Options for Family Cruise Vacations
By , Cruise Specialist | March 01, 2013 ( Comments)
Cruising as a family can seem complicated. Most cruise ships are fitted with staterooms that will accommodate two passengers, and then a fewer number that will accommodate three or four passengers. But what if you have a family of five, or six? What staterooms are best for families?
Best Options for Cruising Families of 5:
Cruise Suites for Families
The newest trend in cruising, and probably the most ideal option for families of five, is the introduction of the family suite. In the past, families were traditionally limited in terms of cabin arrangements. But today, cruise lines are recognizing the need for family-friendly stateroom options and they are answering that need with new cabin categories tailored to groups of five or more guests.
Family suites are offered by many cruise lines and include perks like very comfortable square footage, private balconies, multiple bathrooms, bathtubs, separate bedrooms and living areas, plus some even offer additional suite amenities like complimentary concierge service, priority boarding, butler service, priority departure privileges, and more.
And depending on the cruise line, family suites can sleep up to 8 guests all in one space. This allows families to comfortably be together with more space in one cabin, and parents are able to have a close eye on their children but privacy at the same time. However, ideal doesn’t usually mean inexpensive. Family Suites are a wonderful solution for large families with numerous benefits – but with the additional space and amenities comes a higher price tag.
A Few Examples of Family Suites:
Family Cruise Staterooms
Along the same lines as a family suite, many ships now offer more affordable family-friendly balcony, ocean view and interior staterooms with accommodations up to six guests depending on the ship. Not quite as large a suite, they usually still can offer perks such as more square footage than a standard cabin, separate living space, split bathrooms or convenient access to the children’s areas onboard.
A Few Examples of Family Staterooms:
Two Staterooms
Surprisingly, reserving two staterooms can many times be more affordable than a designated family stateroom or suite.
Most cruise ships offer a limited number of connecting staterooms, and with access to a private door in-between rooms you can keep it open if traveling with young children or closed for a little added privacy. This allows families to share one larger space, but have the added benefit of two bathrooms, closets and sleeping areas. Connecting staterooms are for this reason very popular, and do fill quickly.
If you are unable to locate connecting cabins on your desired cruise, adjoining staterooms is another option. Adjoining cabins are located right next door to one another but do not offer a door in-between the staterooms. This is an option for families with older children or multi-generational families.
Many families or groups traveling together decide to book cabins across the hall from one another, meaning one inside stateroom and one outside cabin. This allows for an overall savings of purchasing one higher category ocean view or balcony stateroom with an interior across the hall for extra sleeping space.
One Stateroom
A select few cruise lines do offer standard staterooms that will accommodate five passengers, and this is going to be the most affordable option for families trying to work within a budget. However, as a standard cabin the square footage is, standard, so there will be no additional space for a larger group. Sleeping arrangements will include twin beds, Pullman beds and either a sofa bed or rollaway. The configurations vary widely and some cruise lines do not allow cabins for 5 passengers to be booked online, so speaking with a travel agent is the fastest way to determine which ship and cruise line will work best.
Tip: If one cabin is the right choice for your family, a balcony stateroom is going to be the most convenient option. This allows parents to have a separate private space to read or relax while children are sleeping.
A Few Examples of Staterooms That Will Accommodate Five:
Book a Family Cruise Early
The best advice for families of five looking to take a cruise is to book early. While the number of family-friendly staterooms is rising, they are still limited in number and sell out very quickly. Booking early with a knowledgeable travel agent is invaluable in order to have options, cabin availability and the ability to play around with what cabin will be the right fit for your family. If possible, booking during ‘off seasons’ or when most children are in school will bring significant savings.
Keep in mind:
- Prices vary by cruise ship, date and itinerary so it is always a good idea to compare each and every family-of-five-option.
- The greatest variety of family-friendly accommodations will be found on the newest ships in cruise lines’ fleets like the Norwegian Breakaway, Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas and Disney Cruise's Dream
- Most times you cannot book a stateroom that will hold five or more passengers online, you will need to speak with the cruise line directly or take advantage of a travel agent.
Speaking of travel agent, they are going to be your best resource when researching a cruise for a family of five. Agencies like iCruise.com have insight on the best cabin arrangements, cruise lines, family-friendly ships and current family cruise promotions and family cruise packages.
iCruise.com Cruise Advisers can save you serious time and money, and there is nothing to lose as you do not pay any fees for using our services.
For help with your next family cruise, give us a call today at 800-i-CRUISE [800-427-8473]
