Why are 3rd and 4th passengers expensive?

[BritishCruiser101]

I was looking at a 7 night Costa Favolosa Europe cruise not a while back, and I went through a bit if the booking process to just the price breakdown. When I looked without going through any of the booking process, it was £399 (about $650), meaning it would be £1596 (about $2660) for the 4 of us (really not bad) excluding airfare and all that stuff... it turned out as over £450 (about $750) for each of the kids, and was about £600 (about $1000) each for the adults! That's about £2100 (about $3500):mad:! What's up with Costa and charging more for 4 people in one cabin?! Do they have a shortage or limited number or something:confused:? It's ridiculous. I know on other lines, the 3rd and 4th passengers go less than the brochure/internet price. Costa and MSC attract to me because of the ships, culture, and not having to fly really far, so I might have a look at MSC. I mean, P&O don't have a shortage! I know I love P&O, but they don't charge nearly double the price you think you would pay, and I'm quite close to Southampton port so it's not a long drive.

 

That's about it, really

[SuiteTraveler]

I'm confused. Costa doesn't sail from Southampton.

[BruceMuzz]

Prices for 3rd and 4th passengers in a cabin have everything to do with shortages - but not in the way you might guess.

 

First you need to realize that in the cruise industry - EVERYTHING IS ABOUT THE MONEY.

 

Now that we all know that fact, we can move on.

 

Cruise lines do not especially like 3rd and 4th passengers in a cabin.

Why?

Because they are usually children.

Children do not drink, do not gamble, do not go to the spa, and quite often do not tip.

We don't make any profit from having them onboard.

Their parents, more often than not, do not have very much money either. They spent most of their money on the kids - before the cruise started.

 

Cruise lines that are having (low) occupancy problems are the only ones that give lower rates to 3rd and 4th berths - only because they must in order to fill their cabins. A cabin filled with low spenders is better than an empty cabin.

 

The rest of us (Disney excepted) go to sometimes extraordinary lengths to keep those 3rd and 4th beds empty, and the first 2 beds occupied by people who are able to spend more money.

[Taxguy77]

Prices for 3rd and 4th passengers in a cabin have everything to do with shortages - but not in the way you might guess.

 

First you need to realize that in the cruise industry - EVERYTHING IS ABOUT THE MONEY.

 

Now that we all know that fact, we can move on.

 

Cruise lines do not especially like 3rd and 4th passengers in a cabin.

Why?

Because they are usually children.

Children do not drink, do not gamble, do not go to the spa, and quite often do not tip.

We don't make any profit from having them onboard.

Their parents, more often than not, do not have very much money either. They spent most of their money on the kids - before the cruise started.

 

Cruise lines that are having (low) occupancy problems are the only ones that give lower rates to 3rd and 4th berths - only because they must in order to fill their cabins. A cabin filled with low spenders is better than an empty cabin.

 

The rest of us (Disney excepted) go to sometimes extraordinary lengths to keep those 3rd and 4th beds empty, and the first 2 beds occupied by people who are able to spend more money.

 

As usual, you know the answer and can articulate it so we can all understand. Thanks for all your informative posts.

[babs135]

Prices for 3rd and 4th passengers in a cabin have everything to do with shortages - but not in the way you might guess.

 

First you need to realize that in the cruise industry - EVERYTHING IS ABOUT THE MONEY.

 

Now that we all know that fact, we can move on.

 

Cruise lines do not especially like 3rd and 4th passengers in a cabin.

Why?

Because they are usually children.

Children do not drink, do not gamble, do not go to the spa, and quite often do not tip.

We don't make any profit from having them onboard.

Their parents, more often than not, do not have very much money either. They spent most of their money on the kids - before the cruise started.

 

Cruise lines that are having (low) occupancy problems are the only ones that give lower rates to 3rd and 4th berths - only because they must in order to fill their cabins. A cabin filled with low spenders is better than an empty cabin.

 

The rest of us (Disney excepted) go to sometimes extraordinary lengths to keep those 3rd and 4th beds empty, and the first 2 beds occupied by people who are able to spend more money.

 

 

Extremely interesting answer; however, what happens when the 3rd guest is an adult? We want to treat our adult daughter to a cruise (not decided which,where or when), but it would be cheaper to have her share our cabin rather than pay for single occupancy. Often if you book a land based holiday, the hotel will reduce the cost for the 3rd guest (sometimes quite a bit), but the cruise lines don't, or certainly not to the same degree. Perhaps they are missing out here?

[BritishCruiser101]

I'm confused. Costa doesn't sail from Southampton.

 

Nooooooo it's that P&O sail from Southampton and I live near Southampton and don't have to fly but if Costa didn't do that with the money I would quite happily cruise with them, but for the time being, P&O.:D

[taglovestocruise]

It's hard for cruise lines to say no children,, But easy to price them out.

[boogs]

Extremely interesting answer; however, what happens when the 3rd guest is an adult? We want to treat our adult daughter to a cruise (not decided which,where or when), but it would be cheaper to have her share our cabin rather than pay for single occupancy. Often if you book a land based holiday, the hotel will reduce the cost for the 3rd guest (sometimes quite a bit), but the cruise lines don't, or certainly not to the same degree. Perhaps they are missing out here?

 

It isn't only a room that you are booking, as in a hotel. You are also booking three meals per day, snacks and certain liquid refreshments during the day, use of most of the facilities on board, entertainment throughout the ship, and transportation to each port of call including the port fees. The room is only a part of the cost, probably not even half.

Edited February 18, 2014 by boogs

[OCruisers]

It isn't only a room that you are booking, as in a hotel. You are also booking three meals per day, snacks and certain liquid refreshments during the day, use of most of the facilities on board, entertainment throughout the ship, and transportation to each port of call including the port fees. The room is only a part of the cost, probably not even half.

 

Good Post! Quite true!

 

Adding someone to your cabin for $1,000 is really not bad at all. :)

 

LuLu

~~~~

[dadroy]

Not sure if Europe pricing is the same as in the US, but you may not have gotten all the information. You stated without going through any of the booking process it was US$2500 or thereabouts. Then when you went through the booking it was $900 more. (Sorry, but when I reply I lose your post).

 

The booking engine will show you the final price WITH taxes and port fees. Part of that increase may be due to adding in these additional fees.

[dsrdsrdsr]

Cruise lines do not especially like 3rd and 4th passengers in a cabin.

Why?

Because they are usually children.

Children do not drink, do not gamble, do not go to the spa, and quite often do not tip.

We don't make any profit from having them onboard.

Their parents, more often than not, do not have very much money either. They spent most of their money on the kids - before the cruise started.

British lines aren't as bad as that. For one thing, gambling in Britain is a lot easier than gambling in America, so there are many fewer obsessive gamblers on board. At least one P&O ship (Adonia, 900 passengers) doesn't have a casino at all, and the Fred Olsen ship I've just sailed on (Braemar) has one roulette wheel and one blackjack table - no fruit machines.

[agabbymama]

Extremely interesting answer; however, what happens when the 3rd guest is an adult? We want to treat our adult daughter to a cruise (not decided which,where or when), but it would be cheaper to have her share our cabin rather than pay for single occupancy. Often if you book a land based holiday, the hotel will reduce the cost for the 3rd guest (sometimes quite a bit), but the cruise lines don't, or certainly not to the same degree. Perhaps they are missing out here?

 

I don't know what hotels you are staying at. I just did a road trip of 4013 miles (9 nights at different hotels) with 3 adult ladies (each wanting a separate bed). From small family owned motels to high end suites always added $10 to $50 per night for the 3rd bed (usually a sofa bed but sometimes a roll-away bed). We usually split the cost 3 ways anyway, but they definitely did charge for the 3rd person.

 

Not saying you couldn't get a discount somewhere sometime, but I don't think it's the norm.