I'm sure this has been asked before.......

[princekmb]

Can I book the ES rate with CCL for myself and husband and then add the kids later if we decide to take them in the same room?:rolleyes:

[kitty9]

It all depends. Once the ship reaches it's limited capacity rate, even if you have a quad room, they will not let you add anyone to your cabin. You really cannot wait until the last minute to add the kids because you could find that it can't be done. BTW, you won't get a cheaper rate for the kids by adding them later.

[notentirelynormal]

Its always easier to cancel then add. I would add them now and if you choose not to take them then your deposit money just gets shifted to your fare. As Kitty9 said, once capacity has been reached, you may not be able to add them, even if you had a quad room. Why risk it if its any kind of consideration?

[klfrodo]

two potential problems with your scenerio.

 

1. Book a 2 person cabin and then add 2 kids.

Problem: Can't be done. That room is only for 2 people. That's it no more. That room will only have 2 life jackets.

 

2. Book a 4 person cabin with only 2 confirmed. (might add kids later)

Problem: Most companies won't let you book a 4 person cabin with only 2 people. Even if they do, the cruiseline can move you at anytime because someone else needs that 4 person cabin.

 

Cruise are not like hotels where you can book a room and put 10 people in it.

Cruiseships are only allowed X number of passengers. Once they reach the max number of passengers,,,,that's it.

[Essiesmom]

Its always easier to cancel then add. I would add them now and if you choose not to take them then your deposit money just gets shifted to your fare. As Kitty9 said, once capacity has been reached, you may not be able to add them, even if you had a quad room. Why risk it if its any kind of consideration?

Problem! OP is talking ES rate onCarnival...Early Saver does not shift deposit if party cancels...They lose $50 per person and the rest of the deposit has to be used on a cruise booked within a year, BY THE PERSON IT WAS BOOKED FOR, but cannot be used as deposit for the future cruise. EM

[notentirelynormal]

Hmm, interesting.

[beachchick]

two potential problems with your scenerio.

 

1. Book a 2 person cabin and then add 2 kids.

Problem: Can't be done. That room is only for 2 people. That's it no more. That room will only have 2 life jackets.

 

2. Book a 4 person cabin with only 2 confirmed. (might add kids later)

Problem: Most companies won't let you book a 4 person cabin with only 2 people. Even if they do, the cruiseline can move you at anytime because someone else needs that 4 person cabin.

 

Cruise are not like hotels where you can book a room and put 10 people in it.

Cruiseships are only allowed X number of passengers. Once they reach the max number of passengers,,,,that's it.

 

This is not correct. My DH and I have booked cabins fitted for four for only the two of us many times. In fact, there are so many cabins that can hold 3rd/4th passengers that there would be very few couples/singles cruising if the cruise lines refused to allow them to book cabins rated for three or four. The reason they have so many cabins that can hold four is to give families/families with children/groups of friends more options on what to choose. There are almost always many, many more cabins that are rated for more than two passengers than are allowed to be booked that way on any particular cruise. The cruise lines are not going to turn away couples, one of their major demographics, if there are no cabins rated for only two passengers available nor are they going to limit them to a that smaller number of cabins. There are some larger suites that must be booked with a minimum number of passengers (five or more), but that's not the "regular" cabins that are rated for four.

 

Technically, the cruise line can move parties of two, but it doesn't happen often. Generally, it's when they are in a connecting cabin and a family needs two connecting cabins.

 

beachchick

[near the beach]

Last year we moved up from a balcony and booked a suite on the Liberty. For my wife, myself and grandson. It had a king size bed and convertible sofa. At a later date I tried to add my son to the room. I was told there was not room since it was a three person room. Our grandson could have slept in the king size bed with us and my son on the sofa. Our grandson slept with us any way so the sofa went unused. The room came with three life vest all adult size. We had to have a youth size brought to the room. We then had four life vests in the room. It could have given Carnival more profit without any safety problems.

[beachchick]

Last year we moved up from a balcony and booked a suite on the Liberty. For my wife, myself and grandson. It had a king size bed and convertible sofa. At a later date I tried to add my son to the room. I was told there was not room since it was a three person room. Our grandson could have slept in the king size bed with us and my son on the sofa. Our grandson slept with us any way so the sofa went unused. The room came with three life vest all adult size. We had to have a youth size brought to the room. We then had four life vests in the room. It could have given Carnival more profit without any safety problems.

 

Carnival could not add your son to the cabin because the passenger maximum for that cabin was/is three. It's not up to the cruise line to say, "That's okay, you can have your grandson sleep in the bed" or anything. They cannot arbitrarily add an extra passenger to the cabin because it is against Coast Guard and other regulations. The Coast Guard has approved that specific cabin for a maximum of three passengers. When cruise ships are set up and bedding accomodations made, the Coast Guard must approve them.

 

In addition, the cabin only had three legal berths. The king bed is for two; the sofa bed is for one. They don't consider a king bed as berths for three. It also doesn't matter how many life vests you had in the cabin. There are many, many more onboard than there are passengers and crew because they must have children's sizes onboard (and that number varies) and extras for both children and adults in case something happens and you can't get to your cabin in an emergency. They could stack 40 life vests in the cabin, but it wouldn't have anything to do with the legal number of berths. Safety concerns have little do to with how many life vests are onboard or how many passengers are willing to share a cabin. The maximum number of passengers allowed onboard is based on the number of legal seats in the life rafts. Even then, there are always extras in case of damage or a mishap.

 

Believe me, if Carnival could have added your son to the booking, they would have. They're always happy to have more revenue. In this case, they could not legally do it. It would have definitely resulted in safety problems, as well as problems with the Coast Guard.

 

beachchick