Name Changes and Changing Room Occupants once onboard Questions

[jmoak]

I have a couple of questions that I was hoping the experts on the board could assist with. We are contemplating booking an upcoming cruise in November and have another couple who may join us.  Only issue is that our friends just found out the wife is pregnant.  My questions pertain to a couple of different topics:

 

1. My wife is no longer a drinker and my buddy's wife will be pregnant, so I was thinking that myself and buddy could book a room together and get the Cheers plan and then book the wives in a room with no drink plan.  I believe I have heard that once on board you can "switch" rooms?  How does this work...COuld we move my wife to my room and my buddy to his spouse's room?  And still both of us guys retain the Cheers program?  Just looking for some guidance on how this may work.

 

2.  If we booked this route and ultimately my friends cancelled on us (I'm a little concerned they may bail closer to time due to pregnancy), what is the process for replacing each of them with "new" occupants in the room?  For example, if another couple decided to come? Or we could bring our children in case?  

 

I know is sounds a little convoluted and at the end of the day I may just decide it isn't worth the risk...But I wanted to see what the options were for these scenarios.

Thanks in advance for any guidance...

 

Jmoak

[firefly333]

Np changing once onboard.

 

However if they cancel it's going to cost. Es for instance is a non refundable rate. I believe it costs 50 to change a name. One of the original has to stay to change names. They cant both cancel easily and be replaced. I just wouldnt consider booking with a mixed up cabin if the other couple might cancel.

[Cruisesfun65]

It's very easy to just get extra cabin keys on board, then everyone sleeps with their own spouse and the guys get their Cheers.

However, I would NOT book this way if there's a chance the other couple might cancel. That's a true can of worms.

[mondello]

Agree that you should not book if they may back out. However, you could book 2 cabins with you and wife each in 1 of the rooms. The other guest in each cabin does not have to be named at time of booking. I'm not sure at what point Carnival requires the other guest info must be added to booking? Best to just wait and book later, prices for Nov. should be pretty low except for Thanksgiving cruises.

[Sauer-kraut]

Also there is a pregnancy restriction.   If Buddy's wife is past a certain number of weeks into the pregnancy,  she will not be allowed to cruise.

[jmoak]

1 hour ago, mondello said:

Agree that you should not book if they may back out. However, you could book 2 cabins with you and wife each in 1 of the rooms. The other guest in each cabin does not have to be named at time of booking. I'm not sure at what point Carnival requires the other guest info must be added to booking? Best to just wait and book later, prices for Nov. should be pretty low except for Thanksgiving cruises.

I had planned to book me in one room and wife in the other. I didn't realize you didn't have to actually name the other guests at booking? That's interesting...That could leave the option for someone else to join later (another couple or our kids).  

 

I didn't think about getting the extra cards as well...That would make it easiest rather than trying to get things swapped out...

[mondello]

56 minutes ago, jmoak said:

I had planned to book me in one room and wife in the other. I didn't realize you didn't have to actually name the other guests at booking? That's interesting...That could leave the option for someone else to join later (another couple or our kids).  

 

I didn't think about getting the extra cards as well...That would make it easiest rather than trying to get things swapped out...

Yeah, but I was before final payment. I'm not sure how long you can leave the other guests TBD. You can do this if a fare is expiring or want a certain cabin. As long as you can at least add your kids. Otherwise I'd wait.

[WildBlueYonder64]

We have 2 cabins booked and completely paid for that have 1 guest named and the second guest listed as TBA. We've done this several times in the past, just have to add the second guest before check in. We usually will add the names about a month to 6 weeks before the cruise. We've never done it to take advantage of the Cheers program, but from what I've read on here, it's pretty easy to swap rooms once onboard.

[rlindholm]

We are cruising 10/2 and had two rooms booked.  One for my husband and I and one for my son and a TBA because we thought he might bring a friend.  I called 31 days before the cruise day to take the TBA off since a friend was not coming.  Up until that point besides maybe 1 email reminding me to enter the other person's info, I wasn't pressured into naming the guest.  There was not due date given on the email, it really was just like a gentle reminder.

[volfan22701]

21 hours ago, jmoak said:

I had planned to book me in one room and wife in the other. I didn't realize you didn't have to actually name the other guests at booking? That's interesting...That could leave the option for someone else to join later (another couple or our kids).  

 

I didn't think about getting the extra cards as well...That would make it easiest rather than trying to get things swapped out...

Swapping out the names in the rooms and getting new cards takes just a few minutes at guest services after boarding. we have done this on at least a half dozen cruises because we both get good casino room rates and can book rooms for friends or family cheaper.

[jmoak]

Great!  Thanks for all of the replies. It is much appreciated.