Adding another passenger

[DisneyQueen999]

Hi all,

I am hoping you can all help with a hypothetical question please.

 

We have a cruise booked for next year for myself, DH, DD and her partner. My DS has paid full price for a room on his own.

DS now has a GF which he may ask to join our cruise next year.

My question is, how would I add the GF to our cruise?

Is there a cut off date for adding another passenger?

Would there be an admin charge?

Would there be an extra charge for the room (shouldn't think so because DS has paid for 2 people sharing)?

We all have a drinks package and OBC included free, so would GF get this if she was added?

We are not flying so fortunately don't have to worry about this.

 

Thanks.

[c-leg5]

11 minutes ago, DisneyQueen999 said:

Hi all,

I am hoping you can all help with a hypothetical question please.

 

We have a cruise booked for next year for myself, DH, DD and her partner. My DS has paid full price for a room on his own.

DS now has a GF which he may ask to join our cruise next year.

My question is, how would I add the GF to our cruise?

Is there a cut off date for adding another passenger?

Would there be an admin charge?

Would there be an extra charge for the room (shouldn't think so because DS has paid for 2 people sharing)?

We all have a drinks package and OBC included free, so would GF get this if she was added?

We are not flying so fortunately don't have to worry about this.

 

Thanks.

 

Are you booking from the UK?

 

Did you book through a UK or US outlet?

[DisneyQueen999]

Hi c-leg5,

we booked onboard via future cruise desk.

[Grandma Dazzles]

You need to contact TA or whomever you booked the cruise with.  It’s better to check now in case the cruise fills up and you cannot add another person. Even if there is room in the cabin, there also needs to be room at the muster station for that cabin. 

[Jimbo]

How soon is the cruise?

[Clarea]

You can add apassenger up to 24-hours before the cruise, but I would not wait that long.

[Clarea]

2 minutes ago, Grandma Dazzles said:

You need to contact TA or whomever you booked the cruise with.  It’s better to check now in case the cruise fills up and you cannot add another person. Even if there is room in the cabin, there also needs to be room at the muster station for that cabin. 

 

I believe they reserve enough space in the muster station for two people in each stateroom.  In other words, they will stop allowing the 3rd (and more) guests to book, but still allow the 2nd person in a stateroom to book.

[Jimbo]

Can the OP cancel the original booking and rebook for 2, if second person doesn't go, just show up at pier as a no-show...........was original booking non-refundable or refundable?

 

Call whoever you booked through and let them give you your best options?

Edited August 17, 2019 by Jimbo

[DisneyQueen999]

Mmm it's a bit difficult as DS may or may not be with his GF this time next year.

Just exploring options at present.

We've only paid the deposit when we booked with Future Cruise desk, balance is due around June 2020.

[DisneyQueen999]

Got the answer now after phoning RCI.

Because DS had a discount for single occupancy, by adding his GF the cost would increase by £3000 😨

GF wouldn't get the drinks package or OBC and I'm not sure if they said that DS would lose his then.

No cut off date but advised to add GF asap.

Didn't answer the question of an admin charge.

[Clarea]

2 minutes ago, DisneyQueen999 said:

 ...  by adding his GF the cost would increase by £3000 😨 ...

 

That is one expensive girlfriend!😱

[katiel53]

I realize the situation I am going to talk about was a few years ago, but my dad booked as a single in a balcony cabin and paid for 2 people as was the policy.  A few months before the cruise, he wanted to add another person to his cabin.

 

He was NOT allowed to do so as the lifeboat was at capacity in that there were cabins that had 3 or more people in them.  I don't know if this is still the policy, but if I were thinking of adding someone, I'd do it asap.

 

I agree with checking the cruise line to see if it is possible as well as the drinks package.  My guess, and it's only a guess, is that if that promotion is still available, she may be able to get it, but if that is no longer the case, she won't.  I don't know about bookings through the UK though as in many cases they are very different from those of the US.

 

 

Edited to add I'm glad you got the answer.  I was typing while you were.

Edited August 17, 2019 by katiel53

[DisneyQueen999]

Host Clarea, yes it looks like 😂

 

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. Life is never simple 😁

[c-leg5]

I don't know about bookings through the UK though as in many cases they are very different from those of the US.

 

Exactly and since OP booked through next cruise I think the rules are different again. However, it appears OP now has an answer. Who knows if they phoned again if they would get a different answer.

[marci22]

54 minutes ago, DisneyQueen999 said:

Got the answer now after phoning RCI.

Because DS had a discount for single occupancy, by adding his GF the cost would increase by £3000 😨

 

I would call back and ask the same question and see what answer you get. That seems really high just to add a person to a cruise that is next year. 

[DisneyQueen999]

marci22,

I went to RCI website and priced the same category room a couple of doors away for 2 people sharing and it cost about £7400, so it looks like what RCI are telling me is correct. 

We're cruising with RCI in 3 weeks so I may query it with future cruise desk.

[brillohead]

21 hours ago, katiel53 said:

I realize the situation I am going to talk about was a few years ago, but my dad booked as a single in a balcony cabin and paid for 2 people as was the policy.  A few months before the cruise, he wanted to add another person to his cabin.

 

He was NOT allowed to do so as the lifeboat was at capacity in that there were cabins that had 3 or more people in them.  I don't know if this is still the policy, but if I were thinking of adding someone, I'd do it asap.

I often book solo, and my travel agent has assured me that the second passenger's space is always protected in a double-occupancy room, and I'm price-protected for the fare -- all I have to do is add the port fees/taxes for the second person, up to 24 hours before the cruise.  

This is with Royal Caribbean, not sure what other lines do.  

[Clarea]

4 minutes ago, brillohead said:

I often book solo, and my travel agent has assured me that the second passenger's space is always protected in a double-occupancy room, and I'm price-protected for the fare -- all I have to do is add the port fees/taxes for the second person, up to 24 hours before the cruise.  

This is with Royal Caribbean, not sure what other lines do.  

 

That was also my understanding. 

[brillohead]

Just want to add that my experience of price protection for the second passenger applies only when paying Full Single Supplement (double the fare).   

[Ourusualbeach]

41 minutes ago, brillohead said:

I often book solo, and my travel agent has assured me that the second passenger's space is always protected in a double-occupancy room, and I'm price-protected for the fare -- all I have to do is add the port fees/taxes for the second person, up to 24 hours before the cruise.  

This is with Royal Caribbean, not sure what other lines do.  

 

36 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

That was also my understanding. 

 

It was also mine until a recent conversation with a resolutions specialist who told me that new changes to 3rd and 4th guests have already started on Oasis and will follow to other ships.

 

With the re-categorization on Oasis they are adding many rooms that only sleep 3.  If you have 3 guests you will only be allowed to book these and not a quad.  If you booked a quad and one guest cancels you will be moved to a triple.  Based on this and the report that someone could not add a guest to a solo booking due to muster capacity it would not surprise me in the least if Royal has changed their policy on holding double  space in the muster station if only one guest is listed on the reservation.

 

My advise would be to always book a second guest (unless their is a deal on the solo supplement) and then cancel just before the cruise or when you are 100% sure that there is no chance anyone will be tagging along.

 

 

 

[cruisingn09]

I too have booked a solo cruise (did not receive solo occupancy rate) several times and added another passenger before the cruise. The only costs added were port fees/taxes. As long as there is lifeboat capacity to add another person you should be able to see and only incur these costs. You said he received a reduced price. That does not matter unless he received a “solo occupancy rate” meaning he paid less than a double occupancy rate. If he paid double the fare for the room, it does not matter that it was a cheaper price than the current price. Example:  say when he booked the price was $1000 pp and, when he booked the room just for himself, he paid $2000 plus port/taxes. He paid the double occupancy rate. 

 

I would call call back and speak to another agent. 

[ONECRUISER]

1 hour ago, cruisingn09 said:

I too have booked a solo cruise (did not receive solo occupancy rate) several times and added another passenger before the cruise. The only costs added were port fees/taxes. As long as there is lifeboat capacity to add another person you should be able to see and only incur these costs. You said he received a reduced price. That does not matter unless he received a “solo occupancy rate” meaning he paid less than a double occupancy rate. If he paid double the fare for the room, it does not matter that it was a cheaper price than the current price. Example:  say when he booked the price was $1000 pp and, when he booked the room just for himself, he paid $2000 plus port/taxes. He paid the double occupancy rate. 

 

I would call call back and speak to another agent. 

OP said didn't pay Full Double occupancy, got a Solo discount, not sure same as me as only sail Solo receiving the above 340 point Discount. To add a second person to my bookings would cost more then just the Taxes

Edited August 18, 2019 by ONECRUISER

[SRF]

On 8/17/2019 at 11:50 PM, DisneyQueen999 said:

Got the answer now after phoning RCI.

Because DS had a discount for single occupancy, by adding his GF the cost would increase by £3000 😨

GF wouldn't get the drinks package or OBC and I'm not sure if they said that DS would lose his then.

No cut off date but advised to add GF asap.

Didn't answer the question of an admin charge.

 

I was going to say, by adding the person, they will reprice.  And they did.

 

Most times, it is easier in the long run to book an TBD person for the 2nd, just in case.  But he probably did not want to, due the reduced single price, versus paying for 2.

[SRF]

14 hours ago, cruisingn09 said:

I too have booked a solo cruise (did not receive solo occupancy rate) several times and added another passenger before the cruise. The only costs added were port fees/taxes. As long as there is lifeboat capacity to add another person you should be able to see and only incur these costs. You said he received a reduced price. That does not matter unless he received a “solo occupancy rate” meaning he paid less than a double occupancy rate. If he paid double the fare for the room, it does not matter that it was a cheaper price than the current price. Example:  say when he booked the price was $1000 pp and, when he booked the room just for himself, he paid $2000 plus port/taxes. He paid the double occupancy rate. 

 

I would call call back and speak to another agent. 

 

He got a special solo rate.

 

So, it it was $1000 pp, he paid between $1000 and $1500 (most likely). 

 

Then, since he is adding a person, they are repricing at TODAY'S rate, which might be $1500 pp.  So, in this example, he could go from $1000 to $3000, plus port fees and taxes.

 

HE DID NOT PAY DOUBLE OCCUPANCY RATE.

[DisneyQueen999]

He didn't pay double occupancy rate, but if what he did pay was the solo rate then RCI don't give much discount.

I priced his room recently and double occupancy is £7400.

I booked his room, it's a family holiday. It never occured to me to book double occupancy at the time 'just in case' and I didn't even know you could do that without supplying the other guest's name.