Help! Booking?

[abhb]

I am planning on booking Explorer for next June. I am booking 3 cabins. Question one-one cabin will be for my 23 yo DD. She is not really sure who she wants to take with her. Right now she is thinking of a friend. Next year, if she has a boyfriend, she would rather take the bf since DS is bring his GF. Do I give the friends name now for the booking? How close to sailing can you change the cabin names?

 

Question 2-How much is the deposit for a 9 day?

 

Question 3-What are the advantages of booking directly with RCL? I have only used TA's?

 

Question 4-How do you switch to a TA?

 

TIA

[karena1]

I am planning on booking Explorer for next June. I am booking 3 cabins. Question one-one cabin will be for my 23 yo DD. She is not really sure who she wants to take with her. Right now she is thinking of a friend. Next year, if she has a boyfriend, she would rather take the bf since DS is bring his GF. Do I give the friends name now for the booking? How close to sailing can you change the cabin names?

 

Question 2-How much is the deposit for a 9 day?

 

Question 3-What are the advantages of booking directly with RCL? I have only used TA's?

 

Question 4-How do you switch to a TA?

 

TIA

 

Will try to answer most

 

1. You can either book just her in the room for now, or put her and her friend in the room and pay deposit on both. Then if she has a BF by then you can just call and change the name as long as it is before final payment (I think). We have done name changes many times with no issue and I just book a room for my niece by herself and now have added her BF to the reservation and paid the extra deposit.

 

2. I think the deposit is $250 pp, someone can correct me if I am wrong.

 

3. Advantage of booking RCL direct is you have control over your res. YOu can call Royal any time regarding questions about your res. If a TA has it, you can only go through them

 

4. I always transfer my res right before final payment to a TA. That way I have control to that point. I have found a good TA that gives OBC's for transferring to her and she pays Royal direct with my CC. That is the key, make sure they pay direct. You don't want to pay the TA and then they use their money to pay Royal. My TA takes my CC and calls Royal and pays them. That way I still get my Double Points for paying with my Royal Caribbean card and I know the cruise is paid for.

 

Hope that helps.

[AllieInMD]

Pretty sure you can change names right up til a few days before departure - it's a Homeland Security thing that they have to have it in advance. My friend currently has a person's name in with his reservation - but we know it will change before the actual cruise - TA told him no problem, just call and she'll change it.

 

 

I am planning on booking Explorer for next June. I am booking 3 cabins. Question one-one cabin will be for my 23 yo DD. She is not really sure who she wants to take with her. Right now she is thinking of a friend. Next year, if she has a boyfriend, she would rather take the bf since DS is bring his GF. Do I give the friends name now for the booking? How close to sailing can you change the cabin names?

 

Question 2-How much is the deposit for a 9 day?

 

Question 3-What are the advantages of booking directly with RCL? I have only used TA's?

 

Question 4-How do you switch to a TA?

 

TIA

[icruiz2]

As long as your daughter's name is the main one on the reservation for that room, you may switch the other name.

[bluefintuna]

Yes, there are advantages to booking with the cruiseline directly, however, I hit a stone wall with RCL recently. We will go with an online TA because some offer free gratuities.