- Ashley Wanichko was excited to treat her sons and boyfriend to a seven-day cruise
- When she opened the door to the cabin, she quickly realized that she had forgotten to upgrade the cabin of the four – and the rooms were close
- After posting about it on a light-hearted TikTok, Wanichko tells PEOPLE she was happy to lean into the chaos — and memories were made
When Ashley Wanichko boarded Carnival’s Mardi Gras Cruise, she wasn’t prepared for how small the room she booked would be.
Wanichko, who shared the cozy room with her boyfriend and her two children, documented the unique experience on the now-viral TikTok after forgetting to upgrade the cabin.
In Wanichka’s viral video, which she captioned, “POV: You forgot to upgrade your room and you’re going to be REALLY close for the next week,” she showed off her small bed and the two bunk beds that sat above the basic bed.
Ashley Wanichko in a room on a cruise ship.
Ashley Wanichko/TikTok
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The video, which has garnered more than 4 million views, shows her boyfriend seemingly enjoying himself despite the small space, while her two sons also seem excited for the week ahead.
The mom of two immediately thought about upgrading the room, but in the end decided to embrace the adventure with her family, especially since she was only paying $1,200 for seven days. “It was a hell of a deal,” he tells PEOPLE exclusively.
When Wanichko booked the cabin two years ago, she didn’t realize the room “would be as small as it was, especially on a new ship,” she shares. She assumed the room would be similar to her more spacious first cruise; however, as soon as she “opened the door, we were a little shocked”.
Furthermore, Wanichko’s family dynamic on the trip was anything but ordinary as they spent their vacation together with Wanichko’s parents and her ex-husband’s family—in different rooms, of course.
“We have a great family dynamic of co-parenting,” explains Wanichko. “It’s not typical parents who don’t love each other. We are a very tight-knit group.”
As for Wanichko’s longtime boyfriend’s place in the family, she says, “He’s a guy who just rolls with the punches, whatever it is. He knew that coming into this life with me could be crazy, it could be chaotic.”
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Bathroom in the cabin of the cruiser.
Ashley Wanichko/TikTok
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Many commenters on TikTok jokingly compared the room to a “spacious apartment in New York.” But others applauded mom. “As a kid, this is so memorable and special,” wrote one TikTok user. “They’ll talk about it forever.”
“My family always went on cruises like this when I was a kid. It’s actually a lot of fun and brings the family together,” added another.
Wanichko wholeheartedly agrees with this sentiment: “They were excited. They are children… I look back on this and it was our best trip. We made so many key memories.”
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education