Infant charges

[Redtravel]

I am reviewing options for a family cruise next spring. Family group will be celebrating my spouse's big birthday. I cruise on many lines. Often my choice would be Celebrity. I am elite plus. However, I have received offers from other lines with 3rd and 4th passengers in same cabin sail free. Pay only taxes. It will save us a lot of money sailing on another line. Does Celebrity ever offer cruises with 3rd and 4th passengers free?

[Hflors]

Another thing people don't think about when cruising with infant. sickness! I actually had a conversation with a doctor on a cruise ship about this. He said that the medical facilities aren't equipped to take care of sick infants. Most of the time they need to be taken off the ship at the next port. He said infants can get very sick very fast so they wouldn't take a chance of keeping them onboard until they got back to the port they left from.

[AtleeH]

And which parent is going to leave with the baby, when the baby starts crying in MDR. While this (crying baby) is part of raising a family, I seriously doubt anyone else in MDR wants to hear a crying baby.

 

I also disagree about bringing a baby on a cruise. Any couple that brings a baby on a cruise is doing this because it's all about them. It certainly doesn't take in consideration the baby nor all the other passengers.

 

NO! The buffet is your last choice....trying to juggle baby, plates, utensils....nope!

The dining room, where you're seated and served is SO much easier with a child!

 

Don't let folks tell you not to bring your child.....you're a family...and that's how families vacation!

[teltrainer]

I'll let this post by Cruise Critic editor make the case:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=2059

[andnosyd]

I am reviewing options for a family cruise next spring. Family group will be celebrating my spouse's big birthday. I cruise on many lines. Often my choice would be Celebrity. I am elite plus. However, I have received offers from other lines with 3rd and 4th passengers in same cabin sail free. Pay only taxes. It will save us a lot of money sailing on another line. Does Celebrity ever offer cruises with 3rd and 4th passengers free?

 

Yes they do. Our sailing in December we have both our kids in our cabin with only paying the taxes. It's not frequent that they do this it seems, and it only seems to happen on 7 day or less cruises. On the longer cruises they discount the rates for the 3/4 passenger, but they're not free. It makes booking a back to back 7 day much more economical than booking a 14 day.

[crusinthrough]

 

"And which parent is going to leave with the baby, when the baby starts crying in MDR. "

 

 

I also disagree about bringing a baby on a cruise. Any couple that brings a baby on a cruise is doing this because it's all about them. It certainly doesn't take in consideration the baby nor all the other passengers.

 

Really, what parent wouldn't leave the MDR for a crying infant??

 

 

It okay to disagree. Everyone has their own opinion. But to say "Any couple that brings a baby on a cruise is doing this because it's all about them." is rude.

 

The flip side is that any person who believes that a infant should not be on a vacation because they may be inconvenienced is certainly saying so because in their mind it's all about them. If you don't want to hear a crying infant or see children go on an adult only vacation. A cruise ship is not. If you choose not to then you choose to be around kids.

 

Infants getting sick and lack of medical facilities on a cruise ship is a valid consideration.

Edited November 6, 2015 by crusinthrough

[Fouremco]

Another thing people don't think about when cruising with infant. sickness! I actually had a conversation with a doctor on a cruise ship about this. He said that the medical facilities aren't equipped to take care of sick infants. Most of the time they need to be taken off the ship at the next port. He said infants can get very sick very fast so they wouldn't take a chance of keeping them onboard until they got back to the port they left from.

The same could be said for older passengers who could have strokes or heart attacks or fall and break something. A healthy infant is no more likely to suddenly develop a major sickness onboard than is an older passenger, and in either event, the medical facilities aren't equipped to deal with it. My DW experienced a kidney stone attack on our last Celebrity cruise and the doctors told her to get off at the next port (Castries) and fly home for treatment.

Edited November 6, 2015 by Fouremco

[casper106]

I'll let this post by Cruise Critic editor make the case:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=2059

 

Great article.

[teltrainer]

Glad you enjoyed, Caspar. Nice to see something written without all the emotional stuff. Just the facts, sir :-)

[Boxito70]

Celebrity does charge rate of regular 3rd or 4th passenger. We took our son this past April on a 7 day cruise. He was almost 2 years old and he had a great time. The crew was very accommodating and he was high fiving everyone, from the cabin steward to the MDR maître d'.

The cabin steward would make his bed with his favorite blanket and even place his plush toy in the bed, as if it was sleeping.

In the MDR, every night we arrive, the waiter would have his glass of milk ready for him at the table as well as the child menu. He would eat either from the children's menu or some soups from the regular MDR menu.

If you are worried about behavior in MDR, don't. Just take a toy or like in our case, an I-Pad with his favorite children videos or nursery rhymes pre-loaded. This kept our son entertained and able to stay seated for the entire meal.

Yes they can't enjoy the pool, but there are plenty of other activities on the ship and if I remember correctly, 3 days out of the week, they have toddler time in the Daycare area, where children younger than 3, can enjoy and play with toys, supervised by the parent of course.

I say, enjoy your trip and your family time!

[norwegianwood57]

No to babies and toddlers on Celebrity ships. Go as a couple. Baby will be better with happy, rested parents and so will the rest of the passengers.

[CanadianDee]

No to babies and toddlers on Celebrity ships. Go as a couple. Baby will be better with happy, rested parents and so will the rest of the passengers.

 

Celebrity says yes to families here.

[davekathy]

QUOTE=norwegianwood57;48209927]No to babies and toddlers on Celebrity ships. Go as a couple. Baby will be better with happy, rested parents and so will the rest of the passengers.

 

Man I love your thinking. However not reality or supported by Celebrity.

Edited November 6, 2015 by davekathy

[norwegianwood57]

Im glad you like my thinking, there is another thread here where the poster suggests you bring an inflatable pool and set if up at the pool deck. Now there is a tip for you.

 

I added my thoughts to that one too.

[Kartgv]

One more extra cost to the cruise line - don't forget that the ship must pay for all solid waste to be packaged and taken off the ship once it gets to port. Disposable diapers are a LOT of disposable waste. We were on one ship where there was a major toilet overflow problem in multiple cabins because someone tried to flush one down the toilet.

Edited November 6, 2015 by Kartgv

[cle-guy]

One more extra cost to the cruise line - don't forget that the ship must pay for all solid waste to be packaged and taken off the ship once it gets to port. Disposable diapers are a LOT of disposable waste. We were on one ship where there was a major toilet overflow problem in multiple cabins because someone tried to flush one down the toilet.

 

Don't they incinerate all unrecyclable items on board? I always assumed this was done, but never really dug into it to know for sure...

[Fouremco]

One more extra cost to the cruise line - don't forget that the ship must pay for all solid waste to be packaged and taken off the ship once it gets to port. Disposable diapers are a LOT of disposable waste. We were on one ship where there was a major toilet overflow problem in multiple cabins because someone tried to flush one down the toilet.

Perhaps you'd like to substitute "sanitary napkin" for "diaper" and see how much traction you'll get with this ridiculous argument!

[Emperor Norton]

And if you choose to cruise Seabourn, despite the no charge for the infant, you're paying three to four times the cruise fare of Celebrity.

 

:rolleyes:

 

For my edification, could you please quote the post that suggests they sail Seabourn, I must have missed it.

[AtleeH]

Yes they do. However, that doesn't prevent someone stupid from trying to flush one down the toilet.

 

Don't they incinerate all unrecyclable items on board? I always assumed this was done, but never really dug into it to know for sure...

[bEwAbG]

For my edification, could you please quote the post that suggests they sail Seabourn, I must have missed it.

 

They're referencing this post:

 

We brought our 18 month old on Seabourn. There was no charge for her except port taxes. It really depends on the line, but of all lines, you would think Seabourn would charge for someone under 2. They don't if they're the 3rd person in the room and she was better behaved than some of the passengers.

 

 

I am fine with kids being on board as long as they're older than toddler age. Even ones that small are fine as long as the parents are being conscientious enough to consider those around them. Just saying "kids will be kids" while letting the kids run around bothering people is the fastest way to get a dirty look from anyone. I'm sure everyone on this thread is a perfect parent with perfect kids, but let's not pretend we don't know exactly what type of situation I'm describing. It's the kind that good parents judge!

 

 

 

Having a baby or toddler sitting at the dinner table with you or at a table beside you is a different situation altogether, though. They are still learning how to eat and it can be pretty disgusting. Having a child sitting with a tablet blaring cartoons doesn't make it better.

[Emperor Norton]

They're referencing this post:

 

 

 

 

I am fine with kids being on board as long as they're older than toddler age. Even ones that small are fine as long as the parents are being conscientious enough to consider those around them. Just saying "kids will be kids" while letting the kids run around bothering people is the fastest way to get a dirty look from anyone. I'm sure everyone on this thread is a perfect parent with perfect kids, but let's not pretend we don't know exactly what type of situation I'm describing. It's the kind that good parents judge!

 

 

 

Having a baby or toddler sitting at the dinner table with you or at a table beside you is a different situation altogether, though. They are still learning how to eat and it can be pretty disgusting. Having a child sitting with a tablet blaring cartoons doesn't make it better.

 

Thank you, must've read through that.