Unique situation...need advice/input

[NOVEMBERCRUISER]

Hi,

I'm a frequent lurker and have learned so much from these boards! So I thought I'd venture to ask for some advice. The situation in a nutshell...

 

Hubby and I booked a cruise in January 2008 for November 2008, 5 days

on the Inspiration. We'll be celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary. Neither of us has cruised. We told our very good friends (who have cruised alot) about our plans and they also booked. They sprang for a cat 12 suite. Then we invited my mom (who has been widowed for 8 years) and she found a friend (another widow) to room with her. My family (myself, hubby, 13ds, 9dd) are in Oceanview guarantee (tight, i know with 4, but we're on a strict budget) and mom and her friend booked the same type room. That was all in January. Ok...fastforward to May. My mom starts dating a friend she met a few years ago. They are super compatible, and she lets us know last week she'll probably be married by November. (which I'm totally thrilled about, btw. She deserves the happiness!) So...mom breaks it to her friend that she probably won't be cruising, since she'll be married and won't want to leave new hubby behind. Friend says she'll just cancel, mom feels bad cause she talked friend into booking in the first place. Mom thinks friend can find another roomie in their circle of friends (6 widows, all pretty young, early 60's, in our church. They all do alot together) Friend says its fine, she'll just cancel. Doesn't know if she'd be comfortable rooming with another friend. So...everybody's ready to cancel. I'm telling everybody to calm down, don't rush to anything. Mom's not even married yet and final payment isn't due til middle of Sept. Mom's friend says she's not going if Mom doesn't go. Mom decides she and new hubby(??) will just book a room and go...it can be their honeymoon, though I figure they'll be married by September at latest. This still leaves friend in the room first booked for both mom and friend. I looked into the single supplement and its outrageous. So...other option is find another roomie for friend (which isn't looking good) or an idea I came up with and the travel agent said could be done, and that is take our dd out of our room and book her into friends room. (I guess basically a name change, my moms to my dd's) Then the only price diff is the difference between the 2nd passenger fee and the 3rd passenger fee. Only about $150, and my mom says she'll take care of that since this is all her doing!:D Travel agent says it won't be a problem that dd will actually be sleeping in our room. So...if you've made it through all this... first question...in your experience is that really not a problem?

Second...any other ideas on how to solve this? (besides my mom not getting married, i think that's pretty much a given; and besides my mom just going on without new hubby, don't think that would happen!:)

And, lastly...one of the things mom's friend is worried about is safety. She wonders if she'll feel safe in a room by herself. I've never even been on a cruise, so I can't even really reassure her. But cat 12 suite friend tells her the doors are very sturdy, there's lots of security, and she shouldn't worry. Like I said, we're booked OV guarantee, so our reservations are linked, but no way to be sure our rooms will be close. Can't really swing the extra to choose our own rooms. So...should a single woman worry for her safety? We plan to hang with her as much as she wants to. She's not a drinker and won't even be in the clubs or casinos. Will she be safe in her room at night? I don't know anything about the doors. Would one of those little alarms you can slip under a hotel room door (so it goes off if the door opens) even work on a ship door?

 

Whew...if you got through all that, thanks!

 

Crystal...

counting down the days til my anniversary (or is it my mom's honeymoon??:D ) cruise!!

[ClerkPatsy]

I've been on cruises with my DH and with one of my good friends. I've never felt uncomfortable in anyway on a cruise ship. I know you'll get other responses, but, IMO this is the safest place I can think of and wouldn't blink an eye to sail alone in my own cabin.

[cuyahoga11]

I am 60 and would sail alone in a heartbeat. The doors have a safety lock on them. The only thing I would not do is go out on deck late at night when it is deserted but that is just common sense.

[firefly333]

Why cant your daughter just sleep with the friend?? Would your daughter not do that. Sounds like it would make the friend feel batter.

 

....Or book the friend into a 1A cabin, that is cheaper for going solo?

[ala-kat]

Sounds like you have the logistics worked out, nice. As to safety, use the same precautions you would use on land. I've traveled solo with not one issue. It also might be fun for your DD to camp out with the solo. Company for her and more room for you.

 

Book the cheapest way to go and then mix it up if you want. You can easily get extra room keys if needed. No one is going to tell you that someone can't sleep in anothers cabin as long as that person is fine with it.

[txladydi]

As long as she doesn't get drunk and climb up on a railing, she should be perfectly safe. Hallways have people coming and going all hours, so to break into a door would be nearly impossible. PLUS they have security cameras on hallways.

 

Tell her to relax and enjoy, cruising is a great experience - like no other.

 

BTW, why not let DD stay in that room with her, maybe some nights?

 

Happy cruising

[queenanneitis]

Tell everyone to just kick back and relax. Reassure mom's friend that she will be completely safe on the cruise. LOTS of people who are single travel alone or with girlfriends or whatever. Placing DD in the same room would give the friend someone else in the same room and would lessen the crowding in your own room. Could be a great solution.

 

My advice, everyone go and have a great time celebrating your anniversary, mom's honeymoon and first cruise all rolled into one!

[choclitsnda]

Go ahead & book DD in room w/ friend.(personally, I would even have DD Sleep in rm w/ friend...It would definately give you all some room in your cabin.)

But, even if DD does not sleep in room w/ friend...at least book her in that cabin.

[iwannacruznow]

Or you could just take me.

[Lovely Cruise]

Yes, your Mom's friend will be safe in her room.

[bonnys]

There is one issue that I have not seen anyone mention. If the OP moves her DD to the other cabin, her cabin will change from a quad to a triple. Even if the cabin is picked out, if CCL needs a quad they will move them from their cabin to a triple if there are only three listed in the room.

[crazd]

It is very safe, not to worry one bit.

 

Remember your daughter will be registered to the other room and photo on file will be for that room and she will need to use that sail and sign card for getting on and off the ship. She will have to keep both cards and know which one to use for what purpose, but not too hard to figure out.

 

Have a great trip - you will love it.

[Ms Belvedere]

You've done a terrific job of working this all out and your TA sounds like a good one. :) I hope that every one can still go and your mother's friend decides to cruise, I've never felt unsafe on the ships and am sure she'll be fine in a room by herself. You're a good person for looking after her and her concerns and making sure that every option is covered.

[TV Dad]

Your travel agent has it nailed. Follow his/her advice. I have sailed on the Inspiration before and am going again in July. WONDERFUL ship.

Everyone will be safe and happy. . .

And who knows? The way your circle of friends & family seems to be moving this year -- the single 60 year old friend could be engaged by November too!! :D

[Snorkel2Much]

There is one issue that I have not seen anyone mention. If the OP moves her DD to the other cabin, her cabin will change from a quad to a triple. Even if the cabin is picked out, if CCL needs a quad they will move them from their cabin to a triple if there are only three listed in the room.

Given that the OP is in an OV Guarantee, this problem is VERY likely to happen. I hope bonnys important warning doesn't get lost in the shuffle here.

[NOVEMBERCRUISER]

Thank you so much everyone for all of your replies. I will reassure mom's friend that she'll be perfectly safe in a cabin. I don't mind my dd staying with her in her cabin at all, I just didn't want it to be like "hey, come cruise with us, oh, and watch our daughter":) I had also wondered about if they'd put us in a room with only 3 beds. But, if dd insists on being with us, she, dh and I can sleep in the 2 that make a king. We only have a queen at home, and she ends up with us sometimes anyway.

So...everything should work out. Thanks again.

[burnsie]

My Mom has been in the room by herself and she's 72. We are all usually together going to and from the rooms anyway so she is only alone in the cabin. She said she has never worried about her safety.

 

We have changed rooms alot when we have booked it is no problem. Only once on the Inspiration did they give us a littel grief because one of the girls we were switching was a friend so they were caustious doing it then.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[redskin80]

My mom has cruised with us and a friend. Her friend is not a night person and would go back to the cabin at night all the time and mon would stay out until when ever she wanted, with us or without us. She never feels uncomfortable onboardm ship. By the way she is 70.

[miami]

There is one issue that I have not seen anyone mention. If the OP moves her DD to the other cabin, her cabin will change from a quad to a triple. Even if the cabin is picked out, if CCL needs a quad they will move them from their cabin to a triple if there are only three listed in the room.

 

 

Good point since they booked a guarantee and not specific cabins. If they had booked specific cabins, you could ask CCL to keep the quad. They allowed me to keep my triple when my son canceled.

[Rockee4055]

So if DD is booked in the room with the friend she will be "keyed - S&S" for that cabin. How will she get in and out of cabin she is actually staying in?

 

Just a thought.

 

As far as feeling safe, I don't think she will have anything to worry about.

[SunnyinMA]

So if DD is booked in the room with the friend she will be "keyed - S&S" for that cabin. How will she get in and out of cabin she is actually staying in?

 

Just a thought.

 

As far as feeling safe, I don't think she will have anything to worry about.

 

A quick trip to the pursers desk and they will straighten out the key situation assuming the ship isn't one of the leftover separate door key ships.

[TheCruisingBrewers]

I definitely think putting the daughter in with the friend is the best idea and would be very safe....as long as the DD would sleep with the friend... some kids are funny that way.

 

If you wanted rooms together you could also change everyones rooms and see if you could get a specific room (try dropping to insides or unsold obstructed views) and get rooms across from each other, or inside rooms next to each other etc. We have done that on several cruises putting our older teens right across the hall from us. We did this with a balcony and inside, but there are lots of other possibilities. Carnival books a parent (adult) into each room and then you can switch rooms once on board. My PVP did this easily on a few sailings and told me it is done all the time. Plus Carnival will easily sell the quad cabin to someone else.

 

This is one time a guarantee may be less important than grouping the cabins all together.

 

Just a thought..Hope you sort it out... sounds like a fun time if you can figure out rooms....It sounds like you have a great TA too, have her/him explore all your options...

 

 

Nancy

[bonniemari]

My 80+ mother in law has cruised in a Cat 11/12 by herself many times. A couple of times on cruises with us and several more times with her church group. Trust me when I say my MIL is a worrier (almost compulsive) and has never once worried about cruising in a cabin by herself. Your mom's friend will be fine.

[dragonflymy2000]

take a breath......you'll be fine...i have cruised with and without men, just a few gf and a whole group of us and as long as you use common sense and remember a ship is like a small sailing city all will be well.....i have never felt worried or uncomfortable, even when i travel with just my 13dd.....go and ev1 have a great time you'll love cruising

[SATXLady]

You know, reading through the OP's post, it almost sounds like the friend really doesn't want to go. Every objection she brings up, you overcome. Before you do anything, find out if she really does want to go or was actually glad when she thought she had an out. I mean, it's hard sometimes to figure out but the first thought when I read the post was that she really was trying to get out of it and you wouldn't let her.