newbie cruiser with some Q

[tooraloora]

We are dreaming of a March break cruise in 2004, not land and sea, just sea.

Our kids will be 11, 7 and 7, so we are a family of 5, which seems to constrain our stateroom choices.

A preliminary quote from dreams unlimited has a very similar price for one cat. 4 room and two cat 4 rooms... it seems that the two adjoining rooms would have more square footage, but no verandah. Any thoughts?

Also what decks are best? (for either one cat 4 or two lower cats)

Our BIL, SIL and 11 year old niece are likely coming as well, and will need another room nearby.

Also, any comments on eastern vs. western? Thanks so much in advance!!

 

[tstobb]

We were 5 (self, DW, DS9, DS7 & DD4) in a single cat 4 and next time will seriously consider adjoining rooms if for nothing but having 2 full bathrooms. When the beds are all pulled out, you need to climb over the murphy bed if you want to get to the verandah and the locker (more like a cabinet w/doors) at the foot of the murphy bed becomes inaccessable unless it was opened prior to the bed being lowered. Not that we minded being close but it would have been nice to have a little more room.
Cat 4 rooms are only on deck 8.
We've only done the eastern but next time would like to try the western - we're not big on excursions so when the ship docks, most people get off & leave that beautiful ship almost empty for us to enjoy and the western has one more port day than the eastern!