Under what circumstances would you switch cabins?

[cruiser82]

An interesting thread. I can relate to this....

 

A number of years ago, I was sailing with my elderly mother on the HAL Maasdam. We were booked in an inside cabin, which had a stall shower. When we checked in at the pier, we learned to our delight, that we had been upgraded to a nice midship ocean view cabin.

 

 

 

When we checked out our cabin, my mother took one look at the bathtub, which had extremely high sides, and announced she could not climb in to use the shower. I went immediately to guest relations, and explained my dilemma, asking to be switched back to an inside. The clerk said, sorry, the ship was fully booked, and there were no insides available.

 

 

 

Just then, a woman in line behind me, approached and said that she overheard our problem, and said she had an inside, and would be glad to swap cabins with us. I asked the clerk if that would be okay, and she said yes, and made the arrangements, issuing us all new seapasses, and having the stewards help us move.

 

 

 

So the lesson I learned from that, was to be sure to mark "no upgrades" on my future reservations....:)

 

 

Hi Bob, good to see you again! I hope you and your family are doing well.

 

To stay on topic, I would consider switching cabins but only if members of the crew are involved to make sure there are no mix ups, as others have mentioned. I would not , however, switch if the reason was just to be closer to the rest of the group with which they're traveling. I have travelled in groups before and we were spread out over the ship and it was doable,and even a bit fun exploring the other passenger decks.

[LMaxwell]

Finally, I'd be looking for something in the way of compensation.

 

I agree. A bottle of $4 wine or a specialty dinner would not be worth my while; needs to be more substantial than that.

[spookwife]

The only way I'd switch is if the cabin I was in was rendered uninhabitable. And then I'd require an upgrade or

[BonTexasNY]

Maybe I don't feel as most, but if a guest wanted to switch cabins with me and the request came personally from him/her, why would RCI furnish me with compensation? If the request came directly from RCI then yes I would expect some compensation for our trouble.

Edited July 3, 2016 by BonTexasNY

[LMaxwell]

Maybe I don't feel as most, but if a guest wanted to switch rooms with me and the request came personally from him/her, why would RCI furnish me with compensation? If the request came directly from RCI then yes I would expect some compensation for our trouble.

 

If the request came direct from the guest I would not expect RCI to offer me compensation. I would expect the guest to offer me compensation.

[Fouremco]

Maybe I don't feel as most, but if a guest wanted to switch cabins with me and the request came personally from him/her, why would RCI furnish me with compensation? If the request came directly from RCI then yes I would expect some compensation for our trouble.

 

If the request came direct from the guest I would not expect RCI to offer me compensation. I would expect the guest to offer me compensation.

As I said in an earlier post, I wouldn't entertain a direct request from another passenger as there are too many potential issues that might arise from an unofficial "swap". If the other passenger can't convince Guest Services to go to bat for him/her, then I'm not changing cabins.

 

If GS does go to bat for them, I'll tell GS what my conditions are and it's up to them to compensate me. Whether or not they collect from the other passenger is really not my concern: my agreement is with GS, not the passenger.

[LMaxwell]

As I said in an earlier post, I wouldn't entertain a direct request from another passenger as there are too many potential issues that might arise from an unofficial "swap". If the other passenger can't convince Guest Services to go to bat for him/her, then I'm not changing cabins.

 

If GS does go to bat for them, I'll tell GS what my conditions are and it's up to them to compensate me. Whether or not they collect from the other passenger is really not my concern: my agreement is with GS, not the passenger.

 

I hear you. I get what you are saying. If I was directly approached and someone said "I'll give you $500 cash" I might just say "Well then, let's go to GS and make the swap official". Know what I mean?

[bob brown]

Hi Bob, good to see you again! I hope you and your family are doing well.

 

To stay on topic, I would consider switching cabins but only if members of the crew are involved to make sure there are no mix ups, as others have mentioned. I would not , however, switch if the reason was just to be closer to the rest of the group with which they're traveling. I have travelled in groups before and we were spread out over the ship and it was doable,and even a bit fun exploring the other passenger decks.

 

Hi Niya...good to hear from you, too! We are doing fine, as I hope you and yours are as well! Would love to meet you on another cruise, someday...:)

 

As I mentioned, we did make our 'switch' official with guest relations....we had no problems getting our proper 'mail' and such the rest of the cruise...

In our case the switch was a 'win-win' for both of us....no compensation was necessary or expected from the line....

[Ashland]

"Offended" no just creeped out :eek:....Would I change cabins...very doubtful....even for an upgraded category....I prefer the JS's and hand pick my location with care.

[Fouremco]

I hear you. I get what you are saying. If I was directly approached and someone said "I'll give you $500 cash" I might just say "Well then, let's go to GS and make the swap official". Know what I mean?

OK, that would work. As long as the other conditions are met and I get a chance to make sure that the "new" cabin doesn't have a backed up toilet and a broken AC! :)

[MrsPete]

No, I almost certainly wouldn't switch. I pick out the aft cabin I want and try to make my reservations the day they open the dates. I wouldn't go to that trouble just to switch cabins.

 

Would anything convince me to change? A considerably higher-level cabin or significant perks -- for example, several meals at specialty restaurants.

[ColoradoGurl]

If I was booked in a handicapped room and a handicapped person needed it, I would switch. Barring that, I would say no.

 

I handpick my room and put a lot of thought into it and would be annoyed that someone who did less planning ahead than me now wants me to accommodate them.

 

I read the post about the guy with the guarantee room and understand that he didn't know what it was, but really...read the description under the room, don't just look at the price, it's not as if that was a really random mistake that was out of his control; he just didn't take the time to read what he was buying. I feel badly for him because he does seem understandig that it's his own fault and is ok if it doesn't get resolved, but I wouldn't want to be asked to move on his behalf.

[Ashland]

If I was booked in a handicapped room and a handicapped person needed it, I would switch. Barring that, I would say no.

 

I handpick my room and put a lot of thought into it and would be annoyed that someone who did less planning ahead than me now wants me to accommodate them.

 

I read the post about the guy with the guarantee room and understand that he didn't know what it was, but really...read the description under the room, don't just look at the price, it's not as if that was a really random mistake that was out of his control; he just didn't take the time to read what he was buying. I feel badly for him because he does seem understandig that it's his own fault and is ok if it doesn't get resolved, but I wouldn't want to be asked to move on his behalf.

 

I may be wrong but I thought the accessible cabin's were ones that RCI could require you to change from if you booked it :confused:

[Sfr1959]

We thought the same about changing cabins as we book our cabins well in advance because we like mid ship. On our cruise last Nov on the Voyager we had a Promenade cabin (deck 7)

Guest relations left a message on our door and phone to call them. Their was a large Chinese group who had the 4 cabin ether side of us, and another friend wanted to be next to them and wanted our cabin.

We didn't really want to, but Guest Services put us into a JS mid ships with some OBC and 2 specialty restaurant vouchers.

 

So we are always up for an offer loll[emoji106][emoji106]

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[ducklite]

We thought the same about changing cabins as we book our cabins well in advance because we like mid ship. On our cruise last Nov on the Voyager we had a Promenade cabin (deck 7)

Guest relations left a message on our door and phone to call them. Their was a large Chinese group who had the 4 cabin ether side of us, and another friend wanted to be next to them and wanted our cabin.

We didn't really want to, but Guest Services put us into a JS mid ships with some OBC and 2 specialty restaurant vouchers.

 

So we are always up for an offer loll[emoji106][emoji106]

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

 

 

This was a smart move on their part. To be between a bunch of cabins belonging to a large group would not be pleasant. Chances are you would have been disturbed by them on a regular basis, and RCCL would have had to move and/or compensate you before the end of the cruise. You would have been ticked regardless if you had been disturbed so being preemptive and tossing in a couple of things that didn't really cost them much and making not only you but the other guests happy was simply a smart move. If your cruise had been ruined by a lot of noise from the hallways and in either side you might not have sailed with them again. Now you will. Win for everyone.

[BonTexasNY]

As I said in an earlier post, I wouldn't entertain a direct request from another passenger as there are too many potential issues that might arise from an unofficial "swap". If the other passenger can't convince Guest Services to go to bat for him/her, then I'm not changing cabins.

 

If GS does go to bat for them, I'll tell GS what my conditions are and it's up to them to compensate me. Whether or not they collect from the other passenger is really not my concern: my agreement is with GS, not the passenger.

 

Totally agree!

[aichambaye]

I would do it if the cabin was the same or better and I wasn't inconvenienced (i.e., someone else moved my stuff and the room/balcony was just as good - or if I lost my big balcony junior suite for a grade suite, that would work for me). I'm fairly easy going though, and it would make my day to know that I was able to improve someone else's vacation.

 

That said, guest services better be DIRECTLY involved. I would never do it for some rando standing outside my room being a creeper.

[ColoradoGurl]

I may be wrong but I thought the accessible cabin's were ones that RCI could require you to change from if you booked it :confused:

 

I don't know what the rule is in that situation, im just saying that if for some reason I got booked into an accessible room and someone else needed it, I wouldn't be upset or hesitant about moving, but that's the only circumstance I can think of that I would move.

 

I did read a thread not too long ago about someone who was in a wheelchair and needed the accessible room, but RC wouldn't move the non-handicapped person out of one for them, so it may or may not be a rule, not sure.

[ducklite]

I don't know what the rule is in that situation, im just saying that if for some reason I got booked into an accessible room and someone else needed it, I wouldn't be upset or hesitant about moving, but that's the only circumstance I can think of that I would move.

 

 

 

I did read a thread not too long ago about someone who was in a wheelchair and needed the accessible room, but RC wouldn't move the non-handicapped person out of one for them, so it may or may not be a rule, not sure.

 

 

 

How did the person in the wheelchair know who was in the cabin? Were they stalking them? How did they know that person didn't have special needs as well? I can't imagine a cruise line not trying to accommodate a passenger with special needs. I have a feeling there is more to that story.

[ColoradoGurl]

How did the person in the wheelchair know who was in the cabin? Were they stalking them? How did they know that person didn't have special needs as well? I can't imagine a cruise line not trying to accommodate a passenger with special needs. I have a feeling there is more to that story.

 

Yeah who knows. My point really isn't about whether non-handicapped people can be booked in those rooms (I would imagine RC wouldn't leave it empty just because nobody needed it, at some point they'd assign it to a guarantee or let someone book it I would think), so, if I for some reason ended up in one, I'd be ok giving it up.

[fragilek]

I don't know what the rule is in that situation, im just saying that if for some reason I got booked into an accessible room and someone else needed it, I wouldn't be upset or hesitant about moving, but that's the only circumstance I can think of that I would move.

 

I did read a thread not too long ago about someone who was in a wheelchair and needed the accessible room, but RC wouldn't move the non-handicapped person out of one for them, so it may or may not be a rule, not sure.

 

They wouldn't move me into it even before it had been assigned to anyone. I had booked a guarantee cabin in the same cat but between booking and sailing my MS had got much worse but under UK rules there was no way they would reassign me - I couldn't even pay extra to get it as it was the same cat so I would need to cancel and rebook or upgrade to get a higher cat disabled cabin. I up-graded but unfortunately got a cabin someone else had been assigned to before me - Chaos and a hassled trip ensued.

 

I had read on here that after assignment you could swap but I foolishly did not read the terms of the UK booking- so it was my own fault - lesson learned - I have the cabin I need for my next RCL retry trip.

[ducklite]

Yeah who knows. My point really isn't about whether non-handicapped people can be booked in those rooms (I would imagine RC wouldn't leave it empty just because nobody needed it, at some point they'd assign it to a guarantee or let someone book it I would think), so, if I for some reason ended up in one, I'd be ok giving it up.

 

 

 

Agree, as long as it wouldn't cause a significant downgrade. If I book late (say 2-3 weeks prior to sailing) and the last non-suite balcony room is a HC, I think it is fine to take it. If the line needs to move me for a HC person who books even later, they can either upgrade me or give me my money back and offer a significant discount on a different sailing. I would not accept being moved to an inside in a situation like this. Of course I would never book a HC if there were other rooms available, I just can't imagine doing this. Talk about bad karma!

[bob brown]

Regarding assignment of accessible cabins....they will not book you into one unless you certify that you need it. At a certain point, which can vary according to bookings, they will offer it to sale to anyone, but they usually will include a notice that you may need to be reassigned, if they subsequently need it for a disabled person.

[LMaxwell]

Regarding assignment of accessible cabins....they will not book you into one unless you certify that you need it. At a certain point, which can vary according to bookings, they will offer it to sale to anyone, but they usually will include a notice that you may need to be reassigned, if they subsequently need it for a disabled person.

 

Over the past 10 years my brother has booked interior GTY's and gotten accessible cabins 3 times on 2 different cruise lines. He's NEVER asked for an accessible cabin and has no need for one.

[ducklite]

Regarding assignment of accessible cabins....they will not book you into one unless you certify that you need it. At a certain point, which can vary according to bookings, they will offer it to sale to anyone, but they usually will include a notice that you may need to be reassigned, if they subsequently need it for a disabled person.

 

 

 

This varies by cruise line and even country.

 

As I said, if I book the last balcony room which is ADA two weeks out they can go scratch or upgrade me. At that point it is finders keepers.