2 category 9's or family stateroom?

[disneyfan255]

Hello, we are thinking about booking our first cruise, a 3-nighter. We are a family of 5 and are considering either booking the category 4 family stateroom or 2 category 7-outside rooms. Does anyone have any advice?

Related to this, I've "heard" that the lower you are in the ship the less motion you feel, and I think the family staterooms are toward the top... not sure where the category 7's are. I'm sort of afraid I'll be "seasick" and that's why we're going just for 3 nights!

Thanks for any advice you can offer a first-timer.

 

[CM_Mom]

Disneyfan25, welcome to the boards.

Two category 7s would give you more room, 268 x 2 sq. ft (536)vs 304 sq ft AND more bathrooms AND not cost much more than one cat 4. Also, I have read that if the beds are all made it's almost impossible to get to the veranda in the Cat 4s.

I'd get with a good TA and price out the options.

To me the idea of 5 people in a 304 sq ft room is a little tight unless 3 of them are really little (like one in a crib).

The category 7s are on decks 5,6 and 7. Can't answer the question about the motion but the ability to open the door and get some fresh air might help the any queasyness.

Just MHO

 

[DVC California]

Hi disneyfan255 -

I would recommend two cabins at the category/level you are comfortable with. It is true that the lower your are, the less motion you wll feel. Also avoid being too far forward or aft. Low and midship seems to be the most stable.

We are a family of 4 and are also longtime cruisers. We have sailed in all categories of cabins - from inside cabins to portholes, from balconies to suites. We have found that since we are not in the cabin all that much, we have gravitated to whatever cabin is the best deal financially at reservation.

On the Disney ships, all the "Deluxe" staterooms, from Cat 10 Inside, to Cat 5 Balcony, have exactly the same amount of interior space (214 sq feet). The variance in "listed" area is due to the inclusion of the balcony space.

If you prefer a balcony, or at least a window for sunlight, for your first cruise, you might consider getting an outside cabin for yourselves and an inside for the kids - right across the hall. That is if your children are older -- not toddlers.

We have done this several times and it has always worked out much cheaper than the expensive suites and you get extra bathrooms to boot! The purser will also be happy to make up extra cabin keys so that you and the kids can access both rooms.

HTH, Steve

 

[tstobb]

2 balcony staterooms will be considerably more than 1 cat 4. The cost would be more comprable between a cat 4 and 2 cat 8 or 9 rooms. 2 cat 7 navigators verandah rooms on our September cruise for 5 people are about $1000 more than a single cat 4.

That being said, even if it meant no verandah, we would book the 2 rooms. We've done both and with 5 in the cat 4, when the 5th bed is open, you literally have to climb over who ever is sleeping there to get out to it. When the bed is down, there is also no access to the steamer trunk unless you've opened the door beforehand.

The split bathroom helps somewhat but think about 5 people wanting to shower after beach days, before dinner and it gets to be quite a bit of waiting. Remember - the length of a minute depends on which side of the door you're on!

 

[disneyfan255]

As I look back at the information, I realize what I meant in my original message was 2 category 9's (not 7's) vs. the family stateroom.

Thanks for all the information. Seems like the family stateroom would be crowded, and my oldest will be 17, so I could handle the two teenagers being in a separate cabin, but only if it is close by.

Thanks!

 

[Karel]

I was going to say if your children are younger, a family suite is nice. Cozy and comfy when we were all tucked in, a feeling of closeness (in a good way!). But since your oldest is almost an adult, go with the two cabins. We had one room when the kids were 10,9 and 8 but this time we're going to try two 9's. We'll see if I miss the veranda or not but as someone said, with the Murphy down, it was hard to get out there anyway.

My goal someday is to get an veranda cabin and a inside room across the hall for the rugrats but we're not there yet.

 

[my3kids]

What about a category 7 with a verandah and a category 11 directly across the hall for the teenagers? Or is you don't mind skipping the verandah, a category 8 with an 11 across the hall, or a 9 and a 12.....

 

[tink5]

That's what we did. We got a cat. 6 and a cat. 11. That way we still have at least one verhanda. We are also a family of five and it was about $1200 cheaper than the family stateroom.