Family veranda cabin on Infinity- paying for invisible 5th person

[milokama]

Hi Everyone,

New to the boards and loving all the info here.

So excited.... I feel like I'm pregnant again, having to wait 8 more months before my cruise!

 

My question: I booked a Family veranda, one of the aft corner rooms on the vista deck. My TA told me I had to pay for 5 bodies (even though there's only 4 of us in the room).

 

Is this consistent with what others have found? I really wanted this particular room b/c my husband wants space... and it clearly has the most room of anything else I've seen. I want the cruise to be a good experience for him so we can do it again and again and again and again....

 

My parents are booked in a Celebrity suite and I'm toying with the idea of upgrading to the adjoining celebrity suite... but not sure if it'll be worth the $$$... seeing as we'll want to do shore excursions, and buy drink packages.

 

any thoughts would be most appreciated!

[kitty9]

Why would your travel agent make you pay for someone not cruising? That makes absolutely no sense. When you go to the theater, do you purchase 5 tickets when only four are in attendance? You need a new travel agent. Celebrity Suites are nice, but they don't have a balcony, which is a big negative, IMHO.

[PartyAllDaTyme]

I tried doing a dummy booking for a FV for the 6/22/12 Infinity sailing. The website won't even let you enter five people, so I don't see how they could require you to pay for five. I would ask your TA to clarify this-- sounds like something fishy to me.

[PartyAllDaTyme]

Infinity in eight months-- I assume this is Alaska. kitty9 is right about the lack of balconies in CS, but at least you'd miss it less than in the warm Caribbean. However, I'd still love to be in that aft FV, and you can always put on a jacket.

[cruiseacecat]

I believe Infinity will be having balconies added to the Celebrity suites in its dry dock, as will Summit in Jan. Someone correct me please, if I am wrong.

 

Anne

[oskarNZ]

Originally there were 4 of us cruising on our Jan 2013 cruise on the Millenium and we wanted to book a family cabin. Our agent had to contact Celebrity directly to request one, and we were denied the booking because there weren't 5 of us.

 

We were also considering booking an invisible person, but when our party shrunk to 3, we had to flag the idea all together.

 

My understanding is that Celebrity won't release the cabins with less than 5 passengers up until a certain date before the cruise, when they will accept bookings with less. I've even read reviews where parties of 2 managed to book them.

 

Perhaps book another cabin instead and see if you can put in a request for the Family cabin?? That way, if they don't sell them, they might be prepared to accept your family of 4 without the need to pay for an extra person. This is a risk though, as these cabins look awesome and IMO are better than most suites. It would be a shame to miss out.

 

In saying that, as spacious as these cabins are, I don't think I'd want to squeeze 3 people into that lounge area.

[Orator]

I was able to book a corner Family stateroom for DW and I three months prior to my cruise. Booked as soon as they were listed as available for general booking. The corner is fantastic and I always tell my agent to indicate "No Upgrade" on my reservation. One strategy would be to book a lower category stateroom and then keep checking and if and when they become available, book. You can always move up in category, but not down.

[PartyAllDaTyme]

I believe Infinity will be having balconies added to the Celebrity suites in its dry dock, as will Summit in Jan. Someone correct me please, if I am wrong.

 

You are correct, I forgot about that. But I hear the balconies will be relatively small-- as I understand it, they're taking room from the suite, not tacking a balcony on out beyond where the windows are now.

[BarbJ52]

From what I've seen, it appears that you won't be able to book the 4 of you in a Celebrity Suite. You can book 3 people in a Celebrity suite, but not 4 - at least that's what it seems to be with an online booking. I guess it would work if your parents were willing to have 1 of the children in their cabin, but not if the 4 of you would be in the same suite.

[h20cruzer]

I would call Celebrity and ask what there policy is regarding the family cabin, your travel agent might just be trying o make some extra money.

[alidor]

No, the travel agent is telling the truth here. Those cabins are often held back, even if available, for families of 5. If there are 2 or 3 people, you cannot buy the cabin ahead of time. Once they get a better idea of who is sailing and how the sailing is selling, they will release the cabins to the general public, 5 people or not. No pat answer to this question if the cabins will be open or not for general selling.

[alidor]

To add to that, if Celebrity can get 5 people in that cabin, and the increased revenue, there is no way they will sell that for only 2 people. Again, if the sailing isn't selling out, they will open the cabins up so at least they will get some revenue from the cabin, but it 2 or 3 or 4 people but they are going to hold out for 5, or if not 5 bodies, then payment for 5.

[PartyAllDaTyme]

Does anyone have an explanation why X's website wouldn't even allow me to book five people? The most adults that comes up in the dropdown box is 4. I tried booking 4 adults and 1 child, 3 adults and 2 children, 2 adults and 3 children, and it always reset to 2 adults 0 children. The FV was available to book. So what would have happened if I had gone ahead with the booking, if they want a minimum of 5?

[oskarNZ]

Does anyone have an explanation why X's website wouldn't even allow me to book five people? The most adults that comes up in the dropdown box is 4. I tried booking 4 adults and 1 child, 3 adults and 2 children, 2 adults and 3 children, and it always reset to 2 adults 0 children. The FV was available to book. So what would have happened if I had gone ahead with the booking, if they want a minimum of 5?

 

If it's showing on the website, then it could be that it's available to be booked for groups less than 5.

 

I've found that far in advance they're not even available on the website (sometimes showing 'Sold Out' even though they're not) and you need to ring Celebrity to request them.

 

From what I've read on the Royal Caribbean website, it looks like their Family cabins need a minimum of 5 to book also.

[cruisestitch]

There's an analogy here to singles having to pay 200%...in essence a phantom roommate. I think the TA didn't explain it well in describing it as a phantom passenger. Could it be that?

[Project_gal]

Infinity in eight months-- I assume this is Alaska. kitty9 is right about the lack of balconies in CS, but at least you'd miss it less than in the warm Caribbean. However, I'd still love to be in that aft FV, and you can always put on a jacket.

 

Nope! Infinity is due to get balconies for the Celebrity Suites this November. Of course, no one yet knows how these are to be added and if the wonderful view you would have had from the huge windows is going to be ruined by the balcony.

 

Sue

[kitty9]

No, the travel agent is telling the truth here. Those cabins are often held back, even if available, for families of 5. If there are 2 or 3 people, you cannot buy the cabin ahead of time. Once they get a better idea of who is sailing and how the sailing is selling, they will release the cabins to the general public, 5 people or not. No pat answer to this question if the cabins will be open or not for general selling.

 

I've booked those FV cabins on the M class ships, as a SOLO, more than 6 months out. I booked them while on board, without anyone batting an eye.

[milokama]

Hi Everyone!

Thanks for such great info on my post. I actually live chatted with a celebrity rep before I booked with my TA. He confirmed thar 5 passengers were required in order to get the room I wanted.

 

Any other thought on an upgrade to Celebrity Suite vs. Aft corner family cabin?

I'm not even sure the one next to my parents is available anymore, but the deck plans show the two are connecting, my folks would definitely be agreeable to hosting one of my kids, if only on paper. The price difference is substantial... $2000. That woyld eat into our excursion money. Worth it?

[PartyAllDaTyme]

If it's showing on the website, then it could be that it's available to be booked for groups less than 5.

 

I've found that far in advance they're not even available on the website (sometimes showing 'Sold Out' even though they're not) and you need to ring Celebrity to request them.

 

From what I've read on the Royal Caribbean website, it looks like their Family cabins need a minimum of 5 to book also.

 

I've booked those FV cabins on the M class ships, as a SOLO, more than 6 months out. I booked them while on board, without anyone batting an eye.

 

This was a phantom booking for June 22, 2012. Boy, they sure must release those early. You'd think that far out they would have more hope that a larger group would eventually want to book it.

[Grandma Gilly]

I was going to book one of these cabins for my family of 4 but we were told we would have to pay for 5 people which I agreed to. In fact we changed our minds to a HAL ship as the itinerary for next Summer in the Med was much better.

 

TA had to speak directly to Celebrity as these cabins are not available unless specially requested.

[C 2 C]

I've booked those FV cabins on the M class ships, as a SOLO, more than 6 months out. I booked them while on board, without anyone batting an eye.

 

Kitty: That is amazing. You were extremely fortunate. We have never been able to book an aft until the final weeks prior to sailing when they are released due to a lack of a "family" demand. We have met many people however who book the FV with a phantom family member as standard practice and then cancelling the 3rd person. I have never heard of the 5 requirement. Without deception it is tough to book one. I know certain people who book the Accessible cabins in the same theme of entitlement.

Grandma Gilly: I would suggest calling Celebrity directly to try and hold a cabin for your family of 4.

[ME Guide]

DH and I are two of the lucky people who were able to book a FV for 14 days on Connie a year in advance. It can happen. Call it a fluke or call it luck? I know it is due to the fact that my husband watches the boards and the availability of rooms and "deals" daily.

[kayehall]

I called Celebrity directly to inquire about the family cabins. I wanted to take a 16 and 23 year old and I wanted space!!! They said I had to have 5 people to reserve those cabins. So I decided not to take the boys and just hubby and I are going. I even offered to bring the dog but they wouldn't go for it...LOL

[northwoods2]

I have some experience with the FV.

 

On RCCL we booked a FV with a phantom 5th person and then before final payment cancelled the 5th person. No problems.

 

In 2010 On Celebrity we booked a FV online for 2 people about 5 months out.

 

Last month we booked a Celebrity FV online for 2 people for an Alaskan Cruise next July.

 

They will release these FV rooms to smaller parties - if you keep checking online at the Celebrity website sometimes they pop up.

 

As far as the balcony on the Celebrity suite - it looks like the deck will be added to the outside - no space taken from within. Check the deck plans. This also makes the most sense structurally.

[Jaxom37]

I asked about the this cabin category as I have seen it only their website but never available. I was told I can book the room but had to do the deposit for 5 people. As long as I had atleast 2 in the cabin come time for your sailing you only pay for who is going, in my case just 2 of us. I was planning on trying it my next cruise ;)