Extra room key

My sister is booked as the third passenger in our cabin, but will actually be staying in a cabin with a friend of ours who booked as a single. Will it be a problem for our friend to get an extra key for my sister so she can come and go without depending on our friend to let her in?

And if so, do we tell them at Guest Relations that she is sharing the room with our friend? Will that present a problem. I'm guessing they don't care where someone sleeps?

My sister is booked as the third passenger in our cabin, but will actually be staying in a cabin with a friend of ours who booked as a single. Will it be a problem for our friend to get an extra key for my sister so she can come and go without depending on our friend to let her in?

 

And if so, do we tell them at Guest Relations that she is sharing the room with our friend? Will that present a problem. I'm guessing they don't care where someone sleeps?

It might. Might not. You better get it right from the beginning. They may not give that extra key card. The extra key card it that other person's ID. Might be difficult if two ID are being used in two different location at the same time! Difference might cause something with fare too. Check with Seattle. You don't want to be planned on it and then end up with disappointment and embarrassment.

I am thinking it may be a problem if she is paying fare for 3rd person in a cabin, which is reduced fare or free, depending on the status of the person whose name in on the reservation. If she moves to a double, she is getting a double fraudulently.

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Couldn't the single just ask for an extra key as they hae a friend that will be dropping in/whatever line they want to use?

It's no problem. The extra key is not used as I.D. has no name on it can't be used for purchase's. it is only a room key.

Have always got them after we are onboard.

I am thinking it may be a problem if she is paying fare for 3rd person in a cabin, which is reduced fare or free, depending on the status of the person whose name in on the reservation. If she moves to a double, she is getting a double fraudulently.

 

 

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Perhaps not. The person in the single likely paid a hefty supplement.

It might make a difference for lifeboat assignment, particularly if the other room is not nearby.

My sister is booked as the third passenger in our cabin, but will actually be staying in a cabin with a friend of ours who booked as a single. Will it be a problem for our friend to get an extra key for my sister so she can come and go without depending on our friend to let her in?

 

And if so, do we tell them at Guest Relations that she is sharing the room with our friend? Will that present a problem. I'm guessing they don't care where someone sleeps?

I think they care very much as to where each passinger is at any given time, big brother wants to know in case there is any problems. Also friend has paid for solo cruise and second person would upset the apple cart as far as bookings go. Just a thought

The cabin stewards will be well aware that another person is staying in that "single booked" cabin. Even if you don't ask for an extra key, there will be questions asked. As previously stated, for safety reasons, they need to know where everyone is likely to be and where to search for them if they need to go to the lifeboats.

It's no problem. The extra key is not used as I.D. has no name on it can't be used for purchase's. it is only a room key.

Have always got them after we are onboard.

Yes, we get an extra key with friends who stayed in a different cabin. Only screw up we had as when HAL wrote Invitations, and because our friend had a surname that began before ours in the alphabet, she would get some of the only notices because her last name started with an earlier letter in the alphabet. She had no privileges (charging, etc.).

We did lose out on attending the Captain's Dinner with five other couples that cruise in 2015. That invite was given to out steward, and because our friend who had an "only entry" key, wasn't on the guest list for our Pinnacle Suite, it was never delivered as he the addressee didn't reside in our cabin. :confused: The next day, our of the concierges asked how the dinner was the preceding evening. I told him about the mix-up, as we didn't attend because we didn't get an Invitation. :(

HAL made up on our last cruise as we were selected for the Captain's Dinner hosted by a very charming, warm and friendly Captain Rens Van Eeerten in May on the Noordam. :) This time, the MDR Manager called us in our cabin with the invite. It could have been that all three different cruises we took the past 12 months, the same MDR Manager was on all three ships and recognized my wife and I.

WE have since put portable doorbell buttons on our door. They work wonderfully as they use Wi-Fi. Even in the long Pinnacle Suites aboard the Westerdam, Noordam and Zuiderdam, they performed well in any location of the long verandah. It was certainly worth the $15 to know when they arrived to join us for the evening.

You have to be careful here as this is a bit fraudulent to have the person as a 3rd in a cabin (as some sail for free) then actually share a cabin with a single.

I don't see how it is fraudulent because the single probably paid the supplemental charges.

What it does mess up is the cabin stewards tips. The steward now cleaning the single room is doing

Double work for no extra pay.

If you remove the tips on the other cabin ., now that steward is out.

I hope you leave tips on one.. and add full tips on the other

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I am thinking it may be a problem if she is paying fare for 3rd person in a cabin, which is reduced fare or free, depending on the status of the person whose name in on the reservation. If she moves to a double, she is getting a double fraudulently.

Not really fraud since the cruise company is still making it's money - because the single passenger normally pays the cost of the cabin as if 2 were staying in it and the 3rd person is already paying their fare in the other cabin ,,,, not the one. The single supplement cost for a single cabin is normally charged as a double or close to it.:o

The tipping question is a good one.

Am I the only person scratching her head wondering why the sister didn't book with the solo traveler in the first place?

And the only one wondering what friend is willing to pay two fares for solo occupancy but then invite somebody else to sleep there? If you were being generous, you'd just book it as two travelers and pay for it.

The only thing that makes sense to me if this switcheroo saves money for the sister and the solo.

Cruise lines discount to fill cabins. No surprise there. Single traveler fares are not always 200% and 3rd/4th in a stateroom sometimes travel free.

So in a scenario where the solo paid 150% instead of 200%, if you're still with me on this, the sister and the solo then agree among themselves to each pay only 75% of a usual double occupancy fare. Nice savings, and everybody's happy. The first couple won't have the "free" sister sharing their room...the sister isn't sleeping on a 3rd person bunk...and the friend saves 25% of a usual double occupancy fare for that cruise.

Or maybe I just have a nefarious mind from working for cruise lines long ago.

The cabin stewards will be well aware that another person is staying in that "single booked" cabin. Even if you don't ask for an extra key, there will be questions asked. As previously stated, for safety reasons, they need to know where everyone is likely to be and where to search for them if they need to go to the lifeboats.

Honestly , this happens all of the time on ships (read the Carnival boards ).

You just go to the lifeboat station you are assigned to.

I would think Hal would not know where I am all of the time, nor need to know. If they have to search for someone to go to lifeboats the OP sister could be anywhere.. not just in a cabin. Casino, show, Lido..or maybe she met up with someone else and is in their cabin playing canasta. ;)

The tipping question is a good one.

 

Am I the only person scratching her head wondering why the sister didn't book with the solo traveler in the first place?

 

And the only one wondering what friend is willing to pay two fares for solo occupancy but then invite somebody else to sleep there? If you were being generous, you'd just book it as two travelers and pay for it.

 

The only thing that makes sense to me if this switcheroo saves money for the sister and the solo.

 

Cruise lines discount to fill cabins. No surprise there. Single traveler fares are not always 200% and 3rd/4th in a stateroom sometimes travel free.

 

So in a scenario where the solo paid 150% instead of 200%, if you're still with me on this, the sister and the solo then agree among themselves to each pay only 75% of a usual double occupancy fare. Nice savings, and everybody's happy. The first couple won't have the "free" sister sharing their room...the sister isn't sleeping on a 3rd person bunk...and the friend saves 25% of a usual double occupancy fare for that cruise.

 

Or maybe I just have a nefarious mind from working for cruise lines long ago.

The same thing had occurred to me as well.

The best way to see a perk such as third passenger sailing for free disappear is for some people to work around it to their advantage.

I think they care very much as to where each passinger is at any given time, big brother wants to know in case there is any problems.

The only times HAL might know where I was based on my card are if I just paid for a drink somewhere, entered my cabin or if I got off the ship. Bu, I could have entered the cabin, then leave the cabin with my card in the cabin (no, not necessarily in the lights slot!).

I could be pretty much anywhere on the ship - sunning above the Crow's Nest, noshing in the buffet or walking the promenade and HAL would not have a clue as to where I was.

:D

Interesting scenario, and actually a question I wondered about for a different reason. We have booked an Alaskan cruise on the Eurodam next June; my husband, myself, and our three adult kids. We have a "signature suite" and across the hall have an inside room for the three kids, with our room kind of being considered "party central". Our kids are definitely sleeping in the room we have paid for for them, but can they have room keys to our room so they can hang out in our room during the day? I think someone mentioned that you can get a room key card to your room for someone without charging privileges on it, can anyone confirm please?

I was able to arrange for an extra room key, only for access to my cabin, via the Front Desk. It had no charging privileges and did not provide access to the Neptune Lounge.

Friends with a veranda cabin were kind enough to get me an access only/no charging privileges cabin key when we went through the Panama Canal.

Very easy to do, and (to my knowledge) no questions asked.

OP, don't give it a second thought.

Once onboard, just go to the customer service desk, tell them which cabin they'll be staying in, and get the correct key. They do NOT care who sleeps where. Folks do this ALL the time!

It's not a big deal, and will not affect what you paid.

What it does mess up is the cabin stewards tips. The steward now cleaning the single room is doing Double work for no extra pay.

I'm not sure how you conclude that having a second person in the cabin would create double the work. Depending on their sleeping arrangement, at most there might be an extra bed to make, but everything else remains unchanged. The time and effort required for vacuuming the floor or cleaning the toilet isn't going to double simply because there's a second person in the cabin.

If that is the case then why are tips PER PERSON and not by cabin?

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I don't see how it is fraudulent because the single probably paid the supplemental charges.

 

What it does mess up is the cabin stewards tips. The steward now cleaning the single room is doing

Double work for no extra pay.

 

If you remove the tips on the other cabin ., now that steward is out.

 

I hope you leave tips on one.. and add full tips on the other

 

 

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Tips are pooled so it makes no difference in money.

If that is the case then why are tips PER PERSON and not by cabin?

Hotel Service Charge is per person, so four people will be paying. The HSC is pooled, so it makes no difference.