basically spent 24/7 together for the entire time and had no arguments.  

[mom says]

The family dynamics of a group are no one's business but theirs. And no one has the right to criticize someone because their relationships, and what works for them are different from your own. Let's just stick with the questions asked by the OP.

[Kristelle]

Sure, not everyone's situation is the same. I don't think there was any criticism though 

 

just relevant  things to consider - or not, if not applicable.

[jollyjones]

 

Find a cruise you all want to do and just book two cabins. How is that difficult?

[Capt_BJ]

there ARE cruise ships with cabins for singles ... not many but they do exist

 

RCCL ODYSSEY OTS and <some of> the others in the class have 'em too.  

 

Son had one for a family cruise last Nov ..... It cost less then paying the 'premium' to be one in a cabin for two.

 

It was also smaller (sq feet) than the lowest cost double cabin.

 

BUT single cabins DO exist . . .