Family holiday drama

[familydrama1]

So we are due to go on holiday next year with family. We invited my parents, they booked their own room - they then invited my nephew (who is 17). My brother didn't pay for my nephew or even offer to pay for their place.

I found out I was pregnant recently and can't book the baby's space until they are born. Also there will be no spaces as, the baby is due 4 months before the holiday. Anyone we trust with our child will be on that holiday. We need to take my nephew off the booking and change it to the baby when they are born.

AIBU to take my nephew off the booking (I have spoken to my parents about this and they understand) but I know my brother won't be happy and it will cause drama. Or should just not go and lose thousands 😣

Need an outside perspective pleaseeee

If your parents hadn’t decided/wanted to go on this cruise with you - what room was your DD that is sharing with them going to be allocated to ?

I can’t imagine much worse than having to look after 4 kids under 6, on a ship, packed in like sardines and terrified of ever taking my eye off of one for 5 seconds in case they sprint off and jump overboard!

It’s not a holiday, it’s an anxiety test.

Shes obviously trying to avoid the expense of booking a second room,

OP, as a family of six your days of one-room holidays are over.

A 4 month old won’t be allowed on a cruise, the minimum age is 6 months.

Erm no. You can’t bump a nephew from a holiday that isn’t yours and you didn’t pay for in favour of a new baby.

So you've booked and paid for two rooms that each take 4 passengers. You, your DH and two of your DC are in Room 1. Your parents and another of your DC are in the Room 2. While you've paid for Room 2 to have 3 people in it, your parents have paid the extra to have your nephew take up the 4th berth in Room 2 and they did so without checking with you.

The cruise line will not let you add a baby to either of the rooms because they are already at full capacity.

I don't really get your not enough adults argument for why you can't add an extra room, presumably you and DH could sleep in separate rooms with a child or two each but still, even if you could, the cost would be 50% of what you've already paid instead of just the per person supplement that you'd have to pay if your nephew wasn't coming.

Is that situation?

If so, YANBU to bump the nephew. It's a huge shame, but it's not unreasonable for your family to take precedence in this situation.

If that isn't the situation, you'll need to clearly spell out what the situation is.

Edited to add: Splitting the cost of an extra room with parents and nephews parents would be a much better way of solving the issue if the problem with getting the extra room is really the cost of it.

Did you book with MSC?

If not, you’re screwed anyway.

You need to look at upgrading the cabin, or getting a new room. No you cannot bump your nephew.

I think the OP said somewhere that her parents paid for their room and the nephews place.

I would ring the cruise company myself and speak to them to tell them the issue. There will be a solution.

There is no way that there isn’t room for an infant a year ahead of time. No way. There is also cancellation lists.

There will be a way to sort this but do not remove anyone from the booking. I agree with the others and this does not sound suitable at all.

You don’t need another adult. You need to go in one room with 2 of your children and your husband needs to go in a room with the other 2 children. Grandparents can then have their room with nephew. Why should nephew have to have his holiday cancelled because you decided to have another kid??

This is pretty much what I thought when I read the OP. That along with perhaps you should plan your unprotected shagging better. Wouldn't be an issue if you had would it? 🤭

Ditto

I haven’t read all the replies and I’ve not been on a cruise and I’m a bit confused. But I think what you’re saying is that you are not allowed to add anyone else to your room. Your nephew is staying in another room so you would like to remove him and then add the baby in his place even though the baby will actually stay with you. Is that right? I understand how tricky this might be for you but it does seem a bit harsh on him as it is not his fault that you will now have another child by the time of the cruise.

yes I agree with this totally.

What a pickle.
Unfortunately, i think it would cause so much upset and drama. Your poor nephew would be feeling the brunt of all the hurt. Your parents invited him for a reason, it's unfair to remove him to tailor to your needs.

Does your DH side have a space one of your other children could take?
I have a larger family.
I think if not the best thing in this situation, I would book another room now for you and your baby leaving your DH with your other DC.
Either that or lose the money and chalk it up to experience.

Good luck

It really sounds dire ! Maybe the 17 yr old will get cold feet !

not the point of the thread I know, but cruises are great for kids. All except the 6 month old baby will presumably be in the kids club most of the day!

it is also very hard to go overboard on a cruise ship. Most of them have floor to ceiling glass in public areas and kids can’t open the balcony doors in the staterooms.

This is better than wordle. Cruisle, if you will.

Oh yes. First line of the OP! Sorry.

In which case, I take it back. OP should stay at home with the baby and DH should go with the other kids. They can't insist her DP use their spare berth to accommodate OP's children.

OP would you not be afraid of pissing your parents off by cancelling DN, and then they decide not to come along? So nowhere for your child to sleep, and no extra hands? I'm sure they'd be stuck in the middle between you and your brother if you cancelled his son?

Everyone's room is full.

Also, i have spoken to the cruise line. They said we CANNOT add this child to the booking or PAY for another room until the baby is born. Which will be 6 months before we sail. The ship is nearly at full capacity already with only suites currently left. You don't understand that the school holiday cruises get booked up quickly as children tend to go slightly cheaper.

I have thought of every way possibly and this is the only way to do it that makes sense.

We were going to pay for 2 rooms initially but my parents offered to take a child in their room so we didn't have to. Then my mum invited my nephew without asking me. I believe she only did this to invite my nephew with her. Because if my brother found out she was going on holiday without taking one of his kids, he will probably not talk to my parents and my mum is scared of him.

@familydrama1 you CAN pay for another room and put your DH in it and have space for the baby when baby arrives. Why can’t you do that?

Your original plan was to pay for two rooms so what is the issue?

We always paid for two rooms split me and DH up as the two adults on the booking but actually let the children have their own room to themselves.

It is not complicated. Just have to pay more!

@familydrama1

please answer the question of why one of your kids can’t bunk in with the in-laws?