Help me decide!

[Lomac924]

I'm sure many of you feel this way but I am having a horrible time deciding which cruise to take and when given how quickly everything can shift. My family (husband, 3 girls.. ages 10, 8, and 2) are currently booked on the Wish in September using our discount and we were able to score an Oceanview Concierge room. Given that the nursery will likely still not be available for my 2 year old, we are thinking both booking another cabin for my mom to help out and shifting one of our older girls to that reservation since we have to pay for two people/cabin regardless. This brings our total to around $8200 for two rooms. I am pumped to have concierge services especially on the new ship, but I am not excited to not have a balcony as that is all we have ever sailed with.

I have found two rooms on the Wish for a November sailing (a balcony and inside room across the hall from each other) for a little more than $1000 cheaper but we are forfeiting our discount and the concierge. What would you do?! Help me from driving my husband crazy with all the different scenarios.

 

[Cheburashka]

I'm sure many of you feels this way but I am having a horrible time deciding which cruise to take and when given how quickly everything can shift. My family (husband, 3 girls.. ages 10, 8, and 2) are currently booked on the Wish in September using our discount and we were able to score an Oceanview Concierge room. Given that the nursery will likely still not be available for my 2 year old, we are thinking both booking another cabin for my mom to help out and shifting one of our older girls to that reservation since we have to pay for two people/cabin regardless. This brings our total to around $8200 for two rooms. I am pumped to have concierge services especially on the new ship, but I am not excited to not have a balcony as that is all we have ever sailed with.

I have found two rooms on the Wish for a November sailing (a balcony and inside room across the hall from each other) for a little more than $1000 cheaper but we are forfeiting our discount and the concierge. What would you do?! Help me from driving my husband crazy with all the different scenarios.

Assuming your mother is a willing and competent babysitter, I would prefer to bring her even if the nursery would be open (which it very well might be by September). The nursery will ask you to pick up an inconsolable toddler (remember, she'll be in a strange place with strangers), and there are also only so many times available, so nothing will really help like having Grandma there. She'll be an extra hand with the other kids, too.

Hard to enjoy the perks of concierge while simultaneously waiting on a toddler all day. The one thing that would give me pause would be losing the likelihood of getting a cabana on Castaway Cay. Only you know how important that is to you.

 

[tink1970]

I'm sure many of you feels this way but I am having a horrible time deciding which cruise to take and when given how quickly everything can shift. My family (husband, 3 girls.. ages 10, 8, and 2) are currently booked on the Wish in September using our discount and we were able to score an Oceanview Concierge room. Given that the nursery will likely still not be available for my 2 year old, we are thinking both booking another cabin for my mom to help out and shifting one of our older girls to that reservation since we have to pay for two people/cabin regardless. This brings our total to around $8200 for two rooms. I am pumped to have concierge services especially on the new ship, but I am not excited to not have a balcony as that is all we have ever sailed with.

I have found two rooms on the Wish for a November sailing (a balcony and inside room across the hall from each other) for a little more than $1000 cheaper but we are forfeiting our discount and the concierge. What would you do?! Help me from driving my husband crazy with all the different scenarios.

I think it depends on how valuable concierge is to you. I've determined that for me, I won't sail on the Dream or Wish class in anything other than concierge BUT if that's not a make or break for you, having another pair of hands sounds like it's worth it for your family.

 

[princesscinderella]

I feel like concierge is not worth the extra cost on such a short sailing as there’s so much to do that it’s not necessary. That said I’ve never sailed concierge so I can’t give an accurate comparison. To me unless you are booking a suite the extra access to a lounge isn’t a big deal and we never spend much time in our room anyway.

 

[MomOTwins]

If your second room in Sept is not concierge (assume that must be the case since $8200 sounds very cheap for 6 concierge guests), don’t do it. Guests not staying in a concierge are not allowed to join family in the concierge lounge and sundeck (or the new concierge pool on the Wish). That sounds it would be hard on the kid staying with grandma to know their siblings got something they didn’t.

 

[Cheburashka]

If your second room in Sept is not concierge (assume that must be the case since $8200 sounds very cheap for 6 concierge guests), don’t do it. Guests not staying in a concierge are not allowed to join family in the concierge lounge and sundeck (or the new concierge pool on the Wish). That sounds it would be hard on the kid staying with grandma to know their siblings got something they didn’t.

In the two-room scenario, neither room would be concierge.

 

[MomOTwins]

In the two-room scenario, neither room would be concierge.

As I read OP’s question, the Sept and Nov cruises are both two room scenarios—they said Sept would be “$8,200 for two rooms.” But it sounded like the were keeping concierge for at least one room on the Sept sailing since they said if they switch to Nov they would be “forfeiting concierge.”

 

[Lomac924]

As I read OP’s question, the Sept and Nov cruises are both two room scenarios—they said Sept would be “$8,200 for two rooms.” But it sounded like the were keeping concierge for at least one room on the Sept sailing since they said if they switch to Nov they would be “forfeiting concierge.”

Yes that's correct. Sailing in Sept. would be one concierge room and one regular room. I hadn't considered my one kiddo not being able to join us in the concierge areas so that is definitely making me lean towards just two rooms in Nov.

 

[Lomac924]

I feel like concierge is not worth the extra cost on such a short sailing as there’s so much to do that it’s not necessary. That said I’ve never sailed concierge so I can’t give an accurate comparison. To me unless you are booking a suite the extra access to a lounge isn’t a big deal and we never spend much time in our room anyway.

Very true- I think especially having the new ship to explore, perhaps I won't know what I'm missing not having concierge. I think what I am mostly struggling with is that this may the only time I will have a discount on concierge and the fact my husband actually agreed to the extra cost . But having considered all the good points brought up, I am leaning towards the November sailing.

 

[Lomac924]

Assuming your mother is a willing and competent babysitter, I would prefer to bring her even if the nursery would be open (which it very well might be by September). The nursery will ask you to pick up an inconsolable toddler (remember, she'll be in a strange place with strangers), and there are also only so many times available, so nothing will really help like having Grandma there. She'll be an extra hand with the other kids, too.

Hard to enjoy the perks of concierge while simultaneously waiting on a toddler all day. The one thing that would give me pause would be losing the likelihood of getting a cabana on Castaway Cay. Only you know how important that is to you.

Yes Grandma is willing and ready to help out . I still want it to be a vacation for her but she understands my husband and I wanting to be able to go to the adult pool together and explore the nightlife a night or two. We are very lucky to have her help.

I totally agree with not being able to fully enjoy the perks. I keep telling my husband that maybe we should wait until the kids are grown and splurge on it when it's just us two. I am totally the type that has a hard time walking away from a discount or a good deal. All the points brought up have made me feel like forfeiting the discount is probably the right thing to do.
Thanks for your input!