Family of 5

[Favorite Auntie]

Looking for the best way, and cheapest way, to cruise with a family of five. The girls are 11 and 9 now and I am due in October. Looking to cruise when the baby is about a year old.

 

[Coss]

2 rooms might be cheaper than 1 big one

 

[Rob1872]

No exact answer; prices will vary with room type and time of year. For example, when I did a 3 night Magic trip, it worked out that I paid $84 more for 2 connecting interior deluxe (with 2 people in each room) than I would have paid for a single inside cabin for 4. I priced it out the same way for a 7 night Fantasy sailing at a different time of year, and it was significantly cheaper to get the deluxe family verandah than the 2 inside rooms.

Just remember that the first two people in a stateroom are charged the full fare, and then the additional people are charged a lower price. Also, I don't know how "bathroom intensive" your girls are in the morning (I've got boys; it is EASY!). A pair of connecting deluxe inside gives you 4 sinks (each room has a split toilet/sink and shower/sink); a family oceanview or family verandah would only have one set of split bathrooms. Having 2 showers was really nice after being in the pool. However, other people will tell you that it isn't worth sailing without a verandah to sit and drink coffee in the morning. There is no "BEST" way; only what is best for you.

 

[DCSWO]

Here are some threads on the topic:

https://www.disboards.com/threads/f...five-selecting-a-cabin.3683203/#post-59234556

https://www.disboards.com/threads/1st-timers-w-family-of-5-stateroom-help-please.3668761

 

[MomOTwins]

It does vary a lot by cruise, but I find that typically the cheapest single room for a family of 5 on DCL is the deluxe family oceanview category (no verandah), which are at the front and back of the ship but are very spacious and nice, have the split bathroom with two sinks, and and have a giant porthole with a window seat. You can put the crib by the window and have your daughters sleep in the bunk, which should leave plenty of space in the middle of the room.

Also bear in mind that as a PP said, if you stay in two connecting staterooms, you have to pay 4 full adult fares (there is a minimum of 2 adult fares per room) plus the baby fare. In a family room, assuming your daughter has not yet turned 13 at the time of sailing, you will pay 2 adult fares, 2 child fares, and one baby fare, so with three kids that will likely be less expensive than two rooms, though again, this can vary based on the itinerary. Once your daughter turns 13 though, she is considered an adult for fare purposes no matter the room configuration, so if possible, try to time the cruise before her birthday as that will save hundreds of dollars.

 

[lilsonicfan]

It does vary a lot by cruise, but I find that typically the cheapest single room for a family of 5 on DCL is the deluxe family oceanview category (no verandah), which are at the front and back of the ship but are very spacious and nice, have the split bathroom with two sinks, and and have a giant porthole with a window seat. You can put the crib by the window and have your daughters sleep in the bunk, which should leave plenty of space in the middle of the room.

That is probably true when you sail on the big ships (Dream/Fantasy) but the Magic and Wonder do not have a deluxe family oceanview room that has no verandah. With fewer rooms that sleep 5 on the Magic and Wonder, it definitely can be cheaper to book two rooms for 5. We are booked on the Magic with two Oceanview rooms, which was slightly cheaper than one Deluxe Family Verandah - but it is worth noting that these oceanview rooms also don't have a window seat.

 

[lizzyb]

That is probably true when you sail on the big ships (Dream/Fantasy) but the Magic and Wonder do not have a deluxe family oceanview room that has no verandah. With fewer rooms that sleep 5 on the Magic and Wonder, it definitely can be cheaper to book two rooms for 5. We are booked on the Magic with two Oceanview rooms, which was slightly cheaper than one Deluxe Family Verandah - but it is worth noting that these oceanview rooms also don't have a window seat.

It definitely is true on the fantasy, everytime I get quotes its cheaper to go with the deluxe family stateroom.

 

[blabadie]

We are a family of 5 and have booked two Disney cruises. FWIW, this is our pricing experience:

7 Night Merrytime Cruise on Wonder (~$8k): We booked two adjacent (not connecting) inside rooms. Based on what rooms were left, two connecting rooms would have cost $1500 more. A family verandah room would also have been $1500 more than the two adjacent inside rooms. For us the view on a Bahamian cruise wasn't worth paying a premium.

7 Night British Isles cruise on Magic (~$10k): A family verandah was about $800 more than two inside rooms. For this cruise, we decided the premium for a verandah was worth it.

 

[heather913]

I have a family of 5. We booked a 7 night western on the Fantasy for May 2019. My kids will be 9, 7, and 3 at the time of sailing. We booked an inside room and an extended verandah room right across the hall for about $8k. My husband and 3 year old are booked in the verandah and the older 2 and I are booked in the inside room.

 

[ajo]

I have a family of 5. We booked a 7 night western on the Fantasy for May 2019. My kids will be 9, 7, and 3 at the time of sailing. We booked an inside room and an extended verandah room right across the hall for about $8k. My husband and 3 year old are booked in the verandah and the older 2 and I are booked in the inside room.

Would it have been cheaper to make your 3 year old the third passenger in the inside instead of one of your older kids? Or is a 3 year old the same price as your older two?

I’m always trying to figure out the cheapest configuration when we book two rooms for our family of 5 and I’m not exactly sure where the price breaks are for kids under 13.

 

[lilsonicfan]

Would it have been cheaper to make your 3 year old the third passenger in the inside instead of one of your older kids? Or is a 3 year old the same price as your older two?

I’m always trying to figure out the cheapest configuration when we book two rooms for our family of 5 and I’m not exactly sure where the price breaks are for kids under 13.

Age 3-12 is charged the same child price, 13-17 are adults, and 0-2 is half of child price.