Help! Trying to book 3 cabins with 2 adults and "non adult" 18 year old...

[kayguz]

I hope someone can offer a bit of help here. We have 6 children ages 18, 16, 14, 14, and 2 years. We have cruised quite a bit and have done Disney 4 times previously. As the kids have gotten bigger, and with 4 of them being girls, we have outgrown the 2 cabin options as we really need a 3rd bathroom and a bit more wiggle room. Disney is not letting me book 3 rooms- their policy is that the 18 year old cannot be the "adult" in a room and have a sibling booked in to the room. They are telling me that to book 3 rooms, I must put her in her own room and pay the single supplement fare and do a quad and a triple-- and then we can move people wherever we want once on board. So, at 18 she is an "adult" in their eyes and cannot participate in teen activities, but yet she cannot be the "adult" in the room with a sibling. The first agent tried to tell me this was some "law", however, I book 3 cabins on RCCL with no issues all the time. I have gone up the ladder and have a supervisor inquiring into an "exception".... but the joy of even booking a DCL trip has been zapped. Anyone have any ideas?

[Loonbeam]

The difference here is between cruising adult and supervisory adult. The system will not let someone under 21 be legally responsible (which is what you get when you are the 'name on the cabin') for another child under Disney rules as I understand them. An 18 year old CAN be in a cabin by themselves as they are only responsible for themselves. Even if you switch rooms around, by booking the younger ones in your cabin, you are taking responsibility and then telling them to sleep elsewhere. My guess is this is mandated by their insurer.

 

I'm not sure there is a way around this, other than finding a 2 cabin config that will work, perhaps a 1 bedroom suite and an inside?

[MizDaisy]

As said above, there must be at least one person age 21 or over in the stateroom.

 

The best option is to try to book a one bedroom suite (sleep 5) and a connecting "family verandah" (sleep 5), categories T & V. This gives you three full bathrooms.

 

Trying to go "higher up" in the chain of command won't help.

You'll find that often different cruise lines have different age limits.

[moki'smommy]

The above is correct. Guests 18-20 can share cabins with other 18-20s, but cannot supervise minor children. The only exception I'm aware of is that if the minor is the child of the 18-20 year old, it is permitted.

 

I guess another option is to allow the 18 year old to invite a friend...and again, shuffle people after boarding. The cost of bringing a friend is very little different than a single supplement--it increases by only the port taxes. That would give you 9 people spread among 3 rooms.

 

As to the bathroom issue, the adults can shower in the spa locker rooms. Also the newer ships have many more 5 person "family" cabins, but that doesn't give you the extra bathroom.

[kayguz]

A one bedroom suite may be a viable option if it has 2 bathrooms and then another room. We have stayed in the 2 bdrm suites on the Wonder and that was a nice layout, but quite pricey. We loved the service that brought as well, but with kids being older we find that we don't use all the perks that come with suites like we did when they were younger.

 

Bringing another person isn't an option as the Yukon XL is already at capacity with 8 of us- otherwise I would do it. Don't think my DH would appreciate me adding another kid to the mix and then I fly while he drives:rolleyes:

 

I just checked the dates and now no quads are avail only triples. I guess I need to call to inquire about 1 bdrm availability. So we may be out of options:(

[AUDirt]

A one bedroom suite may be a viable option if it has 2 bathrooms and then another room. We have stayed in the 2 bdrm suites on the Wonder and that was a nice layout, but quite pricey. We loved the service that brought as well, but with kids being older we find that we don't use all the perks that come with suites like we did when they were younger.

 

Bringing another person isn't an option as the Yukon XL is already at capacity with 8 of us- otherwise I would do it. Don't think my DH would appreciate me adding another kid to the mix and then I fly while he drives:rolleyes:

 

I just checked the dates and now no quads are avail only triples. I guess I need to call to inquire about 1 bdrm availability. So we may be out of options:(

 

I'm sure you've already thought of this, but I'll toss it out anyway...

 

If you need another adult and don't want to fly, have you considered a one-way car rental? All the rental companies have locations in Cocoa Beach and run shuttles to the port.

[MizDaisy]

Another idea, although I think it would cost more than the One bedroom/Family Verandah combo, would be to book 3 rooms...one with yourself and a couple of the kids, one with your husband and a couple of the kids, and the third with the 18 year old only, and then just place the kids in the rooms as you want them.

People shuffle the kids like that all the time.

 

The biggest downside to that idea is that you'd be paying the full fare of two adults in each of the rooms...and then the extra for the younger kids.

 

It used to be that a room booked by a single person was charged at 1 1/2, but I think it's more than that now.

[Loonbeam]

Thats what Disney said, and what we are trying to avoid...

Another idea, although I think it would cost more than the One bedroom/Family Verandah combo, would be to book 3 rooms...one with yourself and a couple of the kids, one with your husband and a couple of the kids, and the third with the 18 year old only, and then just place the kids in the rooms as you want them.

People shuffle the kids like that all the time.

 

The biggest downside to that idea is that you'd be paying the full fare of two adults in each of the rooms...and then the extra for the younger kids.

 

It used to be that a room booked by a single person was charged at 1 1/2, but I think it's more than that now.

[Ex techie]

Just do the Suite thing and inside or quit!

 

Or you could cruise on another line with smaller charges.

 

The kids must be happy enough to even be on a cruise as a vacation, let alone not be at a trailer park camp site! Or be camping with dad and have to shower 100 yards away.

 

Don't let them piss and whine abut it, just do what you can afford!

 

ex techie

[ilovetexas]

Here is a link to various age requirements on various lines. I believe Carnival or NCL look like your best bet; they'd put one parent plus two kids in each of two rooms, then the 18 year old with a sibling in an adjoining (or nearby) room.

 

http://cruises.affordabletours.com/search/AgeRequirements/

 

I don't know how up to date this info is and I've never sailed with NCL but this has been the case each time I've sailed with Carnival. We ALWAYS put our kids in a separate room next door.