Suite Benefits and Changing Rooms Once Onboard

[junglejane]

For our upcoming cruise we had me and DD#2 booked in a minisuite and DH and DD#1 booked in an inside. We usually book this way in order to get the shareholder benefit on each room, and we then switch once onboard so that DH and I are in the same room. Today for the first time ever, we unexpectedly got an upsell offer for the minisuite. We took the upsell offer and now I am booked in a full suite with DD#2, while DH and DD#1 are still booked in the inside.

 

Once onboard we would like to go to Passenger Services and switch DH and DD#2 so that DH and I are in the suite and DD#1 and DD#2 (ages 18 and 14) are in the inside. Specifically we would like for me and DH to be able to eat breakfast at Sabatini's. (We're not trying to get all 4 of us into Sabatini's -- just substitute DH for DD#2 in the suite. The kids usually sleep through breakfast or grab something from the buffet.)

 

Do you think this will be a problem? We've done the room swap before without any problems but wondered if the suite situation changes anything.

Edited May 6, 2015 by junglejane

[dforeigner]

For our upcoming cruise we had me and DD#2 booked in a minisuite and DH and DD#1 booked in an inside. We usually book this way in order to get the shareholder benefit on each room, and we then switch once onboard so that DH and I are in the same room. Today for the first time ever, we unexpectedly got an upsell offer for the minisuite. We took the upsell offer and now I am booked in a full suite with DD#2, while DH and DD#1 are still booked in the inside.

 

Once onboard we would like to go to Passenger Services and switch DH and DD#2 so that DH and I are in the suite and DD#1 and DD#2 (ages 18 and 14) are in the inside. Specifically we would like for me and DH to be able to eat breakfast at Sabatini's. (We're not trying to get all 4 of us into Sabatini's -- just substitute DH for DD#2 in the suite. The kids usually sleep through breakfast or grab something from the buffet.)

 

Do you think this will be a problem? We've done the room swap before without any problems but wondered if the suite situation changes anything.

 

It should not be a problem. Although there is a possibility that they may tell you to stop by and request the change once they are at sea (I happened to us).

 

The cabin change will reflect name changes, cabin number changes and daily tip calculations. Therefore, you should be good to go for Sabatinis.

[cubfan63]

Biggest problem for OP with getting breakfast at Sabatini's will be that it's only available for full suite passengers, not mini suite passengers. OP says they have a mini suite booked, not a full suite.

[paul929207]

Biggest problem for OP with getting breakfast at Sabatini's will be that it's only available for full suite passengers, not mini suite passengers. OP says they have a mini suite booked, not a full suite.

I think you mis-read OP's post. They have gotten an upsell from the mini they booked to a full suite. She is hoping to swap people around so the parents get Sabatini Breakfast and the kids don't

[junglejane]

Yes, I am now in a penthouse suite on Riviera. Thanks for the answers!

[Bogof1]

Yes, I am now in a penthouse suite on Riviera. Thanks for the answers!

 

Wow lucky you! I haven't had the phone call yet, I'm presuming rooms going quickly due to the rock bottom prices they offering for the cruise! I suppose if it's wet we could all come round to yours for sail away drinks lol!

Not long to go now, see you onboard,

Sue 😄

[sherryf]

Since one of your daughters is 18, why not just book it the way you want it? I know it can be done. Last year we sailed with 4 "kids" ages 15, 18, 18 and 21. I was able to book 3 cabins, one for DH and myself, one for the two 18 year olds, and one for the 15 and 21 year olds. No issues.

[CruisingJs]

It shouldn't be a problem. Once you switch DH's cabin they'll issue him a new card that says "suite" on it. At Sabatini's they just ask for your cabin number and check the list they keep at the door. Then they will refer to you by name. If the list hasn't been updated to include your husband's name, showing them his cruise card should solve the problem. After the first morning they just greet you and seat you.

[junglejane]

Wow lucky you! I haven't had the phone call yet, I'm presuming rooms going quickly due to the rock bottom prices they offering for the cruise! I suppose if it's wet we could all come round to yours for sail away drinks lol!

Not long to go now, see you onboard,

Sue ��

 

Looking forward to meeting you onboard, Sue. We can share our broken leg stories! We got the upsell offer yesterday via an email forwarded by our TA. We've never gotten an upsell offer before.

 

Since one of your daughters is 18, why not just book it the way you want it? I know it can be done. Last year we sailed with 4 "kids" ages 15, 18, 18 and 21. I was able to book 3 cabins, one for DH and myself, one for the two 18 year olds, and one for the 15 and 21 year olds. No issues.

 

We booked it this way in order to get the shareholder benefit for each room. The shareholder benefit on a 14 day cruise is $250 and DH and I each own 100 shares of Carnival. We've already applied for it and our two bookings each have a $250 credit.

Edited May 6, 2015 by junglejane

[nukesubsailor]

The rules for the shareholder credit state that "Only one onboard credit per shareholder-occupied stateroom." It seems pretty clear that if you and your husband end up in the same stateroom, you are entitled to only one shareholder credit.

[cr8tiv1]

I'm trying to put this in perspective. Cabin 1/you/Shareholder credit/suite perks. Cabin 2/DH/Shareholder credits/inside.

 

You want to switch AFTER you get on board so that the BOTH of you will get Sabatini's AND 2 Shareholder credits.

 

I think you can only have it one way. Either Sabatini's OR extra Shareholder credits.

[junglejane]

We've booked our rooms this way for 7 or 8 straight Princess cruises since 2007 without any issue. We've never had a problem changing room assignments once onboard and never lost a shareholder benefit. The only wrinkle this time is that one of the rooms is now a suite. I think lots of people (especially families) juggle room arrangements once onboard. We're also well past final payment at this point so I'm not going to change the bookings. We'll see what happens once onboard. :) The shareholder benefits are already posted on the bookings, so if they take one away once onboard so be it, but that's never happened before.

[Wehwalt]

I'm trying to put this in perspective. Cabin 1/you/Shareholder credit/suite perks. Cabin 2/DH/Shareholder credits/inside.

 

You want to switch AFTER you get on board so that the BOTH of you will get Sabatini's AND 2 Shareholder credits.

 

I think you can only have it one way. Either Sabatini's OR extra Shareholder credits.

 

I don't think Princess is going to be quite that strict. Although you have a valid point.

[Husky61]

I suspect that besides all of the advice you have received here, the official result will be done by Princess. So why not call them and get the official policy?:)

[pms4104]

We've booked our rooms this way for 7 or 8 straight Princess cruises since 2007 without any issue. We've never had a problem changing room assignments once onboard and never lost a shareholder benefit. The only wrinkle this time is that one of the rooms is now a suite. I think lots of people (especially families) juggle room arrangements once onboard. We're also well past final payment at this point so I'm not going to change the bookings. We'll see what happens once onboard. :) The shareholder benefits are already posted on the bookings, so if they take one away once onboard so be it, but that's never happened before.

 

I always thiught the benefit aoplued ti shareholder occupued cabins ... just becayse you havent been deprived of a second benefit each cruise diesn't make it right.

[junglejane]

I suspect that besides all of the advice you have received here, the official result will be done by Princess. So why not call them and get the official policy?:)

 

Actually, I think this is precisely the sort of non-routine situation where Princess shoreside customer service reps are unreliable. I was looking for feedback/predictions from people with actual onboard experience with this. Thanks dforeigner and CruisingJs for providing that feedback.

[flexsmom]

We were booked with one adult/one child in a suite and one adult/one child in the balcony next door. Princess would not "officially" switch my husband to the suite stating an adult had to be booked in the room with the kids (this was on board) but they did give us all extra keys. I explained the situation at Sabatinis and they allowed my husband in with me so long as we didn't bring the kids, too.....so it was the same number of people getting the suite benefits as was originally intended.

[VibeGuy]

The shareholder and loyalty credits follow the folio, not the stateroom. I have split my DH and I on a booking where a "share the savings" offer would not stick properly so I needed to split us up and then reunite us onboard.

 

Two minutes at passenger services and everyone had what they needed.

[pablo222]

So why not call them and get the official policy?:)

 

Which one?

[junglejane]

Thanks Flexsmom and VibeGuy. I'm pretty sure there's no Shareholder Benefit Bed Check Police. ;)

[Thrak]

In the future you could always just transfer ownership of 100 shares to the older child. That way you could book however you like without any shuffling at all.

[VibeGuy]

Not to nerd this out, but there are serious tax consequences to transferring a dividend-bearing stock to minors or making them joint tenants. Two minutes to fix the folios is way less of a headache than dealing with the US kiddie tax or having a cash-strapped young adult sell the asset.

[Colo Cruiser]

For our upcoming cruise we had me and DD#2 booked in a minisuite and DH and DD#1 booked in an inside. We usually book this way in order to get the shareholder benefit on each room, and we then switch once onboard so that DH and I are in the same room. Today for the first time ever, we unexpectedly got an upsell offer for the minisuite. We took the upsell offer and now I am booked in a full suite with DD#2, while DH and DD#1 are still booked in the inside.

 

Once onboard we would like to go to Passenger Services and switch DH and DD#2 so that DH and I are in the suite and DD#1 and DD#2 (ages 18 and 14) are in the inside. Specifically we would like for me and DH to be able to eat breakfast at Sabatini's. (We're not trying to get all 4 of us into Sabatini's -- just substitute DH for DD#2 in the suite. The kids usually sleep through breakfast or grab something from the buffet.)

 

Do you think this will be a problem? We've done the room swap before without any problems but wondered if the suite situation changes anything.

 

Curious, do you both have separate share accounts?

[junglejane]

Colocruiser: Yes we have separate share accounts. My 100 shares are in my IRA and DH's 100 shares are in his 401k. This started out years ago when our kids were too young to be booked together in their own room. We would book two rooms (side by side or across the hall) and we had to book an adult in each room. So that's when we decided we might as well apply for the shareholder benefit for each room.

 

Thrak: We briefly considered transferring 100 shares to DD#1 but abandoned the idea because she's going to college in the Fall and (1) most of our money is going to the college :eek:, and (2) she won't have much time to cruise with us in the next few years. Our next few cruises may be with just DD#2 in which case we will all be in a mini-suite and limited to one shareholder benefit.

[Colo Cruiser]

Colocruiser: Yes we have separate share accounts. My 100 shares are in my IRA and DH's 100 shares are in his 401k. This started out years ago when our kids were too young to be booked together in their own room. We would book two rooms (side by side or across the hall) and we had to book an adult in each room. So that's when we decided we might as well apply for the shareholder benefit for each room.

 

Thrak: We briefly considered transferring 100 shares to DD#1 but abandoned the idea because she's going to college in the Fall and (1) most of our money is going to the college :eek:, and (2) she won't have much time to cruise with us in the next few years. Our next few cruises may be with just DD#2 in which case we will all be in a mini-suite and limited to one shareholder benefit.

 

Then I agree with your tactic, nothing wrong with that, you both have the investments. :)