Questions about purchasing 2 rooms - 1 for friends

[Jcol5786]

We have talked our good friends into cruising with us after they both retire next year. We are Diamond and they have never cruised before.  We were just on Oasis and went to Next Cruise and asked if we could book a cruise for next year on Oasis and purchase 2 rooms and have our friends on the booking so that they could benefit from our balcony discount. They told us we could do this however they would need to set up the booking such that I would be in one room and my wife assigned to the other. Our friends were added to each room so that on the reservation my name and one of them is assigned to one room while my wife and the other friend is assigned to the second room. We were told that who was going to be in which room could be sorted out when we checked in at the pier.

 

After doing this I realized that I had some questions but Next Cruise was very busy for the rest of the cruise so I thought I would ask here. First question - how will the Sea Pass cards work? When they move into their room one of them will not have the correct SP card, same with one of use. Is this something that can be corrected at check in or at Guest Services?

 

Our friends what to purchase some excursions and possibly the DBP. My wife and I will use our Diamond drink coupons but if they want to purchase the DBP will there be a problem because they are not in the same room as shown on the reservation keeping in mind that each person in the room much purchase the DBP?

 

The final question is how will they get their credit card tied to their purchases so they can purchase excursions? If we call RC will it be possible to get the room assignments changed and all this sorted out prior to the sailing? The Next Cruise people seemed to imply that this could not be sorted out till checkin or through a visit to Guest Services after getting on the ship.

 

I'm happy our friends are coming but now I'm concerned that in an attempt to save them some $$ the cruise might end up being a little complicated and may require trips to Guest Services to straighten things out.  I assume that others have done this so if someone could just let me know how it all sorted out I would appreciate it.  Thanks.

 

[firefly333]

Easy to get cards changed at customer service. 

 

The one pit fall as you mention is everyone in the cabin has ro purchase the drink pkg. Yes I know one can call and get refreshment but still expensive. 

 

Also I've seen more than one thread where the friends backed out..  .that will be a problem if you dont want to get stuck with 2 cabins. 

[Sunshine3601]

When it comes to check in time each person will enter their own credit card info for onboard purchases.   If the couple wants to buy excursions they will each need to log in to their cruise planner separately since they have 2 separate booking/reservation numbers.

Did you link the reservations together for dinners, etc?   If not call Royal and request they be linked.

Once you all board you can all go to guest services and get extra room keys or maybe new sea passes.   

The big problem will be drink pkg.  They will not be able to purchase pre cruise unless you and hubby buy a beverage pkg.

Not sure how it would work if they buy DBP onboard.

 

[ARandomTraveler]

I'm guessing that whatever savings you got them with your diamond discount is going to cost you exponentially more in having to purchase a beverage package. 
 

Any way to swap the cabins and just put things back to "easy?" 
 

No good deed goes un-punished.

[cynt]

DBP complicates things. I would cancel one cabin and change the names on the booked cabin to you and your spouse. I would then have your friends book their own cabin. Hopefully they'll let you move the deposit to your existing cabin.

 

You had good intentions. I would definitely correct it now before final payment and before you board the ship. 

[ILOVEHI50]

We have done this multiple times, and never have an issue; but we or the others do not get the drink packages.  Like other have said,  each person can have their own acct linked to a separate credit card, and getting the extra key for a room key is not an issue at guest services either.  If they want to purchase the drink package, you should be able to just change the second guest in each cabin to who will be staying there, and they will lose the balcony discount.

 

 

[Ourusualbeach]

30 minutes ago, cynt said:

DBP complicates things. I would cancel one cabin and change the names on the booked cabin to you and your spouse. I would then have your friends book their own cabin. Hopefully they'll let you move the deposit to your existing cabin.

 

You had good intentions. I would definitely correct it now before final payment and before you board the ship. 

Since one original name will remain on each booking there is no need to cancel a booking.  Just call royal snd put the correct names on each booking.  Since there is no longer a D in the room the balcony discount will drop off. 

[ATSEAMYLIFE]

To many moving parts.  Book them in their own room with their own reservation number.  Then when they back out or have a family emergency and can't go it's easy.  

Edited October 31, 2022 by ATSEAMYLIFE

[Jcol5786]

Thanks for the replies and suggestions. I phoned RC yesterday and changed the booking so that each person is in their correct rooms. The Diamond discount for our friends dropped off but there was a price drop anyway so the net increase for them was only $100.

[DirtyDawg]

22 minutes ago, Jcol5786 said:

Thanks for the replies and suggestions. I phoned RC yesterday and changed the booking so that each person is in their correct rooms. The Diamond discount for our friends dropped off but there was a price drop anyway so the net increase for them was only $100.

$100USD. or $100 Canadian? Because if it's $100USD today that's about $567.50 Canadian. 😁

 

(Just kidding folks, our dollar is not that much in the tank ... yet! 😉)

 

Have a great, stress-free cruise! 

 

[Joseph2017China]

Just an opinion....I would never in a million years, book for someone else.  So many things can go wrong.

[Jcol5786]

On 11/1/2022 at 8:05 AM, Joseph2017China said:

Just an opinion....I would never in a million years, book for someone else.  So many things can go wrong.

I get that but we have travelled with them in our RV's for years but they could never cruise with us because our work schedules never lined up. We retired this year and they will be next year so a cruise is in order. That being said what could go wrong? If they back out before final payment they lose their deposit which they paid for. They will make their owe final payment so if they cancel after that again it's their loss. But I know unless a health issue comes up they will be going.

[cruiseguy1016]

On 11/1/2022 at 8:05 AM, Joseph2017China said:

Just an opinion....I would never in a million years, book for someone else.  So many things can go wrong.

 

I book for our friends all the time. I'm the planner in the group so I have a better handle on how the booking process works. I don't pay any money on their behalf. Once I have booked their cabin with our TA, they call and make the deposit.

[matj2000]

Never try to talk people into going on a cruise.

 

Just because you like it doesn't mean you need to push it on to others.

 

Many things could happen and it will be all your fault.

 

It they were really interested, they would have already cruised it by now.