Any way to book cruise as a surprise for someone?

[Sunny_D]

Just wondering if anyone knows how to book a cruise for someone else as a surprise and not have them get alerted yet by the booking email? My husband and I just booked our second RCCL cruise for next year, this one on Quantum to Alaska. He really wants to surprise his dad and stepmom and purchase a room for them too. Back in 2019, they were scheduled to go with us on a Celebrity cruise to Alaska (their first cruise ever), but six weeks before his dad had a heart attack and emergency surgery and they couldn’t go. His dad was forced into retirement before he planned to, and then Covid happened, so they never did get to go. We have booked a junior suite for ourselves, and noticed the balcony cabin next to us is available. However, if we book it now and put all their info in, they will get an immediate email saying it’s been reserved. My husband wanted to surprise them at Christmas, but we worry that particular cabin could be unavailable by then. Any advice? Is there a way to use one of our email addresses now and then switch it later so they get all the info they need? Thanks.

[CruizIan]

I am pretty sure that you can just use your own email for the booking. They are not going to verify that it is his email. I am sure there are folks that book with no email as well. I book for my in-laws through my travel agent for all of their cruises and don't think that they ever get any notices. I just get sent copies of everything in one email.

[wordell1]

You could book it in your name for now and then transfer it later.

Book your husband and father in one room, and yourself and mother in the other.  

[fireclan]

Just like @CruizIan said - just fill in your email address. I do this when I have booked for family. 

[Sunny_D]

12 minutes ago, fireclan said:

Just like @CruizIan said - just fill in your email address. I do this when I have booked for family. 

Thanks! So then are they still able to do their own check-in even though everything came to your email?

[CruizIan]

 

14 minutes ago, Sunny_D said:

Thanks! So then are they still able to do their own check-in even though everything came to your email?

So they will be able to do everything themselves when they download the app because they would be pulling the reservation in based on their name and their DOB and the reservation number. It doesn't ask for the email at all. If they already have a C&A number they can then add their C&A number to the reservation during check in or even I believe online when they are making cruise planner purchases. 

[Xaa]

Hi @Sunny_D,

We're doing the same thing, booked this summer for my parents.  Used my email address.  We booked them in their own room, no need to cross pollinate guests as @wordell1suggests.  My mother is in the know and she can see the reservation and check in on the Royal app, yet all of the emails are coming to me.

When we reveal the cruise to my dad, then my mom will change the info over and add her crown and anchor etc.

As with all booking questions, the answer is that now is always best.

I hope you all have a wonderful cruise. 

Bill

[Reigert2008]

16 minutes ago, Sunny_D said:

Thanks! So then are they still able to do their own check-in even though everything came to your email?

This may be a time to use a good TA, they can manage everything and work it through so that you meet your goals. 

Good Luck!

I personally would not book something like this as a surprise since you never know what they may already have planned in thier life and haven't shared, maybe they want to "surprise" you on your cruise.  In my opinion, it is best to just communicate things out and then everyone is on the same page from the beginning.  

[MaryCS62]

14 minutes ago, Sunny_D said:

Just wondering if anyone knows how to book a cruise for someone else as a surprise and not have them get alerted yet by the booking email? My husband and I just booked our second RCCL cruise for next year, this one on Quantum to Alaska. He really wants to surprise his dad and stepmom and purchase a room for them too. Back in 2019, they were scheduled to go with us on a Celebrity cruise to Alaska (their first cruise ever), but six weeks before his dad had a heart attack and emergency surgery and they couldn’t go. His dad was forced into retirement before he planned to, and then Covid happened, so they never did get to go. We have booked a junior suite for ourselves, and noticed the balcony cabin next to us is available. However, if we book it now and put all their info in, they will get an immediate email saying it’s been reserved. My husband wanted to surprise them at Christmas, but we worry that particular cabin could be unavailable by then. Any advice? Is there a way to use one of our email addresses now and then switch it later so they get all the info they need? Thanks.

Do you have a TA? If so, they could probably do it for you. I think that your idea using your email address instead of theirs would work, & then you can switch it after you gift it to them.  People have to book for children who don't have their own email addresses (I did, & I just used mine in their accounts when necessary).

[mac66]

 

My wife has booked family cruises for us and our adult children a couple of times.  Everything came to her. None of them were surprises but they could have been.

[SpeedNoodles]

Book through a good Travel Agent.  It could save you all sorts of headaches later.

[fireclan]

And please remember to insure your trip. It's a little more money but so worth the peace of mind especially since your family member has experienced some major health issues. A travel agent (like @Traveljenn)could help you with all the things cruise related and it won't cost you anything extra. 

MEI is the agency that sponsors @Matt blog which so many of us  use to learn about and/or enhance our cruising experience. 

Best of luck and happy cruising. 

[DoomSlayer]

2 hours ago, mac66 said:

 

My wife has booked family cruises for us and our adult children a couple of times.  Everything came to her. None of them were surprises but they could have been.

I do this too with my kids, both adult and teenagers, and my grandkids.  They just use the app to register the trip.  My adult kids even attach their own credit card to their sea pass through the app, so I don't have to worry about them running up my bill (I may pay for the trip, but they can pick up their own bar tab).  The only difficult part is I get all their email updates about the cruise from Royal Caribbean sent to me and I have to forward them on to the adult kids.

[Sunny_D]

6 hours ago, Reigert2008 said:

This may be a time to use a good TA, they can manage everything and work it through so that you meet your goals. 

Good Luck!

I personally would not book something like this as a surprise since you never know what they may already have planned in thier life and haven't shared, maybe they want to "surprise" you on your cruise.  In my opinion, it is best to just communicate things out and then everyone is on the same page from the beginning.  

Thanks! We already confirmed they are free the dates of the cruise and they want to go. The only thing that’s a surprise really is they are assuming they will be paying for it when the time comes to book (we told them we’d all “book together” at a later date).

As far as using a TA goes, we tried using my parents’ regular TA (who usually books more with the luxury lines, but has done some RCCL before). The prices she was getting thru whatever TA site she uses were WAY higher than what we were seeing on the RCCL website. Like 40% more. She was on the phone with different reps for over 2 hours but couldn’t make any progress. Finally she just told us to book it direct to save the money.

[Xaa]

While I think you can handle the booking on your own @Sunny_D, I think what your parents TA is telling you is not going to be representative of all agents.  You might try MEI.  They've never been a cent more than the website and are sometimes better.

 

[mac66]

Cru Con is who we use. They generally have real good prices, sometimes kick in OBC and other perks, plus they have a $50 loyalty discount.  They handled everything for multiple bookings. We have a cruise in Feb with my two brothers and their wives. They coordinated all the bookings.

[Jenn G-MEI Travel]

On 11/8/2022 at 10:07 AM, fireclan said:

And please remember to insure your trip. It's a little more money but so worth the peace of mind especially since your family member has experienced some major health issues. A travel agent (like @Traveljenn)could help you with all the things cruise related and it won't cost you anything extra. 

MEI is the agency that sponsors @Matt blog which so many of us  use to learn about and/or enhance our cruising experience. 

Best of luck and happy cruising. 

Thank you Tina!!