Check In and Booking Palo with Two Staterooms

[ajgardner]

We have connecting staterooms booked for our cruise, my husband is in on one reservation and I am on the other reservation. I have them both linked to my Disney Cruise account and can see both reservations but have to toggle between them. This is our 8th Cruise so I know how check in and know how making reservations typically works, but this is the first time we have had two room reservations. Will I need to do check in separately, and if so, what happens if I can’t get the same port arrival time? And then with Palo, if I want to go with my husband, how will I select both our names for the reservation if we are in different room reservation numbers? I guess I have the same issue for port adventures? I was hoping once I linked both reservation numbers to my account it would all just be combined but that’s not how it is showing at the moment.
(My travel agent has put in a note saying that we are traveling together)

 

[cvjw]

We routinely book connecting staterooms. You will have to do online checkin one cabin at a time. I have never not gotten the same PAT, but I do checkin right at midnight on the first night possible.

When you go to book onboard activities, everyone in your cabins shows up. You just select what you want to book and who you want to book for. It is very easy!

 

[dvcgirl1]

From our experience...yes, you have to complete the "check-in" process online separately. If the ressies are linked however, then there will be a few questions that will be combined and give you the option to select the same answer/info for both rooms. You should get one port arrival time if they are linked. As for Palo, when you go to make your reservation online, it should ask you who you are including in the reservation and it will show the names of eligible adults in both of the rooms. We always travel as a party of 5, with my mom and one son in the other room, and we've not had any issues with combining the reservations. Have fun!

 

[ajgardner]

We routinely book connecting staterooms. You will have to do online checkin one cabin at a time. I have never not gotten the same PAT, but I do checkin right at midnight on the first night possible.

When you go to book onboard activities, everyone in your cabins shows up. You just select what you want to book and who you want to book for. It is very easy!

From our experience...yes, you have to complete the "check-in" process online separately. If the ressies are linked however, then there will be a few questions that will be combined and give you the option to select the same answer/info for both rooms. You should get one port arrival time if they are linked. As for Palo, when you go to make your reservation online, it should ask you who you are including in the reservation and it will show the names of eligible adults in both of the rooms. We always travel as a party of 5, with my mom and one son in the other room, and we've not had any issues with combining the reservations. Have fun!

Thank you both! It sounds like when it’s time for all this the process will be simple. I just wanted to be prepared! Stay safe and healthy!

 

[daedelus]

We have a family of 6, so we always have 2 staterooms when we all travel. Here's one more tip for you - be very careful about your port adventures bookings!

With linked reservations, you can book all of your party onto excursions with one process. That's always worked for us.

However, if you decide to cancel an excursion or take another one instead, double check that the system actually cancelled BOTH ROOMS. On our January cruise, we were (not pleasantly) surprised to get 3 tickets to 2 sets of excursions we had cancelled! Room 1 had been cancelled successfully, but room 2 had not.

Once you board the ship, Port Adventures cannot help you cancel. Fortunately, they documented everything and advised me to keep my tickets (critical!). Once home, I called Guest Services and scanned the tickets in and sent them to them. Between that and some research, they were able to issue me a credit for the erroneous charges. They said it SHOULD have cancelled both rooms, but that it hadn't. So just a word to the wise!

Cheers and have a great trip (once the plague is over!)

 

[lanejudy]

(My travel agent has put in a note saying that we are traveling together)

Make sure your TA has them actually "linked" and not just a notation. That will be key.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[SL6827]

What times are generally left for Palo Brunch when you book on board for your at sea day of a four night cruise?

 

[ajgardner]

Make sure your TA has them actually "linked" and not just a notation. That will be key.

Enjoy your cruise!

Oh! I hope she has done this, I will check in with her. Is there a way for me to tell?

 

[ajgardner]

What times are generally left for Palo Brunch when you book on board for your at sea day of a four night cruise?

We do not typically do shorter cruises so I’m not sure. But with only one sea day, I can’t imagine too many openings left upon boarding. This is the big thing I want to make sure I’m able to book ASAP when my time opens up.

 

[BCV23]

Another note: there is no need to complete or even begin checkin before booking Palo, a cabana or other excursions. You just need to be PIF and within your booking window. PAT has never as important to me as a cabana or Palo. I try first for the most important things to us and then do checkin sometime later....sometimes a month or two.

 

[SL6827]

We do not typically do shorter cruises so I’m not sure. But with only one sea day, I can’t imagine too many openings left upon boarding. This is the big thing I want to make sure I’m able to book ASAP when my time opens up.

That is what I was thinking too. That would be the only day that would work well for us, so I was doubtful much would be open. But you never know. Do they even do them on Nassau day? I have read reports that they don't or maybe they didn't used to. I know Nassau was getting really mad about people not getting off the ships there in the past so I didn't know.

 

[ajgardner]

That is what I was thinking too. That would be the only day that would work well for us, so I was doubtful much would be open. But you never know. Do they even do them on Nassau day? I have read reports that they don't or maybe they didn't used to. I know Nassau was getting really mad about people not getting off the ships there in the past so I didn't know.

Based on our 7 night cruises and what I have read, they only offer brunch on sea days. I’m not positive though. I know for my longer cruises I kept checking and was eventually able to find an opening, must’ve got lucky with someone canceling and scooped it up.

 

[SL6827]

Based on our 7 night cruises and what I have read, they only offer brunch on sea days. I’m not positive though. I know for my longer cruises I kept checking and was eventually able to find an opening, must’ve got lucky with someone canceling and scooped it up.

Ya, I have also read one reason they may not offer it on port days is to discourage people from not getting off the ship, and that would mean they wouldn't be booking a ship sponsored excursion. They will make a lot more money on the excursions they book. Personally I don't know of that many excursions that I couldn't book cheaper myself verses going through Disney.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

We've done 2 staterooms (DH listed in one and me listed in the other) several times. At check-in, I have the PC and the laptop both ready to go at midnight for our PATs (including the rest of the family) and reservations.

 

[lanejudy]

Oh! I hope she has done this, I will check in with her. Is there a way for me to tell?

I think if both are linked in DCL's system, you should be able to see all members of your party when logged in to either reservation. I've never cruised with a linked reservation, so I'm not positive. Hopefully someone else can comment how to know if your reservations are linked. It was just the way you added "she made a note" that made me think they may or may not be officially linked.

What times are generally left for Palo Brunch when you book on board for your at sea day of a four night cruise?

I've heard they hold back as many as half the slots for booking onboard, but I can't confirm if that is still accurate or not. And, yes, a typical 4-night cruise will only have 1 Palo brunch offered (on the day at-sea), so slots are limited from the start. Even if they do hold back half, that's still relatively few.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[MomOTwins]

I have a linked reservation with my inlaws and I can see both rooms in the app and in MDE. When I got to make onboard bookings I can book for us all at the same time.