Booking without all traveler names?

[Cruisergal1975]

Hi there!

 

I have a question you may be able to answer...

 I’ve noticed when you book a cruise it puts the other travelers in your party as TBD (with your last name). The only name actually specified on the booking confirmation is mine as the one booking it but the other two guests say last name-TBD1, last name-TBD2 (or something like that).

 

Does anyone know how long you can keep it like that? The reason I ask is because I’ve read before about people getting hit with crazy fees to change the name of someone who ended up not being able to go and because they booked under an early saver rate they were charged quite a lot of money.  But if you don’t actually put a name to that reservation until closer to check in when you’re sure of who can travel .... anyone know if you’re allowed to do that ?

 

Thanks for sharing any thoughts on this. 

 

 

[Jeni99]

I am not sure how long for sure you can keep it like that, but I am leading a group cruise and we sail March 10th on the Magic... and one of the guests just added his guest name last week. So I know you are safe til atleast 4 weeks out.

 

Jenn

[wildthing714]

if it's booked under early saver they consider that a cancellation by one person , even though there is no one named specifically yet. Then on top of everything that's not refundable under early saver, they also charge you a penalty/rebooking fee to add the new person. I just had to call and ask about the exact same thing because I also thought by not adding a name when booking i could work around all that. Im not positive but im pretty sure after your final payment is made your really screwed.  Vacation protection is of no benefitbin this case either.

[fuddrules]

I booked early saver and didn’t complete the specific names for months.  However, all names were added prior to final payment which is what 1 CSR said was required.       That worked for me. 

Edited February 23, 2019 by fuddrules

[twinzzz]

We are in this boat, we just booked a cruise for next year but not sure if our son will be able to go because of school. 

I have the primary cruiser info completed for both cabins (DH and myself) but don’t want to fill in the other passengers names until we know for certain he will be able to go. 

 

If I'm reading correctly, I have until final payment to complete all passengers names?

[Organized Chaos]

Last year, the family that was supposed to go with us cancelled on us in Nov. 2017. Our cruise was June, 2018. Three of their kids were rooming with our son. We decided to let him take a friend instead. Since we booked Early Saver, it doesn't allow name changes, so we had to cancel his cabin, including him, then immediately re-book it for him. Except we didn't know which friend he was taking, so our PVP just told us to call and give him that info. later. It was January when we finally added the friend.

 

We've recently booked a cruise for March 2020. It was one of their past guest ES rates they were offering. Our son wants to take a friend again, but he's not sure who. So again, our PVP said no problem, just let him know when we know. So for now, our son is booked in his own cabin. Not knowing the name of the friend isn't a problem because the rate is going to be the same for our son alone or with one more person. Our PVP didn't even list a "TBD." Right now it's just our son in that cabin. He never told us how long we can wait before adding the friend, but my guess is by final payment. Final payment is always the key for different things.

[Athankfulheart]

17 hours ago, Organized Chaos said:

 

 

We've recently booked a cruise for March 2020. It was one of their past guest ES rates they were offering. Our son wants to take a friend again, but he's not sure who. So again, our PVP said no problem, just let him know when we know. So for now, our son is booked in his own cabin. Not knowing the name of the friend isn't a problem because the rate is going to be the same for our son alone or with one more person. Our PVP didn't even list a "TBD." Right now it's just our son in that cabin. He never told us how long we can wait before adding the friend, but my guess is by final payment. Final payment is always the key for different things.

I think that in this case you have as long as there is room for another soul on the ship. My son is booked as a single for a group cruise we have in 2020 and that is what we are looking at for him.

Edited March 26, 2019 by Athankfulheart

[twinzzz]

I just called and was told the best route to go would make my DHs room a single, paying the 2 person rate less the taxes and port fees, and call once we know the name of the other passenger. 

Yes it needs to be done before final payment. 

[jmcathome]

On 3/25/2019 at 9:33 PM, twinzzz said:

We are in this boat, we just booked a cruise for next year but not sure if our son will be able to go because of school. 

I have the primary cruiser info completed for both cabins (DH and myself) but don’t want to fill in the other passengers names until we know for certain he will be able to go. 

 

If I'm reading correctly, I have until final payment to complete all passengers names?

That wass what my PVP told me last  month when i booked. Onl had to pay the taxes when booking new names. 

Edited March 27, 2019 by jmcathome

[Sea Hag]

1 hour ago, twinzzz said:

I just called and was told the best route to go would make my DHs room a single, paying the 2 person rate less the taxes and port fees, and call once we know the name of the other passenger. 

Yes it needs to be done before final payment. 

Couldn't that be a problem, since life boat capacity is limited for each cabin section? If they tell you to book as a single, then it seems to me that they might not let you add somebody later, since that section of cabins may be at capacity for life boats.

[twinzzz]

4 minutes ago, Sea Hag said:

Couldn't that be a problem, since life boat capacity is limited for each cabin section? If they tell you to book as a single, then it seems to me that they might not let you add somebody later, since that section of cabins may be at capacity for life boats.

Nothing was said to me about that, but they put a note on the booking that a 2nd passenger will be added at a later date. 

Hopefully it won’t be an issue as I will be adding the 2nd by September-once we have college schedules. 

 

Edited March 27, 2019 by twinzzz

[Sea Hag]

1 minute ago, twinzzz said:

Nothing was said to me about that, but they put a note on the booking that a 2nd passenger will be added at a later date. 

 

Should be okay then. I only posted the question because I've seen many people here saying that the cruise line wouldn't let them book a vacant 4 person cabin for 4 people due to life boat capacity. Hope it all works out. 🙂

[nodogkisses]

Just this morning, my daughter’s friend was able to book as a 3rd person into our room for a May 5th cruise.  She wants to surprise my daughter (she wasn’t able to get the time off work when we initially booked) and our PVP suggested to just book as aTBD in case my daughter goes online. This way she won’t see her name.  The PVP advised to keep it like this until 4 days before we cruise and then she can go online and complete her booking info and print her documents.  This cruise is long last final payment, as we cruise in 38 days. 

 

So apparently; you can keep someone as TBD for at least up to 4 days before sailing. 🤷🏻‍♀️

 

[Organized Chaos]

51 minutes ago, twinzzz said:

Nothing was said to me about that, but they put a note on the booking that a 2nd passenger will be added at a later date. 

Hopefully it won’t be an issue as I will be adding the 2nd by September-once we have college schedules. 

 

 

It won't be a problem. Our PVP did this for us last year and again when we booked last week. Last year we had a family cancel on us. Their 3 kids were supposed to room with our son. Our PVP cancelled their cabin and re-booked our son in it by himself (it was Early Saver, so no name changes). We added his friend a couple months later. Similar for our current booking. Our son is in a 2-person cabin by himself until we figure out which friend he'll take.