kids' cabin switcharoo...is it possible?

[oliviaonthe beach]

Oasis upcoming Thanksgiving week. Our group has 4 cabins: two "hump" balconies side by side across the hall from two Central Park view cabins also side by side. Currently, both sets of parents are in balcony cabins. No change needed there. 22 year old sister + 12 year old brother in one CPV cabin and ditto with the other CPV cabin. Same ages and everything. Girls are best friends and the boys are friends. The girls want to share a cabin and the boys want to share a cabin. We couldn't book it that way because of the age rule.

Will we be allowed to make this switch when we check in??? What are the chances? Any ideas or insight out there?

[galavant3]

Should not be a problem. We did this when our kids were younger. Sounds like everyone will have a great time

 

If I remember correctly, we just checked in according to how the rooms were reserved. Then we went to guest services once on board and they corrected the keys for us.

[oliviaonthe beach]

Thanks good to know. Even though there was a cabin with only minors in it, they still let you do this?

[DonnaK]

Yes, it shouldnt be a problem even though the boys are 12. We had to request the switch at the purser's desk upon boarding, and then pick up the new key cards the next afternoon. Some people report that they were able to get the cards right away, but we had to wait a day.

 

If for some reason they do not let you do it, the kids can still switch "unofficially". You can get extra cards to each room, so the kids will have room keys for the room they are sleeping in. (We always get extra keys to our kids room anyway).

[galavant3]

Thanks good to know. Even though there was a cabin with only minors in it, they still let you do this?

 

That has been our experience. I think this is a fairly common occurance.

 

I have always introduced myself to their cabin attendant (if diffferent) and make sure he/she knows where our cabin is just in case they need to get in touch with us.

[griffy116]

If you have a TA, check with him/her. We originally had a 21 yr old and 17 yr old in a Promenade Cabin on different floor. They had 6th fl Promenade, we had 7th fl balcony. The 21 year old bailed and we replaced him with a 17 yr old friend of Grandson. When I called the TA, he said we could have possible problems and he didn't want to see that occur. He said they would have no problem with the minors being in cabin beside or across from us and so we had him move the minors to a Promenade directly across from us, just to ensure no problems. Ask RCCL and/or TA about that to see if that will make a smoother cruise. We were concerned about having keys, room charges screwed up since the friend would be on my SeaPass account and the Grandson would be on his parents SeaPass Account. It will make things much more simple if the cruiseline knows in advance that they (the kids) are yours and are next door. No switching luggage, going to Pursers desk to switch and duplicate keys, etc. Worked like a charm for us. They are moved, cruiseline knows we have 2 minors in the room and are responsible for them and everyone has the right Seapass card.

[oliviaonthe beach]

Thanks for the great responses. I think we will wait till boarding since there are two separate families involved. I especially like the idea of getting extra cards.

[cruisinaz]

We switched at check-in and they even did the keys/cards correctly so the pics would match.

[DonnaK]

If you have a TA, check with him/her. We originally had a 21 yr old and 17 yr old in a Promenade Cabin on different floor. They had 6th fl Promenade, we had 7th fl balcony. The 21 year old bailed and we replaced him with a 17 yr old friend of Grandson. When I called the TA, he said we could have possible problems and he didn't want to see that occur. He said they would have no problem with the minors being in cabin beside or across from us and so we had him move the minors to a Promenade directly across from us, just to ensure no problems. Ask RCCL and/or TA about that to see if that will make a smoother cruise. We were concerned about having keys, room charges screwed up since the friend would be on my SeaPass account and the Grandson would be on his parents SeaPass Account. It will make things much more simple if the cruiseline knows in advance that they (the kids) are yours and are next door. No switching luggage, going to Pursers desk to switch and duplicate keys, etc. Worked like a charm for us. They are moved, cruiseline knows we have 2 minors in the room and are responsible for them and everyone has the right Seapass card.

 

 

This may not work for the OP. Some cruiselines have an age minimum for booking minors into their own room, even directly across the hall or next door to the adults. I'm not sure if RCI requires that one child be at least 16 in the "minor room", as they have changed their policy several times since we started booking our kids into their own room. The OP will have two 12 year old kids, whereas in your scenario, you had 17 year olds.

[oliviaonthe beach]

Anyone do this with kids under 16?

[DonnaK]

Anyone do this with kids under 16?

 

 

You can switch once onboard with kids under 16, no problem.

 

It's switching the reservation beforehand that might pose the issue. You could check with your TA or call Pincess directly (depending upon how you booked) to find out if you can change the reservation now.

[cb at sea]

Once you're onboard, they don't care AT ALL who sleeps where or with whom!

[oliviaonthe beach]

Funny...CB at Sea!

[uksimonusa]

This may not work for the OP. Some cruiselines have an age minimum for booking minors into their own room, even directly across the hall or next door to the adults. I'm not sure if RCI requires that one child be at least 16 in the "minor room", as they have changed their policy several times since we started booking our kids into their own room. The OP will have two 12 year old kids, whereas in your scenario, you had 17 year olds.

 

Anyone do this with kids under 16?

 

RCI have NO PROBLEM booking minors into their own cabin as long as it is next to or across from the parents/guardians cabin, we do this all the time and have done since our daughter was 10 or 11.

 

We are taking our daughter and 3 friends on a 3 day on Monarch, next weekend, we have 3 cabins in a row, RCI did insist that our cabin was in the middle, to keep to the next to or across from rule!

[thomarvin]

Was on the Explorer in July. They didnt switch any keys for us. They just asked how many extra keys to each room we needed. The room number minus the 1st digit is on the key so easy to remember which is which. Stupid I know. Bring a holepunch and make holes for a landyard. We had Guest services do it and they punched it right over the magnetic strip. Again Stupid. Whenever we bought anything the cashier had to put our number in by hand. My boys have been in their own cabin for the past 3 years. They are now 15 and 17.

[crookedhalo]

In 2007, took DS (15 @ time) and DD (19 @ time) on Majesty. Had two cabins side by side on deck 8. Kids were booked into their own cabin from day one, no issue since they were next to us:D

[zaffydad]

Wow!

This would make me pretty nervous, especially if anyone beside the family knew that there were 12 year olds alone.

Just MHO...

[oliviaonthe beach]

Really? "anyone besides the family"???? Who or what are you referring to and what do you think they would do????

[thomarvin]

When my boys were 13 and 15 they were in a connecting cabin. Sorry about that. I think 12 and 13 yo are too young also to be in their own cabin without connecting too. last year they were next to us. this year they were across the hall.

[SRQfireman]

You can switch once onboard with kids under 16, no problem.

 

It's switching the reservation beforehand that might pose the issue. You could check with your TA or call Pincess directly (depending upon how you booked) to find out if you can change the reservation now.

 

There's a good bit of advice.....call Princess and see what they say about doing this......lol :D:):D

[Sugar*Magnolia]

Princess??

 

Oasis = Royal Caribbean. Unless Im lost!? lol

[EngIceDave]

Book a parent in each cabin

Got to purser and ask for spare keys so everyone has access to everyone's room

Then kids have keys to their room, you have keys to their room

(kids had no keys to my and wife's room)

 

We left a stack of $1 bills in desk drawer for room service tips

Had curfew for 12 yr old who hung out with the 17 yr old and my 16 yr old did her own thing but was back early anyway.

 

All kids are different and it depends on what you believe their maturity level is and your trust level. My kids have eaten in restaurants and stayed in hotels from an early age, they understand proper behavior in these situations.

[oliviaonthe beach]

Thanks. I was beginning to feel like a neglectful parent and I am anything but. I think these boys are up to this esp. given the proximity of the cabins.

[EngIceDave]

My kids enjoyed the feeling of independence, even though we kept tabs on them.

It's their vacation too, so so what if they stay up late watching TV?

We did have a curfew though, so they weren't running around the ship all night.

We called and checked in (no set time, it was random) to make sure they were in the cabin. Our kids are all kind of early birds anyway.

 

But giving the kids that feeling of independence is a good thing and we told them up front, they were free to "be adults" until they blow it. If they blow it, the rules change.

We never had a problem, they loved ordering room service and they loved "being grown ups"

[DonnaK]

There's a good bit of advice.....call Princess and see what they say about doing this......lol :D:):D

 

Princess??

 

 

Oasis = Royal Caribbean. Unless Im lost!? lol

 

 

LOL - sorry, I jump between the two boards since I cruise on both lines, and forgot where I was for a moment. :eek: