Can I book an "empty" room (Suite Amenities related)?

[Orsino]

I've booked a suite with Star Class Amenities (Genie). This room has a maximum capacity of 6 people, but I've only booked 4.

I'm kicking around the idea of having my sister join us, but there really isn't room in the suite for her to sleep. Normally this wouldn't be a problem since she could book a separate room and just hang with us in the suite. But with the Star Class Amenities we would like to all have the same level of service and not exclude her. On one hand, I'm thinking we could book her in both rooms paying for a 5th in the suite AND paying for an extra room. This seems like it might be okay since we are still less than the maximum 6 people. But on the other hand, I can absolutely see this being forbidden since I don't know if she could be listed on 2 rooms, and the website is very clear on not adding guests to Genie services.

 

The way I'm looking at it is, I *could* book my sister in our room and have her share the master with our mom, but I'd really rather pay extra to let my sister have her own place to sleep.

 

Does anyone know the rule?

[DCL2RCI]

She'd only be able to check in to one room, so if you checked her in to the Star suite, the other room would be lost (no place to sleep) - if you checked her into the sleeping room, she'd not have Star class benefits. The only way I could think is to have a pawn - a sixth person (that will not get Star class benefits). Sister checks into Star suite, gets a second key for the pawn's room and sleeps there. Convoluted, but the only way I see it working.

[topnole]

You can’t book her in two rooms.  It is either or.  Get her the UDP and DB packages and the genie will include her in many things. We had friends in the cabin next door on our trip last month and the genie booked all our meals together for example (both in the cabin and at the specialty restaurants).  When we had dinner on our balcony, he brought us all a glass of wine.  They couldn’t come to the Coastal Kitchen however.  That was the one thing that was an absolute no.  So if that matters to you, take that into consideration.  The wives did a show together and the genie held them and a couple of the kids seats.  We even did a skating show and the genie held seats for all of us.  We didn’t ask for this, he just offered.  I’m sure he had plenty of Star class seating available for that one.  So be a little flexible if the genie is including someone extra.  For you only having one extra, I would imagine they will include them in nearly everything.  Just assume coastal kitchen is a no go and hope for the best on that.  
 

Fyi.  We didn’t really ask for them to be included.  In fact in my emails pre cruise I simply explained our dynamics and that we knew they wouldn’t be included and get Star class perks, but that we wanted to enjoy our perks as much as possible without making them feel like second class citizens.  I’m sure the genies get this a lot.  They do their best.  Our friends did not board or disembark with us.  They did that using the normal process.  So that is another issue you may want to consider.  

[topnole]

5 minutes ago, DCL2RCI said:

She'd only be able to check in to one room, so if you checked her in to the Star suite, the other room would be lost (no place to sleep) - if you checked her into the sleeping room, she'd not have Star class benefits. The only way I could think is to have a pawn - a sixth person (that will not get Star class benefits). Sister checks into Star suite, gets a second key for the pawn's room and sleeps there. Convoluted, but the only way I see it working.

Exactly.  But if she knows the pawn well enough to stay with them, then the pawn will be part of the group.  Now you need yet another pawn.  
 

No good solution here.  Just let the genie include her in as much as they can.  It will work out fine other than CK probably won’t happen for her and embarking and disembarking she will probably be in here own.  Ports will be different, but we have never used a genie to get on and off the ship.  

[RFerrington]

I completely concur with @topnole.  We have booked SC many times with other parties who were not SC and we never EVER had a problem having them included in our activities.  Absolutely, get the UDP and DBP for them and their experience will be the same as yours.  Chances are you will all be eating in specialties anyway so missing out on the CK won't be an issue except possibly at breakfast.  Frankly, with it just being 1 additional person, I don't think that they would even notice or care if that person showed up with everyone else for breakfast.

[topnole]

1 minute ago, RFerrington said:

I completely concur with @topnole.  We have booked SC many times with other parties who were not SC and we never EVER had a problem having them included in our activities.  Absolutely, get the UDP and DBP for them and their experience will be the same as yours.  Chances are you will all be eating in specialties anyway so missing out on the CK won't be an issue except possibly at breakfast.  Frankly, with it just being 1 additional person, I don't think that they would even notice or care if that person showed up with everyone else for breakfast.

Agree.  Personally, not having CK breakfast for us would be a huge let down (oasis class).  But as two different families, it was a good time to do things on our own anyhow.  The OPs situation will be different obviously.  
 

I’m not sure about them noticing on the CK.   They will surely look up the cabin number and know how many are booked.   I asked the manager if we could bring friends for just one meal (breakfast, lunch, or dinner) so they could see what it is like since they are interested in a suite next time.  He said they can’t allow that now.  I waited several days to ask because at that point I knew there was always plenty of space at breakfast and lunch when we ate there.  Definitely felt like the rules on that changed since Covid.  

[Biker19]

32 minutes ago, topnole said:

You can’t book her in two rooms.

The RCI IT system did allow for this BC (before COVID).

[Orsino]

Thank you all for your thorough and thoughtful responses (and so quick!). I knew I could rely on Cruise Critic boards to give me the information I needed. I'll lay it out for my sister and let her choose. She may not even be able to join us, but I wanted to know what was what.

[RFerrington]

2 minutes ago, Orsino said:

Thank you all for your thorough and thoughtful responses (and so quick!). I knew I could rely on Cruise Critic boards to give me the information I needed. I'll lay it out for my sister and let her choose. She may not even be able to join us, but I wanted to know what was what.

I guess my last recommendation would be...if you want her to be able to have breakfast with you in the CK (and I totally agree that missing that amenity would be HUGE) then book her into a Grand Suite and all will be solved.  She would even be able to join you for other meals in the CK if you decided to eat other meals there.

[Ourusualbeach]

47 minutes ago, topnole said:

can’t book her in two rooms

You can book them but they can't check in like that. 

[cindyscruise]

Can a rollaway be put in this cabin?

 

[bnaselli]

On 6/21/2022 at 9:25 AM, Orsino said:

Thank you all for your thorough and thoughtful responses (and so quick!). I knew I could rely on Cruise Critic boards to give me the information I needed. I'll lay it out for my sister and let her choose. She may not even be able to join us, but I wanted to know what was what.

I saw on a post that you were in an all the forward balcony cabin on the Anthem of the Seas.  Did you like it?  I am looking at deck 13 or 10. bnaselli1@comcast.net

[Bizaro86]

One (somewhat complicated) option would be to try and find someone sailing with a different larger group. IE we have a group of 4 booked into an ultra spacious ocean view. 

 

Book 1 person from the other group into a separate cabin, but have them stay with their party, while your sister is booked into your suite but stays in the separate cabin. 

[Orsino]

On 6/26/2022 at 9:25 AM, bnaselli said:

I saw on a post that you were in an all the forward balcony cabin on the Anthem of the Seas.  Did you like it?  I am looking at deck 13 or 10. bnaselli1@comcast.net

That was quite a while ago. I think we were near Adventure Ocean which was a concern for noise, but turned out to be not bad. I think the only noise was mid-day and nothing in the evenings.
I do recall that the glass on the balcony was not clear due to salt. We got our room steward to clean it, but he left us with the impression that he's not supposed to. It wasn't a dealbreaker for us, but if you spend a lot of time on the balcony and want to be able to see through the glass, then it is something to consider since I think forward cabins are more prone to salt spray.

[bnaselli]

10 hours ago, Orsino said:

That was quite a while ago. I think we were near Adventure Ocean which was a concern for noise, but turned out to be not bad. I think the only noise was mid-day and nothing in the evenings.
I do recall that the glass on the balcony was not clear due to salt. We got our room steward to clean it, but he left us with the impression that he's not supposed to. It wasn't a dealbreaker for us, but if you spend a lot of time on the balcony and want to be able to see through the glass, then it is something to consider since I think forward cabins are more prone to salt spray.

Thank you for your response.  I love this board such helpful people.  I booked the first forward cabin on deck 10.  Hoping that we don't feel the waves too much.