balcony for adults/across the hall interior for children

[bopper]

My travel agent recommended that my husband and I could book a balcony for us and have the children(7 and 12 year old boys)in an interior directly across the hall from us opposed to an adjoining room/with oceanview-no balcony. Does anybody have experience with this? Would you advise it? Thanks

[S&C_06]

Is your TA my wife?? lol...My wife and I did this on our cruise on the Freedom in September...We have 3 ages 11,9, and 8. The 8yr old slept in our room almost every night anyways. But you are only allowed a certain amount of people in one cabin. That is why your travel agent probably suggested this. If you dont feel comfortable with it, you may have a bunk about your bed where you can have both of them sleep or one up there and one on the floor. But you will still have that extra cabin which could be used for the boys to get ready in the morning and storage of luggage and stuff.

[Lil' Lori]

Hello My girlfriend at work does that. A balcony for her and her husband, and a inside room across the hall for their 2 boys. She says it works out great. I guess it depends how well your kids behave. What might be ok now, might not be when they are older. My 16 y/o step-son always stays in the room with us. Otherwise, we would have lots of angry girls dad at us it would not be appropriate for him to have his own room, or a room with another boy. So, to me it depends on the age, how mature they are, and how well you trust them. I probably would opt for the connecting room when they are older, if I wanted to keep a closer eye and ear on them. On the Freedom there were a 16 and 17 y/o girls, (my step-son told me all about them), in the cabin next to us. What a nightmare that was for us. I only saw there mom once, scolding them about there curfew. Anyways, it was boy central in the doorway late at night, when they were restricted to there room. With lots of teenage girl giggling. So, to me I guess it depends on how well you trust your kids, and how mature they are. That is my humble opinion, from someone who is childless by choice. Lil' Lori

[bopper]

Thanks for the info. Right now, we have 2 adjoining rooms, oceanview, booked- Deck 2, on the Navigator, 3/10/2007. After reading all the wonderful info on Cruise-chat, I think I am going to change to balcony/interior. Do you think a baby monitor would work on the Navigator? This would give me a piece of mind if the 7 year old would wake up in the middle of the night. Thanks again!!!!!

[ceemonster]

bopper

They do have cabins that accomadate 4 people. With all if the crimes against kids now days and the fact you do not know who any of the people on the cruise are. Would I take a chance that my kids might sneek out and either meet one of these people or worse yet end up on deck and try to look over and fall off or end up in the pool and who knows what? I think I'd person rethink the two cabin deal myself and keep the kids in sight, but then again thats just me.

[joarc]

Just my two cents, but 7 and 12, for me, are too young to be by themselves. If you're trying to have extra room, consider a jr. suite for the 4 of you. It may cost the same as the two separate rooms. Guess that I worry too much, but if one of the kids decides to come to your room in the middle of the night, would you want them in the hall by themselves? It only takes seconds for something to happen. When the five of us cruise, we get two adjoining rooms, but when it's just four of us, we get the jr. suite and are just as comfortable. Adjoining rooms makes it much easier to get ready than being across the hall.

[dallasmom]

I agree with ceemonster and joarc - I would not feel comfortable with 7 and 12 year olds in a room where they would have to come out into the hall alone to get to their parents. I would go for adjoining rooms or a suite. Even a mature and responsible 12 year old can be naive. Anyone on the ship could notice that they are in there alone.

[Jim C.]

I agree, go with the junior suite. The cost will work out the same (or maybe better). Do note that a balcony cabin can be had that will sleep all four of you comfortably.

I can understand the want to have privacy, but you can send the kids to the "all night" party at least once during the cruise to get that. Or if you must have a balcony AND you must have seperate rooms, you could also do the adjoining balcony rooms.

Having been on several cruises, I'm still amazed at how well the rooms are sound proofed. You will not hear them across the hall. You would also not hear them if they were to leave the room in the middle of the night. Its a bit risky to me. My sister in law did this, but she had three boys with the eldest of 16, so there was less concern over having them in their own cabin.

[Uwe]

Hi bopper,
it would be a horror for my wife and me to be in a complete separate stateroom than our boys. Seven and 12 years - and allone? We would book adjoining rooms. That is better for all four.
Regards
Uwe

[bopper]

I just wanted to thank you for you thoughts and to let you know that we will NOT being getting
rooms across the hall. We will stay with our adjoining rooms. Thanks again for the sound advice. I was surprised when it was suggested by the travel agent and I am so glad that I came here for advise. Now just the thought that I was thinking about is,is scary.