One thing some people don’t always realize when booking a cruise is that getting cabins close together can actually be tricky.
Cruise lines limit the number of people assigned to each muster station. That’s the safety area where you report in an emergency, and they have to make sure there’s enough room for everyone in the lifeboats. Because of that, they have strict controls over how many people can book in certain cabin areas of the ship.
Where it really gets fun
This gets more complicated when you need cabins for more than two people.
I recently worked on a booking that needed:
- one cabin for 4
- one cabin for 3
- one cabin for 2
Even on a large ship with Royal Caribbean, it took some creativity to find options that worked close together.
Cruise lines especially limit how many cabins of 3 they sell. And while several cabins can often accommodate 4, they won’t always allow cabins of 3, depending on how the ship’s occupancy is distributed.
My biggest tip
If you’re cruising with family or a group, book early. The best cabin combinations go fast, and once they’re gone, your options for staying close together shrink fast too.
Where a travel agent actually helps
A travel agent can often see options or combinations that aren’t obvious when you’re searching online yourself. And I often have access to extra onboard credit that can help cover excursions or those onboard purchases, which makes the whole trip a little easier on the wallet.
Planning a multi-generational cruise, or trying to figure out how to get your group’s cabins close together? Reach out and let’s start planning.
Love my cruise content? Be sure to check out my blog post about what is included in cruises and what isn’t here.