Booking without a room mate

[It'sRC4ME]

We are looking at booking a cruise for next Fall, and one of our friends would like to come with us. At this point she doesn't have someone to share a cabin with.

 

If she books a cabin for just herself, she will have to pay a 100% single supplement. Since we are looking so far ahead, paying the entire cost of the cabin is not unreasonable. However, I have the impression that if she then finds a room mate later on, there is a chance that the ship will be at capacity and even though she is alone in the cabin she won't be able to add anyone to her booking.

 

I checked RC's website, and based on what it says there and my own prior experiences in booking, I think the following scenario would work - what do you think?

 

I remember that when I've booked a cruise, all I needed to provide was the passenger's names and my address and credit card numbers. Instead of booking for just herself, she could book for herself and a ficticious "friend-to-be-named-later". If she later finds someone to share her cabin, she can (according to RC's website) change the name on the booking from the name of the "friend-to-be-named-later" to the name of her travelling companion. If she doesn't find a room mate she'll cover the whole fare for the cabin just as she would if she booked the cabin for herself and paid the single supplement, and the ficticious friend-to-be-named later will be an unfortunate no-show for the cruise.

 

Basically, the friend-to-be-named later serves as a placeholder so she has time to find a room mate. Any reason this wouldn't work? I don't want to advise her of this without checking with the experts here, just in case I'm missing something obvious.

 

Thanks!

[wrp96]

Yes you can book a room with the 2nd passenger to be decided later (called TBA). She will have to pay the deposits for 2 passengers though. If she decides to go by herself she needs to decide before final payment date though, otherwise she will have to pay double port taxes and fees (which you don't have to do as a single traveler). Also, the name change needs to be made before final payment otherwise she risks having to pay a fee to change the name.

[ncdazz]

along this same train of thought.... if she didn't 'reserve' the 2nd person TBA, what is the likelihood that RCI would put a stranger in her cabin.

 

i'm just wondering if i didn't have a roommate, but wanted one, would RCI help me or would i just have to find one myself?

 

i'm not anticipating this ever happening, but it has crossed my mind how they would handle this situation.

[wrp96]

Royal Caribbean does not find roommates for you.

[Treven]

Nor would RCI, or any other cruise line arbitrarily & capriciously stick a stranger in the cabin occupied by a solo traveler.

 

I choose to travel alone and as such I'm accustomed to paying the 100% single suppliment. If the cruiseline attempted to put a 2nd body (not of my choosing) in my cabin, they would have to come up with a pretty damned good compensation package for me to allow/accept that.

[ncdazz]

i totally understand wut u mean, trevan!! :)

[FitzLA]

The name change does not have to be made prior to final payment. The name change can be made up until 5 days or so before the cruise.

[iluvcruzin]

RCCL doesn't do Single Share anymore (at least it doesn't show up on their website). They used to though. Singles could book as a single share to avoid paying 200%. My friends who used this option rarely ended up with a cabinmate.

 

I've used the TBD many times. I just added the name before final payment.

[It'sRC4ME]

Thank you everyone for your input! I guess she won't even need to make up a ficticious room mate, she can just book it TBD.

[wrp96]

The name change does not have to be made prior to final payment. The name change can be made up until 5 days or so before the cruise.

 

Yeah, but if you do it that close there is a fee for changing who is traveling.