Surprise Cruise (how to)

[spyingeyes]

I’ve cruised Carnival since the 90s and have taken cruises with my children plenty of times. My kids are grown now and my wife and I would like to surprise them with a cruise gift at Christmas. We are already booked for a January cruise and would like to give my daughter and her fiancé the same cruise. But the cruise seems to be selling fast and I’d like to go ahead and purchase it now and make it a surprise for her. 

 

What is the best way to do this? Can I just book it in my name (even though I’m already booked) and change it to hers after Christmas? Am I eligible to book it with discounts I am entitled to (casino, military, etc)? She has a VIFP number already from her many cruises with us before she was an adult. 

 

If if anyone has experience doing something similar, I’d appreciate any insight you may have. 

[coevan]

I would call whoever you booked your cruise with.

[maryred]

You can only book 1 cabin with you as the primary passenger for discount you are eligible for. IN theory you can book a second cabin at "new passenger rack" rates with the passenger names listed as TBA with the expected # of passengers, since these are usually only at whatever special sale is being advertised to the general public. BUT if  there are special restrictions on the sale you could find out too late that you are locked in to this booking rate or have fees to add the names of the TBA if done after final payment is due.

Here's the better questions... What guarantee do you have that your adult daughter and/or her intended is able to get off from work or away from school during the cruise time? Also if you do know that they are both able to be away from home based responsibilities for the timing of the cruise you picked what is to stop them from planning other things to enjoy on their own?

This is to say this is not possible, as I booked a 10 day getaway that included a 7 day cruise for my husband and myself about 5 years ago. My PVP was very instrumental in being able from keeping Carnival from contacting him about the cruise in the 6 months prior to Christmas. Also I was able to talk directly to his immediate boss at work to arrange the time off before making the deposit on the cruise. For the actual reveal  on Christmas morning bought him a new carry-on bag and packed it with a letter from work confirming the time off, the booking confirmation, the hotel reservations, airline tickets, and an inflatable ship. At first he was a bit concerned that I would plan something this big without him, but before dinner was served he was  about it.

Conversely this Christmas my mom book me on a cruise with her for March, and I was floored. As happy as I was to be cruising it did present problems for me. Originally I was supposed to be out on medical leave because of surgery, but 2 of my care support Drs. conferred with the surgeon and wound up cancelling the procedure. I hadn't told my mom this, and had to scramble to now get the time off from work. In the end I did sail with her but it was still up in the air until about 2 weeks from the cruise date as others already put in for that vacation time.

 

[spyingeyes]

Thanks for sharing your experience. My daughter just recently moved into her own place and works in DC with me. I am familiar with her ability to take time off and have tried to gauge her interest in the January cruise surreptitiously. I’m more concerned with the actual booking and having it in her name vice my name and how that works. 

[Camberly_T]

While I can't answer all of your questions, I wanted to say I recently booked a surprise cruise as a present for my Mum and step-dad's anniversary. I just booked her room under her name but with my own email and phone number for the confirmations to come to, and paid for it on my card. It has a separate booking number than my own reservation which she will be able to make changes to once she receives the cruise. I even used her VIFP number to book the room (the site will let you put in the VIFP when looking at room rates and again when completing the booking)

 

[gtouch]

7 hours ago, spyingeyes said:

Thanks for sharing your experience. My daughter just recently moved into her own place and works in DC with me. I am familiar with her ability to take time off and have tried to gauge her interest in the January cruise surreptitiously. I’m more concerned with the actual booking and having it in her name vice my name and how that works. 

How sure are you about her fiance being able to get off in that short of notice. Otherwise what a great gift.

[wo5m]

1. Any way I can marry into your family before Christmas? just kidding

 

2. It should be a problem doing this.  We have done something similar. We are going on a cruise with my family in august. We have three room total. I made all the reservation thought our PVP and I am the one managing the bookings. I have each of them added to my carnival page even thought I am only listed in one of the cabins. Just made your your PVP link the booking you will have dinner at the same table(if you do assigned dinning)

[spyingeyes]

47 minutes ago, wo5m said:

1. Any way I can marry into your family before Christmas? just kidding

 

2. It should be a problem doing this.  We have done something similar. We are going on a cruise with my family in august. We have three room total. I made all the reservation thought our PVP and I am the one managing the bookings. I have each of them added to my carnival page even thought I am only listed in one of the cabins. Just made your your PVP link the booking you will have dinner at the same table(if you do assigned dinning)

Haha, we are very fortunate and are happy to be able to do this. Great information, thanks very much!

[spyingeyes]

2 hours ago, Camberly_T said:

While I can't answer all of your questions, I wanted to say I recently booked a surprise cruise as a present for my Mum and step-dad's anniversary. I just booked her room under her name but with my own email and phone number for the confirmations to come to, and paid for it on my card. It has a separate booking number than my own reservation which she will be able to make changes to once she receives the cruise. I even used her VIFP number to book the room (the site will let you put in the VIFP when looking at room rates and again when completing the booking)

 

This is perfect and exactly what I will do. I really appreciate you taking the time to assist! 

[Camberly_T]

2 hours ago, spyingeyes said:

This is perfect and exactly what I will do. I really appreciate you taking the time to assist! 

Happy I could help! 😊

[grandmarnnurse]

On 5/20/2019 at 6:20 PM, spyingeyes said:

I’ve cruised Carnival since the 90s and have taken cruises with my children plenty of times. My kids are grown now and my wife and I would like to surprise them with a cruise gift at Christmas. We are already booked for a January cruise and would like to give my daughter and her fiancé the same cruise. But the cruise seems to be selling fast and I’d like to go ahead and purchase it now and make it a surprise for her. 

 

What is the best way to do this? Can I just book it in my name (even though I’m already booked) and change it to hers after Christmas? Am I eligible to book it with discounts I am entitled to (casino, military, etc)? She has a VIFP number already from her many cruises with us before she was an adult. 

 

If if anyone has experience doing something similar, I’d appreciate any insight you may have. 

I booked a cruise for my daughter and her future husband for their honeymoon. I booked it totally under their names, and just paid for it in full.