Changing Stateroom Occupants at the Port

[Aby]

We had no trouble rearranging cabin occupants on the Wonder in August. My husband and I were travelling with my parents, and I put one from each couple in each room for the castaway club benefits. When we got on board, we went to guest services and requested to move them around so each couple was in one room. It wasn't any trouble - they made up new key cards for those whose room was changed, and made sure the billing was set up properly.

Aby

 

[cedricandsophie]

We tend to take 7 or 8 people and book two or more cabins. Four of us are platinum so I put at least one platinum in every room to take advantage of the platinum benefits but we don't sleep that way. I've found that you can't change Roo occupants when you check in but once you get on board, you can get new keys at guest services for people so they can get into the cabin they are actually sleeping in but they will still be shown as registered into the original room. Credit cards are not an issue for us because my husband and I pay for everyone. We have a cruise in June and ended up losing one person so we could go from three to two csbins. But I screwed up the people placement and once we get in board I need to move two people out of our room and into the other room and vice versa. Usually it's only two people. I tried to get my travel agent to change but disney would not do it without canceling and then Rebooking which would have cost a lot more money. But guest services is always very helpful.

 

[iheartjuppy]

We did verify that the specific cabins we booked have the bunk and murphy bed combo (all three rooms do, in case the kids decided they want to sleep over with auntie or grandma and grandpa) both with the CM on the phone and via online room views on a few sites, thankfully. As far as rearranging on-board, I'm going to have to just cross fingers and hope for the best at this point. I appreciate the share of the Kids Club form - that's reassuring that at least I can manage that in the worst case scenario of not being able to formally move him over to our room. In retrospect I'm not sure why I didn't think to question who was where, the CM suggested it without prompting so I assumed it was something they did all the time and never gave it a second thought. Glad I brought it up here or I may have been in for a wildly stressful surprise at embarkation. Now at least I know the possibilities and can plan accordingly. Sincerely appreciate everyone's info & input!

Are you positive that your actual stateroom has a 4th sleeping surface? Not all of the deluxe family rooms actually sleep 5, I believe they are noted as "sleeps up to 5" and some will only have beds for 3 or 4 guests.



I don't know if the phone CMs are even aware of this, since most may never have set foot onboard a DCL ship. It's just how the system is set-up. A minor is officially under the supervision of the adult in the room to which the minor is booked, even if the actual parents are onboard and in a different stateroom. The system unfortunately doesn't recognized between reservations like that. It's a simple form to complete that allows the parents in another stateroom to officially be recognized by the computer. Once you have done registration in the terminal, I'm not sure if adjusting who-sleeps-where with Guest Services will officially change that. Just so you are aware. Assuming your reservations are linked, you can still do his kids club registration and name both parents as adults to check him out of the Club/Lab.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[Corwin]

When I called to book our upcoming cruise, I requested one single occupancy cabin for a family member and then one cabin with four occupants (myself, my husband, my daughter and son). The CM on the phone strongly advised booking one of the kids in with the single occupancy family member for cost savings and said I would be able to move my child back to my room officially at guest services on board as soon as we boarded with no issue (or change to charges). I sure hope she was right, because I took her advice and booked that way! Definitely do not want to be apart from my son on our trip, and don't necessarily want to encourage multiple keys etc.

You can have your child sleep in your room, even without officially moving them on the reservation (as long as the room that has 3 in it can accommodate 4). Just tell you room host how you want the rooms made up (how many beds). The child that's in the "other" room will just get a new KTTW card (works as a key only, no charging) for the room they are actually going to sleep in.

I'm so glad I came across this thread!

We have an upcoming cruise in May 2019. We initially booked a Cat 4B stateroom for me, my wife, and my 21-year old son. (This is to celebrate my son's college graduation...he asked for a similar trip for his high school graduation.)

My mom wants to come along as well, but she couldn't find anyone to go with her this time, so I booked her an inside stateroom across the hall, paying the single occupancy rate.

After reading this thread, I just called to move my son to her cabin to save $$. The plan is for my son to move back to our larger cabin once we board.

After talking to the DCL booking agent on the phone, I'm still a little unclear as to when we request this. Do we ask when we check in at the port, or from Guest Services after we board? It would be nice if my son had a key to get into the room where he will be sleeping. Thanks!

 

[clten]

You can ask when you check in at the port. Do keep in mind that most of them are port agents, not DCL employees (there are DCL employees there to help). So they handle multiple cruise lines and don't always know how to do "special requests". We were able to get people switched around when checking in (so we didn't need to make a trip to Guest Services) but I have had some "green" res agents check us in that I know would not have been able to do the switch. So ask and if it seems they can't or don't know how to do it, don't stress, tell them it's okay you'll take care of it onboard and then go to Guest Services that first afternoon to get things straightened out.

 

[Boysmom1626]

I'm so glad I came across this thread!

We have an upcoming cruise in May 2019. We initially booked a Cat 4B stateroom for me, my wife, and my 21-year old son. (This is to celebrate my son's college graduation...he asked for a similar trip for his high school graduation.)

My mom wants to come along as well, but she couldn't find anyone to go with her this time, so I booked her an inside stateroom across the hall, paying the single occupancy rate.

After reading this thread, I just called to move my son to her cabin to save $$. The plan is for my son to move back to our larger cabin once we board.

After talking to the DCL booking agent on the phone, I'm still a little unclear as to when we request this. Do we ask when we check in at the port, or from Guest Services after we board? It would be nice if my son had a key to get into the room where he will be sleeping. Thanks!

We traveled last year with my parents and had to do some swapping. We had originally done OBB in my name and my husbands name. One room was DH and dad, other was me, mom and 2 kids. We asked about switching when we checked in at the port.
They checked us in, and then sent us down to the last check in desk. At that desk, the agent made the changes that we asked for and then reissued our KTTW cards.
We had to wait a few extra minutes, but it was super easy to do!

 

[dvcdisney]

I also posted a question about moving one person to another stateroom after being told that I should book myself in one and my husband in the other. My concern was that once I was moved, I wanted to make sure that the stateroom host was getting the appropriate gratuity. I did receive a couple of posts saying that they were able to move people by speaking to GS.

I was originally told to do that as well by the Future Desk CM when I purchased the placeholder, but when I actually went to GS, they said they would just give extra keys for the other stateroom.

So just to be vigilant, I called DCL recently and asked. I was ready to explain why I had booked it that way, but before I can say that I was told it was the best way so that I can book my whole party together for excursion, the CM said that a lot of guests do that and not to worry. She said after checking in, just go to GS and they will switch the people around to the appropriate stateroom. I mentioned to her that I didn't want to have my other family members to deal with it, so I made it so I am the only one who would need to switch....she said " Good thinking, this would make it easier to switch". Finally, I told her about my concern that the stateroom host would get the appropriate gratuity. She was quite surprised that I concerned about that. She told me not to worry and that once I am assigned to the other stateroom, my host will get gratuity from me. Then, of course, I asked her about whether my original stateroom host would miss out because they expected it. She said, no because changes happen all the time. That is not an issue at all. I double checked with her again and she said not to worry.

And because I'm obsessive, I sent an email inquiring about it and received the same answer. I feel much better now. I really wanted to get advice for those who has first hand experience but sometimes, it's prudent to contact DCL directly.

But what I wanted to let you know was that neither of the CMs I contacted said to make the change at check in. They were clear that GS were the ones who would be able to make the move or switch. It appears than some check in agents can do it, but when I tried the previous time, they said that it was not something they could do and I had to do it onboard. They didn't say it can't be done, they just said they weren't able to do it. I'm not sure if it depends on the Port, but this was on our Alaskan cruise a few years ago.

 

[Tay N Evie's Mom]

Did anyone have any issues with getting the platinum benefits taken away from the stateroom after moving people? My family of 4 is platinum & we have 2 cruises coming up, so we will have 4 placeholders. We want to take extended family next year & book my family members in each room to get the benefits. But, I read a while back that if you move people, the benefits are removed from that cabin. We'll have 10 adults, so I was hoping to get free Palo dinner for everyone one night.

 

[dvcdisney]

Did anyone have any issues with getting the platinum benefits taken away from the stateroom after moving people? My family of 4 is platinum & we have 2 cruises coming up, so we will have 4 placeholders. We want to take extended family next year & book my family members in each room to get the benefits. But, I read a while back that if you move people, the benefits are removed from that cabin. We'll have 10 adults, so I was hoping to get free Palo dinner for everyone one night.

That's an excellent questions. When I move myself over to my family's stateroom, my assumption would be that, yes, my Palo benefit will no longer be offered. I would assume that the system would automatically remove it. I didn't book 2 staterooms for the purpose of getting 2 free Palo dinners so I wouldn't be upset about it. My only purpose was to ensure that I can check in, book excursions together and board together as was suggested to me by the Future Desk CM. He didn't mention if the Palo benefit would be removed once we move me to the other stateroom.

Perhaps someone here can provide their experience with this.

 

[Macmaro]

That's an excellent questions. When I move myself over to my family's stateroom, my assumption would be that, yes, my Palo benefit will no longer be offered. I would assume that the system would automatically remove it. I didn't book 2 staterooms for the purpose of getting 2 free Palo dinners so I wouldn't be upset about it. My only purpose was to ensure that I can check in, book excursions together and board together as was suggested to me by the Future Desk CM. He didn't mention if the Palo benefit would be removed once we move me to the other stateroom.

Perhaps someone here can provide their experience with this.

We are in a similar situation and are looking for input. Can we just keep the room assignments as we have now and have them setup our Key to the World card to open two staterooms or will they be able to give us an extra card to open the other we are not assigned to?

Thanks!

 

[aliceinvunderland]

We switched kids around a bit once we got to the port, and it was super easy. After we were all checked in, we went down to the Guest Servicea desk, explained who was switching to what room, and they reissued their KTTW cards. Of course, we were in concerting rooms and didn’t change the total number of people in each room, so there wasn’t a problem with tips or muster stations.

 

[Cmbar]

We do this every cruise. It’s how I get my extended family to cruise with us by placeholder booking two rooms, one in Hubby’s and one in my name!!! It’s all good and easy to go to guest services and get room keys switched. If your rooms are linked in the system you also get options when doing online check in to assign who pays for whom. It’s really easy. Ive not trued yo switch things at the port check in. Just at guest services when we get in the ship!!

 

[Macmaro]

We do this every cruise. It’s how I get my extended family to cruise with us by placeholder booking two rooms, one in Hubby’s and one in my name!!! It’s all good and easy to go to guest services and get room keys switched. If your rooms are linked in the system you also get options when doing online check in to assign who pays for whom. It’s really easy. Ive not trued yo switch things at the port check in. Just at guest services when we get in the ship!!

We switched kids around a bit once we got to the port, and it was super easy. After we were all checked in, we went down to the Guest Servicea desk, explained who was switching to what room, and they reissued their KTTW cards. Of course, we were in concerting rooms and didn’t change the total number of people in each room, so there wasn’t a problem with tips or muster stations.

Thanks for the responses. Are either of you Platinum and did you lose any benefits after doing so?

 

[aliceinvunderland]

Thanks for the responses. Are either of you Platinum and did you lose any benefits after doing so?

We are only silver, so there wasn’t really anything to lose once we checked in at the port! I’m guessing that because you will do the switching after you’re all checked in and receive your boarding number and lanyards, you should be fine. It’s not like they will take away your number and give you a higher one. (But there could be some other platinum perk that I’m forgetting right now.)

 

[Cmbar]

Thanks for the responses. Are either of you Platinum and did you lose any benefits after doing so?

We are Gold and just two away from Platinum!! I have no idea if we would lose any benefits but I’d be surprised if we did. Just do the switching once on board and you should be fine!!

 

[Kpitts17]

I had a similar question about excursions. I booked a room with my parents with my husband and my discount, but in order for it to work, we had my husband in a room with my father, and myself in a room with my mother. In order to book excursions for just my husband and I we would have to do it under two different reservations. When we switch rooms when we board, will this change our excursions at all? or restaurant reservations? What are people's experience with this?

 

[LeslieG]

I'm intrigued that you could book two placeholders as husband and wife. I was told it was one per household and we couldn't each book one because we had the same address.

 

[Rob1872]

I'm intrigued that you could book two placeholders as husband and wife. I was told it was one per household and we couldn't each book one because we had the same address.

We had two placeholders after our first cruise; however, we had 2 connecting inside cabins. I thought it was one per cabin, and each placeholder can reserve up to two rooms with benefits.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I'm intrigued that you could book two placeholders as husband and wife. I was told it was one per household and we couldn't each book one because we had the same address.

We had two placeholders after our first cruise; however, we had 2 connecting inside cabins. I thought it was one per cabin, and each placeholder can reserve up to two rooms with benefits.

You can book onboard up to 2 placeholders/reservations per household address. The 2 placeholders/reservations must be for the same future cruise.

You can book additional placeholders/reservations for a different future cruise or additional rooms on the same cruise that will not get the onboard booking perks. Although, it's been reported that additional rooms on the same future cruise have gotten the onboard credit (but no 10% discount) occasionally.

 

[Kpitts17]

We weren't aware we could book two per cabin which is why we're using out 10% for my parents room for an anniversary gift and a more expensive room. But I had to be on that room's reservation as the silver member. when we get onboard and switch over the rooms, is it easy to keep reservations for excursions, spa, and dining? For example, if My husband is in one room and I'm in another and we switch to being in the same room once we're onboard, will our excursion reservations reflect that? Sorry if this is confusing.