Booking multiple people/cabins question

[jimbug]

Okay, here's a booking logistics question...hopefully someone has been in the same situation and can offer a suggestion or two...

 

We have 2 confirmed passengers as of right now. We have 2 other friends who *might* join us. One will know within a month or so, but the other one won't know until right around final payment date.

 

If we have only 3 people going, we will all share a cabin, no big deal...I can just call our TA and add the 3rd person whenever they decide for sure.

 

However, if we have 4 people going, we want to split into two cabins. Here is my dilemma:

 

Let's say Passenger #3 decides next month she wants to go. Should I a) call my TA and add her as a 3rd passenger in our cabin, or b) book her in her own cabin, lest Passenger #4 decide she can go later?

 

If Passenger #4 does decide she can go and we add her into Passenger #3's cabin (which would, of course, have been booked at a single-occupancy rate), will Passengers 3 and 4 get the double-occupancy rate at the time they switch to double? or will they get the double-occupancy rate at the time Passenger #3 booked as a single? (aaaahhhh!)

 

I guess what it boils down to is this: Does it lock in the double-occupancy price if Passenger #3 books as a single and later adds in Passenger #4 and changes to a double?

 

If you followed this....many thanks!!!

[buddyjo143]

I have no idea, :confused:, however, it would seem to me that you would want to know right now how likely #3 is to travel with you because unless you ask for a cabin that will hold three, you will be out of luck if they decide they want to go with you.

 

 

[mrdood]

If you don't have a cabin that can accomodate three, you will have to move, if there even is one available, same with that second cabin, depends on how the cruise is selling... of course at final payment, they always get some drop outs that cancel.

[Nightwind]

My advice: Either way, if you don't do it right the first time, you'll get charged change fees, which is I believe about $50.

 

So, off the top of my head, I think what'd I'd do is book three people in one cabin for the moment, mostly because there only limited cabins in a ship that will accommodate 3 or more people. That way, if passenger #4 doesn't get to go, you're set. If passenger #4 decides to go, then you just book another cabin (all cabins will accomodate two people, so those cabins are plentiful) and cancel the 3rd person in the original cabin. If neither Passenger #3 nor Passenger #4 can make it, you just cancel Passenger #3 from the original cabin. Whatever the case, you'll be out $50, but at least this way you'll know that you have a cabin for three if you end up needing it.

[yearnin4cruisin]

Whatever you book now, you will have to pay the deposit. That being said, if you book two people in a cabin you lock in that price should it go up. If you book a third person now, you have to pay the deposit, but won't have to pay any increase in 3rd person if that price should go up. If the third person should cancel out, you'll get your full refund back, less a charge by your TA, if it's before the 60 days prior to sailing (or whatever it is for the cruise you're planning).

 

Of course your other option is to book two cabins now but then you'd have to pay deposit on four people. Same refund applies.

 

If you book a third person in a cabin alone he/she will have to pay a singles surcharge which, depending on the cruise, can be up to 200% but you only pay for one deposit. That should lock in the double rate if there is a change for adding one person. If I understand the rules correctly, the fourth person (second in the cabin booked as a single) pays whatever double rate is current when they book.

 

If it's a very popular cruise and you think your chosen cabin category will sell out, I would book both cabins at once.

 

I know there are TA's on this board. Maybe they can help.

[Kurbanfan]

My advice: Either way, if you don't do it right the first time, you'll get charged change fees, which is I believe about $50.

 

 

We have switched cabins around and even changed different ships (same line) and never were charged a fee. I believe the fee you are talking about only applies when one person is paid in full and you decide to bring another person in their place.

[jimbug]

Yes, my TA has confirmed there are no fees for switching, adding, etc.

 

I guess what I am confused about is that we want inside guarantee cabins, and when you go to book, they all allow a minimum of 4 people (some 5). So should I be worried about a cabin accomodating 3 or not? It seems as though all IS cabins accomodate at least 4? (not Cat 1A, which is not included in IS guarantee)

 

Otherwise, what I'm concerned about is this: if we book Person #3 in her own cabin for the time being as a single-occupancy, and we later add in Person #4, what double-occupancy rate will they be charged? The one at the original time of single-occupancy booking? Or the one at the time we add Person #4?

 

Thanks again!

[Nightwind]

Well, my mistake with the charges, then. :) Sorry for the bad info. :)

 

While I can't answer the question about single occupancy, I would THINK that if you book an inside guarantee for three people, they'll give you a cabin that will fit three when you check in. If in the end you don't have the third person in your party, they'll just assign you a cabin that doesn't have uppers or what-have-you when you check in.

[Kurbanfan]

Otherwise, what I'm concerned about is this: if we book Person #3 in her own cabin for the time being as a single-occupancy, and we later add in Person #4, what double-occupancy rate will they be charged? The one at the original time of single-occupancy booking? Or the one at the time we add Person #4?

 

Thanks again!

 

A single person will pay the same as double, minus one set of taxes and port charge. When you add the second person they will just add on the second port charge and tax. Hope that makes sense.

[cherylandtk]

Otherwise, what I'm concerned about is this: if we book Person #3 in her own cabin for the time being as a single-occupancy, and we later add in Person #4, what double-occupancy rate will they be charged? The one at the original time of single-occupancy booking? Or the one at the time we add Person #4?Thanks again!

The fare will be that in effect at the time of booking. Under your scenario it could be EITHER the current rate for #3 applied, with the later rate for #4 OR it could be the later rate for both #3 and #4. In some cases, when a single changes to double occupancy, the cruiseline insists its actually a cancellation of the single and a re-book and will require that both #3 and #4 pay the fare in effect at that time. This tends to happen when there has been a large fare increase, and yes, they can do it, but they don't always.

 

I would book the three confirmed people into one cabin and have that part of it all nailed down now. (I assume you three will share all costs evenly). That way you three have a cabin, regardless of if or when #4 decides to act.

 

Then, just prior to final payment, find out whether #4 is able to go and what the total fares for both cabins would be at that time if #3 leaves your cabin and shares with #4. (When going from a triple to a double, the individual costs to #1 and #2 will increase). This usually is no problem, assuming the ship still is selling double inside guarantees.

 

There is value in being able to commit to a price upfront; the first three are getting the prices in effect now because they can commit to it. #4 may have to pay extra for the privilege of waiting until the last minute. What you all have to decide is whether or not you are going to share the costs equally or whether the fourth person will pay a portion or all of possibly increased rates because of waiting to book later.

 

You have several options for sharing costs:

a) you currently have one price as a triple, shared equally

b) you currently have another price as a triple, shared pro-rated by who has to sleep in the bunk

c)You have a third price as a double, higher than a) but based on current pricing, that is currently available to both #3 and #4 as a double booking, even though they both are unable to commit as yet.

d) You have an unknown future price of a double, in effect at the time that #4 decides to book.

 

You can decide that the first three people will pay price a) if the booking stays as a triple, and no more than price c) if # 4 decides to go, but #4 would have to pay all costs above c) which are those associated with their delayed decision. Or you can agree to all share any increased costs equally (each pay price d) or you can agree that #4 will have to pay half the increase for the privilege of waiting, but that you other three will pay the other half (or some other percentage) of any increase.

 

Whatever you all decide, be sure to include travel insurance for everyone, just in case one of you has to cancel after final payment--that way the other three are not left with increased costs.

[jimbug]

Thank you!

 

I think that as of now, we are going to require #4 to tell us soon (like within a month, along with #3) if she can go or not. While it may put her in a bind, it will make our plans a lot less complicated to know if we need to reserve hotels, excursions, etc. for 3 people or 4.

 

We'll just hold out on booking #3 and #4 until they both definitely tell us yay or nay, so we avoid booking and switching.

 

Thanks again for everybody's help. What a complicated situation!

 

I am hoping the "12th Day of Christmas" sale for $200 off virtually all 2007 sailings (or so they say...) will apply, and maybe I can get them both to make up their minds if it's such a big savings!