Experienced Cruiser needs advice.

huntr104 · #1 (**permalink**) November 3rd, 2010, 08:31 PM

Hello. My wife and I are in the very early planning phase of our 5th Cruise. What makes this cruise different is that we'll be travelling with our 2 1/2 year old son and my 18 year old daughter. We've decided on the May 27th Eastern on Allure of the Seas. A couple questions off the top of my head are...

Would it be cheaper to get a type of suite for the 4 of us? or would it be cheaper for my daughter to get her own cabin and possibly share with a friend? If we got the 2 rooms then We'll have an outside balcony room and get my daughter an inside stateroom across the hall from us.

Also I cant seem to find on RCI's website that lists the different prices for all the different suites? Is this info available online or do I need to talk to someone from RCI?

That's it for now. I'm sure I'll have many more questions. Thanks

Manuel · #2 (**permalink**) November 3rd, 2010, 09:11 PM

I have a bit of experiece in cruising myself.

I allways use a travel agent. It makes things a lot easier.

TM

huntr104 · #3 (**permalink**) November 3rd, 2010, 09:58 PM

I agree. We've always used a travel agent. I'm just trying to get as much help as possible before I bother her.

Manuel · #4 (**permalink**) November 4th, 2010, 04:14 AM

Go ahead and bother her, That is what she is there for.
I do hope that things work out for you and you don't have to cancel your cruise.

TM

serenity921asil · #5 (**permalink**) November 4th, 2010, 07:22 AM

I usually travel by myself w/my 3 girls (now 8,9,&11). We've tried the across the hall option and the suite option...but neither was as much room or fun as the connecting balcony rooms. With the connecting balcony rooms on RCL...not sure about other lines....the room steward (if asked) will open the sliding glass door between balconies....what a wonderful space to hang out on. We once had three rooms (family came along) and that balcony (with two sliders open) was heaven!

The connecting rooms are wonderful, especially when it's bed time....in the suite the adults had to "keep it quiet" and found it difficult to hang out...with the connecting rooms just close the door and poof "privacy" and "quiet" for the kids....we could still come and go and not disturb them.

I hated the across the hall set up. I felt so "disconnected" from the kids...and I didn't sleep good...felt like they were tooo alone. I couldn't go check on them without waking them (that door is so loud)...with the connecting staterooms the interior door is so much more quiet.

This is just my experience....as far as price....surprisingly I found the two rooms actually less then the suite on all of the cruises. I always price out all options and am surprised to find the two balconies less....I still never understand why.

Lisa

amyd1972 · #6 (**permalink**) November 4th, 2010, 07:53 AM

You can easily find pricing online at their website. You choose the date you are sailing and the destination and click on 'start reservation'. you don't have to complete the reservation process on line if you don't want to but you will be able to view pricing for ALL of the different categories of rooms. There's really no reason to use a travel agent. I myself did use an agent after researching and pricing things out on my own on RCL's website and frankly I have not gotten any information or assistance from the TA that I couldn't have gotten on my own. I'm sorry TA's but its true.

huntr104 · #7 (**permalink**) November 4th, 2010, 04:16 PM

Thank you. Connecting rooms does sound much better. All the points you made make a lot of sense. I didn't know I could go though the booking process to see pricing like that either. I've always used a TA. It does surprise me also that you can't get a suite cheaper than 2 balcony rooms.

Donna · #8 (**permalink**) November 4th, 2010, 05:39 PM

I believe the suites and family suites book fairly fast, so sometimes depending on dates, are hard to find. You should be able to go to the Royal Caribbean site and view available cabins by tring to book them...In some cases travel agents have a bunch of cabins that may not show up, they have them for group space, so its still a good idea to contact a good cruise travel agent and they can give you more information on available cabins with your open dates.

AF1 · #9 (**permalink**) November 5th, 2010, 06:16 PM

Here is my advice; you have a couple choices; you can contact a Royal Caribbean Vacation Planner; ask them all the same questions you have asked here; balcony room; inside room; adjoining rooms, etc; ask them to price them out; keeping in mind how many bathrooms you will get; your other option is once you have finished talking to the Royal Caribbean agent; contact your own travel agent; I feel its best to get two professional opinions; if you have a personal travel agent contact them; if you don't I suggest you contact a travel agency and ask to speak to a certified cruise specialist; usually this person has been on the different cruise lines and has stayed in or seen the type cabins you want to book. Any more questions; fire away.

Cheers

huntr104 · #10 (**permalink**) November 5th, 2010, 09:31 PM

Thanks again. I really like the side by side balcony staterooms idea. It makes alot of sense. I guess the only way we'd go with a suite is if my daughter did not bring a friend. Then there's no point on getting a stateroom just for her. Most of the ships I've been on have been a little older so I'm not really sure how much time I have to make up our minds and book this cruise. It's a year and a half away but should I book asap because its a new ship? Also, what deck would be best? or the most quiet? This is where I'm not the best at planning. lol. One cruise, all I could hear were the lounge chairs being dragged around the deck above me first thing in the morning and the other cruise I had elevator traffic and noise. I tell my wife that we need to cruise more frequently so we can learn ALL the ins and outs. I do have a very experienced TA who has always been great to us. She cruises often and always has been spot on with her opinions. But I guess it wouldn't hurt to talk to a RCI person as well.

Robbie H · #11 (**permalink**) November 6th, 2010, 01:10 PM

As a T/A I LOVE to be "bothered" with this kind of query. Except for gift of "OBC" what else is there to do to impress our clients? Do give her a call, Robbie

Queen of Oakville · #12 (**permalink**) December 10th, 2010, 11:04 AM

ha ha, I was just going to mention OBC.

I usually do all my own work, figure out which ship,date, cabin etc I want. I then call the cruiseline to put the cabin on holid and then turn over the reservation to a TA so I can get an OBC.

Snoozeman · #13 (**permalink**) December 10th, 2010, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by huntr104

Hello. My wife and I are in the very early planning phase of our 5th Cruise. What makes this cruise different is that we'll be travelling with our 2 1/2 year old son and my 18 year old daughter. We've decided on the May 27th Eastern on Allure of the Seas. A couple questions off the top of my head are...

Would it be cheaper to get a type of suite for the 4 of us? or would it be cheaper for my daughter to get her own cabin and possibly share with a friend? If we got the 2 rooms then We'll have an outside balcony room and get my daughter an inside stateroom across the hall from us.

Also I cant seem to find on RCI's website that lists the different prices for all the different suites? Is this info available online or do I need to talk to someone from RCI?

That's it for now. I'm sure I'll have many more questions. Thanks

Yes, I agree, best option. Plus you have two bathrooms.

Kuki · #14 (**permalink**) December 10th, 2010, 11:57 AM

I suggest getting two adjoining balcony cabins and a suite for me. Then you could come visit me in the suite to see if you'd like one for next cruise

galaxysunshine · #15 (**permalink**) January 19th, 2011, 12:47 AM

Seriously, your daughter is 18. You don't have to baby sit her. Give her some freedom and save yourself some money and get her a room across the hall. What is she going to do? Seriously, she is going to dance, eat, and meet new friends. If she is in the room with a friend it will be even better. You can set some ground rules; like a curfew, etc. Do you really want to have a teenager running in and out of your room.

I am assuming the 2 year old will be with you.

CruisinTime · #16 (**permalink**) January 19th, 2011, 09:39 AM

2 rooms for sure. You know your family. I know mine. We like 2 rooms for extra space and my teenage boys like to be alone in their own room. My 10 year old bunks with us. We get a balcony -they are across the hall. They love it. We use walkie -talkies to find each other and have meet times through out the day. We also use sticky notes to communicate if we miss each other. I can see not putting younger kids across the hall- but if you want/need to save a few bucks- the interior across the way is great.

I considered the family room on RCI - 8012- and I can see why families would love it but - that cubbie hole for a bedroom lost its allure on my boys when they turned 12. Now they want their own space and Im good with that.

Connecting balcony rooms sounds awesome- especially when you can open the walls outside. Had I booked that on my next cruise Id be paying about twice as much for the 2nd room. Id rather spend it on board. Some people dont need to think twice about room cost and what they spend, some of us do. Once upon a time ago I talked both Carnival and NCL into putting 5 of us in a quad and giving us a roll away- We made it work when they were very little. Now 2 rooms all the way.