Full price for a 20 month toddler really?

[MisterFidgetpants]

no kids here, thankyewverymuch.

 

diaper disposal ALONE is enough.....

 

so you don't think the extra work generated by cleaning up after ground in cracker crumbs is worth it? or the fact that the wait staff will provide toddler friendly items to eat, fawn all over them to the point of creepiness and generally go over and above to spoil them rotten is worth the cost?

 

then do not sail until they are old enough in your mind to warrant paying the price.

 

funny how when out in public( restaurants, etc) I seldom, if ever see parents clean up after their kids. But man do they demand that their kids eat free or gets a cheaper price because they are only kids.

 

 

Kids are expensive.

Calm down. All I said is my kids are not a destructive mess. Yes kids are a handful and a responsibility but not all kids make huge messes at every turn.

 

As for the rest of your unsolicited advice and opinions on parenting, I am not interested.

[thegima]

Is it true you pay full adult price for a 20 month toddler and there are no child discounts? I understand that 2years and above pay full but not a toddler seems a bit silly as really what are they going to be eating?😁

 

You're totally okay and understanding of 24 months but not 20? It's not really what they'll be eating but more so what they WON'T be spending.

[MisterFidgetpants]

You're totally okay and understanding of 24 months but not 20? It's not really what they'll be eating but more so what they WON'T be spending.

3rd and 4th guest rates have nothing to do with age at all, as mentioned earlier in the thread. You can have 4 adults in a room all likely to spend as much as each other, makes no difference on the 3rd and 4th rate as opposed to 1st and 2nd. Royal simply doesn't have kids rates.

 

But, actually, when kids are involved we spend more through the ship. When it is just us and no kids we tend to be a bit more adventurous with our excursions and don't book through the ship. When kids are involved we book ship excursions because we know they are "safer" and we don't have to worry about scheduling and transportation as much. They DO offer a kids rate on most excursions which is a nice break as a parent, but same argument there, the kid is a head taking up a seat on a bus/train/ferry, etc.

 

I don't necessarily feel kids MUST or SHOULD be cheaper, but many companies in the hospitality industry do provide lower rates for kids. Royal is not amongst them. They could match the industry on policies but they don't. That is okay. That's their model. But it sure brings out the kid haters on the internet!

[wendychloecruiser]

Childless people already support other people's kids via taxes for education, healthcare etc etc. Now you want us to support them on their vacations too by making up RCI's decreased revenue?

[Grandma Dazzles]

3rd and 4th guest rates have nothing to do with age at all, as mentioned earlier in the thread. You can have 4 adults in a room all likely to spend as much as each other, makes no difference on the 3rd and 4th rate as opposed to 1st and 2nd. Royal simply doesn't have kids rates.

 

But, actually, when kids are involved we spend more through the ship. When it is just us and no kids we tend to be a bit more adventurous with our excursions and don't book through the ship. When kids are involved we book ship excursions because we know they are "safer" and we don't have to worry about scheduling and transportation as much. They DO offer a kids rate on most excursions which is a nice break as a parent, but same argument there, the kid is a head taking up a seat on a bus/train/ferry, etc.

 

I don't necessarily feel kids MUST or SHOULD be cheaper, but many companies in the hospitality industry do provide lower rates for kids. Royal is not amongst them. They could match the industry on policies but they don't. That is okay. That's their model. But it sure brings out the kid haters on the internet!

 

 

It is not the industry norm for cruising so RC is in line with most of their competitors.

[A2Mich]

 

funny how when out in public( restaurants, etc) I seldom, if ever see parents clean up after their kids. But man do they demand that their kids eat free or gets a cheaper price because they are only kids.

 

 

 

Funny that I see very few adults clean up after themselves in restaurants, but boy do seniors sure expect a less expensive senior menu.......

[wendychloecruiser]

Funny that I see very few adults clean up after themselves in restaurants, but boy do seniors sure expect a less expensive senior menu.......

 

My mother asks for a senior menu for smaller portions and thus slightly lower prices.

[spookwife]

Funny that I see very few adults clean up after themselves in restaurants, but boy do seniors sure expect a less expensive senior menu.......

 

 

the average adult is not throwing things on the floor or mushing fries into a paste on the table either.

 

senior menus also tend to be far smaller in both size and content

[MisterFidgetpants]

My mother asks for a senior menu for smaller portions and thus slightly lower prices.

That is one reason we take kids to specialty dining. Royal really has it priced right for kids and they get a smaller portion than adults. This is an area that RCI had an edge over NCL which just raised kids in restaurants to full price.

 

So if we are on a family cruise we eat together. We either go to MDR or specialty but we don't separate adults and kids. NCL is likely to get less of our money because of their policy making it overall expensive whereas Royal will get money from us because their policy makes specialty dining more affordable to families. But in the MDR if my kids order the small portions of junk food off the kids menu it still costs me the same as if they have 4 shrimp cocktails, soup, 2 entrees and a dessert like I have seen adults do.

 

Kids ARE expensive and we, as parents, spend plenty for them overall on board ships. No they don't get to enjoy all features and amentities. That's ok. Not everything is suitable for a kid and I get that adults want some kid free space. But the kid hate on a vacation forum for a family cruise line is irritating and troublesome.

 

When or if these cruise lines have trouble booking you will see kids sail free or kids 50% off because they know that overall families are cash cows and they need them onboard. A seasoned couple that gets CA discounts, free drinks, access to a concierge, and spends little to nothing onboard may cost mpre to have onboard to the company than a family with kids.

Edited July 19, 2015 by MisterFidgetpants

[MisterFidgetpants]

the average adult is not throwing things on the floor or mushing fries into a paste on the table either.

 

senior menus also tend to be far smaller in both size and content

I've seen those type of kids too but I wouldn't call it average. Give the kid bashing a rest.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

Just as a counter-point (not hating on kids at all)... They may be charged as much as an adult and not be taking advantage of everything, but... There are also solos and childless couples whose cruise fares help to supplement the cost of the kids' clubs which they will definitely never use.

[A2Mich]

Childless people already support other people's kids via taxes for education, healthcare etc etc. Now you want us to support them on their vacations too by making up RCI's decreased revenue?

 

 

We also support other people's children and others through WIC, welfare, Medicaid, and other government programs - unfortunately, I don't see that trend changing any time soon.

[CaribSailor]

Try Norwegian.

[A2Mich]

the average adult is not throwing things on the floor or mushing fries into a paste on the table either.

 

senior menus also tend to be far smaller in both size and content

 

I also don't see every child acting the way you describe. I also DO see adults doing exactly what you say they don't. In case you don't realize this, kid's portions also tend to be smaller, hence the reason they tend to be priced less. It's OK for seniors to request a smaller portion, but not for children? That's the point I was trying to make. Your double standards make no sense. My kids will not eat as much as I would for dinner, therefore, I feel that having a kid's menu with kid sized portions is appropriate. I've read plenty of your kid-bashing posts on other threads here. News flash - Royal Caribbean is NOT your private cruise line. They do actively market to families with children, singles, and older adults. If you can't seem to realize and accept that, maybe you need to move on to another cruise line that doesn't market itself to such demographics. Otherwise, you will need to accept the fact that you will have cracker crunchers on board as well as the prune-juice and Metamucil guzzling seniors (how's that for generalizations?:D)

[A2Mich]

Childless people already support other people's kids via taxes for education, healthcare etc etc. Now you want us to support them on their vacations too by making up RCI's decreased revenue?

 

 

We also do have different healthcare requirements in the US, whereas people that are offered healthcare are supposed to be using and paying for it. We also have "career users and losers" here that find every loophole possible to live off of the system as a career choice, as opposed to actually making an effort to support themselves. I do realize that there are obviously genuine TEMPORARY needs for such social services and welfare programs, and have no problem with people using them if needed. I understand that people fall on hard times due to job losses, etc, and that's understandable. It's the ones who figure out how to get and stay on benefits indefinitely by continuing to have illegitimate children, false disability claims, etc., that I have a problem with. The proiblem with the system has many facets. One, the social services workers do not have the resources to check on every case to ensure that there is a legitimate need, and it's not right to punish the innocent children who have no control of their situations, and the parents of such children know that and use it to their advantage to stay on government subsistence.

 

Unfortunately, day to day life is not a la carte, and the government programs are on place to an extent, to ensure that everyone has access to basic services. What about all of the people who don't pay their medical bills? The government as well as those of us who DO have insurance, pay for this through higher premiums and claims rates. Not fair, but still the way it is....

[A2Mich]

My mother asks for a senior menu for smaller portions and thus slightly lower prices.

 

Same with children's menus - exact same reason.

[Beachammo]

I like having a diverse cruise population on the ship.....old/young/kids and different countries represented. On my Celebrity TA there was only six under eighteen and two of those were dogs.

 

Kids makes messes and sometimes scream...we were all kids at some point. Old people drool and are sometimes grouchy.....we will all be there at some point.

 

Chow

[American Bear]

Is it true you pay full adult price for a 20 month toddler and there are no child discounts? I understand that 2years and above pay full but not a toddler seems a bit silly as really what are they going to be eating?😁

 

 

Search around, there are cruise lines that allow younger travelers to cruise free.:)

[Tiggertastic]

MSC do free kids on many of their cruises.

[aloha43]

I took my then 9 month old grandson on a cruise a few years ago. He ate no food or had no drinks. He couldn't play in pool or use the childcare facilities. Yet, he cost the same thing as my daughter and her husband. They even brought their own port-a-crib.

 

That's quite a feat.

 

He didn't eat ANYTHING during the trip? No food? No water? What about diaper garbage, clean up after the child, linens, etc? Was the child bathed? What about the towels used? I'll bet the child spit up on things that needed to be cleaned.

 

I'm not trying to be offensive, just trying to understand how the child did not eat or drink anything for a whole week.

 

It just ceases to amaze me how often people think they should get a free pass just because it is a little person. They still use things. Plus, isn't a "third person" discounted already?

[yankees111]

Is it true you pay full adult price for a 20 month toddler and there are no child discounts? I understand that 2years and above pay full but not a toddler seems a bit silly as really what are they going to be eating?[emoji16]

 

 

As others have said you can always try another cruise line. No one is forcing you to sail with Royal Caribbean!

[TheGinBoy]

Was sent a survey last year by RCCL asking whether I'd be interested in an adults only cruise. I said yes yes yes.

 

Wonder why they've removed the children's pools from some ships... ;)

[028snowball]

Oh dear some very negative replies on here my point was that usually on airlines/package holidays etc children under 2 only pay taxes also another cruise I went on when my daughter was 18 months I only paid port taxes seems royal carribean are different it is actually my niece who I am inquiring about will see if she gets discount as the 3rd passenger

 

No more negative replies please😁🙈😱

[A2Mich]

Was sent a survey last year by RCCL asking whether I'd be interested in an adults only cruise. I said yes yes yes.

 

Wonder why they've removed the children's pools from some ships... ;)

 

Yet are rumored to be adding water slides to others.......

Edited July 19, 2015 by A2Mich

[TheGinBoy]

Yet are rumored to be adding water slides to others.......

 

It's not unusual to try to differentiate your fleet.

 

Some will keep kiddy pools and add slides, whilst others will replace nurseries with restaurants and bars.