Help please! RC capacity limits?

[CruzRon]

here’s my situation...

 

We’re going on a big family cruise in 5 weeks on Royal Caribbean Anthem OTS. One of the rooms is a suite with capacity for 4 people. When we booked, one of the children wasn’t likely going to be with us, but we were told we could add him at a later date if he was able to go. (The suite just has 2 adults in it now.)

 

Now he is available to go, but RC says the cruise is over capacity due to coast guard limits. They say I should call every day to see if anything opens up. I obviously will do so, but has anyone had a similar experience? What are the chances spots open up? I would imagine on a ship with 4000+ guests there must be a decent chance of cancellations, but since there’s no wait list I’m pretty concerned.

 

Really appreciate any insights! Thanks!

[gerif]

There is a lifeboat capacity for each section of the ship. Once that has been reached, no more passengers can be added regardless of how many available berths there may be. Sorry you learned this the hard way and it should have been explained to you when you booked.

[grapau27]

here’s my situation...

 

We’re going on a big family cruise in 5 weeks on Royal Caribbean Anthem OTS. One of the rooms is a suite with capacity for 4 people. When we booked, one of the children wasn’t likely going to be with us, but we were told we could add him at a later date if he was able to go. (The suite just has 2 adults in it now.)

 

Now he is available to go, but RC says the cruise is over capacity due to coast guard limits. They say I should call every day to see if anything opens up. I obviously will do so, but has anyone had a similar experience? What are the chances spots open up? I would imagine on a ship with 4000+ guests there must be a decent chance of cancellations, but since there’s no wait list I’m pretty concerned.

 

Really appreciate any insights! Thanks!

People cancel last minute for various reasons.

In November 2011 we had to miss Adventure in Malaga because my mam died on the morning we were due to embark and we flew home instead.

If you were told you could add someone later by RC I would tell them that as they gave you wrong information.

A Suite could easily take more than 2 adults so can't see a problem and the ship should have more than enough lifeboat seats to satisfy the coast guard.

Good luck and let us know what happens.

[123funcruiser]

People cancel last minute for various reasons.

In November 2011 we had to miss Adventure in Malaga because my mam died on the morning we were due to embark and we flew home instead.

If you were told you could add someone later by RC I would tell them that as they gave you wrong information.

A Suite could easily take more than 2 adults so can't see a problem and the ship should have more than enough lifeboat seats to satisfy the coast guard.

Good luck and let us know what happens.

 

A ship has a lot more berth than their max. capacity. So while the suite, or any other stateroom might have the capacity to take a 3rd or even 4th passenger, there is no guarantee the ship hasn´t reached their max. capacity.

 

 

They put more berth on the ship than the max.capacity, as they account for cabins booked by singles, thus they can fill additional beds. Also suites are usually for more than just two, but most often just booked as doubles.

 

To make it even more complicated gerif´s point about life boat capacity at muster stations come into play as well.

[CruzRon]

People cancel last minute for various reasons.

In November 2011 we had to miss Adventure in Malaga because my mam died on the morning we were due to embark and we flew home instead.

If you were told you could add someone later by RC I would tell them that as they gave you wrong information.

A Suite could easily take more than 2 adults so can't see a problem and the ship should have more than enough lifeboat seats to satisfy the coast guard.

Good luck and let us know what happens.

 

Thank you and I’m sorry to hear about your mom. I understand the lifeboat capacity and I am hopeful that the limit updates fairly frequently. I have to think that with 4200 passengers the precise number is a moving target and we can get him on there. Does anyone know if availability updates in real time?

 

I was told that it could open up and I just have to keep checking (though the stressful part is that each time I call it takes a long explanation / conversation to get an answer). Fingers crossed!

[JBSteelerfan]

Good Luck to you! I would think with being 5 weeks out, something will open up. But it is just hitting that "right" time with the phone call.

[Clarea]

This is why many of us advise to initially book someone if there is a chance they will be going. Easier to cancel later if they cannot go.

[grapau27]

Thank you and I’m sorry to hear about your mom. I understand the lifeboat capacity and I am hopeful that the limit updates fairly frequently. I have to think that with 4200 passengers the precise number is a moving target and we can get him on there. Does anyone know if availability updates in real time?

 

I was told that it could open up and I just have to keep checking (though the stressful part is that each time I call it takes a long explanation / conversation to get an answer). Fingers crossed!

Thanks.

An Idea would be to go online regularly and see if you can book a cabin or check unsold cabin sites.

If anything shows ring immediately.

Good luck I hope you are successful.

[Ourusualbeach]

Thanks.

An Idea would be to go online regularly and see if you can book a cabin or check unsold cabin sites.

If anything shows ring immediately.

Good luck I hope you are successful.

 

That won’t help.

 

They are at capacity in their muster area which can also mean that they are only selling cabins for 2 guests in a cabin but not for 3 or 4 guests in a cabin. There’s a difference between the ship being sold out and a muster station being at capacity.

 

OP, the only way you will know is to call every day. Also since many cancellations happen last minute at the pier (no shows) these last minute cancellations may not help you.

[Biker19]

Does anyone know if availability updates in real time?

Of course, on RCI's computers, to which only they have access, hence the need to call them.

[Starry Eyes]

You might also want to post on your cruise’s roll call. There is always small, small chance somebody on the roll call will be planning/considering canceling a third person in their cabin; maybe you can time your phone calls or such. Worth a shot.

Edit: also a small chance somebody’s cabin mate may not be able to travel now, leaving the remaining person with the decision to pay a large single supplement or cancel. Though your relative would stay with his own family, listin your relative’s name on such a reservation might benefit both parties. Again, a small chance, but worth the time to post on the roll call.

Edited July 14, 2018 by Starry Eyes

[cruisinfanatic]

You might also want to post on your cruise’s roll call. There is always small, small chance somebody on the roll call will be planning/considering canceling a third person in their cabin; maybe you can time your phone calls or such. Worth a shot.

Edit: also a small chance somebody’s cabin mate may not be able to travel now, leaving the remaining person with the decision to pay a large single supplement or cancel. Though your relative would stay with his own family, listin your relative’s name on such a reservation might benefit both parties. Again, a small chance, but worth the time to post on the roll call.

Really not much chance because the cancellation would have to be at only the OP's muster station.

[Ourusualbeach]

Really not much chance because the cancellation would have to be at only the OP's muster station.

Seems most are missing the fact that the cruise is capacity controlled and not sold out.

[grapau27]

That won’t help.

 

They are at capacity in their muster area which can also mean that they are only selling cabins for 2 guests in a cabin but not for 3 or 4 guests in a cabin. There’s a difference between the ship being sold out and a muster station being at capacity.

 

OP, the only way you will know is to call every day. Also since many cancellations happen last minute at the pier (no shows) these last minute cancellations may not help you.

I would try anything to get what they want.

It only takes a few minutes to check availability.

Some TAs buy blocks of cabins and sell unsold cabins cheap last minute.

I was told they always have a couple of cabins unoccupied on every ship.

[grapau27]

Seems most are missing the fact that the cruise is capacity controlled and not sold out.

Let's stay positive for the op.

[irishgal432]

Are there inside cabins for 2 available? You would have to pay a single supplement. If so you can book that and have him stay in your room. Muster stations would be different as well, so depending on the age of your son, you may have to be in the single room on paper. We have booked the three kids in an inside room before and then had 1 of them stay with us in the suite.

[Ourusualbeach]

I would try anything to get what they want.

It only takes a few minutes to check availability.

Some TAs buy blocks of cabins and sell unsold cabins cheap last minute.

I was told they always have a couple of cabins unoccupied on every ship.

 

You’re missing the point.

[Ourusualbeach]

Let's stay positive for the op.

Better to be realistic than provide false hope.

[Ourusualbeach]

Are there inside cabins for 2 available? You would have to pay a single supplement. If so you can book that and have him stay in your room. Muster stations would be different as well, so depending on the age of your son, you may have to be in the single room on paper. We have booked the three kids in an inside room before and then had 1 of them stay with us in the suite.

 

Good alternative but does have a potential drawback. Depending on the age of the child one of the adults may have to book the cabin and move the child into the suite which means one adult would not get the suite perks.

[Ourusualbeach]

I would try anything to get what they want.

It only takes a few minutes to check availability.

Some TAs buy blocks of cabins and sell unsold cabins cheap last minute.

I was told they always have a couple of cabins unoccupied on every ship.

The sailing is in 5 weeks. TA’s must release any unfold cabins back to Royal 120 days prior to sailing,

[Big_G]

Good luck! I hope it works out.

[grapau27]

The sailing is in 5 weeks. TA’s must release any unfold cabins back to Royal 120 days prior to sailing,

That's the time for final payments.

If RC told the op he could add someone later IMO they should be doing their best to honour that and if a space opens up it should go to the op.

[Ourusualbeach]

That's the time for final payments.

If RC told the op he could add someone later IMO they should be doing their best to honour that and if a space opens up it should go to the op.

90 days is final payment date in North America. Unsold group space goes back to Royal at 120 days.

 

It depends on where that space opens up. If the space opens up in a different muster station there is nothing that Royal can do about that.

 

While I agree Royal should be held more accountable to what they verbally tell people the reality is they tell people this same thing all the time and other things as well and they never stand by their verbal word.

[grapau27]

90 days is final payment date in North America. Unsold group space goes back to Royal at 120 days.

 

It depends on where that space opens up. If the space opens up in a different muster station there is nothing that Royal can do about that.

 

While I agree Royal should be held more accountable to what they verbally tell people the reality is they tell people this same thing all the time and other things as well and they never stand by their verbal word.

We have TV cruise channels in the UK where some deals are very near to cruise sailing time.

[grapau27]

90 days is final payment date in North America. Unsold group space goes back to Royal at 120 days.

 

It depends on where that space opens up. If the space opens up in a different muster station there is nothing that Royal can do about that.

 

While I agree Royal should be held more accountable to what they verbally tell people the reality is they tell people this same thing all the time and other things as well and they never stand by their verbal word.

I have learned something because in 46 cruises on RC,P&O,Sun Cruises, Princess or NCL we never knew beforehand what muster station we had or heard about space being available or not at a specific muster station determining availability.