# Is Carnival Family Harbor Worth It? Why Families Cruising With Kids May Love This Suite Upgrade *By Aaron Turpen — Updated August 2024* Written by: [Aaron Turpen](https://menwhoblog.com/aaron-turpen.html) Last Updated: 05 August 2024 Evergreen BlogHits: 14393Reading time: 03:56 Carnival Cruise Lines offers a variety of family-oriented amenities that make cruising a delightful experience for families. We booked a Family Harbor suite on a recent cruise with the entire family. We have three kids, all pre-teen and teenage. And grandma came with us as well. We booked two staterooms, both balcony rooms on the same floor of the Carnival Vista, so we’d be just down the hall from one another. **Questions****Key Points****Article Index** {poll ["id": 4]} - Carnival's Family Harbor Suites offer a range of amenities and exclusive access to the Family Harbor Lounge, making them a valuable upgrade for families looking for convenience and comfort on their cruise. - The Family Harbor Suite is particularly beneficial for families with older children, offering ample space, priority boarding, and access to a dedicated lounge with complimentary breakfast and snacks. - Key features of the Family Harbor Suite include sleeping arrangements for up to five people, two bathrooms, a walk-in closet, and a large cove balcony, providing both comfort and practicality. - The Family Harbor Lounge serves as a convenient gathering point for families, offering a relaxed atmosphere, quick access to food and drinks, and an alternative to the bustling lido deck. - Overall, the Family Harbor Suite's extra costs are justified by the added convenience, space, and exclusive amenities, making it a worthwhile investment for families on Carnival Cruise Lines. 1. [Why We Booked A Family Harbor Suite](https://menwhoblog.com/is-carnival-cruise-lines-family-harbor-suite-worth-the-upgrade.html#why-we-booked-a-family-harbor-suite) 2. [Amenities Included In A Family Harbor Suite](https://menwhoblog.com/is-carnival-cruise-lines-family-harbor-suite-worth-the-upgrade.html#amenities-included-in-a-family-harbor-suite) 3. [Family Harbor Lounge](https://menwhoblog.com/is-carnival-cruise-lines-family-harbor-suite-worth-the-upgrade.html#family-harbor-lounge) 4. [Carnival's Family Harbor Suites Are Worth The Extra Money!](https://menwhoblog.com/is-carnival-cruise-lines-family-harbor-suite-worth-the-upgrade.html#carnival's-family-harbor-suites-are-worth-the-extra-money!) We booked a balcony stateroom and an interior room across the hall on a previous cruise with the kids. That worked pretty well for us on our [Alaska cruise on Carnival Splendor](https://cruisewestcoast.com/why-carnival-splendor-is-a-great-choice-for-a-family-alaska-cruise.html), where having a full balcony was very important to us. This time around, we wanted to combine more of us into one room, so we chose Carnival's Family Harbor Suite instead. Some Family Harbor rooms do have access to what Carnival calls their, "Cove Balcony" - a semi obstructed balcony on the lower decks. It's pretty cool but our main concern was space for the whole family to be together. ### What Is The Best Tea To Help Cure Hangover Symptoms Tea for hangover relief: Target nausea, headaches, and dehydration naturally. Ginger, peppermint, and chamomile blends provide therapeutic benefits. Essential guidance for men seeking effective recovery. MenWhoBlog [Read More](https://ads.flowmediamarketing.com/go/yxZAHNvOeYlg2cvxyAMSFA.24) ### Why Carnival Splendor Is a Great Choice for a Family Alaska Cruise Our family just returned from our first Alaskan cruise. And it was one of the best vacations we�ve ever taken. On board were myself, my wife, our three kids (aged 11, 12, and 13), and my mother-in-law. Our cruise was a 7-day adventure from Seattle, Washington to three ports of call in Alaska, one in Canada, and the spectacular Tracy Arm Fjord. This was, coincidentally, not our first cruise, but was our first family cruise with everyone on board. MenWhoBlog [Read More](https://ads.flowmediamarketing.com/go/yxZAHNvOeYlg2cvxyAMSFA.2459) ### I Tried Cellular At Sea Cruise+ On Norwegian Getaway A hands-on review of the Cellular At Sea Cruise+ service on Norwegian Getaway, useful for cruisers deciding whether to stay connected at sea. MenWhoBlog [Read More](https://ads.flowmediamarketing.com/go/yxZAHNvOeYlg2cvxyAMSFA.377) Promoted by FlowAds ## Why We Booked A Family Harbor Suite With our kids being older, the Family Harbor’s cost difference was difficult to weigh. We weren’t sure it would be worth the cost at about $150 more per person, compared to another balcony room. With smaller children, say under age 12, the Family Harbor is a no-brainer. It gives more room in the stateroom, easier access to breakfast and coffee, and priority boarding/disembarking at ports. We weren’t sure it would be worth having those things with older kids. *Spoiler alert: It was.* ## Amenities Included In A Family Harbor Suite Family Harbor suites feature sleeping arrangements for up to five people. These suites also include: - A walk-in closet/changing room - Two bathrooms (one with an actual bathtub) - Lots of extra closet and storage space - Complimentary bathrobes - Two televisions - A large, walk-out cove balcony - Access to the Family Harbor Lounge - Kids eat free at most specialty restaurants - Free evening of Night Owls babysitting - Priority boarding and disembark - Nautical decor that enhances the guest experience ## Family Harbor Lounge The Family Harbor Lounge, located at the middle of the Family Harbor area in the center-aft of the ship, is accessed by any Sign and Sail card that is assigned to a Family Harbor cabin. Inside this area are two lounge areas with couches, a television, small tables, and some Hasbro board games. A dining area with a breakfast and lunch buffet, coffee, juice, and ice cream makes up the rest of this lounge, making it an appealing spot for families to enjoy meals together. For us, the added costs were justified because with three active kids who could free-roam the ship, the Family Harbor space gave us a spot to meet up with grandma and friends for dinner or other events. A convenient rally point, as it were. It also made breakfast, morning coffee, and other things a lot more convenient as well. Especially now that Carnival is no longer doing free room service for those kinds of things. Something we really miss, as ordering bagels and coffee for first thing was a treat on our pre-COVID cruises. The Family Harbor Lounge offers a more relaxed atmosphere compared to the bustling lido deck, simplifying our morning routine. For the kids, having easy access to quick food or snacks throughout the day, without waiting in lines, was also a bonus. The Family Harbor Lounge gave them a way to grab quick food, get a drink, or just chill out while they waited for the grownups to finally show up. It’s a great supplement to the kids’ clubs on board, where gaming systems and physical games were to be had. Camp Ocean also provided excellent babysitting services and meals for kids at specialty dining venues, enhancing the overall cruise experience for families. ## Carnival's Family Harbor Suites Are Worth The Extra Money! All in all, the Family Harbor was worth the extra costs, even with older kids. The convenient rally point was a big bonus. And easy access to things, especially in the morning when one has little interest in anything but coffee, was great. Just be aware that sharing a room with kids will mean beach sand on the floor, clothes dumped willy-nilly, fights over the bathroom, etc. Kids are terrible roommates. ***Editors Note:*** Carnival has four ships featuring Family Harbor stateroom cabins like this: Vista, Horizon, and Panorama. Carnival Venezia and Firenze, which are part of a modified Vista class layout, originally intended for Costa Cruises will have a similar Family Harbor suite layout. Carnival Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration have Family Harbor cabins but fewer of them and a reduced common area available for families. Top Picks Flow Voyages ### Book your next cruise with Heather at Flow Voyages Flow Voyages is a travel advisor specializing in cruises and resorts. [Contact Flow Voyages](https://ads.flowmediamarketing.com/go/w6sn5vy2MdAFkZnusx4uHQ.617) Promoted by FlowAds **Hey Aaron Turpen wants you to share this!**   ---   Written by: [Aaron Turpen](https://menwhoblog.com/aaron-turpen.html) #MenWhoBlog MemberTop #MenWhoBlog AuthorThought Leader Aaron is a Wyoming-based writer who enjoys vehicles, woodworking, and traveling with his family. 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Why Families Cruising With Kids May Love This Suite Upgrade](https://menwhoblog.com/is-carnival-cruise-lines-family-harbor-suite-worth-the-upgrade.html)* **Tags:** Travel, Family Travel, Cruises