No Show Passenger; how did you handle it?

[Familygoboston]

It’s looking very likely our daughter won’t be able to join us in a cabin for 3. We are paid in full, cruise is coming up quickly, and don’t expect a refund. For last minute work reasons, she probably cant join us (this are not covered by insurance)

 

Any ideas about when to inform Royal about a no show? Before we leave? At the check in, or just sail without her? We don’t want to give them enough time to move us around, we like our cabin location and don’t want to be moved from our cabin. I’m wondering what others experiences are for last minute no show situations?

 

We’ve also heard we might be able to recover per person port fees (since they won’t need to be paid at port)

 

I’d welcome hearing about your experiences! TIA

[Ashland]

My personal experience was this past March onboard Harmony. I had four aft Boardwalk balcony cabins (all right next to each other with one of them a connecting cabin...and I for sure wasn't going to take a chance on RCI moving some of us) booked for a total of 10 extended family members. Seven of us ended up being able to go.

 

We said nothing to anyone...checked in at the terminal and no one asked and no one cared...even once onboard.

 

The port fees and taxes were automatically refunded to my credit card that was used to make the final payment for everyone within a couple of weeks.

 

So say nothing and no one will ask or really even care.

[molly361]

Just show up without her no need to call them. Taxes and port fees will be refunded. I just did this a few months ago with my husband who was a no show

[Familygoboston]

My personal experience was this past March onboard Harmony. I had four aft Boardwalk balcony cabins (all right next to each other with one of them a connecting cabin...and I for sure wasn't going to take a chance on RCI moving some of us) booked for a total of 10 extended family members. Seven of us ended up being able to go.

 

We said nothing to anyone...checked in at the terminal and no one asked and no one cared...even once onboard.

 

The port fees and taxes were automatically refunded to my credit card that was used to make the final payment for everyone within a couple of weeks.

 

So say nothing and no one will ask or really even care.

 

Just show up without her no need to call them. Taxes and port fees will be refunded. I just did this a few months ago with my husband who was a no show

Thank you both, that’s my inclination, given how inconsistent Royal is, my thought is as long as she “might” make it, there’s no need for me to go kicking up a fuss before we sail. Besides, maybe someone else can join us last minute 😂

[Nashna]

I would let them know. They are not going to take your room away from you as it is paid in full for three people. You will still need to explain the absence of the third person to your room steward. Why start your vacation off on a sour note? Just to let you know, sometimes it is better to purchase insurance that is not offered by the cruise line as many policies do cover work related cancellations for certain reasons. So sorry that you will not be traveling with your daughter. Hope her job is worth it!

[Nashna]

Since you mentioned that there might be a chance that your daughter could sail or that you might have someone to take her place, I would wait until it is absolutely, definitely, without doubt that you will cancel the third person.

[cruisinfanatic]

It’s looking very likely our daughter won’t be able to join us in a cabin for 3. We are paid in full, cruise is coming up quickly, and don’t expect a refund. For last minute work reasons, she probably cant join us (this are not covered by insurance)

 

Any ideas about when to inform Royal about a no show? Before we leave? At the check in, or just sail without her? We don’t want to give them enough time to move us around, we like our cabin location and don’t want to be moved from our cabin. I’m wondering what others experiences are for last minute no show situations?

 

We’ve also heard we might be able to recover per person port fees (since they won’t need to be paid at port)

 

I’d welcome hearing about your experiences! TIA

Instead of relying on the sometimes much less than accurate advise, I'd call the person that booked your cruise and ask. I've read on this board recently that even after full payment that the 3rd can be cancelled and get full refund.

[Familygoboston]

I would let them know. They are not going to take your room away from you as it is paid in full for three people. You will still need to explain the absence of the third person to your room steward. Why start your vacation off on a sour note? Just to let you know, sometimes it is better to purchase insurance that is not offered by the cruise line as many policies do cover work related cancellations for certain reasons. So sorry that you will not be traveling with your daughter. Hope her job is worth it!

 

Since you mentioned that there might be a chance that your daughter could sail or that you might have someone to take her place, I would wait until it is absolutely, definitely, without doubt that you will cancel the third person.

Thanks! Yes, we usually get our insurance from Insuremytrip at final payment, there are a couple of cruise products that cover prexsisting conditions at FINAL payment, not just FIRST payment. I’ve used these for years, so that I don’t have to pay for insurance on a cruise where there are no penalties incurred to cancel, if I do it early enough. We knew there was a chance she might not be able to make it, she’s brand new in her career, so this is more related to another trip we are taking with her and her sister and her limited vacation time. But we shall see!

 

I will of course let our stateroom attendant know immediately, so they don’t need to make up the Murphy bed in the ceiling! We won’t argue the gratuity either, as we always add extra because I feel they don’t get paid enough as it is! We always have an introductory conversation with our attendant, let them know what we like, warn them we are on MTD, but we promise to set out the card, so they know when we are away from the room in the evening, etc. Just makes their job a little easier! :cool:

[Familygoboston]

Instead of relying on the sometimes much less than accurate advise, I'd call the person that booked your cruise and ask. I've read on this board recently that even after full payment that the 3rd can be cancelled and get full refund.

 

Our 25 year experience with Royal is the opposite, crowd sourced info has worked much better for us than asking any “expert” working in the company! (i.e. Bob knows more than most of the folks trained last week to handle phone calls :'))

 

I asked about this at full payment time, because she was so “iffy” about going and was told we would have to change our cabin selection, which we weren’t willing to do and risk if she could come, we wouldn’t be able to add her again. You could get six different answers if you call, that’s the one we got, and it was a risk we were willing to take. We will wait it out and see what happens!

[Denversail]

We had someone considering cancelling about a month before a cruise with RCI about a year ago. This person was a 3rd passenger. To our surprise because they were a 3rd passenger royal told us they were 100% refundable. They didn’t cancel so I can’t confirm.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[cruisinfanatic]

Our 25 year experience with Royal is the opposite, crowd sourced info has worked much better for us than asking any “expert” working in the company! (i.e. Bob knows more than most of the folks trained last week to handle phone calls :'))

 

I asked about this at full payment time, because she was so “iffy” about going and was told we would have to change our cabin selection, which we weren’t willing to do and risk if she could come, we wouldn’t be able to add her again. You could get six different answers if you call, that’s the one we got, and it was a risk we were willing to take. We will wait it out and see what happens!

Now do you believe me because "Bob" said it?? You better get this done today!!!

Might be too late because you asked here instead of calling

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2595428&highlight=cancel+3rd

[ATC cruiser]

I would let them know. They are not going to take your room away from you as it is paid in full for three people. You will still need to explain the absence of the third person to your room steward. Why start your vacation off on a sour note? Just to let you know, sometimes it is better to purchase insurance that is not offered by the cruise line as many policies do cover work related cancellations for certain reasons. So sorry that you will not be traveling with your daughter. Hope her job is worth it!

 

 

 

Not the best advice. They may, or may not, take your room away if there are only 2 people in the room. I purposely book 3 people in an aft balcony even if it’s only my wife and I going on the cruise, otherwise your not going to get one. Why would you need to explain anything to the room steward either?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[saroede97]

Not the best advice. They may, or may not, take your room away if there are only 2 people in the room. I purposely book 3 people in an aft balcony even if it’s only my wife and I going on the cruise, otherwise your not going to get one. Why would you need to explain anything to the room steward either?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

Good idea, I love aft balconies and may use this next sailing.

[Ourusualbeach]

You can cancel and get a full refund for the third passenger up until the final penalty phase of your reservation which would be 15 days prior to sailing. That close to sailing I very much doubt that they will have you change rooms. Others have posted about canceling a third and not having to switch rooms.

[cruisinfanatic]

I don't remember many here saying that they were switched because they cancelled third and or 4th passengers. Nothing I'd be worrying about.

[Ashland]

I would let them know. They are not going to take your room away from you as it is paid in full for three people. You will still need to explain the absence of the third person to your room steward. Why start your vacation off on a sour note? Just to let you know, sometimes it is better to purchase insurance that is not offered by the cruise line as many policies do cover work related cancellations for certain reasons. So sorry that you will not be traveling with your daughter. Hope her job is worth it!

So you're going to guarantee RCI "won't" take away/change their cabin if they cancel the 3rd person :eek:

 

And if they do...and refund the 3rd person rate..then it's really only two people now traveling....your post makes no sense.

 

You don't need to explain anything to your cabin steward and he/she isn't going to start grilling you on where someone is...they certainly don't want to start off their service to you on that "sour note".

[ATC cruiser]

You can cancel and get a full refund for the third passenger up until the final penalty phase of your reservation which would be 15 days prior to sailing. That close to sailing I very much doubt that they will have you change rooms. Others have posted about canceling a third and not having to switch rooms.

 

 

 

If I’ve got an aft corner balcony on a Freedom class ship, I’m not taking that chance.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Ashland]

I don't remember many here saying that they were switched because they cancelled third and or 4th passengers. Nothing I'd be worrying about.

Sorry you don't, but I certainly remember posts from other's about being moved when their number of occupancy changed.

 

Maybe you wouldn't need to worry about this but other's have been caught off guard and not happy about the change of cabins/location they had originally selected being changed. I and many other's wouldn't take that chance.

 

Hopefully it never happens to you or other's you're cruising with.

[Ourusualbeach]

Sorry you don't, but I certainly remember posts from other's about being moved when their number of occupancy changed.

 

Maybe you wouldn't need to worry about this but other's have been caught off guard and not happy about the change of cabins/location they had originally selected being changed. I and many other's wouldn't take that chance.

 

Hopefully it never happens to you or other's you're cruising with.

 

I also remember some of those however those were instances where they cancelled the third person before final payment not 15 days prior to the cruise.

[saroede97]

You can cancel and get a full refund for the third passenger up until the final penalty phase of your reservation which would be 15 days prior to sailing. That close to sailing I very much doubt that they will have you change rooms. Others have posted about canceling a third and not having to switch rooms.

 

I think my TA has mentioned this tactic, never had a chance to try it though (yet).

[Nashna]

I can’t imagine that any cruise line be would force you to change rooms because you were reducing the number in the room...especially if you paid for three people...and were NOT receiving a refund. Not going to happen.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[cruisinfanatic]

Sorry you don't, but I certainly remember posts from other's about being moved when their number of occupancy changed.

 

Maybe you wouldn't need to worry about this but other's have been caught off guard and not happy about the change of cabins/location they had originally selected being changed. I and many other's wouldn't take that chance.

 

Hopefully it never happens to you or other's you're cruising with.

First, I didn't say that. I said I don't remember many. I still don't.

It is more unlikely they would be switched 2 weeks before the cruise

[Familygoboston]

We can go back and forth about the what if’s, but I’m inclined to trust the folks who had it happen to them, (someone not be able to make it at the last minute) When we booked we knew the risk, and we are ok with it. Just wanted to find out from the people who experienced it, if and when they brought it up at all.

[cruisinfanatic]

We can go back and forth about the what if’s, but I’m inclined to trust the folks who had it happen to them, (someone not be able to make it at the last minute) When we booked we knew the risk, and we are ok with it. Just wanted to find out from the people who experienced it, if and when they brought it up at all.

If you don't care about the cost you can pay for 3 all the time to get that cabin.

[Sianli]

In Feb 2014 I had a cabin swapped due to the 3rd passenger cancelling. I was very upset, as it was a corner aft cabin that had been chosen specifically for the great large balcony. Yes, the refund for the 3rd passenger was returned, but not worth it for the cabin change. And to top it off, the week after this happened, I was reading my roll call for the cruise, and someone posted about just booking and what a great price they got for their corner aft cabin. They even put the cabin number in their post and it was the cabin that had been taken from me. AND guess what--------there were only 2 people in the cabin!!! I was very upset. I guess I got over it, but just saying that if you really want your cabin, wait until the last minute because you may lose it. Just typing this gets me upset all over again though.