Elderly Mother in Law Joining Us Question!!

Well my husband just told me last night that his 87 year old mother would like to join us on our November cruise on the Jewel. I immediately thought "This is great news" as she is very nice. But this morning I just realized, we have a 2 bedroom Family suite for my husband and I and our two teenage daughters. My MIL wants to get her own room. With our Family Suite we have early boarding and deboarding, lunch in Cagney's after boarding, breakfast/lunch daily at Cagney's, early Tenders at ports, etc. My MIL won't be able to have any of those things unless she books a suite right?

I just looked and it looks like there are no more suites left, do any other rooms include these perks?? There is no way we will be able to use our perks and leave our 87 year old MIL/Mom/Grandma behind. This could suck badly if we pay for all these perks and then can't use any of them. Help!!

2 bedroom suites can generally sleep up to 6. You could just add her to your room so she can have all the suite perks.

Only cabins that begin with S designation (true suites) get those. NCL actually wouldn't object to her boarding with you I don't think, being family and age. But you're right. The other items have an expectation that they have been paid for with the purchase of the suite by those guests entitled to those suite privileges.

My MIL loves having her own room, a real bed and privacy. The 2nd bedroom bed is a pull out couch so unless we give her the master bedroom and we sleep in the 2nd bedroom and our teens take the couch, this won't work. The whole point of getting this nice room was for the space and so our teen girls would have their own room and bath and we could use the living room to gather in (not sleep in).

If we can't use the perks, it almost isn't worth paying for the extra space... I wonder if they would give us our money back if we downgraded to a regular balcony room or mini-suite?

Don't some of those SCs have adjoining mini-suites? If so, can the bookings be connected and considered as one for perks?

I believe I've heard of that with Owner's Suites and connecting insides - the inside booking is considered an "extra bedroom" and included with the suite amenities.

Not sure about this, but just a thought!

This is the SC category which appears to sleep 5 utilizing the sofa in the living area. You're in a tough spot, but you say Grandma is a very nice person. After you and your family decide if it would be all right to have her in the suite, explain the options to her so she can choose.

Call NCL, or your agent, to find out about possible great options suggested.

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I will get flamed for this, but I will tell you anyway. If you put your mother-in-law with you, and your two teenagers in a connecting balcony, you will all get suite privileges because they extend suite privileges to minors in an adjoining room. You can all sleep whereever you like when you get there. If you put your MIL in the adjoining room, she is obviously not a minor and will not get suite privileges.

Terry

2 bedroom suites can generally sleep up to 6. You could just add her to your room so she can have all the suite perks.

This is usually followed by many people saying this is not allowed, and then other people saying it is allowed and they have done it, etc. etc. back and forth. Best solution would be to call NCL and ask.

If you put your mother-in-law with you, and your two teenagers in a connecting balcony, you will all get suite privileges because they extend suite privileges to minors in an adjoining room.

they extend suite privileges to minors in an adjoining room.

See, I knew this was a thing! ;)

Check to see if by any chance the connecting mini-suite stateroom to your SC two bedroom suite is available. You could then book your teenagers in the mini-suite stateroom and your MIL in the 2nd bedroom in the suite. Mini-suites do not normally receive suite privileges but with minor children I believe they would. If your MIL didn't like the smaller bedroom in the suite she and the kids could informally switch sleeping areas.

Talk to NCL or your travel agent if you used one.

I will get flamed for this, but I will tell you anyway. If you put your mother-in-law with you, and your two teenagers in a connecting balcony, you will all get suite privileges because they extend suite privileges to minors in an adjoining room. You can all sleep whereever you like when you get there. If you put your MIL in the adjoining room, she is obviously not a minor and will not get suite privileges.

 

Terry

Why would you get flamed for this?? This is a great idea.

We recently had a similar situation. We are booked in a 2 bedroom family suite next June on the Pearl and my Mother decided to come with us. In the 2BR is me, the wife, and two daughters (17&19). We actually stayed in the same exact cabin three years ago.

We knew our 2BR is connected to the room next door. I called our PCC and asked if I booked both rooms under the same reservation, would it be considered one suite and both rooms have the suite perks. The answer was no. The only way for her to officially get the perks was to add her to our room or book her her own suite.

The PCC did say they would let her embark and disembrk with us but that was about it. We wound up booking my Mother an aft cabin suite to ensure she has the same perks we do. it was also cheaper to put one of my daughters (at least on paper) in her room.

Why would you get flamed for this?? This is a great idea.

Because alot of people seem to think that if you dont pay for suites for all family members, then all family members should not be permitted to enjoy the perks they didnt pay for....I think there are gray areas, and this is one of them.

Terry

We had 5 in an SC. My husband and I in the master BR, my dad (he was about 79) on the couch that converted to a bed and the kids in the small bedroom.

The following year we had four of us in the SC and 3 kids in the adjoining mini. The kids that were in the adjoining mini were able to embark and dis-embark with us. (they were all under 21). My husband and the kids didn't really like getting up and going to breakfast at Cagney's so it was just usually me. One day my step son came with me to lunch in Cagney's, they only took one room card, and scanned it to see how many were in the suite.

I called our PCC and asked if I booked both rooms under the same reservation, would it be considered one suite and both rooms have the suite perks. The answer was no.

This is definitely a case where I would ask multiple PCCs or ask for a supervisor. Not with this particular issue - but with other "rules"-type issues, I have frequently gotten different responses from different PCCs. (Even within CAS, "rules" are different depending who you speak to! :rolleyes:)

They all mean well, but not every one knows every thing.

Good luck!

Because alot of people seem to think that if you dont pay for suites for all family members, then all family members should not be permitted to enjoy the perks they didnt pay for....I think there are gray areas, and this is one of them.

This is definitely a case where I would ask multiple PCCs or ask for a supervisor. Not with this particular issue - but with other "rules"-type issues, I have frequently gotten different responses from different PCCs. (Even within CAS, "rules" are different depending who you speak to! :rolleyes:)

 

They all mean well, but not every one knows every thing.

 

Good luck!

Not sure if it would matter what the PCC says, wouldn't it be up to the concierge on the ship? I asked my PCC and he said that the suite perks would only be given to the guests in the suite, but if we wanted to bring the kids (18, 20 and 20) from the mini-suite, we could ask the concierge. (was never an issue, the kids never wanted to join us for breakfast or lunch, they preferred the buffet, LOL, kids.....)

Don't some of those SCs have adjoining mini-suites? If so, can the bookings be connected and considered as one for perks?

 

I believe I've heard of that with Owner's Suites and connecting insides - the inside booking is considered an "extra bedroom" and included with the suite amenities.

 

Not sure about this, but just a thought!

NCL doesn't have any OS connecting to insides. It is typically another suite but in some cases a balcony or mini-suite.

Letting kids in an adjoining non-suite cabin have the suite perks is a gray area. Using your kids as a decoy to get suite perks for an adult in your party… that's crossing over to the Dark Side. :p

It's......complicated. :o

There will always be opinions that differ as far as "extending" suite privileges. If NCL allows it, it's all good. Their ship, their rules.

The "using minors as a decoy..." does happen, unfortunately. Some take that as unfair or dirty but we don't make the rules.

Not sure if it would matter what the PCC says, wouldn't it be up to the concierge on the ship? I asked my PCC and he said that the suite perks would only be given to the guests in the suite, but if we wanted to bring the kids (18, 20 and 20) from the mini-suite, we could ask the concierge. (was never an issue, the kids never wanted to join us for breakfast or lunch, they preferred the buffet, LOL, kids.....)

I asked our PCC the same question and he said it is up to the concierge, but he has has guests were it was allowed and some were it was not allowed. We didn't want to take the chance so we just booked another suite.

Not sure if it would matter what the PCC says, wouldn't it be up to the concierge on the ship? I asked my PCC and he said that the suite perks would only be given to the guests in the suite, but if we wanted to bring the kids (18, 20 and 20) from the mini-suite, we could ask the concierge. (was never an issue, the kids never wanted to join us for breakfast or lunch, they preferred the buffet, LOL, kids.....)

From everything i have gleened from other posts that they need to be minor children to get the same suite perks. Unfortunately it does not extent to adult children over the age of 18

This is a very interesting idea I never tried because we travel as a party of 7. Can the adjoining room with minors be a 17 yr old and 9 yr old or are there minimum ages to be booked into an adjoining room w/o an adult?

Call me old fashioned - but I'd like to think that in todays world of "What is politically correct" - that common sense ON board will prevail.

This lady is 87! She is not a 21 year old squeezing in for suite benefits - she is 87 - and enjoying her twilight years with her family.

God forbid that anyone would deny her that pleasure.

I for one - sincerely hope - you all go on your cruise - and MIL gets to join you in all that you do -

My MIL came with us everywhere - many cruises and so many giggles -

Suddenly - at 83 she was taken with the big C - she refused treatment and passed quietly at home on Christmas morning...

But - we rejoice in the memories we made - those special moments - those Bon Voyages - those late night discos - and her gorgeous dresses..

We were often in suites with MIL across the corridor - but our Butler would order her up breakfast with us on our balcony - always fussing over her - its how it should be....

Whatever is said on the phone and in writing is one thing - sort it out on board - I am sure common sense will prevail .....

Do not deny your MIL her independence, that is sacred to her -

My best wishes to you and yours - hope you all have a wonderful family cruise!

Sorry but all I can think is MIL.. Hide the life jacket:rolleyes:

How is booking an adjoining room under the minors name but for her to use "sacrificing her independence". Sure, they may extend all the privileges but officially they don't have to. So, what if they try that route and are denied? What s hassle that would be. Sounds like the perfect solution to book adjoining cabin in teens name is perfect.