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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Adult children sharing the same room as parents on holiday. Yes or no?

132 replies

bobbythejobby · 11/02/2025 18:53

Parents decide to book a cruise for family of four - mum, dad, daughter and son. They say this is going to be their last family holiday now the two kids are getting older. DS is 15, DD is 24 and has already moved out but when they book the cruise they put her on the booking and pay for her to go but don’t ask her in advance or even tell her they’re going to book a cruise. So on the one hand a free holiday is not to be sniffed at.

However the cabin they book is literally the size of a shoebox and is just one room with bunk beds so all four are sharing this small space and equally small bathroom.

DD says she doesn’t feel comfortable sharing with her 15 year old brother and 50-odd year old dad and asks if they can book another cabin for her to share with mum or can she can book her own cabin that she’ll pay for out of her own money as she’s working. Parents say no to booking another cabin or giving DD the details for the travel agent to book her own because they think there are unlikely to be any cabins left anyway as there were only a few at the time they booked. Therefore DD doesn’t go on the holiday.

So who’s being unreasonable (if anyone)?

I had been going to keep this anonymous how I fit into this scenario to try and get as unbiased opinions as possible but I know people will ask so I was the daughter who didn’t go on the cruise. I was (and still am) married at the time and couldn’t stomach the thought of sharing a small room with my dad and brother. I spent months trying to talk myself into going but I just couldn’t no matter how I tried to trick my brain into it.

This happened over ten years ago but the reason I’m asking this now is because now and again my mum will bring this up and insinuate I was wrong for feeling so uncomfortable about it that I didn’t go on our last family holiday.

Would welcome others’ opinions on this just out of curiosity as to if I was unreasonable or not to not go.

OP posts:
SecondMrsTanqueray · 12/02/2025 12:56

Weird to book it without asking you.

Weird to expect you to share a room.

Weird to still bring it up years later.

Manchesterbythesea · 12/02/2025 13:02

My dd is 24 and she would not want to share with her parents never mind the 15 year old.
The person who’s unreasonable is the one who booked it without having the cop on to think people might need their own rooms. I mean who the fuck does shit like that? And then refusing to let her book her own room! Sounds like a holiday from hell.

Miaowzabella · 12/02/2025 13:20

Who on earth adds another adult onto a holiday booking without even discussing it? Very weird behaviour.

JC03745 · 12/02/2025 13:21

fridaynight1 · 12/02/2025 04:06

Why is everyone going on about tiny cabins and bathrooms? Have you all been on cruises?

Edited

Yes, I have and already commented up thread about it being bunks and tiny!

ginasevern · 12/02/2025 13:34

Apart from anything else, it wasn't "one last family holiday". That ship had sailed, if you'll pardon the pun. The OP was a married woman and had left home some years before. But to answer the main question, no I would absolutely not want to share with my dad and teenage brother at the age of 22.

Cynic17 · 12/02/2025 13:35

Not at 15 and absolutely not at 24.
And who on earth books a holiday for a 24 year old without even asking them?!

EMary12345 · 12/02/2025 23:16

Definite no from me ... we did a last family hol with dd 16 and dd20 in the summer - we booked two rooms one for them to share and one for me and OH!

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