RTW with multiple cabin mates

[voyageur9]

Considering a RTW or perhaps one of the longer Grand Voyages.

Instead of booking a solo, does anyone have any have experience with a double booking with various family members; teenage grandchildren with school or work obligations taking turns with segments. Not all segments will be taken. 

Any advice or experience with same or similar gratefully received.

 

[TiogaCruiser]

 No experience here, but what a lovely idea.

[OlsSalt]

Would there be a price difference booking it as a total RTW compared to booking each individual segment?  

 

Maybe HAL will want you to do that for both parties - not sell one at a discounted RTW package,  but for both as a segmented cruise with some as a double booking and some as a solo booking?  Just speculating here.  Sounds like a fun idea and hope it works out for you.

[AtlantaCruiser72]

Each segment will have to be booked on it's own if the same companions are not with you for 100% of the voyage, same with any solo segments.  This may also mean you have to switch cabins between segments as the cabins available for each segment are in a different inventory list than full World Voyage/Grand Voyage availability

[OlsSalt]

What happens if she buys the entire package as solo for the same cabin,  and then spins off different segments to her future cabin mates who reimburse her privately for that segment rate,  if done early enough before any HAL paper work deadlines?  Kind of like sub-letting the apartment. 

Edited December 22, 2018 by OlsSalt

[Scrapnana]

If you book segments separately I don't believe you get any of the perks that go with a Grand or Grand World Voyage.

[wyobean]

If you are a stockholder you can get OBC for each segment...would make some difference, but I don’t know the perks you would be giving up for booking a long cruise like that as one segment.

[AtlantaCruiser72]

15 hours ago, OlsSalt said:

What happens if she buys the entire package as solo for the same cabin,  and then spins off different segments to her future cabin mates who reimburse her privately for that segment rate,  if done early enough before any HAL paper work deadlines?  Kind of like sub-letting the apartment. 

The issue with this idea has to do with reservation name policies. The name(s) on the booking cannot change midstream through a sailing. So if sold as a full world cruise or grand voyage (with one reservation # for the entire voyage) both names have to remain constant for entire voyage. The ONLY way to have different cabin mates on different segments (and both share a cabin) would be to book each segment individually, which means each segment is a separate reservation. 

[TAD2005]

Exactly right.   The issue of reimbursing privately is secondary to the big problem of changing names.   If one person booked a solo world cruise or group of segments, and then after one or two segments, got off, how would the next person be able to board?  There would be no record at the terminal for the next person to be able to get onboard, the pictures would not match, and passports would be different.   The original person booked would have to take their luggage off the ship, and the next person would have to get their luggage onboard.   Also, when you board the ship at any port, your picture on the gangway computer is compared to the actual person holding the card.   There's no way this could be done.  HAL would require the individual segments be purchased by the actual person who will be occupying the cabin.

[OlsSalt]

35 minutes ago, TAD2005 said:

Exactly right.   The issue of reimbursing privately is secondary to the big problem of changing names.   If one person booked a solo world cruise or group of segments, and then after one or two segments, got off, how would the next person be able to board?  There would be no record at the terminal for the next person to be able to get onboard, the pictures would not match, and passports would be different.   The original person booked would have to take their luggage off the ship, and the next person would have to get their luggage onboard.   Also, when you board the ship at any port, your picture on the gangway computer is compared to the actual person holding the card.   There's no way this could be done.  HAL would require the individual segments be purchased by the actual person who will be occupying the cabin.

 

Thanks for your insights about the "paperwork" required. Makes sense. 

[Nashna]

I would think that you would need to make your reservations as soon as the RTW voyage became available.  This is a situation where you would want to consult either a very experienced travel agent or a HAL representative to help you navigate the trip details.  What a wonderful way to cruise with different folks.  Having different companions along the way would certainly add to your cruise experience.  Please let us know if this works out for you.  Good luck!