Life happens. Oftentimes the best laid plans need to be changed at a later date. Booking a cruise is no exception. Maybe a family member or friend was allowed to take off work after all. Or, someone changed their mind and decided to join you on your trip. Whatever the case, use these valuable tips to learn how to add a passenger to your cabin on a cruise at a later date.

Contact your travel agent or the cruise line directly as soon as you need to add another passenger to your cabin. Explain the situation to them.

If you are adding a passenger to a cabin that can accommodate three or four people, there shouldn't be a problem. The biggest issue is if the ship has already reached its sailing capacity. So the earlier you book, the better.

If you try to add another passenger to your cabin after you've requested a "single" accommodation, you'll need to upgrade to a larger cabin or to a suite. The extra cost will vary, depending on the cruise line.

Book a "Handicapped Cabin" for your cruise in advance and you won't be able to add an additional passenger, unless they too are handicapped. These cabins are reserved for passengers with disabilities only.

Make the reservation for the extra passenger, then arrange to pay the deposit for their fare.

Consider canceling the cruise and rebooking it for a later date if you're unable to add a passenger to your cabin.

Tip

You can usually add a third or even a fourth person to your cabin at a later date as long as the room is large enough to accommodate the extra passengers. If the cabins on a cruise ship don't get reserved by the normal deadline, the cruise line may extend the "early-bird" rate. Your added passenger could still get a discounted fare.

Warning

Although cruise lines try to please their passengers, they reserve the right to deny your request to add another passenger to your cabin. If the ship has already reached its limit of sailing passengers, then your request will be denied. If you've booked a cruise and have received a special price for your cabin, then adding another passenger could possibly affect your discount rate. Be prepared--if you need to upgrade--you may need to give up an "Ocean View" cabin for a "No View" cabin. An "Ocean View" cabin has a window or a porthole. A "No View" cabin has neither.