Adults in one cabin, teenagers in the cabin next door - logistics?

[U2_Rocks!]

My husband and I would like to sleep in one cabin and have our 3 teens sleep in the cabin right next to us (both outside cabins, no balcony). Here are my questions about that:

 

1. Will we be able to request a room key for their cabin as well, so that we can always get in if we need to?

2. Our cruise has a perk of $300 OBC per cabin - this means that the teens' cabin will get $300 and our cabin will get $300. They are unlikely to spend all of their credit because they won't be getting a drinks package or dining in the alternative restaurants except occasionally. My husband and I, however, will drink some alcohol and generally avail ourselves of certain services such as laundry, cell phone etc. Do you think on check-in we can combine the 2 cabins into one account? How does it work with teens in one cabin and parents in the other?

 

I know Celebrity does allow the teens to be in a cabin without someone over 21 if the cabin is either adjoining or across the hall from the parents/guardians, which is why we have not booked my husband in one room with our son and me in the other with our daughters. I am wondering now if it's better to do that for booking/account purposes, but change the actual sleeping arrangements once on board. What have others done about this, and what works best?

Edited April 26, 2016 by U2_Rocks!

[cruisestitch]

It's very easy to get a room key that will access their room, just ask at Guest Relations.

 

They can sign over all or part of their on-board credit to your room, also arrange this at Guest Relations. They can't do it at check-in, but they can take care of it once you are on-board and the on-board credit has posted to their account.

[pete_coach]

Or you can ask for adjoining cabins.

As for the onboard credit, it is assigned to the sea pass and cabin. Gust relations can re-assign it to your sea pass so your sea pass has it all.

Having said that, the teens get sea passes too and everything they get, soft drinks, snacks etc will be put on the cabin the sea pass is assigned to.

[love2driveinct]

I am interested in seeing others' responses to this, as well.

 

We are booked in side-by-side non-adjoining cabins with our two teens and one tween in one cabin, and my husband and I in the other. I was assuming that I could get a key to their room.

 

When we booked I asked our Vacation Planner if there was any practical reason to book me in one and my husband in the other (and then actually sleep the way we wanted), and he said there wasn't. Since we met the requirements we did not need to and there wasn't any real benefit to doing it.

 

I'm hopeful that we made the right decision.

[cruisestitch]

As to having things charged to the kids' SeaPass accounts, parents can set limits as to how much they can charge, which might be useful in these cases.

[U2_Rocks!]

I figured their seapasses would have charging capability, which I will have to monitor so they don't break the bank ;) Ideally I would just ask Guest Relations to combine the 2 cabins into one account, to be secured with my credit card. That way the account would start with $600 OBC and then everything from all 5 seapasses would go to that account. I would like to be able to pull up the one account on the TV and monitor the charges as we go along.

[U2_Rocks!]

As to having things charged to the kids' SeaPass accounts, parents can set limits as to how much they can charge, which might be useful in these cases.

 

OK, I just read this after I last posted .... that's good to know!

[villauk]

Unless they have prepaid gratuities, the daily amount will go on their cabin account and so you may find the credit comes down pretty quickly, especially once they buy drinks/soda etc. We initially set the kids' account up to be paid by my DH's credit card (online when checking in pre cruise), that way they are linked anyway. Get GS to check it out once onboard because, on occasion, they have had a few mishaps e.g. changed suddenly to a cash account - yeah right, like my 13 year old will be paying in cash at the end of the cruise :rolleyes:.

 

You can request extra 'keys' i.e. seapass cards for entry only to the cabins, again at GS :).

[U2_Rocks!]

I am going to encourage them to drink the water, free lemonade, iced tea, juice with breakfast etc. while on the ship, except for an occasional coke with pizza or something. I don't want them drinking soft drinks/sodas all day anyway. So I guess it will be mostly gratuities on their account, and anything they have to pay for in the teen game room/arcade.

 

How/when are gratuities prepaid? We are a total group of 11 (my parents are paying for all of us, including my brother and his family) and have just booked through a travel agent. The cruise is over a year away, so it's only the deposit to pay at this time. I am guessing when it's time to pay for the rest of the cruise we can add gratuities at that point? I am not sure if Dad is going to pay for them as well or if they're on us.

[bEwAbG]

You can ask to pay gratuities in advance and that can be done with final payment or any time before. They'll always take your money. If you wait until you are onboard, you can use your OBC to pay the gratuities. They're charged to your room daily and would be offset by the OBC. That is the current policy, at least (always subject to change).

 

A note about the keys: they will open the door even when the lock (the one that looks like a deadbolt but isn't) is engaged, so keep that in mind if you give your kids a key to your room.

Edited April 26, 2016 by bEwAbG

[villauk]

I am going to encourage them to drink the water, free lemonade, iced tea, juice with breakfast etc. while on the ship, except for an occasional coke with pizza or something. I don't want them drinking soft drinks/sodas all day anyway. So I guess it will be mostly gratuities on their account, and anything they have to pay for in the teen game room/arcade.

 

How/when are gratuities prepaid? We are a total group of 11 (my parents are paying for all of us, including my brother and his family) and have just booked through a travel agent. The cruise is over a year away, so it's only the deposit to pay at this time. I am guessing when it's time to pay for the rest of the cruise we can add gratuities at that point? I am not sure if Dad is going to pay for them as well or if they're on us.

 

You can either prepay prior to the cruise via your TA, or use the OBC (which is what we tend to do). You'll have 3 x $13 pp per day to pay (unsure how long your cruise is for, but after 7 days it will have virtually used up your OBC).

 

Our teens don't drink that much fizzy pop either - perhaps a mocktail before dinner, but it's surprising how quickly the OBC does disappear :), especially if they are allowed some $ to spend in the arcade :). Any shuttle costs etc. can also be charged to their account. It all then gets transferred over to you DH's credit card total to pay ;).

[eandj]

As to having things charged to the kids' SeaPass accounts, parents can set limits as to how much they can charge, which might be useful in these cases.

 

This is REALLY important. AND have their cards put on a lanyard so it isn't left somewhere for someone to use.

 

Having cruised with teens, might I advise you all sit down together to make up the rules and consequences if not followed. I remember my nephew inviting a group of new found friends to his cabin one evening. A big no no ...public rooms only for get togethers.;)

[DrivesLikeMario]

I figured their seapasses would have charging capability, which I will have to monitor so they don't break the bank ;) Ideally I would just ask Guest Relations to combine the 2 cabins into one account, to be secured with my credit card. That way the account would start with $600 OBC and then everything from all 5 seapasses would go to that account. I would like to be able to pull up the one account on the TV and monitor the charges as we go along.

 

Do the online check-in for both cabins. On your teens' cabin, just put in your credit card. Super simple.

 

So, your kids aren't going to pay gratuities? That's $90.65 per kid. Add in a few Cokes and the entire $100 OBC per teen has been used up. I seriously doubt you're going to walk away with an OBC balance.

 

You just need to set some limits as their parent and most of all, follow through with them. We've done that with our sons for years and never had a problem. Anytime they charged something, they either asked first or told me right after, knowing that the charge was okay (we had already told them drinks were okay to charge).

 

Also, set a limit as to when they need to be back in the cabin. Too many kids are wandering around in the wee hours of the morning. ;)

[Barneu]

have you considered the consequences of having your children in the cabin next door vs. the interior across the hall vis-a-vis noise and such? Not sure how thin the walls are or are not.

[U2_Rocks!]

have you considered the consequences of having your children in the cabin next door vs. the interior across the hall vis-a-vis noise and such? Not sure how thin the walls are or are not.

 

The cabins we want don't have interiors across from them. In any case, my son is an avid sea lover and would very much miss the view. They will be 14, 15 and 17 when we sail, and hopefully past the noisy stage for the most part. When they are actually in the cabin they will be watching TV, bathing or sleeping mostly. I think the harder part is going to be to get them to even come back to the cabin at a decent hour - especially my son!

[love2driveinct]

have you considered the consequences of having your children in the cabin next door vs. the interior across the hall vis-a-vis noise and such? Not sure how thin the walls are or are not.

 

I read this a totally different way... :D:eek:

[U2_Rocks!]

I read this a totally different way... :D:eek:

 

Well now that you have pointed it out ......

 

We'll have to keep quiet I guess. ;) I can just imagine telling my parents and the rest of our party why we don't want the location they have chosen on the ship because there are no inside cabins to put the children in! :eek: