Add additional passenger (foreign exchange student) to existing reservation?

[Riggsy]

Hello fellow cruisers 👋! I know there are lots of experienced travelers (and TAs) out there and I'm hoping y'all can be of more assistance than the RC customer service rep I was just on the phone with, it was like pulling teeth to get information. I GREATLY appreciate any advice.

 

I booked a cruise on the Voyager of the Seas out of Galveston on December 27th for my family; we have two GTY rooms, one has my two adult sons and the other room has my 15 yr-old daughter and my husband and me. I booked this last November. Since then, we decided to host a foreign exchange student and she would like to come with us on the cruise. It's going to be a bit tight with four of us in the room as I would add her to my room and not my son's room, but I checked prices to add another room and it looks like it is cheaper to just add a fourth guest to our room rather than add an additional room and move her and my daughter there as RC says they cannot transfer money between cabins.

Any advice on the best way to do this? By the way, she is from Brazil. I've not checked requirements yet for her to board the ship, but she has a passport and a Visa for the US obviously.

 

THANK YOU!! 

[Cruiser_1977]

Why would they be transferring money between cabins? 

You should be able to add a fourth person as long as:

1) Your cabin class can actually hold 4 people. Not all cabins can hold 4.

2) The ship has not maxed out the lifeboat capacity. If it has, it doesn’t matter how many your cabin can hold, you won’t be able to add them.

[Ourusualbeach]

34 minutes ago, Riggsy said:

Hello fellow cruisers 👋! I know there are lots of experienced travelers (and TAs) out there and I'm hoping y'all can be of more assistance than the RC customer service rep I was just on the phone with, it was like pulling teeth to get information. I GREATLY appreciate any advice.

 

I booked a cruise on the Voyager of the Seas out of Galveston on December 27th for my family; we have two GTY rooms, one has my two adult sons and the other room has my 15 yr-old daughter and my husband and me. I booked this last November. Since then, we decided to host a foreign exchange student and she would like to come with us on the cruise. It's going to be a bit tight with four of us in the room as I would add her to my room and not my son's room, but I checked prices to add another room and it looks like it is cheaper to just add a fourth guest to our room rather than add an additional room and move her and my daughter there as RC says they cannot transfer money between cabins.

Any advice on the best way to do this? By the way, she is from Brazil. I've not checked requirements yet for her to board the ship, but she has a passport and a Visa for the US obviously.

 

THANK YOU!! 

Unfortunately, I think that you will run into issues since you booked a gty cabin.  That was a gty for a 3 person cabin.  if you want to add a 4th it will likely be at current pricing for the room.  If you had booked an actual room that could hold 4 guests then you could add the 4th at the same rate as the third.

[topnole]

1 hour ago, Riggsy said:

Hello fellow cruisers 👋! I know there are lots of experienced travelers (and TAs) out there and I'm hoping y'all can be of more assistance than the RC customer service rep I was just on the phone with, it was like pulling teeth to get information. I GREATLY appreciate any advice.

 

I booked a cruise on the Voyager of the Seas out of Galveston on December 27th for my family; we have two GTY rooms, one has my two adult sons and the other room has my 15 yr-old daughter and my husband and me. I booked this last November. Since then, we decided to host a foreign exchange student and she would like to come with us on the cruise. It's going to be a bit tight with four of us in the room as I would add her to my room and not my son's room, but I checked prices to add another room and it looks like it is cheaper to just add a fourth guest to our room rather than add an additional room and move her and my daughter there as RC says they cannot transfer money between cabins.

Any advice on the best way to do this? By the way, she is from Brazil. I've not checked requirements yet for her to board the ship, but she has a passport and a Visa for the US obviously.

 

THANK YOU!! 

Minor or adult?  Assume you will need extra documents if she is a minor to show parental approval?  By the way, once they assign the cabin could be a four person common. So even if you got locked out because you’re in a guarantee that could change later.   

[firefly333]

39 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Unfortunately, I think that you will run into issues since you booked a gty cabin.  That was a gty for a 3 person cabin.  if you want to add a 4th it will likely be at current pricing for the room.  If you had booked an actual room that could hold 4 guests then you could add the 4th at the same rate as the third.

 

10 minutes ago, topnole said:

Minor or adult?  Assume you will need extra documents if she is a minor to show parental approval?  By the way, once they assign the cabin could be a four person common. So even if you got locked out because you’re in a guarantee that could change later.   

Seems your answer is different that ourusualbeach answer and since he is a TA and deals with this I'm going with his answer ..  that the gty cat might be a issue if it's a gty for 3. 

[Riggsy]

Thanks all. I will call RC tonight and try to get someone a little more knowledgeable and let you all know!

[Fouremco]

As no one else has addressed this issue, remember that entry requirements for the countries you will be visiting may be very different for a citizen of Brazil than for an American citizen. You might want to check to ensure that there are no potential issues on that front.

 

A number of years ago, there was an interesting thread about a foreign national on a US student visa who booked a HAL cruise to Alaska. He was denied boarding in Seattle as the cruise stopped in Victoria and he hadn't bothered to get a Canadian visa. 

 

Good luck on all fronts!

[Marie51]

4 hours ago, Riggsy said:

Thanks all. I will call RC tonight and try to get someone a little more knowledgeable and let you all know!

Do you have a travel agent who could help you? Talking to the reps at Royal Caribbean is hit or miss, most often miss.

[topnole]

4 hours ago, firefly333 said:

 

Seems your answer is different that ourusualbeach answer and since he is a TA and deals with this I'm going with his answer ..  that the gty cat might be a issue if it's a gty for 3. 

I don’t think my answer is different. I said if…. And what I mean is if they assign them to a four person cabin, even though they booked a three person guarantee it might be possible.  But again that’s an if.     This wasn’t brought up and one could come away thinking it was an impossible when it may be possible.  Of course all this is independent of what the price might be to add someone.   

[firefly333]

2 minutes ago, topnole said:

I don’t think my answer is different. I said if…. And what I mean is if they assign them to a four person cabin, even though they booked a three person guarantee it might be possible.  But again that’s an if.     This wasn’t brought up and one could come away thinking it was an impossible when it may be possible.  Of course all this is independent of what the price might be to add someone.   

Idk I took ourusualbeach answer to mean if they booked a 3 pax gty, even if they got a 4 pax cabin, they would be repriced to add a 4th, because their gty was for 3. 

 

Just how I read it. Idk as I said. 

[topnole]

21 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

Idk I took ourusualbeach answer to mean if they booked a 3 pax gty, even if they got a 4 pax cabin, they would be repriced to add a 4th, because their gty was for 3. 

 

Just how I read it. Idk as I said. 

Maybe so.   My statement was additive, not necessarily different.  If I was the OP and got a 4 person assignment, I’d certainly find out if it is possible and at what price.  Particularly after final payment when sometimes rates go down.   Regardless, I was just throwing out an idea in case it helped the OP.  

[chengkp75]

1 hour ago, Fouremco said:

As no one else has addressed this issue, remember that entry requirements for the countries you will be visiting may be very different for a citizen of Brazil than for an American citizen. You might want to check to ensure that there are no potential issues on that front.

 

Additionally, the OP needs to check that the student has a multiple entry visa for the US, or he/she will be denied re-entry into the US at the end of the cruise.

[Ferry_Watcher]

Like Chengkp75 said, look at the US Visa and make sure it says Multiple Entries.  If it says 1 or 2, do not take them out of the country.

 

Also, check to see if your Brazilian student needs a visa for whatever Central/South American country your ship is visiting.  If you were cruising to Alaska with the Brazilian student, they would be denied boarding if they did not have a Canadian Visa. (I do check-in in Seattle).

Recently, we had a South African Au Pair denied boarding traveling with an American family because she didn't have a Canadian Visa.  I guess the upside was she got a week off without the kids, but the mother was furious.  ;  )

[Mom*3]

I would definitely research the visa issue before I went much farther.

But, I do have a thought on the cabin/passenger arrangement. Could you put your husband in the cabin with your 2 sons, and then add the student to your cabin? Two cabins with 3 passengers each.

[Riggsy]

1 minute ago, Mom*3 said:

I would definitely research the visa issue before I went much farther.

But, I do have a thought on the cabin/passenger arrangement. Could you put your husband in the cabin with your 2 sons, and then add the student to your cabin? Two cabins with 3 passengers each.

That's a great idea! I can't officially do that as the cabin was booked as double occupancy but hopefully the cabin steward will help us out. I'm still waiting to talk to RC as we research the Visa issue for her.

[firefly333]

7 minutes ago, Mom*3 said:

I would definitely research the visa issue before I went much farther.

But, I do have a thought on the cabin/passenger arrangement. Could you put your husband in the cabin with your 2 sons, and then add the student to your cabin? Two cabins with 3 passengers each.

Not without paying the current amt. Moving from a 2 pax gty to a 3 pax is for sure a different category to hold that 3rd pax. Everyone in that cabin will be refared. A 2 pax cabin wouldnt have a extra bed. 

[mjkacmom]

1 hour ago, Riggsy said:

That's a great idea! I can't officially do that as the cabin was booked as double occupancy but hopefully the cabin steward will help us out. I'm still waiting to talk to RC as we research the Visa issue for her.

Three can’t be booked into a cabin that only sleeps 2.

[Mom*3]

2 hours ago, firefly333 said:

Not without paying the current amt. Moving from a 2 pax gty to a 3 pax is for sure a different category to hold that 3rd pax. Everyone in that cabin will be refared. A 2 pax cabin wouldnt have an extra bed. 

Yes, this is what I was thinking. I just thought going from a 2 person guarantee to a 3 person would be easier than going from a 3 person to a 4 person.  Either way, it will cost more.