Odd Cabin Question...

[20165]

So, we are trying to book a june 2023 last minute cruise in place of a land vacation we had booked.  Too much seaweed in the area...  

Our Challenge is will be a party of 5.  2 Parents(Ages 52/50) .  2 Sons (Ages 20/17), and 1 sons girlfriend(20).  The challenge is we would usually get 2 cabins, 1 for parents, 1 for sons, however the girlfriend throws a monkey wrench into that given our 17yo doesnt want to be in with son and girlfriend understandably.  So, i would like to get 3 cabins, 2 people in 2, 17yo in his own.  I know what it costs, thats not a concern, the question is can i book a 17yo single in a cabin?  I know i can with the 20yo because we do that all the time as long as the cabin is close to ours.  

We called MSC last night and the person we talked to had no idea what we were trying to do so we gave up.  Commutations difficulty. We will try again tonight with another person, but i through i would throw it out here to see if anyone has had a similar situation.

Thanks in advance

[mvh]

1 hour ago, 20165 said:

So, we are trying to book a june 2023 last minute cruise in place of a land vacation we had booked.  Too much seaweed in the area...  

Our Challenge is will be a party of 5.  2 Parents(Ages 52/50) .  2 Sons (Ages 20/17), and 1 sons girlfriend(20).  The challenge is we would usually get 2 cabins, 1 for parents, 1 for sons, however the girlfriend throws a monkey wrench into that given our 17yo doesnt want to be in with son and girlfriend understandably.  So, i would like to get 3 cabins, 2 people in 2, 17yo in his own.  I know what it costs, thats not a concern, the question is can i book a 17yo single in a cabin?  I know i can with the 20yo because we do that all the time as long as the cabin is close to ours.  

We called MSC last night and the person we talked to had no idea what we were trying to do so we gave up.  Commutations difficulty. We will try again tonight with another person, but i through i would throw it out here to see if anyone has had a similar situation.

Thanks in advance

Just book it in your name and put your son with your husband, then switch once you are there. Done that a few times without issues.

[Essiesmom]

1 minute ago, mvh said:

Just book it in your name and put your son with your husband, then switch once you are there. Done that a few times without issues.

Have you done this on MSC?  I know it is routinely done on other lines, but it has been reported that MSC does not issue extra key cards nor change people around.  EM

[JT1962]

I don’t think you can book the 17 yo in a cabin alone. You would need to book him in a cabin with one of the parents and the other parent in a cabin solo. Once you get on the ship, it won’t matter who stays in each cabin.
 

You may need to do some coordination with the key cards so everyone has access to the cabin where they are actually staying. The best option is probably to book mother & son in one cabin and father solo. The father and son can swap key cards, that way the son has access to the solo cabin and the father has access to the cabin with mom. 

Edited April 19, 2023 by JT1962

[mvh]

1 minute ago, Essiesmom said:

Have you done this on MSC?  I know it is routinely done on other lines, but it has been reported that MSC does not issue extra key cards nor change people around.  EM

Yes, just buy the wrist band for yourself and he can get in and out of your room. You could also book it in your older son's name and I'm sure there will be no questions.

[Two Wheels Only]

MSC isn't exactly clear on this issue which is why you might get conflicting answers (or no answer) from the MSC phone reps. 

 

Supposedly, the sons (20/17) do not have to be in the same stateroom as their parents as long as the parents are in a connecting or "nearby" stateroom. How MSC defines nearby is unknown. For the girlfriend, there is paperwork that needs to be filed out before embarkation and it probably needs to be notarized. 

 

Passengers under the age of 21 (on voyages that include a port in the USA) or 18 (on voyages that do not include a port in the USA) must travel accompanied by their parents or a legal guardian. If one of the traveling minor’s parents is not cruising, then a signed authorization letter made in accordance with the laws of the country where the minor resides from the absent parent authorizing the minor to travel must be provided at the time of booking. If the minor is traveling with Passengers that are not his/her parents or legal guardians, then a document signed by the parents or legal guardian authorizing the minor to travel with a chaperone or other designated individual must be provided at the time of booking, in accordance with Company policies.

 

The bad news is that with the cruise date approaching, there might not be 3 or even 2 staterooms that are available that are close together. 

 

I would try to get 3 staterooms as close together as possible. If putting the 17 year-old alone is a problem, maybe put him with one of the parents while the 20 year-olds are nearby and the other parent is booked in a stateroom alone. Once onboard, the solo parent can move in with the spouse and the 17 year-old can stay where the solo parent was. Nobody cares where anyone actually sleeps but "on paper" things have to be a certain way. Switching the room cards or getting wristbands for the other staterooms would be done but everyone would need their actual cards if leaving the ship (excursion, Ocean Cay, etc.).

[20165]

Ok, makes sense and we have done the card shuffle with other lines, but it was kind of a pain. but that works as long as they let me book the two 20yos in one cabin.  

Does anyone know if MSC cares how close the cabins are?  In the past RCL and NCL did and had to be next door or across the hall, but once our oldest turned 18, they didnt seem to care.  Example, they were on a completely different floor last year on NCL. 

[JMorris271]

There may be a snafu when it comes time to get the boarding pass checked getting on or off.

 

[20165]

So, a follow on question. MSC isnt accepting single cabin bookings, or at least not through the TA we talked to, so they recommended booking it with a second person and having them cancel the second person prior to the cruise. There isnt much of a price difference between a single and a double cabin booking, but we would get back the taxes for the second person.  Anyone see any issues/pitfalls in doing that?  im assuming this is relatively common if 1 person has to cancel and the other still wants to go. 

THoughts?

[fluffybunny22]

41 minutes ago, 20165 said:

So, a follow on question. MSC isnt accepting single cabin bookings, or at least not through the TA we talked to, so they recommended booking it with a second person and having them cancel the second person prior to the cruise. There isnt much of a price difference between a single and a double cabin booking, but we would get back the taxes for the second person.  Anyone see any issues/pitfalls in doing that?  im assuming this is relatively common if 1 person has to cancel and the other still wants to go. 

THoughts?

I was just looking at the terms and conditions of their current offers and one of them is an 80% off the single supplement offer. If that doesn't work you can just book 2 people and have one of the people no show. My aunt did that to my grandmother on a family cruise we had booked. She just decided day of she didn't want to go. They refunded her port charges.

[phissy]

1 hour ago, fluffybunny22 said:

I was just looking at the terms and conditions of their current offers and one of them is an 80% off the single supplement offer. If that doesn't work you can just book 2 people and have one of the people no show. My aunt did that to my grandmother on a family cruise we had booked. She just decided day of she didn't want to go. They refunded her port charges.

The single supplement offer is for cruises booked and /or sailed by May 31, 2023. 

MSC charges penalties for cancelling second passenger after final payment.

Here is advice given by Bret ( TA) on this forum regarding cancelling vs no show for second person on booking.

 

your plan if fine. Just be a no show. Otherwise trying to cancel will incur cancellation penalties and additional charges for your mother. Refund of taxes is not automatic, but if you contact them 2-3 weeks after the sailing date, they will refund. Though that could take another few weeks

[phissy]

2 hours ago, 20165 said:

So, a follow on question. MSC isnt accepting single cabin bookings, or at least not through the TA we talked to, so they recommended booking it with a second person and having them cancel the second person prior to the cruise. There isnt much of a price difference between a single and a double cabin booking, but we would get back the taxes for the second person.  Anyone see any issues/pitfalls in doing that?  im assuming this is relatively common if 1 person has to cancel and the other still wants to go. 

THoughts?

I would be cautious, you will be charged penalties if second passenger cancels before cruise.  This is a pitfall with MSC. Others have reported that they were very unhappy that MSC policies did not match other cruise lines on this issue.  Just be a no show.

[20165]

4 minutes ago, phissy said:

I would be cautious, you will be charged penalties if second passenger cancels before cruise.  This is a pitfall with MSC. Others have reported that they were very unhappy that MSC policies did not match other cruise lines on this issue.  Just be a no show.

Above and beyond the total cost of the cabin?

[phissy]

36 minutes ago, 20165 said:

Above and beyond the total cost of the cabin?

My understanding is that if second passenger cancels, they are hit with penalty depending on when they cancel. Remaining passenger is then charged 100% surcharge to sail in cabin alone.

here is what I found online….

 

Another common situation, someone in a cabin can’t go, but others still want to sail. MSC calls this a partial booking cancellation, and the remaining passenger occupying the cabin for single use will be assessed a 100% single surcharge. Alternatively, to add a new guest, a name change fee of $75 will apply. There is a limit of 1 name change per reservation.  

[20165]

6 minutes ago, phissy said:

My understanding is that if second passenger cancels, they are hit with penalty depending on when they cancel. Remaining passenger is then charged 100% surcharge to sail in cabin alone.

here is what I found online….

 

Another common situation, someone in a cabin can’t go, but others still want to sail. MSC calls this a partial booking cancellation, and the remaining passenger occupying the cabin for single use will be assessed a 100% single surcharge. Alternatively, to add a new guest, a name change fee of $75 will apply. There is a limit of 1 name change per reservation.  

But if the cabin is $3000 total for the two people and 1 cancels the price if the cabin would still be $3000 and not more. Correct?

[phissy]

11 minutes ago, 20165 said:

But if the cabin is $3000 total for the two people and 1 cancels the price if the cabin would still be $3000 and not more. Correct?

Not sure this is correct. 
I think I read here that this happened to someone on forum and they were very upset they were basically charged double to sail.

so, sounds like…
$1,500 pp for cruise would be $3000 for cabin with 2 passengers.

Passenger 1 cancels and gets no refund. Passenger 2 then has to pay additional $1,500 charge.( penalty)

Any TA’s on this forum ( calling Cruiseguyinorl) , please clear this up,for us.  
THX

Edited April 19, 2023 by phissy

[Essiesmom]

7 hours ago, mvh said:

Yes, just buy the wrist band for yourself and he can get in and out of your room. You could also book it in your older son's name and I'm sure there will be no questions.

But there is a problem if you are sailing Fantasia class and older, as they do not have the wristbands.  EM

[Homosassa]

Read the Terms and Conditions on the MSC USA website. 

 

The cancellation section of the T&C specifically mentions "no show." A "no show"  is assess a 100% cancellation fee of the fare.

 

The section later goes on to say that a passenger left in a cabin due to  cancellation by another passenger (passengers) will be assessed a 100% single supplement of the cabin cost.

 

MSC is very good at closing the loopholes that passengers used to game the system and, in the long run. costs all passengers money.

 

There were cruisers that boasted on this forum that to avoid the single supplement, a fictitious second passenger would be booked and be a "no show."  MSC has closed the passenger cheating and now has a published policy that in the long road, may cost the solo passenger more when the "no show" game is played. 

[20165]

Hi, just to close the loop on this and provide some info in case anyone else has a similar configuration.  We were able to book 3 cabins, 2 balconies, 1 inside.  Wife and Hubby in one, 20yo son and girlfriend in the other balcony, and 17yo son in the inside by himself.  I was actually surprised they let us book our 17yo son in the cabin by himself but i guess all of the cabins are close enough we were able to do it.  So we wont have to play the key card shuffle when we board which is great.

[kelleherdl]

1 hour ago, 20165 said:

Hi, just to close the loop on this and provide some info in case anyone else has a similar configuration.  We were able to book 3 cabins, 2 balconies, 1 inside.  Wife and Hubby in one, 20yo son and girlfriend in the other balcony, and 17yo son in the inside by himself.  I was actually surprised they let us book our 17yo son in the cabin by himself but i guess all of the cabins are close enough we were able to do it.  So we wont have to play the key card shuffle when we board which is great.

Just a slight note of caution…..  The checkin agent at the cruise terminal may see that a 17 year old is in a cabin alone and they may alert a supervisor. Just accept that the agent is doing their job as trained by that cruise line. Don’t assume it won’t be allowed. Please be patient if the question is referred to the port agent supervisor or the ship’s immigration officer. It will only take a few minutes if referred.