Family of 5, booked two staterooms this time, Cats 4 and 11; I have some questions

[Cackyschmackers]

Hello! This will be our fourth cruise but first time on the Dream, we've sailed on the Magic and Fantasy previously in the Family Deluxe Verandahs and loved it. Our family is a little older (and taller!) now, so we thought it would be smart to book two staterooms: One the Family Verandah that sleeps "3 or 4" and a standard inside (smaller) stateroom pretty close by that sleeps "up to 4". Here's my question: I am sure my daughters are going to rotate who they would like to sleep with: Our plan is to sleep 3 of us in the verandah room and two of us in the standard inside room. My question is, will we be able to ask for all the beds including the "hidden berths" to be made up when we are at dinner? I would like to take advantage of everyone being able to sleep in their own bed and not share. But our resi says I am with my one daughter in one room and my husband is with my other two kids in the second room. I guess I'm asking, will they make up the beds in any configuration we like, or no, or do we have to arrange this ahead of time? And can we switch it up? Will this be a pain for our cabin steward if we keep writing notes? Not sure what to do, and thank you in advance!

 

[jahber]

They will make the beds in any configuration. Your steward should ask the first night, and then you should tell him/her how you want them each night. Not a problem at all!

 

[Cackyschmackers]

They will make the beds in any configuration. Your steward should ask the first night, and then you should tell him/her how you want them each night. Not a problem at all!

Thank you, Jahber. So, we've only done 7 and 8 night cruises, and this coming up one is a 4-nt. I am afraid we are going to be sad campers.... any advice for a short cruise??

 

[jahber]

Thank you, Jahber. So, we've only done 7 and 8 night cruises, and this coming up one is a 4-nt. I am afraid we are going to be sad campers.... any advice for a short cruise??

We've done a couple of short cruises. We decided to take them at the last minute, so we treated them as bonus vacations and the chance to do a few specific things we never found time for on other trips (for example, we never wait in lines for characters, but we did on one short cruise. And one time, my kids tried to complete all of the midship detective agency games. That kind of thing). One time we made it our goal to spend no money other than tips. We almost made it! We had to buy my son a pen for his autograph book, so our bill was $6.75. And it was one of our favorite trips ever.

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

So, we've only done 7 and 8 night cruises, and this coming up one is a 4-nt. I am afraid we are going to be sad campers.... any advice for a short cruise??

If you think about it, you have a great advantage on this cruise.

Most people on the ship will be trying to "do it all." They will be rushing around crazy. You have already done it all: many things more than once. So this gives you a great chance to relax, slow down, and pick and choose. Do a few "greatest hits" type favorites, explore some out of the way areas or less attended activities. And don't run around crazy.

One other thing. Each day at dinner we talked all about what we had done that day, and what we wanted to do that night and the next day. These daily "inventories" really seemed to stretch out our trip. Taking time to realize how much fun you are having will help to keep it from "slipping by."

 

[Weedy]

A few FYI's:
The kids are only allowed to get off the ship with the adult assigned to their cabin. You can go to Guest Services and sign a paper allowing them to get off the ship with the adult in the other cabin.
Also while at Guest Services you can get extra key cards to the other cabins so the people not assigned to the cabin can open the door. BUT you need to carry the key card with your name printed on it. If your kids are in the teen club they need that card to get in the club and everyone will need it to get off and on the ship. ALSO if you carry the key card in a lanyard if two cards are next to each other the tap to open won't work.

 

[Cackyschmackers]

f you think about it, you have a great advantage on this cruise.

Most people on the ship will be trying to "do it all." They will be rushing around crazy. You have already done it all: many things more than once. So this gives you a great chance to relax, slow down, and pick and choose. Do a few "greatest hits" type favorites, explore some out of the way areas or less attended activities. And don't run around crazy.

One other thing. Each day at dinner we talked all about what we had done that day, and what we wanted to do that night and the next day. These daily "inventories" really seemed to stretch out our trip. Taking time to realize how much fun you are having will help to keep it from "slipping by."

Wow! Thank you! Great way to look at it. I was also thinking of not getting off the ship one of the port days. That might help to stretch it out as well, since the days at sea are always our favorite days!

A few FYI's:
The kids are only allowed to get off the ship with the adult assigned to their cabin. You can go to Guest Services and sign a paper allowing them to get off the ship with the adult in the other cabin.
Also while at Guest Services you can get extra key cards to the other cabins so the people not assigned to the cabin can open the door. BUT you need to carry the key card with your name printed on it. If your kids are in the teen club they need that card to get in the club and everyone will need it to get off and on the ship. ALSO if you carry the key card in a lanyard if two cards are next to each other the tap to open won't work.

Oh, my gosh; THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I had no idea about these rules, and I feel like it's something our TA should have told us!!! Esp since I already asked her about the key card question. Geez . THANK YOU!!

 

[jrabbit]

One of our cruises we took our daughter and her husband with us. They had their room and we had ours, and we "shared" a room steward (rooms close to each other). We talked with the steward sometime on embarkation day and said that the other room had "our kids" in it (ages 25 & 26). The room steward took us literally and made up the couch into a bed (assuming an older brother and sister wouldn't be sharing a bed). Next day we had to clarify.

so in my experience they will be more than happy to set up both rooms how you want.

 

[Cackyschmackers]

One of our cruises we took our daughter and her husband with us. They had their room and we had ours, and we "shared" a room steward (rooms close to each other). We talked with the steward sometime on embarkation day and said that the other room had "our kids" in it (ages 25 & 26). The room steward took us literally and made up the couch into a bed (assuming an older brother and sister wouldn't be sharing a bed). Next day we had to clarify.

so in my experience they will be more than happy to set up both rooms how you want.

VERY CUTE! Thank you!!