NEED HELP. GETTING MARRIED ON RHAPSODY OF THE SEAS!!!

[denavo]

Hello all. I will be departing from Galveston 8-7-05 on Rhapsody of the Seas. I am getting married on the ship on the departure date and heading out. I have all of my immediate family plus aunts and uncles and friends attending the wedding. I have 13 people staying and going on the cruise. I read here that with a group you could get a free berth. We have six cabins reserved not including our which would make it seven. As you can imagine I have alot on my plate so any information from anyone would be GREATLY appreciated. First does anyone know if we could recieve an upgrade to a balcony being the wedding couple and having so many cabins and having a ceremony on the ship.We are all currently in oceanviews.Secondly could anyone recommend a good parking remedy for my sailing guest and non-sailing guest. So far those are my biggest concerns now. This is my first cruise(and marriage)so please people help me!!!!

[NancyN]

Congratulations and welcome to cruise-chat. Unfortunately, if you did not book the cabins in advance as a block through the group department, you are presently all considered individual bookings and do not qualify for the free berth. Based on your sail date, final payments for the cabins have already been made and you have little recourse at this time to make any changes to those arrangements (without penalty). You may receive an upgrade, but only if you booked your oceanview cabin as a guarantee. If you have an assigned cabin - that is where you will most likely be staying, unless there is availability once you get onboard. In that case, you can get an upgrade, but you will have to pay the price difference. I can only assume you did not book through a travel agent, as all these options may have been available to you when you initially booked.

[denavo]

Thanks for the response. We did book thru a travel agent but only began with 8 people in the group. In then began to swell to the 15 people I spoke of. So I guess now my only recourse is to see if I can get an upgrade for getting married on the ship as a perk. Does anyone know anything about recieving this upgrade?

[NancyN]

If you are working through a travel agent than you should certainly encourage this person to go to bat for you - particularly if everyone used the same travel agent to book the trip - that's is one of the reasons to use a good travel agent: for good service! There is a special department that handles weddings on board and the person in charge of your wedding plans might be able to assist. It certainy can only help your cause for them to aid in the inquiry and request.
Nancy