Have You Ever Switched Cabins?

[RCCL Fan]

Talked our new friends into trying out cruising for the first time.  We booked a year out and were so excited to grab both panoramic family oceanview suites for our respective pack of little ones.

 

Of course Covid changed all that and we lifted and shifted another year out.

 

When we did the Lift & Shift there were no sailings which had both panoramic family suites available, so RCI offered to upgrade one of us to a Grand Suite.

 

Our friends were so excited about that, they didn't mind waiting yet another year to sail, they were excited to try an actual suite.

 

Well, when I called back to complete the Lift & Shift,  RCI told me my friends couldn't have the upgraded room, only I could, due to my status with the cruise line.  They would get the panoramic and we would get the Grand.

 

We explained they we didn't want it.  We've been in many Grand Suites,  we didn't care, and they really wanted the grand so we would gladly give it to them.

 

We were told that was not possible.

 

So...    I know just swapping rooms once onboard won't work because of all your mail and muster stations and all that jazz.   

 

But I have to imagine if I wait a bit and call back and try again I may get someone who will process the swap.

 

Anyone have any luck swapping cabins with friends?

[Ourusualbeach]

19 minutes ago, RCCL Fan said:

Talked our new friends into trying out cruising for the first time.  We booked a year out and were so excited to grab both panoramic family oceanview suites for our respective pack of little ones.

 

Of course Covid changed all that and we lifted and shifted another year out.

 

When we did the Lift & Shift there were no sailings which had both panoramic family suites available, so RCI offered to upgrade one of us to a Grand Suite.

 

Our friends were so excited about that, they didn't mind waiting yet another year to sail, they were excited to try an actual suite.

 

Well, when I called back to complete the Lift & Shift,  RCI told me my friends couldn't have the upgraded room, only I could, due to my status with the cruise line.  They would get the panoramic and we would get the Grand.

 

We explained they we didn't want it.  We've been in many Grand Suites,  we didn't care, and they really wanted the grand so we would gladly give it to them.

 

We were told that was not possible.

 

So...    I know just swapping rooms once onboard won't work because of all your mail and muster stations and all that jazz.   

 

But I have to imagine if I wait a bit and call back and try again I may get someone who will process the swap.

 

Anyone have any luck swapping cabins with friends?

Won’t work as that would involve a double name change which would involve repricing the reservation.

 

You may be able to change all the names except a child In each room (not sure if guest 1 or 2 has to remain on the reservation) then just ask for extra keys on board. 
 

 

[RCCL Fan]

30 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Won’t work as that would involve a double name change which would involve repricing the reservation.

 

You may be able to change all the names except a child In each room (not sure if guest 1 or 2 has to remain on the reservation) then just ask for extra keys on board. 
 

 

 

Thanks Ken.

 

Sounds like if I'm going to protest this --- now is the time.

[Ourusualbeach]

2 minutes ago, RCCL Fan said:

 

Thanks Ken.

 

Sounds like if I'm going to protest this --- now is the time.

I wouldn’t count on them bending.  They already did you a favour and upgraded one cabin to a GS which they didn’t have to do.  Sounds like they are set in what they want to do.  Kind of crazy since it’s 2 cabins, 2 families...shouldn’t matter who is in which but apparently for them it does.

[tonit964]

Couldn't you just go to guest services when you board and get the room keys switched? I did this same scenario with my brother and his wife on Princess and it was no problem. We switched luggage tags before we left so our bags would go to the right rooms.

[cb at sea]

Yep...easy to do once onboard.  You may get the points, but they will get the perks.

 

[TravelerThom]

The only thing that comes to mind is with your status you will have Happy Hour Lounge access whether you are in the Grand Suite or not. Your friends however would have Lounge access only if they are the occupants of record in the GS. RCI hopes to sell more drinks by giving you double lounge access and no lounge access to your friends. You could still do an off the record cabin switch to allow your friends to stay in the GS, but they would not have full Suite privileges unless the change was official. Good Luck. 

[Ourusualbeach]

14 minutes ago, TravelerThom said:

The only thing that comes to mind is with your status you will have Happy Hour Lounge access whether you are in the Grand Suite or not. Your friends however would have Lounge access only if they are the occupants of record in the GS. RCI hopes to sell more drinks by giving you double lounge access and no lounge access to your friends. You could still do an off the record cabin switch to allow your friends to stay in the GS, but they would not have full Suite privileges unless the change was official. Good Luck. 

Don’t think that’s an issue as the other cabin from  what the OP described is a VP Category which is also a full suite

Edited August 23, 2020 by Ourusualbeach

[RCCL Fan]

1 hour ago, Ourusualbeach said:

I wouldn’t count on them bending.  They already did you a favour and upgraded one cabin to a GS which they didn’t have to do.  Sounds like they are set in what they want to do.  Kind of crazy since it’s 2 cabins, 2 families...shouldn’t matter who is in which but apparently for them it does.

 

I'm not so sure about doing us a favor.

 

The first sailing we looked at doing lift and shift had no panoramic suites left so they wanted to upgrade both of us to grands.

 

My wife didn't want the grand and really wanted the bunk beds in the panoramic ,  so we searched for a sailing with a panoramic left. 

 

We thought everyone would be happy,  but no   left us in the grand, and put them in panoramic because we have status.

 

so silly not to let us give it to them. 

[RCCL Fan]

27 minutes ago, cb at sea said:

Yep...easy to do once onboard.  You may get the points, but they will get the perks.

 

 

both rooms are full suites,  both have the perks.

 

the panoramic doesn't have a balcony but does have 2 bathrooms and walled off bunk beds for the kids.

grand has balcony, 1 bathroom nicer bathroom  and no bunk beds.

 

but the grand is considered a nicer suite.

 

My kids having their own divided off area and a 2nd bathroom made it more appealing to us

[Ourusualbeach]

10 minutes ago, RCCL Fan said:

 

I'm not so sure about doing us a favor.

 

The first sailing we looked at doing lift and shift had no panoramic suites left so they wanted to upgrade both of us to grands.

 

My wife didn't want the grand and really wanted the bunk beds in the panoramic ,  so we searched for a sailing with a panoramic left. 

 

We thought everyone would be happy,  but no   left us in the grand, and put them in panoramic because we have status.

 

so silly not to let us give it to them. 

I agree with you but technically if the exact same cabin category does not exist on the sailing you want to shift to then they don’t need to honour your request which is why I referred to it as a favour. 

Edited August 23, 2020 by Ourusualbeach

[RCCL Fan]

4 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

I agree with you but technically if the exact same cabin category does not exist on the sailing you want to shift to then they don’t need to honour your request which is why I referred to it as a favour. 

 

ah. i see