Minimum guests for Suites

[AlmondFarmer]

Does Royal Caribbean policy change regarding the minimum guests required for suites? I booked two sailings the day they listed while on board Navigator on 11-20-19, an A1 (larger 2 bedroom aquatheater) on Oasis sailing 11-28-21. This required three names and $750 deposit. Also the 4 bedroom Villa on Symphony for 1-22-22 requiring three names and $750 deposit. Last week when Royal released Europe 2022 I booked an A2 (smaller 2 bedroom aquatheater) on Allure for 6-5-22. I found this room with 2 adults in search. (I usually search with 3 to also see larger occupancy suites). I was able to reserve room with 2 names and $500 deposit. 
Is this inconsistency normal? Will I be required to add or pay for a third or more guests to keep these rooms?

I tried to add my 3 kids to my A1 this November but was told that to use ‘kids sail free’ the room would be repriced and increase $3,200 which is more than $598 plus $149 tax to add adults. We are traveling with a group and another family has space in their 2 bedroom grand suite so my kids got added to their room for tax only. I will have to pay the $10 cover charge for 6 year old twins at specialty restaurants and three gratuities as they will not have Star Class benefits.

Have 8 adults together for 4 bedroom suite on Symphony. A bedroom and bathroom for each couple. Room is expensive for first two guests but at 8 adults it is just under $2,000/person. A great value for Star Class.

 

[twangster]

Star Class pricing tends to favor larger parties.  

I couldn't book an A2 as a solo but I could for 2 guests, later adding a 3rd.  

Policies for cabin occupants seems to vary from time to time.  On Radiance class ships there are forward facing larger ocean view with a separate bunk bed area for up to 5 guests.  Sometimes these can be booked solo and sometimes it requires 3 to unlock them.  Same ship, different sail date.  

YMMV

[Lovetocruise2002]

12 minutes ago, AlmondFarmer said:

Does Royal Caribbean policy change regarding the minimum guests required for suites?

Not necessarily, no.  There is a lot in your post so I will try to unpack it the best I can.

12 minutes ago, AlmondFarmer said:

This required three names and $750 deposit.

You can generally book an ATS with only 2 people.  However, they may very likely have asked you for 3 to lock your price down.  3 people on your reservation locks the booking price down.  Two does not.  If you book with only two and add later, you will be re-priced at whatever the prevailing rate is.

14 minutes ago, AlmondFarmer said:

Also the 4 bedroom Villa on Symphony for 1-22-22 requiring three names and $750 deposit. 

This particular room there is debate as the the minimum amount.  FWIW, it has come up for me when I search 2 or 4 people so YMMV.  However, my guess is also that 3 locks your price down so perhaps that is why they asked for 3.

 

15 minutes ago, AlmondFarmer said:

I was able to reserve room with 2 names and $500 deposit. 
Is this inconsistency normal? Will I be required to add or pay for a third or more guests to keep these rooms?

You can almost always book an ATS with just two people.  But if you add another guest at this point, you will most definitely get re-prices because again, 3 is required to lock in the price.

16 minutes ago, AlmondFarmer said:

to use ‘kids sail free’ the room would be repriced and increase $3,200 which is more than $598 plus $149 tax to add adults.

KSF is often a great deal.  However, it is true that to take advantage of it, they have to re-price it.  Sometimes, it will not work out in your favour.  Also, keep in mind that with KSF, if you are trying to apply FCCs, you won't be able to because those kids are not paying "cruise fare" if they have KSF.

 

Hope that helps and doesn't confuse you further.  And welcome to the message boards!

[twangster]

18 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

If you book with only two and add later, you will be re-priced at whatever the prevailing rate is.

In my experience the additional guests are added at prevailing rates while the pricing for first two does not change.  Once you add a 3rd guest, you lock in pricing for all additional guests at that rate such as adding a 4th or 5th at some point later on.  That's how it worked for me on Allure.   If they had repriced the first two guests at prevailing rates when I added my 3rd I never would have added a 3rd.    

[Lovetocruise2002]

28 minutes ago, twangster said:

In my experience the additional guests are added at prevailing rates while the pricing for first two does not change.  Once you add a 3rd guest, you lock in pricing for all additional guests at that rate such as adding a 4th or 5th at some point later on.  That's how it worked for me on Allure.   If they had repriced the first two guests at prevailing rates when I added my 3rd I never would have added a 3rd.    

Good to know. I have never taken that route before. We always book at least 3 so that we can avoid getting repriced. But definitely good to know for the future.

[AlmondFarmer]

Thank you both for your thoughts and information. Currently the price to add additional guests to A2 for Allure June 5, 2022 Mediterranean is $1398. I have never booked or tracked Mediterranean pricing. This is a much higher rate than all other bookings which  I have added/booked additional adults in Caribbean. Price has ranged from $488 to $648. Is the high Mediterranean price to add guests normal or should it trend down as sail date approaches?

The sailing is for my wife and my ten year anniversary. We know many other couples married in 2012 so may add 2 additional adults to utilize second bedroom. We are comfortable with booked price of $7K for us two only. 

[WAAAYTOOO]

A couple of years ago you could not book the ATS with just 2 people. That lasted for a couple of years and then suddenly they changed it so that 2 could book and it has remained that way so far.

[AlmondFarmer]

So two guests can book and sail in an A1 or A2. How about the VS (4 bedroom Villa) on Harmony or Symphony? I booked with three names and have since added a fourth.

Also, does anyone have an indication when winter 2022/2023 itineraries will be available to book? I think my group is going to like the 4 bedroom on Symphony and I would like to book it on Harmony for December 2022 or January 2023. Once released last November, the 4 bedroom Villa was booked on all 52 sailings on Symphony in less than a week. 

[Lovetocruise2002]

21 minutes ago, AlmondFarmer said:

How about the VS (4 bedroom Villa) on Harmony or Symphony?

Like I mentioned in my previous post, I have had it come up in a search with 2 or 4 guests.

22 minutes ago, AlmondFarmer said:

Also, does anyone have an indication when winter 2022/2023 itineraries will be available to book?

The official word from Royal is just "coming soon".

22 minutes ago, AlmondFarmer said:

Once released last November, the 4 bedroom Villa was booked on all 52 sailings on Symphony in less than a week. 

When they released the Summer 2022 (May-October) itineraries a few weeks ago, the villas were gone within 24 hours.  They are the first to go!