Saving by Booking Child with Grandma's Stateroom?

greencandi

Earning My Ears
Joined
Feb 9, 2014
We're going on our 3rd Disney Cruise - 7 nights in Feb 2020. This will be our 6th vacation taking my mom along (we've done two trips to Aulani, and a WDW trip with the four of us). We booked a Verandah stateroom for us and my mom booked an Oceanview stateroom for herself. I recently read a post about someone who books their child in with the grandparent to save money. Does this really work? Does anyone know if this is a significant savings? We're fine with what we spent and both staterooms are PIF, but I'm wondering if there's anything we can do about it now? I also understand that she would have attend the muster drill etc. with my mom which is fine because she spends about 50% of her nights with her grandma. If there is a significant savings to be had I want to know for next time. Thanks!
 
Yes, in most situations, you can book the third and fourth guests in the cheaper room to bring the overall fare down. For our family of five, we typically book a Verandah and an Inside - across from each other - with the inside room carrying the names of the three of us, incl. the youngest guest.

Whether the savings are significant depends on the ship, itinerary, and season, but if the muster drill split is OK with you, any saving is welcome.

Just make sure the reservations are linked, so Disney can see that the minor has their parents on board as well.
 
If you had booked your daughter with her grandmother originally, you would probably have saved some money. In your room, you are paying for two adults and one child. Your mother is paying the single supplement, meaning the cost of her room is almost the cost of two adults (minus port fees for a second person). If your daughter were with your mother, the cost for their room would be just a little more than it is now (two adults including port fees) and your room would cost less without the 3rd person.

You can call DCL or your travel agent to be sure, but I think after the final payment date, changing your daughter to a different room would have a higher penalty than the money you would save. This is something to keep in mind if/when you cruise again, though.

If your daughter is in a different room, not only would she need to go to the muster station for that room, but your mother would need to sign a form saying you can take your daughter off the ship. That’s not a big deal.
 
We're going on our 3rd Disney Cruise - 7 nights in Feb 2020. This will be our 6th vacation taking my mom along (we've done two trips to Aulani, and a WDW trip with the four of us). We booked a Verandah stateroom for us and my mom booked an Oceanview stateroom for herself. I recently read a post about someone who books their child in with the grandparent to save money. Does this really work? Does anyone know if this is a significant savings? We're fine with what we spent and both staterooms are PIF, but I'm wondering if there's anything we can do about it now? I also understand that she would have attend the muster drill etc. with my mom which is fine because she spends about 50% of her nights with her grandma. If there is a significant savings to be had I want to know for next time. Thanks!
The poster above is absolutely correct, but want to clarify something. Are you PIF because just wanted to or is it past the PIF date? If it’s not past the PIF date, you may still be able to make changes, definitely worth a call.
 


In some cases it saves money, some cases not. We cruised with our son and his family of 5 (3 kids) last month. Two of their children were with them in a cabin and one of our grandkids booked in with us in our room since their oceanview only held four. Ours was more logistically feasible and I guess cost savings too as the verandah that held 5 was more money. We had different grandkids sleep in our room during the week. We booked OGT cabins and were assigned right next door to each other.

MJ
 


On our first cruise we sailed with my husband's sister and saved quite a bit by booking me and the sister in one room and my husband and two kids in the other. We just told the cabin steward about the sleeping arrangements and there was no problem. We saved a significant amount since a single cruiser is basically paying for an extra person.

The only thing that could be an issue is tipping. We had adjoining cabins and the same cabin steward so there was no difference in tips. If you have someone sleeping in your cabin who isn't on the reservation and the two cabins have different stewards you could end up with the steward missing out on tips for that person. But if your cabins are together it's more than likely they will have the same steward.
 
In some cases it saves money, some cases not. We cruised with our son and his family of 5 (3 kids) last month. Two of their children were with them in a cabin and one of our grandkids booked in with us in our room since their oceanview only held four. Ours was more logistically feasible and I guess cost savings too as the verandah that held 5 was more money. We had different grandkids sleep in our room during the week. We booked OGT cabins and were assigned right next door to each other.

MJ
I think it would pretty much always save money if you are taking a room of 3 and a room of 1 and making it 2 and 2, especially if you're moving one of the 3 to a lower category.
 
We're going on our 3rd Disney Cruise - 7 nights in Feb 2020. This will be our 6th vacation taking my mom along (we've done two trips to Aulani, and a WDW trip with the four of us). We booked a Verandah stateroom for us and my mom booked an Oceanview stateroom for herself. I recently read a post about someone who books their child in with the grandparent to save money. Does this really work? Does anyone know if this is a significant savings? We're fine with what we spent and both staterooms are PIF, but I'm wondering if there's anything we can do about it now? I also understand that she would have attend the muster drill etc. with my mom which is fine because she spends about 50% of her nights with her grandma. If there is a significant savings to be had I want to know for next time. Thanks!

We’ve done this exact thing in the past to save money. We were still all in the same muster station.

Depending on the age of the child, you may need to get a KTTW made for the child to get into the “correct” stateroom.
 
In some cases it saves money, some cases not.

In a position like the OP is discussing, it always saves money. If you have more than 2 people in one stateroom and only 1 in a 2nd stateroom, the 2nd stateroom is still paying for 2 people (but only port fees for 1). So by moving the 3rd (or 4th or 5th) person from the first stateroom, you keep the identical port fees, but save the difference from the 3rd person fare and the full fare that you were already paying in the 2nd room.
 
In a position like the OP is discussing, it always saves money. If you have more than 2 people in one stateroom and only 1 in a 2nd stateroom, the 2nd stateroom is still paying for 2 people (but only port fees for 1). So by moving the 3rd (or 4th or 5th) person from the first stateroom, you keep the identical port fees, but save the difference from the 3rd person fare and the full fare that you were already paying in the 2nd room.

Absolutely correct....I meant since she was paid in full already in this case it wouldn't save money.

MJ
 
We are going on our first ever Disney cruise in Feb. It's our family of 4 plus my father-in-law. Our travel agent suggested we put 3 in one room (me, husband, kid) and 2 in the other (grandpa, other kid). She assured me that both kids can sleep in our room, it's only on paper to save money. We booked neighboring but not adjoining rooms for convenience.
 
She assured me that both kids can sleep in our room, it's only on paper to save money.
As long as your stateroom sleeps 4 with the sleeper sofa and the pull down bunk (or Murphy bed) that is true. Always confirm that your room has the correct number of beds. The 2nd time we cruised in a Family Veranda I assumed it would have a Murphy Bed (i.e. sleep 5) like my first one. It only slept 4. (Fortunately my youngest wanted the Pullman bunk anyways; on our first cruise I had wanted a Murphy bed just in case neither kid wanted to be in the bunk.)
 
We’ve done this exact thing in the past to save money. We were still all in the same muster station.

Depending on the age of the child, you may need to get a KTTW made for the child to get into the “correct” stateroom.

Did you have any issues doing this?

I have 2 rooms booked on different floors. One has me, my husband and my first daughter. The other has my sister and my second daughter. We plan to have my second daughter sleep with us even though she's registered to my sister's room.

How will this work for my second daughter's kids club magic band? Will my sister have to sign her up or can I? Is my sister considered her guardian on the ship? Will I have any problems getting a key to my room for my second daughter? Any info or advice would be greatly appreciated!!
 
Did you have any issues doing this?

I have 2 rooms booked on different floors. One has me, my husband and my first daughter. The other has my sister and my second daughter. We plan to have my second daughter sleep with us even though she's registered to my sister's room.

How will this work for my second daughter's kids club magic band? Will my sister have to sign her up or can I? Is my sister considered her guardian on the ship? Will I have any problems getting a key to my room for my second daughter? Any info or advice would be greatly appreciated!!
The adult in the room that the child is actually registered in must be the one who is responsible for the child. That means, if you want to take your child off the ship, without your sister coming along, SHE has to sign the paper allowing you to take your child off the ship.

I'm not sure how it works with the kid's club, but I would think it would be similar - that your sister would have to register her in the club and be the main contact name for her while she is in there. There can be multiple persons authorized to pick up a child from a club, however.

Just visit Guest Services once onboard to get a blank key card for your room. It will not have charging privileges, only unlock the door. And your second daughter will have to attend the muster drill for the room she is registered in, not with you (unless it works out that both rooms have the same muster location).
 
I'm not sure how it works with the kid's club, but I would think it would be similar - that your sister would have to register her in the club and be the main contact name for her while she is in there. There can be multiple persons authorized to pick up a child from a club, however.
This is correct. The adult in the room with the child has authority over granting privileges to getting off the ship and picking up from the kids club. The good news is that the kids club access can all be done online, and if the reservations are linked, the parents (even if in a different room) can fill that information out during online check-in.
 
Our first cruise with kids was paid by Nana and her travel agent booked one kid in their room and the other in ours. It did cause a couple of minor issues. First, I was going to pay the tips for my family but those are charged per stateroom occupancy so I had to pay her back for the extra person in her room. Second, I bought the photo package which was then tied to my room. Any pictures of just DD went to Nana and PawPaw’s room and had to be purchased separately. Since I didn’t pay for the cruise I don’t know the cost savings but I’d think twice about booking that way again.
 
Our first cruise with kids was paid by Nana and her travel agent booked one kid in their room and the other in ours. It did cause a couple of minor issues. First, I was going to pay the tips for my family but those are charged per stateroom occupancy so I had to pay her back for the extra person in her room. Second, I bought the photo package which was then tied to my room. Any pictures of just DD went to Nana and PawPaw’s room and had to be purchased separately. Since I didn’t pay for the cruise I don’t know the cost savings but I’d think twice about booking that way again.
The photo package isn't a problem, just extra hassle. You can go to Shutters and have your daughter added to your package. Only valid for minors of a nuclear family
 
Our first cruise with kids was paid by Nana and her travel agent booked one kid in their room and the other in ours. It did cause a couple of minor issues. First, I was going to pay the tips for my family but those are charged per stateroom occupancy so I had to pay her back for the extra person in her room.
Luckily this has changed. During online check in or once on the boat, you can designate who will pay for who, so long as the reservations are linked. I can have all charges from my son in a different room paid by me. This includes tips. He isn't old enough for charging privileges, but that would be the same. Luckily the technology has changed from when you sailed the wonder in 2000 =D
 

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