Is Embarking Without Entire Party Possible?

[adamj40]

We are in a bit of a predicament. We are heading out on a 7 day cruise in less than a week out of San Pedro. My family is split up in that my wife, 2 daughters and I are in one room. My son(2y) and relative are booked in another. The relative doesn't plan on boarding until later in the day. We want to get on as early as possible to start our vacation. Are we just going to be stuck waiting until the relative arrives to get on? 

We have his passport and boarding documents already so we have everything that is needed for his verification. I see two options, we either risk it and get there early hoping they can get him his cruise card while doing the rest of my family or we get there early, get denied and then wait until our relative comes. 

Has anyone had any luck doing something like this?

[elliair]

No, you can board any time and your relative boards when she pleases as she is booked in a different cabin.  Have the 2 yo boarding pass with you and he can board with you.  As long as everyone has a boarding pass you will be able to board.

[RDC1]

24 minutes ago, adamj40 said:

We are in a bit of a predicament. We are heading out on a 7 day cruise in less than a week out of San Pedro. My family is split up in that my wife, 2 daughters and I are in one room. My son(2y) and relative are booked in another. The relative doesn't plan on boarding until later in the day. We want to get on as early as possible to start our vacation. Are we just going to be stuck waiting until the relative arrives to get on? 

We have his passport and boarding documents already so we have everything that is needed for his verification. I see two options, we either risk it and get there early hoping they can get him his cruise card while doing the rest of my family or we get there early, get denied and then wait until our relative comes. 

Has anyone had any luck doing something like this?

your relative will need to carry his own documents. he will need them to check in, which he will not be able to, if you have his documents on board the ship.

[adamj40]

4 minutes ago, RDC1 said:

your relative will need to carry his own documents. he will need them to check in, which he will not be able to, if you have his documents on board the ship.

Sorry for the confusion. We have our son's documents. Our relative will have their own documents so they can board when they need to.

[skynight]

25 minutes ago, adamj40 said:

We are in a bit of a predicament. We are heading out on a 7 day cruise in less than a week out of San Pedro. My family is split up in that my wife, 2 daughters and I are in one room. My son(2y) and relative are booked in another. The relative doesn't plan on boarding until later in the day. We want to get on as early as possible to start our vacation. Are we just going to be stuck waiting until the relative arrives to get on? 

We have his passport and boarding documents already so we have everything that is needed for his verification. I see two options, we either risk it and get there early hoping they can get him his cruise card while doing the rest of my family or we get there early, get denied and then wait until our relative comes. 

Has anyone had any luck doing something like this?

Every adult can check in and board individually as they arrive. You mention something about having the relative's passport. You can not check in the relative that is not present. The relative will have to present their boarding pass to get on the pier, and is required to present a valid passport to check in and board the ship. The boarding pass is easy. It can be printed out by the relative. But, the relative will require the original passport. If you can't get the passport to him/her have them call you upon arrival at the pier. At that time you can exit the ship with the passport, meet him/her and then once checked in re-board.

[adamj40]

2 minutes ago, skynight said:

Every adult can check in and board individually as they arrive. You mention something about having the relative's passport. You can not check in the relative that is not present. The relative will have to present their boarding pass to get on the pier, and is required to present a valid passport to check in and board the ship. The boarding pass is easy. It can be printed out by the relative. But, the relative will require the original passport. If you can't get the passport to him/her have them call you upon arrival at the pier. At that time you can exit the ship with the passport, meet him/her and then once checked in re-board.

Sorry for the confusion. Our relative will have all their own documents and passport. We have our sons boarding documents and passport. 

I just called Princess and since my son is 2 years old, he will not be able to board until the adult in the room that he is booked under boards. Was hoping someone had experience with this scenario previously when boarding with minors.

 

It sounds like adults can board whenever even if the entire party is not present, just not minors.

[voljeep]

can you easily change the booking to have either yourself or your wife booked with the 2 year old son

and then just exchange/get new cabin only cruise cards after you board?

[adamj40]

1 minute ago, voljeep said:

can you easily change the booking to have either yourself or your wife booked with the 2 year old son

and then just exchange/get new cabin only cruise cards after you board?

That is a good point. I may just have to do that!

[john watson]

7 minutes ago, voljeep said:

can you easily change the booking to have either yourself or your wife booked with the 2 year old son

and then just exchange/get new cabin only cruise cards after you board?

 

I see a technical problem with this solution.  Currently you have wife, husband and two children in one cabin.  The other cabin is relative plus a two year old.  The issue as far as cruise line is concerned it that two year old cannot board as temporary sole occupant of a cabin in case an unlikely no show occurs with relative not arriving before sailing.  You cannot transfer a two year old to parents cabin as it will be over occupied.  I think if you do a passenger room relocation (on paper only) you need to add a parent to relatives cabin on documentation.  In this way responsible adults will be in both cabins from initial boarding.

 

I hope you can follow the technical logic of this.

 

Regards John

[voljeep]

why is that so different from what I posted.. technically ?

 

what if the currently occupied relative cabin is not set up for 3 people ... technically?

[adamj40]

Thanks voljeep and John. I believe you are both saying the same thing. Thank you for chiming in.

[voljeep]

yes and no

 

John , I think, is changing the room number occupants from 4 and 2, to 3 and 3, which may or may not be a benefit to you based on cabin prices, perks, etc

 

do your research  and make sure of 'exactly' what happens if a change is made

[john watson]

16 minutes ago, voljeep said:

why is that so different from what I posted.. technically ?

 

what if the currently occupied relative cabin is not set up for 3 people ... technically?

 

 

Yes you are correct.  They end up with the same outcome.  The relative was not mentioned in your scenario.

 

Three person cabin issue - relative will have to move into cabin the mother is vacating ie. a mother and two year old exchange could work..

 

My apologies.

 

Regards John

Edited October 22, 2018 by john watson

[Ombud]

Ask princess if one adult can change with the 2yo. And have the 3 boarding adults only financially responsible for themselves + own kids. No reason to later change cards as Mom  / Dad might want access to toddlers room

[skennedy25]

You maybe just able to swap 1 adult with the other adult.  It will still be a 4 cabin and a 2 cabin, you would just need to figure out once you get on the ship about swapping those 2 back

[Ombud]

15 minutes ago, skennedy25 said:

You maybe just able to swap 1 adult with the other adult.  It will still be a 4 cabin and a 2 cabin, you would just need to figure out once you get on the ship about swapping those 2 back

Princess doesn't care where you sleep. I carry 2 cards if / when traveling with kids. One card to my room and one to theirs. The only difference comes in when somebody charges to the card. When traveling with kids. One card to my room and 1 to theirs. The only difference comes in when somebody charges to the card. But then again the I am the guarantor on my grandkids cards

[Aus Traveller]

6 hours ago, voljeep said:

can you easily change the booking to have either yourself or your wife booked with the 2 year old son

and then just exchange/get new cabin only cruise cards after you board?

Smart thinking. 😊

[Colo Cruiser]

AB.......Anytime Boarding. Board when and with whom you wish.  

[Essiesmom]

Just drop the 2 y/o off with the relative and continue on to the port.  That might spur the relative to get there sooner...EM

[Aus Traveller]

1 hour ago, Essiesmom said:

Just drop the 2 y/o off with the relative and continue on to the port.  That might spur the relative to get there sooner...EM

This may not be possible or convenient. We don't know where the relative is coming from.

[Ombud]

In 2015 we had 2 rooms. I checked in just fine with two of the kids. My son was trying to check in with the third child. Unfortunately his paperwork was not correct. I asked if that child could just go on the ship with me. They said no you cannot enter the ship unless there is an adult in the room. It took 2 hours to straighten out his paperwork. Then he was permitted to board with the third child. I am relaying this only because I want you to be aware that that two-year-old may not enter the ship if there isn't an adult boarding in the room at that time. However, if your husband trades places on the booking with the two year old child, The child will be permitted to enter with you, and he will be able to get on board as well. It does not matter who is in the room when it comes to billing or actual sailing. You simply asked them to separate the bill & you take responsible for 2 adults + 3 kids. Of course you're probably planning on being financially responsible for the two-year-old anyway. And what is that child going to buy? So call Princess and get it straightened out before you wind up at port and they are unable to straighten it out. Because they cannot.

[caribill]

14 hours ago, voljeep said:

can you easily change the booking to have either yourself or your wife booked with the 2 year old son

and then just exchange/get new cabin only cruise cards after you board?

 

 

Less than one week until the cruise. May be too late to make booking changes. If allowed at this point, there will be a charge.

[jagsfan]

Please come back and let us know how you worked it out. If you get a no on moving people between cabins, escalate it. Otherwise, prepare to sit with your 2 year old till your relative arrives. 

[adamj40]

I just called Princess again to see about changing people and asked again about getting on with our son who is in a different room. They said it would not be a problem that we would just keep him with us(which he would be doing anyways) until our relative arrives to get in the room. I am thinking about calling today to break the tie on the answers I received from 2 different people. So we are going to roll the dice and see how it works out. I will definitely come back and let you know how it all went. 

[adamj40]

Following up. I was able to board with all of my kids without a problem. They gave us my sons cruise card with out a problem. I just handed them all of my documents and they didn’t say anything about him being in a desperate room. Hooray for us as we got right on.