Booking 2 rooms for my family, what should I know?

[mevelandry]

Hi!

DH and I were supposed to go on a Carnival cruise to the Bermuda in 2016... But the temptation to bring my in-laws to Castaway Cay was too strong. We cancelled the Bermuda trip and plan on booking a 3 or 4 nights to the Bahamas during spring 2017 instead.

I will be the one handling the reservations. DH and I are CC Silver. It will be my MIL and FIL's first cruise ever.

What should I know about booking two rooms?

P.s. We don't want connecting rooms. We prefer privacy.

 

[bats]

If you want them to be able to book things at the same time as you (Palo etc), then split your husband and yourself up into the 2 rooms. Once onboard, you can switch people back if you choose or just ask for extra key cards.
A lot of the rooms are connecting, so have a look at the deck plans to find some that don't connect, or at least, look to book yourselves a room a few away from them.

 

[codex57]

I'd consider using an agent. Tell them you don't want connecting rooms and let them find the options for you. Plus, you often can get some nice OBC beyond what your typical online brokerage can provide.

We've done the "book two rooms and put the names of a spouse on each room". We didn't have connecting rooms, but that's just what rooms we were able to get (we didn't care either way). Anyways, it worked out just like bats said. Had the same cabin steward and he didn't care who slept in which room cuz we were all in the same party.

 

[mevelandry]

Palo doesn't matter that much. We don't know if we are going to go yet but it's good to know about the reservations.

TA's are not big on OBC here. I prefer to do everything myself (I've done this two times already + multiple WDW trip).

I'll try to pick the rooms if I can.

 

[bumbershoot]

I believe that costcotravel.ca now exists (and since I just checked the URL I know it), and they might have OBC for you. They are, IMO, the closest to doing it on your own while (possibly for Canadians) getting OBC as you can get.

 

[mevelandry]

Passed check-in/PIF date, can I book excursions for everybody?

 

[lanejudy]

Passed check-in/PIF date, can I book excursions for everybody?

If both cabins have the same check-in date, yes you can book excursions for all (and assuming the reservations are linked) at the earlier check-in date. That's the reasoning behind the suggestion to split your Silver CC passengers across the staterooms, so both staterooms will have the same online check-in date. If you book the Silver passengers into one room and the newbies into another, you can only book excursions for the Silver room at 90 days and will have to wait until 75 days for the new cruiser check-in to try and add the same for the others.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[mevelandry]

One more question: When I book, do I have to make 2 deposits of 250$ USD (1 for each room)?

Thanks in advance.

 

[lanejudy]

If you will be onboard in the near future, you can make 2 placeholders and the deposits will be $250 each.
When you book an actual date, you will need to make 2 deposits of 20% of the cruise fare. If you are transferring an OBB/placeholder to a real date, you will need to make up the difference of the deposit paid on the placeholder ($200 or $250, depending if you very recently made the placeholder) and the required deposit of the actual cruise.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[mevelandry]

If you will be onboard in the near future, you can make 2 placeholders and the deposits will be $250 each.
When you book an actual date, you will need to make 2 deposits of 20% of the cruise fare. If you are transferring an OBB/placeholder to a real date, you will need to make up the difference of the deposit paid on the placeholder ($200 or $250, depending if you very recently made the placeholder) and the required deposit of the actual cruise.

Enjoy your cruise!

Unfortunately, we decided on the trip 2 days after we came back home. (The offers would have been nice... Too bad.)

We will book soon, in fact we already decided on a date.

So it's 20% for each then. Alright.

Thanks!

 

[mevelandry]

Ok so. I just booked. I have exactly what we wanted. Inside rooms close to each other (separated by one other cabin), on deck 7, mid-ship.

I noticed that I had to log out from my reservation then and log in with the other reservation number in other to make changes (picked main seating and transfers for each party).

Does that mean that we can pay each room/reservation separately? Because DH and I like to pay ASAP while FIL and MIL would like to pay in full a few days before the PIF date.

Thanks in advance.

 

[mevelandry]

Also, are they going to receive their mailed confirmation and their booklet directly at home or am I going to receive it at my house too?

 

[lanejudy]

You can pay on each reservation separately. Note, though, that since you are Silver your online check-in date is probably earlier than the official PIF date. If you mixed up the passengers to give each Silver status, your inlaws will need to pay in advance of the PIF date to book excursions and onboard activities with you at the Silver date. The reservation must be PIF to book those things.

I believe mailings will be send to the address you provided for the lead passenger in each room.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[mevelandry]

You can pay on each reservation separately. Note, though, that since you are Silver your online check-in date is probably earlier than the official PIF date. If you mixed up the passengers to give each Silver status, your inlaws will need to pay in advance of the PIF date to book excursions and onboard activities with you at the Silver date. The reservation must be PIF to book those things.

I believe mailings will be send to the address you provided for the lead passenger in each room.

Enjoy your cruise!

We'll wait until their PIF date to book excursions...