Family of 5

[sters]

If I have a family of 5, and I do, can we all sleep in one stateroom? Like most things Disney, I'm assuming it caters to families of 4. What are my options?

 

[kajohn]

I know the cat. 4 cabins sleep 5. I believe that cat. 1-3 also do.

 

[sters]

Thanks for your quick response! I saw the staterooms on this board and see the types or rooms that can accommodate our family. I need to know how much to budget but find no pricing info. I tried making a "reservation" just to see, but they told me no rooms are available. Why is this such a deep, dark secret? I just want to know how much I can expect to pay for either a 3 or 4 night cruise.

 

[ChattyKathy]

I dont know why your asking the question your asking, BUT you can opt to 2 connecting staterooms...you keep the door open between the two rooms...More bathroom this way!


Kathy

 

[kcashner]

For more than 4 people, your choices are categories 1-4, or nearby or adjoining staterooms in lower categories. There are adjoining rooms in cat 10 and above.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by kcashner
For more than 4 people, your choices are categories 1-4, or nearby or adjoining staterooms in lower categories. There are adjoining rooms in cat 10 and above.

There's a difference between "adjoining staterooms" (staterooms next to each other) and "connecting staterooms" (staterooms with internal doors connecting them).

I think that connecting staterooms are a perfect option for familes of 5 or 6 -- even for families of 4 who want twice as much room. Adjoining staterooms may be okay if the children are in their teens.

By the way, they'll always book at least one adult member of the travelling party in each stateroom. So for a mom, a dad, and three kids, that would mean that that one parent and two kids would be booked in one room, and the other parent and one kid are booked in the other. But when it comes to the actual sleeping arrangement, the parents can share one room, and the kids can share the other.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Family of 5 here too!
Your options are either cat 4 or higher (ie: 1, 2, 3) or book 2 rooms at a lower category (ie: 5-12)

We were going to go with either cat 4 or cat 3... but changed our minds. Going with 2 other category rooms, connecting rooms, was cheaper than one stateroom at cat 4! And a lot less crowded- especially because in cat 4 it's not that much bigger -the added bed is a murphy bed that pulls down from the wall RIGHT in front of the door to the verandah- virtually making the verandah unusable if the murphy bed is down with a sleeping child in it.

We wanted cat 10 on deck 5- but those are very limited in connected rooms- and we were unable to do so even for Feb 2005! So they'd have to be booked very early apparently. We ended up booking cat 9 on deck 2- connected rooms. Saved a couple thousand from going cat 4 (1 room).

 

[hydster]

when we did the land/sea package we decided to try a cat 4 cabin which also put us in a room at the Polynesian before the cruise. The Polynesian was ok because at least 1 of our kids slept in the connecting room with grandparents who upgraded but on the ship I would have to honestly say the cat 4 cabin was expensive and we were cramped. Our kids were 3, 7 and 9 at the time of sailing and we didnt have much room once the murphy bed was put down at night nor could hubby or I enjoy the balcony since you couldnt get over the murphy bed. For our trip of 2 adults and 3 kids in a cat 4 without insurance, air or transportation to or from the port it was about 6800.00 total. We are taking the kids in May in 2 category 8 connecting staterooms without a balcony (but with the kids we didnt use it much as young as they were) but with 2 bathrooms and it is a 7 day E. carrib cruise and it was only 5500.00 total without air, insurance or transportation. If it were me I dont know that I would spend the extra $$$ for a Cat. 4 cabin for 5 people again since it is pretty cramped and we did not like the room we had as it was very noisy with the pool deck above us. We could hear running and the sailaway party and music and chairs scraping.
We decided that deck 6 for our 2 connecting staterooms was just perfect. 1 deck up from the kids club and kind of in the middle of the deck numbers so not too high or too low although we are unfortunately in the near front of the ship but hopefully that way we can get an elevator when we need one!

Hope that helps
Heidi

 

[cjsmith]

Originally posted by sters
Thanks for your quick response! I saw the staterooms on this board and see the types or rooms that can accommodate our family. I need to know how much to budget but find no pricing info. I tried making a "reservation" just to see, but they told me no rooms are available. Why is this such a deep, dark secret? I just want to know how much I can expect to pay for either a 3 or 4 night cruise.

That means that there are probably not anymore rooms left to sleep a family of 5 on that partiacular cruise that you chose. We have 5 in our family and always book 2 staterooms, an 11 for the kids and a 6 for us right across the hallway. It works out wonderfully and I wouldn't want it any other way.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Carolyn- sounds great but just curious- what are the ages of your children?

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Sters- the best places I have found that have pricing info without having to email for a quote request/etc- is

http://www.allseastravel.com/

and cruise.com

 

[cjsmith]

Originally posted by BibbidyBobbidyBoo
Carolyn- sounds great but just curious- what are the ages of your children?

My kids are now 15, 13, and 11. On our first cruise, my daughter had just turned 14, my son 12, and my other son 10. It works out well since they are older. If not, I would have to do connecting staterooms.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

That's exactly what we'll do! While younger- connecting rooms but we'll use your idea of rooms to get (not connecting- perhaps different categories but across from one another) when they are older. Thanks!

 

[eye R.N.]

On deck 2 have worked very well for us on all four cruises. The kids keep their mess in their room and mom and dad have some private time.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Thanks for the reassurances! I think it's going to be great for us- considering we're used to sharing double bed rooms- all together in one room! LOL

 

[bnickle3]

.......two bathrooms!

We booked two connecting cat 8's for our family of 5 (children are 6, 9, and 11) and the huge selling point for me was the use of two bathrooms. Kind of a boring reason, but hey, if you have Kate and Emily, the grooming queens, in your group, you want 2 bathrooms, too.

Also looking forward to a little bit of privacy with my husband, and a little alone time to myself.

You can call any ta and get quotes without any kind of committment. We booked through AAA, and were very happy with price and service, and I have heard nothing but wonderful things about DU.

Brenda