Fictitious 3rd person on booking to get the cabin you want

[robtx100]

Has anyone ever used a fictitious 3rd person on your booking to get the cabin you wanted? If so, did you cancel that person prior to the cruise or just show up and check in without the "person"? Insurance IS NOT involved, so there won't be any insurance fraud, but wondering how the 3rd person not showing up would affect gratuities, etc. Also, before anyone starts flaming me for even asking such a question, Royal is the one that changed their policy to only allowing certain number of passengers in the most sought after cabins. 

[awestover89]

You will pay for the third person. If they are a no-show they won't be charged gratuities and taxes and port fees will be refunded. I don't think you can expect to get any refund for their cruise fare, though. If you cancel the third person before final Royal may reprice the reservation and make you move to a 2 person cabin (we had this happen when we had an actual third person who originally was planning on going but backed out about 6 months before sailing)

[Biker19]

3 minutes ago, robtx100 said:

but wondering how the 3rd person not showing up would affect gratuities, etc.

The grats won't be charged and the taxes/fees will be refunded.  

[reallyitsmema]

6 minutes ago, robtx100 said:

Has anyone ever used a fictitious 3rd person on your booking to get the cabin you wanted? If so, did you cancel that person prior to the cruise or just show up and check in without the "person"? Insurance IS NOT involved, so there won't be any insurance fraud, but wondering how the 3rd person not showing up would affect gratuities, etc. Also, before anyone starts flaming me for even asking such a question, Royal is the one that changed their policy to only allowing certain number of passengers in the most sought after cabins. 

 

Did you call and try to get the cabin released for just two people?  I was trying to book a balcony for two and all of them disappeared overnight but there were plenty for 3 or 4.  I was able to get a coveted corner aft cabin released for just two of us.  Balconies for two reappeared but I was able to keep my cabin.

[irishgal432]

Add a child under 12 if it’s a kids sail free sailing. 

[robtx100]

Thank you all for the replies. We don't have a problem paying the 3rd person rate as it is not that much. And that would be fair to Royal, I guess. I was concerned how the whole "no-show" would work. There are still plenty of 2 person balconies, so I don't think they would open a 3 person for 2 people, even if it is a more desirable location. 

[Scoobydobe7]

curious...what ship and what cabin#...-No need to post date..just wondering what cabin could be worth it...😁

[Merion_Mom]

13 minutes ago, Scoobydobe7 said:

curious...what ship and what cabin#...-No need to post date..just wondering what cabin could be worth it...😁

 

I don't know about the OP,  but these discussions are usually about the corner aft cabins on Voyager and Freedom class ships.  Or at least they used to be.  😄 

[John&LaLa]

9 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

I don't know about the OP,  but these discussions are usually about the corner aft cabins on Voyager and Freedom class ships.  Or at least they used to be.  😄 

 

Vision/Rhapsody ones are pretty cool

Edited February 19, 2020 by John&LaLa

[cindivan]

1 hour ago, robtx100 said:

Thank you all for the replies. We don't have a problem paying the 3rd person rate as it is not that much. And that would be fair to Royal, I guess. I was concerned how the whole "no-show" would work. There are still plenty of 2 person balconies, so I don't think they would open a 3 person for 2 people, even if it is a more desirable location. 

  Perhaps not “fair” for room steward and loss of gratuities for them. Although I’m not sure how Royal doles out assignments for room stewards.  

[John&LaLa]

Just now, cindivan said:

  Perhaps not “fair” for room steward and loss of gratuities for them. Although I’m not sure how Royal doles out assignments for room stewards.  

 

Tons of folks sail solo and the cabin steward only gets one portion of grats

[cairns local]

Without implicating myself 😇 😏....  Done this and just had 'no show' at counter.  No problems, no questions asked.

[cruiseguy1016]

12 hours ago, robtx100 said:

Has anyone ever used a fictitious 3rd person on your booking to get the cabin you wanted? If so, did you cancel that person prior to the cruise or just show up and check in without the "person"? Insurance IS NOT involved, so there won't be any insurance fraud, but wondering how the 3rd person not showing up would affect gratuities, etc. Also, before anyone starts flaming me for even asking such a question, Royal is the one that changed their policy to only allowing certain number of passengers in the most sought after cabins. 

 

We have done this in order to get the corner aft on Adventure. The third person was only $200 more so we thought it was worth it. We were told that if we cancelled the third person, even just a few days before sailing, there was a chance that RCI would move us from that cabin so that they could put 3 passengers in it. We had the third person be a no show. Gratuities, taxes and port fees were all refunded.

[DCL2RCI]

Keep the age of the third passenger under 21 - otherwise you'll have to pay for their drink package, too. 🙂

You'd get it back, but better to just not have to pay for it in the first place.

[The Fun Researcher]

This is really good to know, and I'm surprised I hadn't thought of this option sooner. 

 

We're a family of 5 and typically book connecting inside cabins (when sailing as a family).  It's really hard to find connecting cabins that hold just 2 in one cabin and 3-4 in the other.  However, there are typically a lot more that hold 3-4 in one cabin and 3-4 in the connecting cabin.  I'm fine paying for a 3rd ghost in one of the rooms so that we can book the connecting room combination that we want.

Dan

[NateUpNorth]

Honest question - what's so special about the corner aft cabins?

I automatically think it must be either A) bigger space, same category as samller or B) better views/windows? 

[cruiseguy1016]

They have HUGE balconies.

[Merion_Mom]

22 minutes ago, NateUpNorth said:

Honest question - what's so special about the corner aft cabins?

I automatically think it must be either A) bigger space, same category as samller or B) better views/windows? 

 

Yes.  😄 

 

To be specific about Voyager and Freedom class ships, which are identical on the aft except for the numbering, Deck 10 aft corner cabins have both a very large balcony and the floor space of (almost) a Junior Suite, for the price of a Spacious Balcony cabin.  Other decks have much larger balconies than side cabins.  Corner aft cabin on Deck 7 has a HUUUUUGE wrap-around balcony.  

[cruiseguy1016]

And the views are spectacular.

[orville99]

17 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

I don't know about the OP,  but these discussions are usually about the corner aft cabins on Voyager and Freedom class ships.  Or at least they used to be.  😄 

They’re doing this on Oasis-class ships (at least for the JS). Just got off of Harmony last Sunday, and while we were onboard we did a Next Cruise booking for Allure for August 2021. There were only two JS on deck 8 that the agent could book for two people, but when we asked her to check for a party of three, more than a dozen popped up. She informed us that those cabins were still “locked” for three or more passengers. Did online mock bookings for Harmony, Oasis, and Allure for the 2021/2022 season, and when i put in two passengers, the selection is extremely limited, but when i put in three, I have the pick of the litter.😵

[NateUpNorth]

1 hour ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

Yes.  😄 

 

To be specific about Voyager and Freedom class ships, which are identical on the aft except for the numbering, Deck 10 aft corner cabins have both a very large balcony and the floor space of (almost) a Junior Suite, for the price of a Spacious Balcony cabin.  Other decks have much larger balconies than side cabins.  Corner aft cabin on Deck 7 has a HUUUUUGE wrap-around balcony.  

 

Thanks.

*copies above post for future booking attempts*

[Bees29]

2 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

Yes.  😄 

 

To be specific about Voyager and Freedom class ships, which are identical on the aft except for the numbering, Deck 10 aft corner cabins have both a very large balcony and the floor space of (almost) a Junior Suite, for the price of a Spacious Balcony cabin.  Other decks have much larger balconies than side cabins.  Corner aft cabin on Deck 7 has a HUUUUUGE wrap-around balcony.  

We have 7688 on Mariner. I was assuming it was as the pictures above. What do you mean by the Wrap-around? Does it have even more space?

 

[mitsugirly]

My daughter was trying to get a 4 person room, but only booking 2 people. She has confirmed 2 of her party is going but they might add 2 others at a later date. We tried to get a 4 person room with just booking 2 people and couldn't do it. We hadn't thought of this.

 

I wonder what would happen if it was booked with a TA? Would RC still refund the price of the 3rd person? Just wondering because when you book after a certain date, were the full amount of the cruise has to be paid for, it says no refunds.

 

Any thoughts?

[Merion_Mom]

1 hour ago, Bees29 said:

We have 7688 on Mariner. I was assuming it was as the pictures above. What do you mean by the Wrap-around? Does it have even more space?

 

 

Instead of just being the space that goes straight back from the cabin boundaries, it goes "around the corner".

 

You see that in the pictures in post #20.

[Merion_Mom]

2 hours ago, Bees29 said:

We have 7688 on Mariner. I was assuming it was as the pictures above. What do you mean by the Wrap-around? Does it have even more space?

 

 

Just another note, @Bees29 We had this cabin on our first three cruises. Definitely part of how we got hooked on cruising!