Switching rooms within our group -please help

[ams cruiser]

When we booked our extended-family Sapphire cruise, there were no triples available, so my husband, son and I booked 2 balcony doubles. Whin a mini-suite became available for our family of 3, my nephews wanted to trade their inner room for our balcony. The TA recommended we book the nephews and my son into the mini-suite so as not to lose the balcony, and then switch when we check in. I have made 3 calls to Princess, and received conflicting info. One agent advised me to make the switch at check-in, another to wait until we are on board and switch at the purser's desk. Although I started making calls a few months ago, as soon as the mini became available, all agents insist we can't switch the names/credit cards in advance. One agent told us to have all our luggage tagged to our assigned room, and then ask the stewards to switch the luggage when we switch rooms. Since our room/suite are on the Lido/Dolphins decks, this seems like a big headache. Since Princess wouldn't allow me to change in advance, I'm wondering how difficult this will be to do once on board, or if it can be done at check in. I would appreciate any advice on this.:eek:

[Toto2Kansas]

Not difficult at all once you board. Just tag the luggage to go to the appropriate room where each will actually be staying. Then go to the purser's desk together and they will change your key/charge cards for you.

Nothing to worry about.

[ams cruiser]

Not difficult at all once you board. Just tag the luggage to go to the appropriate room where each will actually be staying. Then go to the purser's desk together and they will change your key/charge cards for you.

Nothing to worry about.

 

Thanks for your reassuring response, Toto2! Should we do this as soon as we board, or are the lines at the purser's desk too long that first afternoon?

[Toto2Kansas]

I would do it before any charges are placed on the cards, that could get a bit confusing. You will find lines at the pursers desk upon arrival, but it is best to get this taken care of as soon as you can to avoid any problems.

[ams cruiser]

Thanks, again, Toto2Kansas. We'll go to the purser's desk as soon as we can find it!:)

[Coral]

On the first day - the lines at the Purser's desk are not long at all. Usually there is not a line on the first day

[tjebme]

I booked our cruise on Expedia for our extended family and ended up switching passengers between some of the rooms. Princess wouldn't change the names but they said it was no problem for Expedia to do it. So I called Expedia and they switched the names, etc. for the rooms needed. WHen I first brought this up to Expedia, they said to just switch on board, but after thinking about the hassle with the key cards, etc, I called back and asked them to do it beforehand and there wasn't any trouble.

 

Tracy

[ourlol]

With 4 teenagers in our party we always end up changing round. Our experience of switching cabins has been as follows:-

 

At check in we accept the key cards as assigned to us at the time of booking - meaning that some of us actually have a card that doesn't correspond with the room we will eventually be sleeping in.

 

As soon as possible after embarkation we visit the pursers desk, explain we want to swop around and the staff provide us with 'second' card. In essence this means that some of us have two cards. The new one is used purely for entering the cabin (the one we are actually staying in), the other is the original card, against which our shipboard account is charged. Those of us that end up with two cards can effectively enter two cabins. The original cabin (with the original key card) and the second cabin (where they we are staying).

 

So far as tagging the luggage, we mark it up for the cabin it has to go to (as if the changes have already taken place).

 

I hope that doesn't sound too complex. :D

 

Laura

[Dreamer333]

My family and I switched some cabins on the CB in Sept...

 

What I recommend is that when you first check in (before you get on the ship), do not give them your credit card information (because it will just get mixed up), and let them know you are switching cabins and that you will give them your credit card at the pursers desk.

 

We went to the Pursurs desk right away (very short line) and made the switches, and registered our credit cards.

 

The only "problem" is that they couldn't assign new cards (with the correct room number printed on the card) until the next day. However, they changed the existing cards so that they would open the correct (newly switched) cabin.

 

We did have one problem with charges being charged to the wrong account that day (but it was quickly fixed)... so be sure that if you use your card that day, tell them your CORRECT cabin number.

[traci28]

Between Dreamer's group and mine - and think we had at least a half dozen changes ~!!! They were very very accomodating.

[ams cruiser]

Thanks everyone! We are new to cruising, and have had a hard time getting answers to our numerous questions from Princess and our TA. The Cruise Critic Boards are wonderful, and I really appreciate the wisdom of your experience!:)