What's an Extra Room Worth to You?

[volfan1978]

This is a question for anyone who has already taken a family cruise with a party of 2 adults and 3 children...

If given the choice between a family room (that can theoretically accommodate a family of 5) or two connecting rooms of similar type (e.g., verandah), what premium would you pay per night for a second room? I've already got two connecting verandah rooms on hold for October 2017 on a 4 night cruise, but I could save about $600 ($150/night) by going down to one family verandah room.

Thoughts from anyone who's lived that situation? My spidey sense is telling me to fork over the extra cash for my wife's sanity and to avoid fights over who gets to sleep in what bed. Kids will be 10, 8, and 3 by the way.

 

[Imahikergirl]

I haven't been in your situation, but I'd go with your spidey sense as it knows your family best.

Another plus, a second split bath if you get the two rooms!

 

[Krissy22222]

Have you thought about getting a verandah for two vand putting three people in an inside across the hall? Might save you even more money, and you can always mix and match who sleeps where when you get on board. I have a family of five and I've done it both ways, not a fan of the five person verandah because when the Murphy bed is down it blocks access to the cabinets and the verandah. Love having two rooms, two bathrooms, a separate place for a kid to go and cool off if they're misbehaving, etc. But my kids are slightly older, so maybe with yours being so young it would work better for you to be all together.

 

[Hundredacre]

Two rooms!!! Worth more than $600. Way more. I would downgrade to inside if necessary.

 

[mmouse37]

Or 2 connecting oceanviews instead of verandas. We have been in your situation and cruised in one cabin with 2 adults and 3 kids....never again. I much prefer two connecting (or if they are older) adjoining or across the hall cabins. We love the extra space 2 cabins provides and 4 people can ready at one time....priceless!!


MJ

 

[chik1987]

I would do 2 rooms if they were older but not that little. I wouldn't want to split rooms with my spouse and kids that young don't need to be in a room alone (even a connecting room) imo. Others might disagree and thats ok.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

This is a question for anyone who has already taken a family cruise with a party of 2 adults and 3 children...

If given the choice between a family room (that can theoretically accommodate a family of 5) or two connecting rooms of similar type (e.g., verandah), what premium would you pay per night for a second room? I've already got two connecting verandah rooms on hold for October 2017 on a 4 night cruise, but I could save about $600 ($150/night) by going down to one family verandah room.

Thoughts from anyone who's lived that situation? My spidey sense is telling me to fork over the extra cash for my wife's sanity and to avoid fights over who gets to sleep in what bed. Kids will be 10, 8, and 3 by the way.

2 rooms all the way! Leave the connecting doors open all night long if you need to, but the extra space will be more than worth the $600.

We started cruising with 2 connecting insides, did 3 that way and on our last cruise did 1 family verandah. At the end we all decided to go back to 2 insides.

 

[Weedy]

2 cabins!! You may want to check and see if there is a lower (less expensive) category of veranda cabins that are still connecting but a little less $$.

 

[Vijoge]

I'd definitely take the two connecting veranda rooms.

 

[FigmentSpark]

We chose 2 rooms and there are only 4 of us, but my boys are older. The little one will probably want to be with you, but the other two might like the 'camping out' in their own room. Some people are concerned about leaving kids in a verandah access room without adults. I have heard of the inside across the hall strategy, but then the rooms aren't connected. The older kids might find it fun, though.

 

[tink1970]

Bathrooms-more is better. I vote for two rooms!

 

[bethy]

We are a family of 5 and have not been able to bring ourselves to stay in one room for more than a couple of nights. Unless we are camping.

 

[belac]

Two rooms

 

[Luvzmy3boys]

We (family of 5- boys similar in age to ur kids) did two connecting verandah rooms the first cruise. Now we choose to do deluxe family verandah as kids r still pretty young and we found we don't spend much time in the room. We use that little bit of savings on excursions etc. but I am ok with sharing a bathroom for a limited time

 

[ghtx]

OP, you and I are in the same situation - 2 adults and 3 kids, almost exactly the same age distribution (ours will be 10, 7, and 4 for the cruise).

I am leaning towards just one room on the theory that we won't be spending much time in the room anyway. But when we travel to WDW we usually get a 1-bedroom DVC room so we are used to the space.

 

[Laundress]

Another vote for connecting rooms. Might make a less stressful vacation. Listen to your inner spidey voice.

 

[phinz]

$600 is a cheap price to pay for being able to spread out and not be on top of each other the entire trip.

 

[volfan1978]

Thanks to all of you for the excellent feedback...definitely going the two room route after hearing everyone's input. The only argument I saw against two rooms was that we'd be putting children alone in a room at night...which in our case won't be true. The wife and I will split up and each take one of the big beds--we're not big snugglers, especially not on vacation with three kids

I looked into the suggestion of gettting a verandah room and an inside room right across the hall...great idea! It saves about $400, and that's with one of the bigger deluxe inside rooms.

 

[BigredNole]

I haven't been on a cruise before, but I know how my family is. We are not "sit in the room" people. If I am spending that much money, we are out checking all of the things that are afforded to us. We are out exploring, engaging, and going all out. The room is for us to sleep and shower.

 

[CesD]

Thanks to all of you for the excellent feedback...definitely going the two room route after hearing everyone's input. The only argument I saw against two rooms was that we'd be putting children alone in a room at night...which in our case won't be true. The wife and I will split up and each take one of the big beds--we're not big snugglers, especially not on vacation with three kids

I looked into the suggestion of gettting a verandah room and an inside room right across the hall...great idea! It saves about $400, and that's with one of the bigger deluxe inside rooms.

We are also a family of 5 and have done 1 family room oceanview, 1 verandah and two connecting oceanview. on our last trip, two connecting was actually cheaper so we went that route. you can ask your hostess for a doorstop to keep the connecting door open so your kids are not alone in the other room. i think we prefer the two connecting also.