Problems with family booking

[eaglewings2002]

Hello,

 

My family is booked on the Triumph on Feb, 27.

 

Here is our problem. It's my husband and 5 kids, ages 15, 15, 15, 19, and 23.

 

Carnival has rules about the ages in the rooms. It wouldn't let me book my minors outside of my room, so I called. My 15 year olds can be in their own rooms IF they are within a certain distance of mine. H and I wanted a rear corner balcony, so we booked 3 rooms on the 8th floor. Originally, I didn't book my 23 YO, but told them I would probably add him later. For some reason, they said I couldn't do that on the 8th floor, so they moved us down to 6, assuring me that I could add my son later if needed.

 

When I called to add him, it turned out that the 2 interior rooms were max 2. There were, of course, no rooms available close to mine, but they found a 3 on the front end of the ship, same floor.

 

The kids' passports came in so I went to start check-in tonight. They had switched my husband and 19 YO's rooms! So I called just now. Apparently they did that because my 23 YO is not old enough to have a 15 YO in his room. "I understand your frustration" (don't make that a drinking game!) but there is nothing she could do, the ship is practically full so they can't move anyone other than down to 2, and "MAYBE" they can fix it for me when we board. NO EXCEPTIONS, and the lady on the phone when I added my son didn't think it was pertinent to tell me.

 

How can I make sure I am in the balcony room with my husband? I can't just have them switch cards. Will they give us extra keys to our family's rooms? I suppose that would solve it. Of course, this lady couldn't promise me anything, just said to "try" when we board.

 

Thank you!

[eaglewings2002]

By the way, I do plan on calling back in the morning. I was just hoping that someone might have some advice...

[springs741]

I am going to assume they are all your children and not a BBF. The customer service rep you spoke to was wrong. Sleep easy tonight and call again tomorrow. Below is the link to Carnivals FAQ:

https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2544/kw/booking%20minors/session/L3RpbWUvMTQ4NDYzMzMzNi9zaWQvZlU3YkhJdXlqbFh5OENZZU5BaFptWWtnTmQwa0d1SXBRVEtUbVdSUnV3eGg5YTQlN0VhY3JRX2hYOF9DM2w5NE5jVjVLUGxEMU1hMmJjdjQ0WFIzNGx3SzZmdUlwOTZ2WGU0bGZLSlFDWkFRNFVWQmpvM2ZIdWxlMVElMjElMjE=

 

 

Also, don't worry. You guys can rearrange once onboard too. Just get room keys made at guest services.

Edited January 17, 2017 by springs741

[uksimonusa]

I am going to assume they are all your children and not a BBF. The customer service rep you spoke to was wrong. Sleep easy tonight and call again tomorrow. Below is the link to Carnivals FAQ:

https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2544/kw/booking%20minors/session/L3RpbWUvMTQ4NDYzMzMzNi9zaWQvZlU3YkhJdXlqbFh5OENZZU5BaFptWWtnTmQwa0d1SXBRVEtUbVdSUnV3eGg5YTQlN0VhY3JRX2hYOF9DM2w5NE5jVjVLUGxEMU1hMmJjdjQ0WFIzNGx3SzZmdUlwOTZ2WGU0bGZLSlFDWkFRNFVWQmpvM2ZIdWxlMVElMjElMjE=

 

 

Also, don't worry. You guys can rearrange once onboard too. Just get room keys made at guest services.

 

The link you provided says that the Customer service rep is correct. If the 23 yr old and the 15 year old share a cabin it must be within 3 cabins of the parents cabin, which it is not.

[luvtovaca]

One person from each room needs to go to guest services as soon as you board. Get "room only" keys to each others rooms. Then, sleep and live where you want for the cruise. As long as you aren't trying to put 3 in one of the 2 only rooms, this should work. The booking rules are pretty much just that. Once on board, Carnival and the room stewards don't care who sleeps where as long as the numbers in the cabins are correct.

Edited January 17, 2017 by luvtovaca

[Athankfulheart]

We have a large family so we play this game every time. They are correct to tell you that the 23yo isn't old enough to "chaperone" the 15yos. On carnival, you have to be in a room with someone 25 or older to be out from under the parent/proximity rules. No worries though, since you can head down to guest services when you board and get extra keys for each cabin and give them to whomever needs to sleep in a different bed =)

[springs741]

I stand by my post that it will not be a problem. I encountered this a few years ago when tryin to book a family cruise. My PVP (10 plus years with Carnival) said that the 16 and 19 year old daughter could be anywhere on the ship as long as the reservation were linked.

 

Yet another example of having a PVP that understands the rules rather than a CRS that may or may not understand the rules.

 

In any case, it doesn't matter how they are booked. They can change rearrange once onboard.

[uksimonusa]

I stand by my post that it will not be a problem. I encountered this a few years ago when tryin to book a family cruise. My PVP (10 plus years with Carnival) said that the 16 and 19 year old daughter could be anywhere on the ship as long as the reservation were linked.

 

Yet another example of having a PVP that understands the rules rather than a CRS that may or may not understand the rules.

 

In any case, it doesn't matter how they are booked. They can change rearrange once onboard.

 

If it wasn't a problem, and it clearly is according to Carnivals published rule, the why would Carnival change the booking around in the first place?:confused::confused:

[eaglewings2002]

Thanks, Everyone! I feel much better now.

 

They are all our kids. ☺

 

I'm just so frustrated because I feel like I anticipated the problem and did everything I could to avoid it. The first CSR messed me up, and the second didn't tell me she'd have to switch us around. If she had, we could've discussed all this at the time. But whatever - it'll be ok, because we'll be on a cruise! 👍

[asalligo]

One person from each room needs to go to guest services as soon as you board. Get "room only" keys to each others rooms. Then, sleep and live where you want for the cruise. As long as you aren't trying to put 3 in one of the 2 only rooms, this should work. The booking rules are pretty much just that. Once on board, Carnival and the room stewards don't care who sleeps where as long as the numbers in the cabins are correct.

 

Exactly, Carnival only cares who sleeps where before you get on the ship. After they do not. We had the same issue a few years back and I like to bring one of these when someone else has a key to our room.

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004YOHN/ref=s9_acsd_top_hd_bw_b4U96_c_x_4_w?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-3&pf_rd_r=QXZ2KP4VMB0HFJECF58N&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=31aebb33-5f8f-55e8-af40-6101f12b53ba&pf_rd_i=1069196

[cruizinisthebest]

I stand by my post that it will not be a problem. I encountered this a few years ago when tryin to book a family cruise. My PVP (10 plus years with Carnival) said that the 16 and 19 year old daughter could be anywhere on the ship as long as the reservation were linked.

 

Yet another example of having a PVP that understands the rules rather than a CRS that may or may not understand the rules.

 

In any case, it doesn't matter how they are booked. They can change rearrange once onboard.

 

I do totally agree that with things like this, you are much better off with a PVP or a TA. Customer service reps tend to make it up as they go. That said, it seems like whoever it was at Carnival moved folks around based on the information provided on the website. Perhaps your experienced PVP is able to work around those restrictions. Book as early as you possibly can and use a dedicated person. Always.

[Wheels87]

Hello,

 

My family is booked on the Triumph on Feb, 27.

 

Here is our problem. It's my husband and 5 kids, ages 15, 15, 15, 19, and 23.

 

Carnival has rules about the ages in the rooms. It wouldn't let me book my minors outside of my room, so I called. My 15 year olds can be in their own rooms IF they are within a certain distance of mine. H and I wanted a rear corner balcony, so we booked 3 rooms on the 8th floor. Originally, I didn't book my 23 YO, but told them I would probably add him later. For some reason, they said I couldn't do that on the 8th floor, so they moved us down to 6, assuring me that I could add my son later if needed.

 

When I called to add him, it turned out that the 2 interior rooms were max 2. There were, of course, no rooms available close to mine, but they found a 3 on the front end of the ship, same floor.

 

The kids' passports came in so I went to start check-in tonight. They had switched my husband and 19 YO's rooms! So I called just now. Apparently they did that because my 23 YO is not old enough to have a 15 YO in his room. "I understand your frustration" (don't make that a drinking game!) but there is nothing she could do, the ship is practically full so they can't move anyone other than down to 2, and "MAYBE" they can fix it for me when we board. NO EXCEPTIONS, and the lady on the phone when I added my son didn't think it was pertinent to tell me.

 

How can I make sure I am in the balcony room with my husband? I can't just have them switch cards. Will they give us extra keys to our family's rooms? I suppose that would solve it. Of course, this lady couldn't promise me anything, just said to "try" when we board.

 

Thank you!

 

I certainly understand your plight, however, you have to realize that Carnival cannot put two of your children in a higher occupancy room just in case you decide to add your older son later. It doesn't work that way. The rep was wrong to agree to that, however, please understand why Carnival has to do it that way. There is also no way for them to predict whether or not there will be any other triple occupancy rooms near your room at a later time. That's not possible.

 

I hope you all understand what I am saying.

 

Best of luck!

 

Brad

[johno1234]

I found the various online booking sites just could not cope with family bookings.

 

We are a family of five so wanted interconnecting cabins. According to Carnival's online booking web site, there were none available on the cruise.

 

I called them on the old fashioned phone and they found me a number of options for interconnecting cabins and booked my preference in for me. The price was as good as any of the web sites, but there are a couple of gotchas to look out for: they whack you for the full price whereas the online ones let you pay just the deposit on booking. Secondly they whacked me for their Cruise Protection Plan travel insurance. However I emailed back about that and asked they remove it - which they happily did. The CPP is expensive and didn't really offer anything the free insurance on my credit card already offered.

 

So in short, phone up their customer service line and they will make it all work for you.

[I Am Canadian, Eh]

Unless it was some very specific sale that required full payment, or the booking was within final payment, you should have been allowed to put just the deposit on the bookings regardless of how it's booked. Also, they shouldn't be automatically adding the CPP without you approving it. Glad you got that removed.

 

Sounds like you got a rep that was knowledgeable on working around the system to find your cabins, but needs a bit of a refresher on other policies.

[cruizinisthebest]

The cruise is February 27. Full payment would have been required at this point for anyone added or any rooms booked.

[I Am Canadian, Eh]

The cruise is February 27. Full payment would have been required at this point for anyone added or any rooms booked.

 

I missed the date in the original post. That would be exactly why the full payment was required!

[nealstuber]

I am going to assume they are all your children and not a BBF. The customer service rep you spoke to was wrong. Sleep easy tonight and call again tomorrow. Below is the link to Carnivals FAQ:

https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2544/kw/booking%20minors/session/L3RpbWUvMTQ4NDYzMzMzNi9zaWQvZlU3YkhJdXlqbFh5OENZZU5BaFptWWtnTmQwa0d1SXBRVEtUbVdSUnV3eGg5YTQlN0VhY3JRX2hYOF9DM2w5NE5jVjVLUGxEMU1hMmJjdjQ0WFIzNGx3SzZmdUlwOTZ2WGU0bGZLSlFDWkFRNFVWQmpvM2ZIdWxlMVElMjElMjE=

 

 

Also, don't worry. You guys can rearrange once onboard too. Just get room keys made at guest services.

 

 

Another advantage to being booked in separate cabins would be if only you or DH wanted to purchase the Cheers package, you could take advantage of that option.

 

 

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[eaglewings2002]

I missed the date in the original post. That would be exactly why the full payment was required!

 

That wasn't me. I've had this cruise booked since August. I added my son in December, discovered the switch this week.

 

I do understand NOW why they wouldn't give me a higher occupancy room to add someone later, except when I first booked (and remember, I did this on the phone because the web wouldn't accept my 15 YOs in rooms at all) they assigned me rooms close enough to our room. Originally, I chose 3-occupancy rooms on 8. The rep moved us to 6 floor so that she could guarantee our rooms wouldn't be taken from us and we could still have the aft wrap. I didn't understand what she was saying and can't even remember exactly, but figured she knew what she was doing. I just didn't understand that she was moving us to 2-person rooms, knowing I wanted to add someone later. Or maybe they actually switched us to the 2 person rooms at some point, without letting me know.

 

I've learned a lot about how to do this if there's a next time. At the time I was doing the best I knew, thinking I could trust the CSR. The CSR OKd all of this and even suggested a lot of it! I actually put a lot of thought into it before calling. I was debating adding him in the first place and getting trip insurance, but having to work wasn't one of the acceptable reasons that I could see. My son was a new college grad looking for a full time job. He didn't find one, is now going to grad school in the fall, so he can join us after all. Admittedly, I could have added him earlier than I did, but I was going on what I'd been told.

 

What is a PVP? Is it an agent? I'm thinking it would be better to use an agent from now on, for all but the simplest bookings.

 

Thanks again :)

[maryjomo]

A PVP is a Personal Vacation Planner. They are Carnival Employees who work with you as opposed to getting who ever answers the phone when you call reservations. They give you their cell number if you have issues and can call them for emergencies etc.

[eaglewings2002]

A PVP is a Personal Vacation Planner. They are Carnival Employees who work with you as opposed to getting who ever answers the phone when you call reservations. They give you their cell number if you have issues and can call them for emergencies etc.

 

That sounds awesome! How do I get one?

[S.S.Oceanlover]

A PVP is a Personal Vacation Planner. They are Carnival Employees who work with you as opposed to getting who ever answers the phone when you call reservations. They give you their cell number if you have issues and can call them for emergencies etc.

I just booked today with my pvp. He didn't offer any cell phone number.

 

He just told me if I need anything at all call his ext number.

 

Bill

 

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