Couple Traveling with Kids Gets Unexpected Surprise When Mom Opens Cruise Cabin Door — and Realizes She Never Upgraded (Exclusive)

• Ashley Wanichko was excited to treat her sons and boyfriend to a seven-day cruise

• When she opened the cabin door, she quickly realized she'd forgotten to upgrade the foursome's cabin — and quarters were close

• After posting about it in a lighthearted TikTok, Wanichko tells PEOPLE she was happy to lean into the chaos — and the memories made

When Ashley Wanichko boarded Carnival’s Mardi Gras Cruise, she wasn’t prepared for just how small the room she booked would be.

Wanichko, who shared the cozy quarters with her boyfriend and her two children, documented the unique experience in a now-viral TikTok after she forgot to upgrade the cabin.

In Wanichko’s viral clip which she titled, “POV: you forgot to upgrade your room and you’re about to be REAALL close for the next week,” she showcased her small bed, and two bunk beds which sat above the primary bed.

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The video, which has accrued 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 thought about upgrading the room on the spot, but ultimately decided to embrace the adventure with her family, especially since she was only paying $1,200 for seven days. “It was a heck of a deal,” she exclusively tells PEOPLE.

When Wanichko booked the cabin two years ago, she wasn’t aware 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 she “opened the door, we were a little shocked.”

Furthermore, Wanichko’s family dynamic on the trip was anything but ordinary as they navigated their vacation alongside Wanichko’s parents and her ex-husband’s family — in different rooms, of course.

“We have a very big family dynamic of coparenting,” Wanichko explains. “It's not your typical coparents that dislike each other. We are a very tight-knit group.”

As for Wanichko's longtime boyfriend's place in the family, she says, “He’s the type who just rolls with the punches, whatever it is. He knew, coming into this life with me, it can be crazy, it can be chaotic.”

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Many commenters on TikTok jokingly compared the room to a “spacious N.Y.C. apartment.” But others applauded the mom. “As a kiddo, this is so unforgettable and special,” one TikTok user wrote. “They will talk about it forever.”

“My family always went on cruises like this when I was a kid. It’s actually really fun and brings the family closer,” added another.

Wanichko wholeheartedly agrees with this sentiment: “They were excited. They’re kids ... I look back on this and it was our best trip. We made so many core memories.”

Read the original article on People