Book two cabins but stay in one

[Nike4000]

We've done this very thing on both Carnival and Royal - 1 balcony room and a nearby inside stateroom. As @BoozinCroozin stated, you have to have 1 adult booked in each room (depending on the age of the kiddos). My son and I were booked for the balcony room, while the wife & daughter were booked for the inside room. When we called asking about this situation, both cruise lines said it was a pretty routine situation and they just required that the rooms be close to each other and there be an adult booked to each room.

 

Once onboard, we asked the steward to make up the balcony room with beds together and the inside room with two singles. Easy peasy.

 

The other thing we did was stop by guest services and have my wife and I's keycards enabled to unlock both doors, with the kids only enabled for the inside room.

 

After that, nobody cared who was sleeping where, the kids got along great and really enjoyed having their own room. We liked having them nearby (they were across the hall and 1 door down), but it was very nice having a little privacy during a family vacation.

 

Oh, one other suggestion - we surprised the kids with some magnetic decorations that they could hang on the walls of their room. It was fun seeing how they moved things around each day & their room steward surprised them by rearranging and even adding to the décor. 

[canes20]

17 minutes ago, ALWAYS CRUZIN said:

ie. Mardi Gras has many like 9243 & 9247 you just need to look for them.

that is 2 balconies, in the OP they are looking at booking a balcony and an inside 

[Elaine5715]

26 minutes ago, Nike4000 said:

We've done this very thing on both Carnival and Royal - 1 balcony room and a nearby inside stateroom. As @BoozinCroozin stated, you have to have 1 adult booked in each room (depending on the age of the kiddos). My son and I were booked for the balcony room, while the wife & daughter were booked for the inside room. When we called asking about this situation, both cruise lines said it was a pretty routine situation and they just required that the rooms be close to each other and there be an adult booked to each room.

 

Once onboard, we asked the steward to make up the balcony room with beds together and the inside room with two singles. Easy peasy.

 

The other thing we did was stop by guest services and have my wife and I's keycards enabled to unlock both doors, with the kids only enabled for the inside room.

 

After that, nobody cared who was sleeping where, the kids got along great and really enjoyed having their own room. We liked having them nearby (they were across the hall and 1 door down), but it was very nice having a little privacy during a family vacation.

 

Oh, one other suggestion - we surprised the kids with some magnetic decorations that they could hang on the walls of their room. It was fun seeing how they moved things around each day & their room steward surprised them by rearranging and even adding to the décor. 

It isn't the booking nor the room keys nor the sleeping arrangements.  It is the inability to book a four person stateroom anywhere onboard for just two people.  

[canes20]

20 hours ago, thewynn said:

The cabin would have enough for 4 people. It is the same balcony cabin if I was to book us all into one cabin.

 

The difference is price is about $350 to do it as two cabins so it is tempting if it would work.

 

When you did the mock booking and it was $350 cheaper for 2 rooms, are you saying the exact same balcony room showed as available for 2 people as well as 4 people? If it was a choice to pick your own room under 2 guests, I do not see how they could not sell that room to you. 

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

31 minutes ago, canes20 said:

that is 2 balconies, in the OP they are looking at booking a balcony and an inside 

Well yes. Not adjoining.

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

20 hours ago, grumpyjr88 said:

Will the balcony room have enough beds? I know they have a couch that can be made up but someone might be sleeping on the floor. 

That is correct. An ocean view has more room. Plus can sleep 4 with no problem. Still depends on what ship Elation is only about $25 to $35 per person from an inside to adjoining  balcony.

[lescas]

Just tell no upgrades or changes to your reservation. We didn’t want to be move

ed away from family. 
 

[thewynn]

Thank you for the replies everyone, it was helpful. The fact we could have been moved out of our 4 person room to a 2 person actual was very helpful info.

This issue has pretty much resolved itself, out cruising party increased by 1 and so we went with a balcony and an ocean view with 3 in one and 2 in the other. I appreciate all the input.

[mondello]

11 minutes ago, thewynn said:

Thank you for the replies everyone, it was helpful. The fact we could have been moved out of our 4 person room to a 2 person actual was very helpful info.

This issue has pretty much resolved itself, out cruising party increased by 1 and so we went with a balcony and an ocean view with 3 in one and 2 in the other. I appreciate all the input.

I wanna go, too! Guess I have to wait my turn in July. Have a great cruise.

[Elaine5715]

1 hour ago, lescas said:

Just tell no upgrades or changes to your reservation. We didn’t want to be move

ed away from family. 
 

That will never stop them from relocating someone who has less than capacity in a stateroom.  Your cruise contract given them the ability to reassign cabins for any reason.

[rs45thompson]

19 hours ago, MCC retired said:

Booking a quad Balcony for only 2 guests may be your biggest challenge .

Then keeping it until sailing is another challenge .

You could be relocated to a double occ Balcony distant from that Inside cabin?

Would they do this if her kids are booked across the hall and the cabins are linked?  I thought depending on the age the kids could not be but a certain number of cabins from the parents?  Is this correct?

[beerman2]

3 hours ago, rs45thompson said:

Would they do this if her kids are booked across the hall and the cabins are linked?  I thought depending on the age the kids could not be but a certain number of cabins from the parents?  Is this correct?

They would have to book 1 adult and 1 child in each cabin ( assuming the kids are not a certain age) for Carnival to even let the booking happen.

[rs45thompson]

1 minute ago, beerman2 said:

They would have to book 1 adult and 1 child in each cabin ( assuming the kids are not a certain age) for Carnival to even let the booking happen.

But if they are a certain age they could book the kids in one room to guarantee that they are not moved?

[beerman2]

43 minutes ago, rs45thompson said:

But if they are a certain age they could book the kids in one room to guarantee that they are not moved?

No because they would be booking the balcony cabin that sleeps 4 with only 2 pax in it. That would allow Carnival to move them if a family of 4 actually wants/needs it to fit the number of pax.

[mondello]

I really don't think they are bumping anybody right now with the lower capacity we are seeing. Would be more of a problem when ships sail full. Probably more of a chance of getting bumped from an accessible cabin.

[cruiseracer]

We've done the same a few times and never any issues. Carnival will require an adult to be booked in each room, the room stewards are always accommodating and it's never been an issue. I can't imagine being bumped with the lower capacities. Do it and enjoy!

[Ombud]

Carnival will make duplicate keys for both staterooms and I love this idea. I can watch the game at night while they are watching a cartoon movie in the inside cabin. The only issue might be one getting an upgrade and moving it. Then the kids sleeping on the sofa. 👍

[canes20]

1 hour ago, Ombud said:

Carnival will make duplicate keys for both staterooms and I love this idea. I can watch the game at night while they are watching a cartoon movie in the inside cabin. The only issue might be one getting an upgrade and moving it. Then the kids sleeping on the sofa. 👍

 

What game can you watch on the stateroom tvs?

[Illbcruzn4life]

12 minutes ago, canes20 said:

 

What game can you watch on the stateroom tvs?

 

I was going to ask the same thing.

[Joe817]

17 minutes ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

 

I was going to ask the same thing.

Short answer.....none. Unfortunately. There's no sports programming on Carnival ships that's piped to individual staterooms. There are only 3 common cable channels in the cabin: HGTV, History Channel, TNT(?),  are the one's I remember from our Vista cruise last month. 

[Ombud]

I cruise on both Carnival and Princess. Hope I'm not confusing the options because I want the 2 room option -> balcony & inside

 

But I've been absent 2 yrs

 

Doesn't Carnival offer unlimited internet? If so, that's an option for sports 

Edited September 21, 2021 by Ombud

[F27TW]

Well if you're gonna book 2 cabins anyway, keep the silly kids across the hall in the inside one ... then u have some privacy at night for the bouncy-bouncy!    

[Victory Bound]

We actually did this on a cruise when our kids were 13 & 9.  When we initially were looking at pricing, it wasn't much more to book an inside cabin across the hall from our balcony cabin than to book a 3rd & 4th passenger in our balcony cabin.  It was so nice to have that extra space.  The kids had their own bathroom and each had a regular bed.  They didn't have to sleep on the couch or upper bunk bed.  My daughter even set up a personalized voicemail message on their phone.  😮  They were only in their cabin when we were in our cabin (sleeping, getting ready for dinner, etc.) 

 

We all enjoyed it so much that we did the same thing on our next cruise.

[asalligo]

Yes, this will work. We booked our kids an inside cabin across the hall and ended up just using it for showers and storage. Carnival did not care where anyone slept and the kids slept on the pull out sofa.