New to princess. Suite question

[minicruiser74]

Hi all. Bear with me because I’m new. We’ve been on 3 family Disney cruises and are taking our first Princess cruise thanks to my gambling habit at the Venetian in Las Vegas...lol. We have 4 kids, so two rooms booked. One room is a full suite, one a balcony. Problem is that my teenagers aren’t 18 yet so my husband has to be listed in the balcony room. My boys dont need suite perks like the lounge and I’m even fine dining without them in club class some days, but obviously I’d like to be with my husband. Do you think Princess will be flexible in letting him dine with me and/or come in the lounge as long as we don’t abuse the privilege? Obviously he’s the one paying for the suite and will be staying in the suite with my younger kids and me. Teenage boys 17 and 14 will be in the balcony room. Any other perks that might be a problem? Thanks in advance!

[cr8tiv1]

Not harping on you, but asking for clarification.

 

No harm in asking CC and Sabatini's about the switch. That might happen.

 

I am wondering how old your two younger ones are. How will they do without you for meals?

 

Which cruise ship are you going on? Itinerary?

 

Will there be tendering involved? You will receive as many tickets as there are passengers in the suite. That can be used by whomever.

 

You will receive one mini bar for the suite. That can be exchanged out for same liquor/liquor and non-alcoholic. or two coffee cards (a whole thread on this).

 

Sorry, more questions than answers.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[weedpindle]

Kinda nullifies the suite perks

[minicruiser74]

Sorry, I’m bad at this. Haha!

Nov 17 Royal Princess, eastern Caribbean explorers.

 

Younger two kids are booked in the suite so I will be bringing them with me. They are 12 and 9. Teenage boys booked in the balcony.

 

Wondering if we need to just switch the other room to a suite.....cruise ships are definitely not made for a family of 6!

[Roses2]

On embarkation day meet with the Maitre 'd, the meeting time and place will be posted in the Princess Patter. Explain the situation and he probably will approve Sabatini's breakfast for you as a couple.

 

P&J

[moki'smommy]

Princess has a "family suite," I believe there is one on each ship. It amounts to a suite with an extra room, rather like the suite with the connecting room on the Dream and Fantasy (except that those can be booked as a larger suite or as a "lock off"). That might be an option as it would put everyone in one booking.

 

As to Sabatini's breakfast and CC dinners, if you walk in as a group of 4, no one is likely to ask who is who. They'll check the suite number and the number of people on the first day and know you after that. Seriously, we never showed our cards after the first day. And, if your husband was carrying the card of the 14 year old who is booked in the suite but sleeping elsewhere, they won't ask. Probably won't even ask to see his card if you and the two younger boys go in first.

 

When we checked in on the first day, the person at the door looked at my card, asked for room number, confirmed that there were 3 of us booked, and never looked at the other cards. Day 2, she just asked for the room number and apologized for that!

 

However, the best solution would be the family suite if it is available. It can't be booked on line, you have to call Princess.

 

The other option would be that once you are on board, you can go to passenger services and ask that the cards be changed to reflect who is sleeping where. Much like DCL, they care about who is booked where, don't care who sleeps where as long as the occupancy rules are met.

[BDRebel]

I'm not sure if Princess will allow you book the teens in the balcony, thus allowing your DH to book in the suite. Some cruise lines allow it. Have you talked to Princess about it?

[moki'smommy]

I'm not sure if Princess will allow you book the teens in the balcony, thus allowing your DH to book in the suite. Some cruise lines allow it. Have you talked to Princess about it?

They require an 18 year old in each room.

 

I did just check--the family suite is not showing up as available, but there is still a suite open that could be booked by 2 people.

[minicruiser74]

Thanks for all of the replies! Very helpful. I didn’t know about the family suite. Next time!

 

Sounds like we could maybe make something work with my husband, but maybe will be better off putting the kids in another suite. Then we can eat together. I’ve been reading up about Sabatini’s breakfast and it seems to be the perk people enjoy most. Will have to think about whether suite benefits are really worth it for all of us.

 

Thank you!

[minicruiser74]

I'm not sure if Princess will allow you book the teens in the balcony, thus allowing your DH to book in the suite. Some cruise lines allow it. Have you talked to Princess about it?

 

They said no. Need an 18 yo in each room :(

[EddieCruzer]

As to Sabatini's breakfast and CC dinners' date=' if you walk in as a group of 4, no one is likely to ask who is who. They'll check the suite number and the number of people on the first day and know you after that. Seriously, we never showed our cards after the first day. And, if your husband was carrying the card of the 14 year old who is booked in the suite but sleeping elsewhere, they won't ask. Probably won't even ask to see his card if you and the two younger boys go in first.

[/color']

 

Don't you people read the posts before responding? They are a family of 6 not 4. :rolleyes:

Father in balcony room with 2 boys 14 & 17

Mother in full suite with 2 boys 9 & 12

 

Perhaps they will let you and your husband have the Sabatini's breakfast and the boys can be on their own.

[fishywood]

They said no. Need an 18 yo in each room :(

 

According to the FAQs you only need a 16 year old in each cabin:

 

https://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/pre_cruise/before.jsp

 

Age requirements

Guests under the age of 21 years must travel in a stateroom with a guest 21 years or older who shall assume responsibility for their care during the cruise. For family groups booking multiple staterooms, the minimum age for each stateroom is 16 years of age, provided they are traveling with a parent or legal guardian.

 

Perhaps they said 18 because they only see the one adult in the primary cabin (suite). But if your oldest is 16 you should be able to put both adults in the suite and two teens in the other cabin.

 

I haven't seen a lot of comments about your situation in Club Class Dining (or the concierge lounge on Royal/Regal) but for the Specialty Dining Suite Breakfast everything I have read is that "alternating" members of your total party is completely forbidden. Supposedly the host who seats you studies the photos of the persons who are booked in the suite at embarkation and allows no one else to darken their door.

[geoherb]

It depends on your family. To me, it's a waste to book teenagers in a suite or even a balcony. I'd put them in an inside across the hall from your suite. I think the teenagers are more likely to sleep in and go to the buffet than to want to eat a sit-down breakfast.

[moki'smommy]

Don't you people read the posts before responding? They are a family of 6 not 4. :rolleyes:

Father in balcony room with 2 boys 14 & 17

Mother in full suite with 2 boys 9 & 12

 

Perhaps they will let you and your husband have the Sabatini's breakfast and the boys can be on their own.

Yes, I actually read the post in some detail, and even commented based on OP's experience with DCL and mine.

 

I clearly understand that they are a family of 6, but only 3 are entitled to the suite perks. My point was that if the husband shows up as one of the 3 (or if they just show up as 2 and the boys can eat elsewhere, sleep late, or whatever), they are not likely to question the name on the card that says "suite" or even look at more than one card. If they want to do dinner as a family, they can go to ATD or the buffet together.

 

What I didn't catch was that they split the group so that only 3 are booked in the suite, not 4. Therefore, my post should have read "show up as a family of 3" rather than 4.

 

Bottom line--Princess likely doesn't care which family members enjoy the suite perks as long as the number of people enjoying them does not exceed the number who paid for them. If 3 people carrying suite cards for cabin BXZY, Princess personnel are not likely to look at the names. They check off the cabin number for that day. Done. The only problem would come up if the boys showed up later when 2 or 3 people had already been there.

 

My suggestion, given that the family suite is not available--go to passenger services and see if they will re-issue husband's card indicating where he is actually sleeping (in the suite). That will allow husband and wife to legitimately do everything they wish together and the boys can be off on their own.

[HaveDogWillTravel]

Personally, I’d book another suite. Why add any stress to your life by wondering if this or that will be allowed? Then you can all have the freedom to be together in Sabatini’s and Club class should you desire. Might turn out to be a great experience for the whole family.

 

And next day laundry is free only for the suite pax. Sure people cheat all the time, but I don’t want to be that person.

I don’t know it just seems like it would be way more relaxing to all have suite perks legitimately.

Ultimately it’s up to you though and what you’re comfortable with.

[OR_Cowboy_1952]

Yes' date=' I actually read the post in some detail, and even commented based on OP's experience with DCL and mine.

 

I clearly understand that they are a family of 6, but only 3 are entitled to the suite perks. My point was that if the husband shows up as one of the 3 (or if they just show up as 2 and the boys can eat elsewhere, sleep late, or whatever), they are not likely to question the name on the card that says "suite" or even look at more than one card. If they want to do dinner as a family, they can go to ATD or the buffet together.

 

What I didn't catch was that they split the group so that only 3 are booked in the suite, not 4. Therefore, my post should have read "show up as a family of 3" rather than 4.

 

Bottom line--Princess likely doesn't care which family members enjoy the suite perks as long as the number of people enjoying them does not exceed the number who paid for them. If 3 people carrying suite cards for cabin BXZY, Princess personnel are not likely to look at the names. They check off the cabin number for that day. Done. The only problem would come up if the boys showed up later when 2 or 3 people had already been there.

 

My suggestion, given that the family suite is not available--go to passenger services and see if they will re-issue husband's card indicating where he is actually sleeping (in the suite). That will allow husband and wife to legitimately do everything they wish together and the boys can be off on their own.[/quote']

 

 

 

I’d honestly call Princess and when the 1st representative doesn’t answer your question ask to speak with a customer service supervisor in the head office. Explain your situation and ask all your questions. That’s the best way. Don’t wait until you get onboard.

 

 

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[Pam in CA]

Having had a full suite and had breakfast in Sabatini’s every day, other than the personal service and mimosas (which I didn’t order), I didn’t think the breakfast was any better than going to the dining room and pre-ordering Eggs Benedict.

 

As said, the service was better and it was fun meeting and getting to know the others also in suites (the same people tended to eat at the same time every day) but I could have ordered the same food in the dining room.

[moki'smommy]

I’d honestly call Princess and when the 1st representative doesn’t answer your question ask to speak with a customer service supervisor in the head office. Explain your situation and ask all your questions. That’s the best way. Don’t wait until you get onboard.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

True--I'm responding in this regard to my experience on DCL. We haven't been in a situation where we did cabin switches on Princess. But shoreside on DCL will quote you the party line about booking an adult in each room, etc. Once you board, Guest Services has no problem with issuing additional keys and/or switching keys so that people have the key to the room where they are actually sleeping and mom has a "blank" key to get into the kid's room. By "blank," I mean that it was an extra key, not good for charging, embarkation/disembarkation, etc., but would only open the door of the room where the kids were sleeping.

 

Let us know what you decide.

 

Perhaps you can waitlist for the family suite....if the family that has it cancels, you'd get it. In fairness, I haven't been on your ship and don't know if this feature exists. It does exist on many Princess ships.

[minicruiser74]

According to the FAQs you only need a 16 year old in each cabin:

 

https://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/pre_cruise/before.jsp

 

Age requirements

Guests under the age of 21 years must travel in a stateroom with a guest 21 years or older who shall assume responsibility for their care during the cruise. For family groups booking multiple staterooms, the minimum age for each stateroom is 16 years of age, provided they are traveling with a parent or legal guardian.

 

Perhaps they said 18 because they only see the one adult in the primary cabin (suite). But if your oldest is 16 you should be able to put both adults in the suite and two teens in the other cabin.

 

I haven't seen a lot of comments about your situation in Club Class Dining (or the concierge lounge on Royal/Regal) but for the Specialty Dining Suite Breakfast everything I have read is that "alternating" members of your total party is completely forbidden. Supposedly the host who seats you studies the photos of the persons who are booked in the suite at embarkation and allows no one else to darken their door.

 

 

Good info! Thanks. Maybe we can switch the names in each cabin once on board. Good to know about Cc dining!

[fishywood]

I’d honestly call Princess and when the 1st representative doesn’t answer your question ask to speak with a customer service supervisor in the head office. Explain your situation and ask all your questions. That’s the best way. Don’t wait until you get onboard.

 

Since we know the oldest teen is 16 there should be no issue with parents in one cabin, teens in another. Absolutely continue to escalate until you reach a supervisor who actually knows the rules.

 

(I am wondering if the OP made their booking online on the Princess website without using a CSR or their own TA? Often this method does not work when booking multiple cabins with multiple under 18s--but no reason it can't be fixed beforehand. Again, DO NOT wait until onboard before changing both parents to the same suite).

 

When I first saw the statement

 

Princess likely doesn't care which family members enjoy the suite perks as long as the number of people enjoying them does not exceed the number who paid for them

 

...I bit my virtual tongue rather than respond as to what an unreliable overgeneralzation it is to make to a first time Princess cruiser. Now we know it is based on that person's experience on a different line. Bottom line is Princess will not allow you to alternate suite and non-suite members in your overall party between the various suite perks (dining, priority tendering, laundry, the P/E/S lounge [though there is never anyone at the door after the first night, and rarely even then]).

[minicruiser74]

It depends on your family. To me, it's a waste to book teenagers in a suite or even a balcony. I'd put them in an inside across the hall from your suite. I think the teenagers are more likely to sleep in and go to the buffet than to want to eat a sit-down breakfast.

I agree, but since I’m late in the game, I couldn’t get an inside that sleeps 3 close enough to our suite. Only on a different floor, which I’m not quite ready for.

[minicruiser74]

Original booking thru the casino line. I alluded to it with Venetian comment but wasn’t clear.

 

Thanks for all of the info. This has been really helpful to me! So much knowledge in these boards! I appreciate it!

[cr8tiv1]

Here's another a approach. Is the kids' cabin a triple or quad?

 

Book all four kids in one room. Mom and Dad can enjoy themselves for every meal. Kid(s) can visit and sleep over on the sofa bed...

 

Saving you some cash for excursions.

 

Good luck.

[Colo Cruiser]

They are very strict about the Suite breakfast in Sabatinis.

Only those actually sailing and listed in the suite.

Good luck with that if you plan on using that perk. :o

[minicruiser74]

We went ahead and booked the other suite. So now we don’t have to worry about shuffling people around. The price is reduced since its thru the casino, so hopefully it’s worth it! Any tips on the best perks to enjoy for suite guests?