Can someone explain the "3rd guest in a room" fare to me?

[pokerpro5]

Hi everyone. I am a Caesar's Seven Stars member, and just booked my annual cruise for 2014. This year we are going to Alaska, which I am really looking forward to.

 

The Caesar's Seven Stars program gives us a "free" oceanview room where we only have to pay the so-called port taxes and fees. Other cruises we would get a balcony room, but Alaska only gets you an oceanview room, which of course isn't nearly as good.

 

Well, this week I noticed a great special that is ending on Friday -- basically you get a free upgrade (if available), and it CAN be stacked together with the Seven Stars cruise. So I booked my room and will indeed get my balcony. If you want to cruise to Alaska this year, I suggest you book immediately, because this deal ends on Friday. You get a "guaranteed minimum category BD room", which they will assign you later.

 

But anyway, here's my question...

 

We also have a 3-year-old who will be coming with us. I inquired about the price to add him to our room. I was told $599 plus $196 port fees, for a total of $795, which was disappointing since he won't be taking up any additional space on the ship.

 

I was told that we can cancel and rebook him at a full refund all the way up to 14 days prior to cruising (which is different than the usual 75 day deadline), so if the price changes for him, I can do that.

 

So here's my two questions, for anyone with experience or knowledge of the situation:

 

1) Is there a lot of variance regarding the price of the third person? Does it go down a lot right before the cruise like the stateroom often prices do? Since the so-called "port fees and taxes" are a pricey $445, the best case scenario here would be a $300 or so savings (which I'd be happy to have).

 

2) On Alaskan cruises, does the price typically plummet for the cheapest rooms to extremely low levels? I ask this because it might be worth it just to get second room (even if a bottom-of-the-line Deck 4 insider), which we can use in case someone wants a quiet place to nap or whatever. I would do this if it were $200 or less difference. Right now it's $500 difference, which wouldn't be worth it.

Edited April 3, 2014 by pokerpro5

[Budget Queen]

I've seen 3/4 rates actually go up far more frequently than down the closer to sailing you get.

 

NCL, over many years, is not a huge discounter in Alaska. The bigger discounts have been seen on the one way Sun, which is typical of Alaska cruise rates.

 

I have sailed NCL at least 10 times and the best rates, in my case were advance rates. Rates most always went up with Alaska cruises. Princess is the late booking winner in Alaska. Again, this has over a 10 year history in my case.

 

You make no mention of when you are going or on what ship?

[pokerpro5]

I've seen 3/4 rates actually go up far more frequently than down the closer to sailing you get.

 

NCL, over many years, is not a huge discounter in Alaska. The bigger discounts have been seen on the one way Sun, which is typical of Alaska cruise rates.

 

I have sailed NCL at least 10 times and the best rates, in my case were advance rates. Rates most always went up with Alaska cruises. Princess is the late booking winner in Alaska. Again, this has over a 10 year history in my case.

 

You make no mention of when you are going or on what ship?

 

Ugh. Okay, so maybe this is as good as it gets for me.

 

I actually am taking the Sun. That was actually my favorite itinerary. I prefer to see more places rather than make a round trip. I like that we have 4 ports and 3 glaciers to see. It's better than the round trip Alaskan cruise I took on Princess in 1995.

 

I am going on July 28.

 

I guess I will just be monitoring the rates and seeing if I can get it any cheaper. I heard NCL used to have a discounted kids rate. Too bad that's gone. Yes, I know they sometimes do "kids sail free", but then I would have to give up my free balcony upgrade promo, which wouldn't be worth it.

 

Thanks for the response and any other info you could give me. I think I can trust someone named "Budget Queen" when it comes to bargain shopping.

Edited April 3, 2014 by pokerpro5

[Sauer-kraut]

Be warned that if you 'add' the 3rd passenger at a later date, you might be out of luck based on the lifeboat occupancy availability.

[cruiseblues2013]

The only "lower" prices to Alaska will be in May, or mid September and the last runs.

 

 

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[Alliezona09]

You state: "since he won't be taking up any additional space on the ship." This is an incorrect statement as he will be taking up space~ he'll eat, sleep, bath just like any other guest. Just because he's 3 does not mean he's less work for your cabin steward or the waiters~

[MBprincess]

With kids it's nit just the life boat limit but the ages too. They have a limit for the kids clubs.

[sdmike]

With kids it's nit just the life boat limit but the ages too. They have a limit for the kids clubs.

 

And kid life jackets

[pokerpro5]

I don't want to get into a pointless argument here, but if some of you are implying that the price is comparable to what services he'll be using on the ship, you're incorrect.

 

The cheapest cabin right now is $569 per person, before tax.

 

He is $599 before tax -- $30 more.

 

This is despite the fact that he won't be taking up half of a room on the ship.

 

There is absolutely no reason that it should cost MORE to add a third person to the room -- especially a young child who barely eats anything -- than it should for a person to purchase half of a stateroom.

 

Now, I'm very aware that NCL is a business and they have the right to charge what they want. I am not forced to take this cruise, and if they can get people to pay this $599 (which I will, if I have to), then they've made the proper business decision.

 

However, a 3-year-old joining his parents in an existing room is really very little overall cost for the ship. It's not zero cost, but it's a fraction of the cost of an adult taking up a half a stateroom.

 

I also reject the claim that it's just as hard for a steward to clean after additional people in the room as it is to clean a separate room. It is MUCH easier to have less real estate to clean. For example, the effort required to clean a shower used by 3 people and used by 1 person is relatively the same. The effort to make a bed slept in by 3 people is the same as a bed slept in by one. There is very little additional work that the steward would have to do with my son in the room. If you don't believe this, go take a look at maid services you can purchase for your home, and you typically get charged by the size of your place, and never the number of people living there.

 

Anyway, as I said, I don't want to argue endlessly about this, because I don't want a debate here. NCL will charge what they charge. I was more asking people what they knew about these prices and how often they go down as it gets closer to the sail date, and it seems the consensus is that it really doesn't all that much (if at all).

 

I do appreciate the tip that I shouldn't remove my son from the room and rebook later, in case the lifeboat capacity is reached. I will leave him booked at this price and simply have them adjust the price if it goes down, which I will be checking aggressively between now and July 14.

 

Thanks to everyone who gave me information regarding this, and of course if anyone has anything else to add, I'm all ears.

[sdmike]

when my kids were that age I used to tip about 30% in restaurants due to the extra mess :)

 

Too bad you missed the recent "kids sail free" promo. This would all be a moot point

[Demonyte]

I don't want to get into a pointless argument here, but if some of you are implying that the price is comparable to what services he'll be using on the ship, you're incorrect.

 

But you are doing exactly that, first stating that you don't want to get into a pointless argument but still rant about why you think it is wrong for a very long post. ;)

 

The extra person price is determined on cruise-by-cruise basis and AFAIK is the same regardless of your cabin category - also you are not sailing in a cheapest inside so that price has absolutely no relevance in your case. Also as said by others, the 3yr old will consume a place in a lifeboat, however it hasn't been mentioned yet that it can also mean that the cruise line may even have to hold one full priced cabin completely empty because of the lifeboat capacity is full on a specific muster area (this happens on cruises with a lot of bigger families onboard - they have some wiggle room with the actual station assignments but even that won't help too much).

Edited April 3, 2014 by Demonyte

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I don't want to get into a pointless argument here, but if some of you are implying that the price is comparable to what services he'll be using on the ship, you're incorrect.

 

The cheapest cabin right now is $569 per person, before tax.

 

He is $599 before tax -- $30 more.

 

This is despite the fact that he won't be taking up half of a room on the ship.

 

There is absolutely no reason that it should cost MORE to add a third person to the room -- especially a young child who barely eats anything -- than it should for a person to purchase half of a stateroom.

 

Now, I'm very aware that NCL is a business and they have the right to charge what they want. I am not forced to take this cruise, and if they can get people to pay this $599 (which I will, if I have to), then they've made the proper business decision.

 

However, a 3-year-old joining his parents in an existing room is really very little overall cost for the ship. It's not zero cost, but it's a fraction of the cost of an adult taking up a half a stateroom.

 

I also reject the claim that it's just as hard for a steward to clean after additional people in the room as it is to clean a separate room. It is MUCH easier to have less real estate to clean. For example, the effort required to clean a shower used by 3 people and used by 1 person is relatively the same. The effort to make a bed slept in by 3 people is the same as a bed slept in by one. There is very little additional work that the steward would have to do with my son in the room. If you don't believe this, go take a look at maid services you can purchase for your home, and you typically get charged by the size of your place, and never the number of people living there.

 

Anyway, as I said, I don't want to argue endlessly about this, because I don't want a debate here. NCL will charge what they charge. I was more asking people what they knew about these prices and how often they go down as it gets closer to the sail date, and it seems the consensus is that it really doesn't all that much (if at all).

 

I do appreciate the tip that I shouldn't remove my son from the room and rebook later, in case the lifeboat capacity is reached. I will leave him booked at this price and simply have them adjust the price if it goes down, which I will be checking aggressively between now and July 14.

 

Thanks to everyone who gave me information regarding this, and of course if anyone has anything else to add, I'm all ears.

 

It is till cheaper to add him to your cabin than it is to buy the cheapest inside cabin which is $1338.08 which is a guaranteed cabin, since you can't purchase half a cabin on most cruises.

 

 

 

Bill

[Alliezona09]

You also have to remember that CAS has a set price for their cabins~ when we ask about an upgrade from a comped interior to a balcony it's always $500 no matter what!!

[hpecorari]

which was disappointing since he won't be taking up any additional space on the ship..

 

Every person needs to be counted and accounted for......

Even though he is only 3 he needs to be accounted for in regard to a lifeboat. God forbid one is needed he will take up space!

 

He will take up space at a table for breakfast, lunch, and dinner....no matter if he eats off your plate or orders from the child's menu, either in the MDR or the Buffet.

 

He'll take up space wherever you go and he'll take up space in the children's programs if you send him there. He'll even take up space in the elevators.

 

He'll require additional work from the waiters, the kitchen crew, the cleaning crew, from the kids crew (if you send him there) from the room steward, etc., etc., etc.

 

Be happy you're getting a free cruise (minus the port charges, taxes, etc.). If you weren't the cost of the three of you would be much higher.

 

Enjoy your cruise.....take many photos.....and obtain many memories for you and your family!

 

Harriet

[hpecorari]

.

The effort to make a bed slept in by 3 people is the same as a bed slept in by one. .

 

Oh, I'm sorry.......I had no idea that the 3 year old was going sleep in the same bed with the two of you.

 

Yep, you're right. No additional work for anyone.

 

I only hope they have room for the child in a lifeboat should that, God forbid, that be needed since instead of keeping a spot available for the 3 year old they can add another Adult passenger to the cruise who would take up the child's spot.

 

 

Harriet

[Budget Queen]

Ugh. Okay, so maybe this is as good as it gets for me.

 

I actually am taking the Sun. That was actually my favorite itinerary. I prefer to see more places rather than make a round trip. I like that we have 4 ports and 3 glaciers to see. It's better than the round trip Alaskan cruise I took on Princess in 1995.

 

I am going on July 28.

 

I guess I will just be monitoring the rates and seeing if I can get it any cheaper. I heard NCL used to have a discounted kids rate. Too bad that's gone. Yes, I know they sometimes do "kids sail free", but then I would have to give up my free balcony upgrade promo, which wouldn't be worth it.

 

Thanks for the response and any other info you could give me. I think I can trust someone named "Budget Queen" when it comes to bargain shopping.

 

Not sure where you are getting "3" glaciers from? But from the cruise ship, unless you are going to purchase a costly add on ship tour, you are likely to only see one- Hubbard.

 

You are thinking you will be able to add a third person to your current cabin? Does it have the room for 3?

 

Being you are on the Sun, this cruise does have the potential for some late price drops- do you have the 14 day cancellation, info in writing? IF not the GET IT.

 

Cruise rates are per person. If not acceptable for you, then consider looking at other touring that offers free kids. Most hotels do this, some restaurants may have specials, or you can share your plates.

Edited April 3, 2014 by Budget Queen

[Demonyte]

do you have the 14 day cancellation, info in writing? IF not the GET IT.

 

The 14 day cancellation applies only to third person and above, right from NCL's site:

 

CANCELLATION FEE FOR 3-8 GUESTS

Effective Monday, August 13, 2012 all bookings with the initial date of January 1, 2011 and beyond will no longer be charged a cancellation fee for guest 3-8 if cancelled outside of the 100% cancellation period. If the reservation is cancelled within the 100% cancellation period then the applicable cancellation fee will apply for guest 3-8.

 

And the 100% cancellation period for all non-Haven suites is "14 days or less".

[Dawnmcl123]

To the OP. From what I have read about CAS bookings, you can book an additional room for 1 person and not be charged for 2 so you would only pay for 1. Maybe this is an option for you since you can get a second room.

 

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[hpecorari]

To the OP. From what I have read about CAS bookings, you can book an additional room for 1 person and not be charged for 2 so you would only pay for 1. Maybe this is an option for you since you can get a second room.

 

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And what? Put the 3 year old in the other room? I don't think so! LOL

 

Harriet

[Bobbye]

However, a 3-year-old joining his parents in an existing room is really very little overall cost for the ship. It's not zero cost, but it's a fraction of the cost of an adult taking up a half a stateroom.

 

 

The biggest reason is the 3-year-old will not have the on-board spend that an adult has on board.

[Dawnmcl123]

No. Book the child with 1 adult and the 2nd adult in the 2nd cabin.

 

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[garycarla]

My 85 year old Mother probably eats less than a 3 year old. Maybe they will give her a break - LOL!

 

Bottom line, a person is a person. Pricing is not based on how much someone eats. If they did, we can all point out those that "graze" through the buffet eating enough for a family of 4 in one sitting. LOL again!

[pokerpro5]

Not sure where you are getting "3" glaciers from? But from the cruise ship, unless you are going to purchase a costly add on ship tour, you are likely to only see one- Hubbard.

 

This is what it says on the NCL site for this cruise, regarding the itinerary:

 

Mon Whittier (EMBARK) --- 9:00 pm

Tue Hubbard Glacier --- ---

Wed Icy Strait Point 9:00 am 5:00 pm

Thu Juneau 7:00 am 1:15 pm

Sawyer Glacier --- ---

Fri Skagway 7:00 am 5:00 pm

Sat Ketchikan 1:00 pm 8:00 pm

Sun Cruising the Inside Passage --- ---

Mon Vancouver (DISEMBARK)

 

So it's actually two glaciers (Hubbard and Sawyer), plus the inside passage.

 

Is the Sawyer Glacier thing a lie? Do I have to buy an expensive add-on in Juneau to see Sawyer?

[pokerpro5]

To the OP. From what I have read about CAS bookings, you can book an additional room for 1 person and not be charged for 2 so you would only pay for 1. Maybe this is an option for you since you can get a second room.

 

I would love more info on this if it's true. Anyone have any links to where I can read about this?

[Dawnmcl123]

You could call CAS to confirm. You can search CAS in this forum also.

 

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