Cabin Swaps With Teenagers

[Hazed Gray]

We (two very senior grandparents) are taking our two grandsons (15 & 14) on their first cruise next spring. We booked two cabins, one inside and one outside. Since RCL will not book two teens into a cabin, our TA booked one grandparent and one teen into each cabin, which are directly across the passageway from each other. We plan to ask the cabin steward to set up the outside with a double bed, and inside with twins, so that each of us can have age-group privacy. Other than swapping door keycards back to the person in whose name they were issued to get on/off the ship, can anyone see a problem with our plan? I figure an "up-front" tip of appropriate magnitude should secure the cabin steward's cooperation!

[Merion_Mom]

We (two very senior grandparents) are taking our two grandsons (15 & 14) on their first cruise next spring. We booked two cabins, one inside and one outside. Since RCL will not book two teens into a cabin, our TA booked one grandparent and one teen into each cabin, which are directly across the passageway from each other. We plan to ask the cabin steward to set up the outside with a double bed, and inside with twins, so that each of us can have age-group privacy. Other than swapping door keycards back to the person in whose name they were issued to get on/off the ship, can anyone see a problem with our plan? I figure an "up-front" tip of appropriate magnitude should secure the cabin steward's cooperation!

 

As long as the two cabins are truly directly across the hall, Guest Services will likely have no problem making the switch "official" after you board. You may still want to have extra door key cards for their cabin. In other words, you won't have to swap cards back and forth; GS should be able to put you two officially in one cabin and the boys in the other. Otherwise, the extra door keys would mean that everyone can keep his or her own SeaPass card at all times.

 

Which ship is it? If it is a Radiance class or larger, the TVs are interactive and you can keep track of their spending. (IF you leave the booking the way it is)

 

You should also sit down with them well before the cruise and let them know, in great detail, what you expect of them in terms of their behavior and things like meals: when will you expect them to eat as a family, when can they eat on their own. How will you communicate, what will happen on port days.

etc, etc, etc.

 

Have a great cruise, and enjoy your time with your grandsons!

 

:)

[Deborahlynn10]

My opinion comes from sailing with my nephews.

 

Definitely tip the steward to keep an eye out for the boys. Both safety and teenage errors in judgement.

 

Also, I would keep a key to their room.

Teenage boys with their own room and so many girls on board.. Just a precaution, not anything but an innocent opinion I did not have when I took my nephews.

[janetz]

I assume they will have a great time with the teens club, etc. Give them a curfew and let them know you expect them to stick to it OR one of them will spend the rest of the cruise sharing a cabin with one of you. Telling them that should be enough to have them in their cabin at a certain time, early enough for you to check on them. ;)

[marci22]

Maybe it's because you're the grandparents, but RC has always let me book my teens into the cabin by themselves as long as we are directly across the hall or in the cabin next door. I would ask the TA to confirm this to save you the trouble onboard, if possible.

[cb at sea]

RCI KNOWS that the parents/grandparents will NOT be separated into 2 rooms. Just go to the purser's desk, get the correct keys for each person in each room. They do NOT care who sleeps where. There is no need to tip the room attendant for the switch. This happens ALL the time. Of course, the attendant should be tipped at the end of the cruise, as normal!!!

[baggal]

Maybe it's because you're the grandparents, but RC has always let me book my teens into the cabin by themselves as long as we are directly across the hall or in the cabin next door. I would ask the TA to confirm this to save you the trouble onboard, if possible.

 

The OP probably booked one grandparent and one grandson in each cabin to get a senior discount on both cabins. But, RCI will make the switch for them when they board, and still allow the grandparents to have a key card to the boys' room.

 

I would definitely recommend that they speak to the boys about acceptable behavior on the cruise. I would also tell the cabin attendant this is the boy's first cruise. It can't hurt!