First cruise family of five - selecting a cabin

[goofy4wdw2]

Thanks everyone! Just to clarify, only the inside rooms have the option to be connecting? I don’t know that I’d feel comfortable splitting into two rooms if not connecting doors inside. Tks!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Thanks everyone! Just to clarify, only the inside rooms have the option to be connecting? I don’t know that I’d feel comfortable splitting into two rooms if not connecting doors inside. Tks!

No, there are connecting rooms in Oceanview and Verandah categories also.

Here's a picture of a Deluxe Family Verandah room with the beds open:

 

[Syreeta]

We're a family of 5 as well (me, DW, DS (13) & twin DD (11)). The category 4 verandahs fit us & the category 8B ocean view (large porthole) as well. We have no problem doing the 8Bs for a short cruise, but for longer ones we prefer the verandah to have just a bit more elbow room. The configuration is great for both the cat 4 & 8, pseudo bunk bed with a murphy bed for the kids while mom & dad get a king sized bed. Honestly, there's not much difference in price (big picture) between the two categories.

If you want to splurge, you can go Concierge, but that's a very large price difference (thousands of dollars).

You could also go with 2 adjoining interior rooms and for administrative purposes have dad in one room & mom in the other while splitting up the kids accordingly. There's paperwork there to insure you can take the kids off (very weird, but understandable rule; more on the DCL site). The cost difference seems to be more expensive than a cat4 (at least the times I've explored for our fam of 5).

The a, b, c... for the category tells you where in the ship you'll be (fwd/midship/aft).

We took a short 4 night to see if we liked it...beware. It's amazingly addicting.

If you have the Murphy bed down can you still access the verandah when the kids are asleep?

 

[ajo]

If you have the Murphy bed down can you still access the verandah when the kids are asleep?

You can access the verandah with the Murphy bed down, but it’s a bit awkward because there isn’t a lot of room to maneuver. And it’s hard to do quietly, so you might wake up whoever is in the Murphy bed if they are a light sleeper.

We’ve sailed several times in connecting oceanview rooms and have enjoyed the extra space and bathroom for our family of 5, especially on the longer cruises. We’ve also sailed in the rooms for 5 and been fine. For us we pick whichever way is cheaper.

 

[Dug720]

If you have the Murphy bed down can you still access the verandah when the kids are asleep?

No. At least not easily as you'd have to crawl over the murphy bed to get out the door.

 

[Syreeta]

No. At least not easily as you'd have to crawl over the murphy bed to get out the door.

Ah I see. Thank you.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

No. At least not easily as you'd have to crawl over the Murphy bed to get out the door.

There is a small space at the foot of the bed, but you'd have to step across the corner of the bed to actually get out the door as the part that opens is the center pane of glass:

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

If you have the Murphy bed down can you still access the verandah when the kids are asleep?

It's a bit of a wiggle to get around the foot of the bed, but we can make it. DW & I head up topside around sunrise, enjoy the view with starbux freeze dried one shots then head to the verandah for our second cup.

 

[Syreeta]

There is a small space at the foot of the bed, but you'd have to step across the corner of the bed to actually get out the door as the part that opens is the center pane of glass:
View attachment 323240 View attachment 323241

Thanks!

 

[Syreeta]

It's a bit of a wiggle to get around the foot of the bed, but we can make it. DW & I head up topside around sunrise, enjoy the view with starbux freeze dried one shots then head to the verandah for our second cup.

I think we will try to get around the bed then! Thank you

 

[Spotthecat]

We are a family of 5, kids aged 10, 7 and 4 on our cruise this past March. We have always cruised in a deluxy family verandah room. Once you realise that you don't need to bring as much as you think, there is plenty of storage for everyone involved, and the space under the bed is massive for all luggage, etc. As far as space, no issues, and the split bathroom is great. We choose mid-ship all the time, especially on our first cruise as we didn't know if anyone would be motion sick (and that first cruise, I was pregnant, so already nauseous, lol). So deck 7, and middle of that deck, is the best to counter any motion sickness we've been told. Ends up no one was affected, but we still stick with that general area as two floors down is the kids' clubs, and we are constantly going back and forth to there, to the movies on deck 3/4, etc. Personally, we avoid any rooms that directly open onto the stairwell/elevator areas as they may be noisier (more people in the hallway). We'd be fine now with anything on floors 7, 8, 9. Floor six, I would not book a room directly over the kids' clubs. And floor 10, they are constantly moving chairs up on the deck/restaurant and that could get noisy. But if I'm booking late, and that's all that's left, I am still on the boat so happy!!!