If I book my daughter in my sisters room

[jbuckent]

My sister and I are taking our girls on a cruise. My DD and I are gold, this will be my sister and nieces first cruise. If I book my daughter with my sister and my niece with me, will my sister be treated as gold and able to book Palo the same day I’m able?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

My sister and I are taking our girls on a cruise. My DD and I are gold, this will be my sister and nieces first cruise. If I book my daughter with my sister and my niece with me, will my sister be treated as gold and able to book Palo the same day I’m able?

Yes. But there are drawbacks to this plan, also.

Each child must attend the muster drill for the room they are registered in. And the adult in that room must sign a permission form for any other adult (in a different room) to take that child off the ship. Yes, even if that child in the other room is yours, your sister must sign a permission form for you to take your child off the ship in port. And you'd have to do the same for her child.

 

[sftnslky]

We did this with my husband's brother, besides the permission for on and off the ship you will both need to be on the kids club pick up form.

 

[ImprovGal]

My sister and I are taking our girls on a cruise. My DD and I are gold, this will be my sister and nieces first cruise. If I book my daughter with my sister and my niece with me, will my sister be treated as gold and able to book Palo the same day I’m able?

Both of the above responses assume that the daughter and niece are both minors. If that's the case and you are looking to have a Palo meal with your sister (as a party of 2), you can book the Palo meal for yourself and just add your sister to the reservation since the smallest tables at Palo can accommodate 2 guests anyway.

If niece and daughter are both over 18 and your goal is a Palo meal for the 4 of you, then the permission form mentioned above doesn't apply.

 

[SlickWilly]

The other item to keep in mind is extra keys. You can go to guest services and request a blank spare KTTW card for your daughter to access your room or for you to access your sister's room. They just need both of you to approve and they'll give you the key(s). It doesn't change muster stations, but it let's everyone get into the rooms they want to be in.

 

[jbuckent]

So what happens if my sister backs out? Will I be able to drop my niece from my reservation and add my daughter to it?

 

[shaunacb]

Also consider port arrival times/check-in. If your daughter is in your sister's room, it is my understanding that she will need to get on the boat with your sister. They will not allow a minor to board the ship without the adult in that stateroom. So you need to arrive together.

 

[WDWJonasGirl]

and Just an FYI, if your sister has your daughter in the room, you will not be able to buy the pics with your daughter in them and she will not be allowed to buy the pics that your niece is in. Their policy is the only way you can buy the pics is if your niece is in the pic and for your sister, if she or your daughter is in the pic

 

[SteelersLover]

You may want to double check with DCL.. In the scenario you mention above BOTH rooms would get castaway gifts BUT your sister is still non castaway rated. She would not be treated as gold, would not get a lanyard upon check in (your daughter will) so when you attempt to schedule her for Palo, even though the reservations are connected you may not be able to choose her because she will not be able to "check in" online till the 75 day mark. I've been in this situation and as long as i made a reservation at Gold timing, i was able to add the first timer once we got on the ship to sit with me

 

[cyclenut]

Aside from the issues mentioned above, the "stateroom" would receive the benefits of the gold status. That does not pertain to the individual. Last cruise was WBPC and my wife was Gold and I was Silver (now Gold). I was able to do the online checkin at the gold time and pick Palo and everything else during the window for gold. This is true for everyone in the cabin. The gift received is for the cabin and it will be based on the individual with the highest level in the cabin.

However, I received a sliver lanyard and did not receive any of the other benefits of a Gold member (no invitation to the reception, no discounts in the shops).

The other caveats regarding pictures, being a minor, etc. are all true. Even if the cabins are linked (and you definitely want to be sure the reservations are linked).

One the last sea day of our WBPC there was a lady in Shutters who wanted to get pictures of her daughter who was in another cabin that was linked. The only way to do that is to purchase individual pictures OR if both cabins purchased the most expensive Premium package. Shutters will give you 50% off that package for the second cabin when the reservations are linked.

As for swapping people around if people back out, I can't really say how that works. Changes to reservations get tricky once you reach PIF, but I think you can change things up a bit before that time, as long as you are not increasing the total number of people in the cabin. If you are adding someone to your cabin, it is subject to ship availability. I've heard cases where someone staying in a room that sleeps four wanted to add a fourth person but were denied, because there are other factors than just the cabin capacity that DCL takes into consideration. Things like capacity at a given muster station, total capacity of the ship, dining rotations, etc.

I understand the concerns, especially with respect to booking onboard activities and shore excursions. Good luck with your decision.

 

[CM Dad]

One the last sea day of our WBPC there was a lady in Shutters who wanted to get pictures of her daughter who was in another cabin that was linked. The only way to do that is to purchase individual pictures OR if both cabins purchased the most expensive Premium package. Shutters will give you 50% off that package for the second cabin when the reservations are linked.

I don't think that is true. From the http://www.mycruisephotos.com help section

Your Photo disc or USB will contain your photos that include at least one member of the purchasing stateroom. We can accommodate families traveling in more than one stateroom where the occupants are the children 21 and under of the purchasing stateroom. If you meet this criteria, please order one photo package online and speak to a member of the Photo Gallery when you arrive onboard to have this arranged. We are not able to link accounts before you arrive onboard. For further information see our support site article here.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

and Just an FYI, if your sister has your daughter in the room, you will not be able to buy the pics with your daughter in them and she will not be allowed to buy the pics that your niece is in. Their policy is the only way you can buy the pics is if your niece is in the pic and for your sister, if she or your daughter is in the pic

If room 1 has has mom A and niece B, with room 2 having mom B and niece A - here's how it would work.

If room 1 purchases the full digital photo package, any photos taken with mom A or niece B in them would be included. Mom A can also go to Shutters and have her daughter (niece B) added to "her" package. So any photos taken that have Mom A, niece A, or niece B in them would be included, but no photos that are only of mom B would be.

 

[Weedy]

If the ONLY thing you are concerned about is Palo just make the reservation for 1 when your booking window opens. All the tables hold 2. When her window opens just add her or wait until the day you board and add her then.
Have a great cruise.

 

[jbuckent]

This will be my 9th cruise with Disney and I have never bought a photo package so I’m totally not concerned about that, but I will mention it to my sister incase she is.

The kids are teenagers so they can check themselves in and out of the kids club, no concern there. Getting on and off the ship I have no problem signing a permission form for that and we will most likely do excursions together so it won’t matter anyway. Not concerned about the muster drill but it would probably be scary to be separated if there was a need for a lifeboat.

Palo/Remy is my main thought, but it would also be nice if we can all book excursions together early and book our PAT early and things like that.

There is a chance we will add my DH and younger DD (also gold) and a third family so we may have more than just the two of us to book dinner for. But DH won’t go without the 3rd family so are still discussing. But if the 3rd family goes we would book my younger DD in their room for the same reasons.

Are there any other disadvantages to this?