Onboard Room Swap

[Buckeyefrank100]

Hello there,

 

We have multiple rooms booked for an upcoming cruise and are adding another member in another room.  We are booking people into rooms based on best pricing and are hoping to be able to switch keys once onboard.  I know we did it on NCL, but want to confirm that we can do this on Carnival as well.

 

TIA

[tm_aw_love]

I have seen families do this once onboard in order to have cabin keys that work for multiple rooms... you obviously MUST have the guests from each of the cabins that you wish to have permission to enter all there at that time. 

[Buckeyefrank100]

1 minute ago, tm_aw_love said:

I have seen families do this once onboard in order to have cabin keys that work for multiple rooms... you obviously MUST have the guests from each of the cabins that you wish to have permission to enter all there at that time. 

For sure.  My wife, myself are booked.  My 19yo son wants to go and will be solo.  He is not getting any past cruiser offers but my wife has a great offer.  I am booking my wife into the new room and putting my son in with me.  Onboard are planning to switch those 2.

[tm_aw_love]

3 minutes ago, Buckeyefrank100 said:

For sure.  My wife, myself are booked.  My 19yo son wants to go and will be solo.  He is not getting any past cruiser offers but my wife has a great offer.  I am booking my wife into the new room and putting my son in with me.  Onboard are planning to switch those 2.

Here is an older topic from a few years ago where people actually outline the details of how it works... you get an additional 'key only' card.

[asalligo]

Yes, we have done this several times with two cabins for our one family since someone over 25 has to be booked in each cabin or at least at one time that was the case. Everyone down to guest services and match up the keys to rooms. Wife and I in one cabin and the three girls in another.  

[Buckeyefrank100]

11 minutes ago, asalligo said:

Yes, we have done this several times with two cabins for our one family since someone over 25 has to be booked in each cabin or at least at one time that was the case. Everyone down to guest services and match up the keys to rooms. Wife and I in one cabin and the three girls in another.  

Thank you very much.  An interesting change is that my pvp stated since my son is 19, he is only required to have a parent on the ship, not closeby.

[asalligo]

1 minute ago, Buckeyefrank100 said:

Thank you very much.  An interesting change is that my pvp stated since my son is 19, he is only required to have a parent on the ship, not closeby.

Yes, when my daughters were 16 and 19, they just stayed down the hall from us. We always kept them pretty close by though. 

[wemjam]

You have 2 options, you can get extra card keys for rooms for those who need to enter a "different" room - in which case those people have 2 cards to carry.  One regular sail and sign and one that is just a door key.  Or you can actually have people "switched" (moved from one room to another) and they will issue a brand new sail and sign card to these people and they will have 1 card as normal that works for everything (including the door on their new room they moved to).  We do the latter all the time when we travel with my parents so they can board with us (we are diamond, they are gold).

 

Do keep in mind if you plan to do the 2nd (switch rooms entirely), make sure when you set up your accounts before sailing all the "charging" privileges are correct.  You can exclude people in your room and/or include people from other rooms as needed to make it correct.

[Wanna_Cruize]

I"m going to be doing this on some of our cruises for friends/family. I have a question though, DH and I  are both platinum, so on our August cruise, we are picking my brother (traveling solo) up at the airport around 9am. If I book myself in his cabin, I can check him in with us 16 days before the cruise, so we can get the earlier time. Another benefit would be that my brother got the elusive Cheers RU2 code so it would include Cheers for me. HOWEVER, DH and I are booked in a Havana Cabana, and my brother is in a regular inside cabin. I don't want to screw up my access to Havana area, getting the wristband and sticker on my card for that. Would it be better not to try this, and let him just wait until his later check-in time? 

[wemjam]

8 hours ago, Wanna_Cruize said:

I"m going to be doing this on some of our cruises for friends/family. I have a question though, DH and I  are both platinum, so on our August cruise, we are picking my brother (traveling solo) up at the airport around 9am. If I book myself in his cabin, I can check him in with us 16 days before the cruise, so we can get the earlier time. Another benefit would be that my brother got the elusive Cheers RU2 code so it would include Cheers for me. HOWEVER, DH and I are booked in a Havana Cabana, and my brother is in a regular inside cabin. I don't want to screw up my access to Havana area, getting the wristband and sticker on my card for that. Would it be better not to try this, and let him just wait until his later check-in time? 

Hum?  Now that could be an issue because swapping your room back once on board may not get you the Havana access and here's why.  If you "booked" the inside room with your brother means you paid that rate - not the Havana rate.   So simply switching rooms may not grant you the access because you didn't pay the fee for the more expensive cabin.  They may let you physically move to another room, but that doesn't mean you get the perks that go with it that were not paid for.

 

I don't know if I would risk that one.

[Elaine5715]

8 hours ago, Wanna_Cruize said:

I"m going to be doing this on some of our cruises for friends/family. I have a question though, DH and I  are both platinum, so on our August cruise, we are picking my brother (traveling solo) up at the airport around 9am. If I book myself in his cabin, I can check him in with us 16 days before the cruise, so we can get the earlier time. Another benefit would be that my brother got the elusive Cheers RU2 code so it would include Cheers for me. HOWEVER, DH and I are booked in a Havana Cabana, and my brother is in a regular inside cabin. I don't want to screw up my access to Havana area, getting the wristband and sticker on my card for that. Would it be better not to try this, and let him just wait until his later check-in time? 

My newbie traveling parties checked in two days after I did and still got the earliest boarding time.  

[blondie444]

On 7/26/2021 at 9:33 AM, asalligo said:

Yes, we have done this several times with two cabins for our one family since someone over 25 has to be booked in each cabin or at least at one time that was the case. Everyone down to guest services and match up the keys to rooms. Wife and I in one cabin and the three girls in another.  

I sailed alone with friends at 21 back in 2007 so you have to be at least 21, not 25. 

[Wanna_Cruize]

On 7/27/2021 at 9:01 AM, wemjam said:

Hum?  Now that could be an issue because swapping your room back once on board may not get you the Havana access and here's why.  If you "booked" the inside room with your brother means you paid that rate - not the Havana rate.   So simply switching rooms may not grant you the access because you didn't pay the fee for the more expensive cabin.  They may let you physically move to another room, but that doesn't mean you get the perks that go with it that were not paid for.

 

I don't know if I would risk that one.

Yea, that's what I'm afraid of. Need the wristband and Havana sticker for sure. 

[ProgRockCruiser]

On 7/27/2021 at 12:46 PM, blondie444 said:

I sailed alone with friends at 21 back in 2007 so you have to be at least 21, not 25. 

Your situation is different from traveling with kids (minors).  In general, anyone under 21 must travel with (but usually not required to be in the same cabin as) relative/guardian 25 or over.  Exception: balcony.

 

From the Carnival website:

 

Guests are required to be 21 years of age (on embarkation day) to travel on their own. Guest ages will be verified at embarkation. Guests not conforming to this policy will result in denied boarding and no compensation will be provided at embarkation. For additional minor age restriction guidelines while on board, click here.

Guests Under the Age of 21 MUST travel with a relative or guardian of 25 years of age or older

 

And:

 

 

Where minor guests can be booked in relation to relative or guardian:

• Guests 12 and younger
  If the relative or guardian insists on booking separate staterooms, minors must either be directly across the hall or next door. Guests 12 and under may not be assigned to a balcony stateroom without a relative or guardian (25 years of age or older) traveling in the balcony stateroom with them. 
• Guests 13 - 17 years of age
  Can be separated by up to 3 staterooms from a relative or guardian (25 years of age or older).
• Guests 18 – 20 years of age
  Do not have any restrictions and may book whatever location they prefer. 

[Elaine5715]

On 7/27/2021 at 12:46 PM, blondie444 said:

I sailed alone with friends at 21 back in 2007 so you have to be at least 21, not 25. 

Times have changed

[blondie444]

On 7/28/2021 at 4:42 PM, ProgRockCruiser said:

Your situation is different from traveling with kids (minors).  In general, anyone under 21 must travel with (but usually not required to be in the same cabin as) relative/guardian 25 or over.  Exception: balcony.

 

From the Carnival website:

 

Guests are required to be 21 years of age (on embarkation day) to travel on their own. Guest ages will be verified at embarkation. Guests not conforming to this policy will result in denied boarding and no compensation will be provided at embarkation. For additional minor age restriction guidelines while on board, click here.

Guests Under the Age of 21 MUST travel with a relative or guardian of 25 years of age or older

 

And:

 

 

Where minor guests can be booked in relation to relative or guardian:

• Guests 12 and younger
  If the relative or guardian insists on booking separate staterooms, minors must either be directly across the hall or next door. Guests 12 and under may not be assigned to a balcony stateroom without a relative or guardian (25 years of age or older) traveling in the balcony stateroom with them. 
• Guests 13 - 17 years of age
  Can be separated by up to 3 staterooms from a relative or guardian (25 years of age or older).
• Guests 18 – 20 years of age
  Do not have any restrictions and may book whatever location they prefer. 

I was replying to the person that said you had to have at least one person in the room that was 25. I knew it was different with children. Misread the person's post. 

Edited July 29, 2021 by blondie444
Clarification

[crusiing84]

Hello! I was just curious how this worked out for you? I have a group of people who had a cruise booked for May 2020 and was obviously cancelled due to covid, when we robooked instead of getting money back, we received a significant amount of credit. However, that rebooking had to be pushed again and we are getting ready to rebook a new date, but now some people are wanting to add people to reservations and update rooms. If we do this, we lose our credits because it's considered a cancellation/rebooking. So can we just keep the rooms as is and then when we get onboard ask to add a new person to my room, and my current roommate to another? 

[mondello]

2 hours ago, crusiing84 said:

Hello! I was just curious how this worked out for you? I have a group of people who had a cruise booked for May 2020 and was obviously cancelled due to covid, when we robooked instead of getting money back, we received a significant amount of credit. However, that rebooking had to be pushed again and we are getting ready to rebook a new date, but now some people are wanting to add people to reservations and update rooms. If we do this, we lose our credits because it's considered a cancellation/rebooking. So can we just keep the rooms as is and then when we get onboard ask to add a new person to my room, and my current roommate to another? 

Shouldn't be a problem. We booked 2 cabins because it was cheaper than the third pax fare. Guest Services gave us a blank S&S card that was a room key only. Could be a little more convoluted if you need to move around OBC or charging privileges. People swap rooms all the time after taking advantage of better booking options.

[travelplus]

As long as each Family member is booked in the same category of Stateroom there would not be a difference! I suggest that everyone is booked in a Balcony for fresh air!

Edited January 3, 2022 by travelplus