Adding a second cabin for family of 4...RCI

[CanCruiser007]

Hello,

 

Just wondering if this is possible and if anyone knows potential associated fees from Royal Carribean...

 

We are a family of four, going on our first cruise ever on Royal Carribean Liberty of the Seas.

 

We have secured a Deluxe balcony with a sofa bed. There are 2 adults (tall) and 2 children (8 & 10, also tall). With the sofa bed we were told when booking that we should all fit.

 

I am concerned as the sail date is next month and we do not want to be "crammed" in the room at night time for 5 nights.

 

Should we ask our TA to see if we can add a second cabin (Interior) to our booking on the same deck as the current room?? In pricing this option currently, it is almost the same price as 4 in a balcony.

 

Surprised our TA did not suggest this option earlier (actually it was from another cruiser that I was given the suggestion)...

 

Is there a fee to add a second cabin and change passengers (1 adult and child) to the other cabin?

 

It would be a "sleeping only" cabin as we would use the balcony cabin during the day for the view etc.

 

Any suggestions or thoughts late in the game? (final payment has been made).

 

Thank you for any information you can provide....:cool:

[paul929207]

I would call your TA, it can't hurt to ask.

 

Just be sure you are not charged any penalty for cancelling two from the original cabin.

[kitty9]

You can try, but make sure that you're not going to get hit with big change fees. Plus, if you're planning on the kids being by themselves in the cabin at night, you'd want a cabin right across the hall from yours--really, they are too young to be in their own cabin alone---but the chances of you finding a nearby cabin at this late date are pretty slim. But like I said, it can't hurt to try.

[leaveitallbehind]

I would call your TA, it can't hurt to ask.

 

Just be sure you are not charged any penalty for cancelling two from the original cabin.

 

The OP's sail date is next month, which means they are already past final payment. The bigger concern would be potential cancellation penalties (even with a re-booking and added stateroom) imposed by RCI for changing the booking post final payment. IMO that would not be the best option.

 

There is no fee to add a second stateroom - you would simply pay the current stateroom rate. I would talk with the TA and see what is available near the stateroom you currently have for the second stateroom while leaving your original booking in tact. But I would not think cancelling and re-booking in order to do this would be a good idea.

Edited January 3, 2014 by leaveitallbehind

[CanCruiser007]

You can try, but make sure that you're not going to get hit with big change fees. Plus, if you're planning on the kids being by themselves in the cabin at night, you'd want a cabin right across the hall from yours--really, they are too young to be in their own cabin alone---but the chances of you finding a nearby cabin at this late date are pretty slim. But like I said, it can't hurt to try.

 

There would definitely be one adult and one child in each room. They are too young for their own room.

 

There is no fee to add a second stateroom - you would simply pay the current stateroom rate. I would talk with the TA and see what is available near the stateroom you currently have for the second stateroom while leaving your original booking in tact. But I would not think cancelling and re-booking in order to do this would be a good idea.

 

Just wanted to know if adding a second cabin and just have 2 of us sleep in there was an option.

 

But if there are large fees involved or too much confusion to add a second room, we will just remain as we are..but again, wish the TA would have helped by suggesting some alternative options for us earlier in the booking process. Hearing from others after the fact that the room we selected may be too small has only caused some anxiety re: room to small for us.

 

It will all work out..but financially wondered if this would work...

 

We are too excited to let anything ruin our first cruise :-)

[1025cruise]

Unfortunately, at this point you will probably end up with cancelation charges for the third and fourth passengers, plus the cost of the new cabin. However, never hurts to have your TA check to see if its possible.

[serene56]

We are a family of four, going on our first cruise ever on Royal Carribean Liberty of the Seas..:cool:

 

 

We took our first cruise with 5 of us to an inside cabin. We had a ball.

 

Personally I think I'd rather be cozy then have an 8 and 10 year old across the hall from me. In an inside cabin no less which is extreme darkness 24 hours a day. (suppose if some one gets scared?

 

I do remember the what ifs back then but nothing was what I imagined it to be

Its a 5 night cruise. I dont know what you paid as a 3rd and 4th passenger but the going rate now is over 600 pp

 

relax-- you all will be fine. and you learn for your next cruise

Edited January 3, 2014 by serene56

[CanCruiser007]

We took our first cruise with 5 of us to an inside cabin. We had a ball.

 

Personally I think I'd rather be cozy then have an 8 and 10 year old across the hall from me. In an inside cabin no less which is extreme darkness 24 hours a day. (suppose if some one gets scared

 

relax-- you all will be fine. and you learn for your next cruise

 

Again...it would not be the kids alone...there would be 1 adult and 1 child in each....

 

Yes...we try to relax... The unknown is what we are possibly fearing the most :)

[taymiss2]

One room will work out, it will be tight but the balcony will make it seem like you have more room. Having everyone take a little extra time each day to keep things tidy will keep the stress to a minimum. We have always sailed the four of us in one room. There are times we can get crabby but is a sign that everyone needs a nap or "what the heck are we doing in the room, lets get out of here." Husband will sometimes shower at the gym to open up space for the rest of us.

 

We have always consisdered getting one balcony and inside room but so far haven't done it.

[cb at sea]

Yes...there will be a fee. Right now, you're paying a set price for the 1st 2 people, and a reduced rate for the 3rd and 4th....if you add a cabin, you will be paying the 1st and 2nd person rates for BOTH cabins. The interior cabin will cost less than the balcony...but you will be paying more than having 4 in one room. Personally, I would never put 4 in one cabin! You CAN put the kids in one and the adults in another...it's totally allowed, even if an adult's name has to be on each cabin for booking purposes.

[serene56]

The unknown is what we are possibly fearing the most :)

 

the best thing we took on our first cruise was two over the door shoe holders which we put on the bathroom door.

Keep EVERYthing off the vanity. Use the shoe holders.

 

Unpack everything and do not live out of suitcases- hang up as much as possible.

 

Store luggage inside of each other. Dirty clothes get stored in an empty suit case. Place luggage under the beds.

 

Once the cabin gets cluttered it will close in on you.

[CanCruiser007]

We are campers...we can handle small spaces...our concern is being able to sleep at night....we will have the two twin beds ( hubby, 6'5") will be on one and our 10yr old with special needs on the other. This leaving the sofa bed for me and my tall 8 yr old to share......this is why I was wondering if an indoor cabin should have been added for my son and I just to sleep in????...not for a bigger living area, but for sleeping accommodations..... It would NOT be a separate room for the kids, that would not even be considered by us.. :(

 

Thank you though for the suggestions....I am just feeling overwhelmed as the TA knew our situation but did not offer any alternate suggestions... And she did not even tell us there was a special needs department for RCCL...thanks to a CC member that is how I found out!!!

 

Next cruise will be booked directly with RCI :(

 

Just trying to stay positive all will work out and just chalk it up to a learning experience for next time....

[smalltownmomwa]

We went on our first cruise in april, with 2 kids aged 7 & 9 at the time. We had a mini-suite on NCL which is about the same size as a deluxe balcony I'm guessing. It was totally fine. We are campers as well and used to being in close quarters.

We unpacked everything into the closets. Suitcases under the bed and filled them up as we went with dirty clothes. Stay tidy as you would in a camper & it's fine.

Our porter always had the pull-out bed/couch put back as a couch by the time we got back from breakfast. Makes a huge difference.

The couch obviously is smaller than the two twins put together, but I would've fit there easily with my 7 YO daughter. My DH is 6'2" and fit the bed fine. Your DH's toes will probably hang off, but that would be the case in any bed I'm guessing.

I know we would have felt like sardines in a regular oceanview or inside with all 4 of us. Next cruise, I will look into adjoining oceanview rooms - about the same space & price as the balcony, with an extra bathroom and more privacy.

I would leave your reservation as is and just go with the 'we will have fun' attitude and it should be great. The reason your TA never suggested booking an extra inside across the hall is that most folks (myself included) seem to think 8 & 10 is too young for kids to be in a non-adjoining room. While you have to book an adult in each room, most don't actually do that for sleeping. Your situation is unusual having the parents assume they won't be sleeping together. Especially considering the main reason parents want their own room (nudge nudge wink wink).

Have fun!

 

Sent from my XT897 using Tapatalk

[1025cruise]

We are campers...we can handle small spaces...our concern is being able to sleep at night....we will have the two twin beds ( hubby, 6'5") will be on one and our 10yr old with special needs on the other. This leaving the sofa bed for me and my tall 8 yr old to share......this is why I was wondering if an indoor cabin should have been added for my son and I just to sleep in????...not for a bigger living area, but for sleeping accommodations..... It would NOT be a separate room for the kids, that would not even be considered by us.. :(

 

Thank you though for the suggestions....I am just feeling overwhelmed as the TA knew our situation but did not offer any alternate suggestions... And she did not even tell us there was a special needs department for RCCL...thanks to a CC member that is how I found out!!!

 

Next cruise will be booked directly with RCI :(

 

Just trying to stay positive all will work out and just chalk it up to a learning experience for next time....

 

I don't think you will be sharing the sofa bed. The fourth bed will be a bunk that is brought down each night. Most sofa beds on cruise ships only accommodate one person.

[reallyitsmema]

I don't think you will be sharing the sofa bed. The fourth bed will be a bunk that is brought down each night. Most sofa beds on cruise ships only accommodate one person.

This is not true for RCL at all, most of their sofabeds are for two people, with very few single sofabeds. The OP stated their cabin has a sofabed, they did not say it also had a pullman.

 

To the OP, have you checked out the deckplans to confirm the bed configuration for your cabin? If you post your cabin number, we can look it up for you.:)

[CanCruiser007]

While you have to book an adult in each room, most don't actually do that for sleeping. Your situation is unusual having the parents assume they won't be sleeping together. Especially considering the main reason parents want their own room (nudge nudge wink wink).

Have fun!

 

Cute :-)..but yes, my hubby and I would not have any issue with having a few nights in separate cabins so all will be comfortable..this is a family cruise this time and we accommodate for the kids whenever we can... :-)

 

 

The OP stated their cabin has a sofabed, they did not say it also had a pullman.

 

To the OP, have you checked out the deckplans to confirm the bed configuration for your cabin?

 

And unfortunately, yes, we confirmed our cabin is a hump deluxe balcony with just a sofa bed, no additional pullman. I called RCI and they confirmed two twins and a sofabed only...yes, a pullman would have been perfect in addition to the sofabed..our 8yr old would have loved that and our issues would be gone !! :-)....another thing we need to know before our next cruise..

 

Both photos are borrowed from google....

 

Ours is similar to 7630 (Only the triangle is showing, saying sofabed)

 

 

This one it is showing 7708, ..this is what we SHOULD have done :( .. needed a (*) on the room (Says "third pullman bed available")..my thoughts as a newbie was that it meant there are 3 pullmans in the room...yes, newbie.. but again, was hoping I would have had some direction from the TA...live and learn ....

 

[reallyitsmema]

Sounds like you have done a great job trying to find out the information you need, you are correct about the triangle only having a sofabed. Our son has slept on the sofabed many times, we usually ask for an eggcrate topper to make it a little bit more comfortable. You will be able to make it work out just fine.

 

I saw in one of your posts that you have a special needs child. If they are going to attend the Adventure Ocean program, the cruise line will allow you to place them in the group that better suits them. Not sure if you found this information on the cruise line webstie, but here is a link just in case.:)

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/allaboutcruising/accessibleseas/home.do?cS=NAVBAR&pnav=1&snav=7

[CanCruiser007]

Sounds like you have done a great job trying to find out the information you need, you are correct about the triangle only having a sofabed. Our son has slept on the sofabed many times, we usually ask for an eggcrate topper to make it a little bit more comfortable. You will be able to make it work out just fine.

 

I saw in one of your posts that you have a special needs child. If they are going to attend the Adventure Ocean program, the cruise line will allow you to place them in the group that better suits them. Not sure if you found this information on the cruise line webstie, but here is a link just in case.:)

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/allaboutcruising/accessibleseas/home.do?cS=NAVBAR&pnav=1&snav=7

 

Yes, thank you. I have contacted them and they have been most helpful!!!

:-)

[CanCruiser007]

Spoke to our TA...

 

**YEAH!!! we got 2 rooms. So now we are in 1 balcony and 1 promanade room ..... (above guest services) ...hubby with one son in first room and me with other son in second room........ so happy.

 

It is an extra room for sleeping, showering and bathroom use for only $58 more than what we would have paid for just 4 of us in just the balcony!!!!!...very happy newbie cruiser!!!.

 

.....do I sound excited!! ;-)

 

Thanks for the help :)

[Algebralovr]

Congrats! Everyone will sleep better with their own bed.

 

For next time, the kids will be a bit older, and you can book adjoining rooms.

[CanCruiser007]

Congrats! Everyone will sleep better with their own bed.

 

For next time, the kids will be a bit older, and you can book adjoining rooms.

 

Yes...thank you... :)

[Slugsta]

That is a very good result and I'm sure it will make things a bit better for you :)

[dolita22]

Spoke to our TA...

 

**YEAH!!! we got 2 rooms. So now we are in 1 balcony and 1 promanade room ..... (above guest services) ...hubby with one son in first room and me with other son in second room........ so happy.

 

It is an extra room for sleeping, showering and bathroom use for only $58 more than what we would have paid for just 4 of us in just the balcony!!!!!...very happy newbie cruiser!!!.

 

.....do I sound excited!! ;-)

 

Thanks for the help :)

 

Woohoo! So happy to read this. Glad it all worked out so well for you, and for only $58 more. Awesome.

 

Have a wonderful time with your family on your first cruise!! :-)