Is there a different charge for babies?

[sunnydaysmile]

Planning to sail with a 1 and 2 year old. Are they charged full fare?

[kilpa482]

Same fare, and same gratuity. However fare sometimes can be zero during kids sail free. This does not always work out in your favor though. 

[Tee & Chilli]

Sometimes the third and fourth guest in the cabin pay a lower amount.

[Grandma Dazzles]

No difference in price. You may find a kids sail free promotion. Usually the 3rd and 4th person in a cabin will be cheaper than the first two.  Cruise cabins are not sold like hotel rooms. Example - a single cruiser often has to pay the two-person rate because they are taking up two berths in the cabin. You are actually booking a berth on the ship regardless of how old the passenger is. Every passenger is also charged gratuities. 

Edited November 25, 2018 by Grandma Dazzles

[Biker19]

2 hours ago, Grandma Dazzles said:

 Example - a single cruiser often has to pay the two-person rate because they are taking up two berths in the cabin. 

No, it's because RCI (and most of the lines) chooses to charge it that way. 150% solo rate just made a rare appearance for some Voyager sailings.

[cb at sea]

EVERY "SOUL" onboard pays the fare..might be 3rd or 4th...but they still pay.  Each person, whether a baby/tot or adult takes space in a lifeboat....that's what EVERYTHING on a ship is based upon...lifeboat space!

[Joseph2017China]

What many people don't realize with kids, is that a ship is not just eating food.  My kid doesn't eat yet, so why should I have to pay full price?  A ship, is a floating vacation, that uses tons of fuel, both for moving the ship, and running the generators that produce the electric, and water treatments, and sewage treatments etc.  It has a crew that you never see, but services your kids, buy doing the laundry, cleaning, and maintaining the rooms they are in.  Your kid pays their share of these costs.  The bed they take is also tied to the passenger counts allowed per regulations. 

 

There are many types of vacations you can go on with kids without paying, but cruises are not one of them.  Sorry.

[mr walker]

There is an argument to be made that perhaps minors should pay more than adults for their fare, as, even they may not eat as much food, they take up a space on the ship but do not gamble or drink alcohol, which are big revenue streams for the ship.

[Ourusualbeach]

Regarding the kids sail free.  

 

It’s not not entirely true. Cabins that hold 4 are a different category and the first 2 guests most often have a higher rate than the first 2 guests in a similar cabin that only holds 2.  While the kids are free the total price for 4 is still more than the cost of booking just 2 people in a double occupancy cabin.

 

An example from 2 days ago, I booked a family of 6 into two side by side inside cabins.  One was a cat 3V with 2 adults and 2 kids.  Cost was $2365.  The cat 4V had 2 adults and was $1765.  Taxes were $150 pp (kids sail free still have to pay taxes) so accounting for the taxes it was still $300 more than just booking 2 people.

[spookwife]

age is not a factor.   first 2 people pay the going rate, however it is calculated( full fare, 30% off second guest, etc).  persons 3 and up in the same cabin will pay whatever that rate is.  sometimes it is a lot less.  sometimes it is  only a little less.  and on occasion, it's more.  

everyone regardless;ess of age is also charged the same amount for the daily gratuity/service charge as well.  

 

 on occasion, there will be a kids sail free  promo, but that is typically limited to certain sailings on certain ships.  the price for the 2 adults  tends to be higher to compensate.  

[NateUpNorth]

10 hours ago, mr walker said:

There is an argument to be made that perhaps minors should pay more than adults for their fare, as, even they may not eat as much food, they take up a space on the ship but do not gamble or drink alcohol, which are big revenue streams for the ship.

 

There's also an argument to make that perhaps passengers who eat more than me should pay a higher fare.

There's also an argument to make that perhaps passengers who teetotal should pay a higher fare.

There's also an argument to make that passengers who don't pour money into the arcade should pay a higher fare.

Etc. etc. etc. etc.

 

Judging by the threads around here, I'd say the biggest factor should be the adults being grateful those kids (at full fare) might be subsidizing your booze prices, specialty restaurant prices etc etc etc. 

[ONECRUISER]

11 hours ago, mr walker said:

There is an argument to be made that perhaps minors should pay more than adults for their fare, as, even they may not eat as much food, they take up a space on the ship but do not gamble or drink alcohol, which are big revenue streams for the ship.

Funny thing is 20 yrs ago Royal wasn't Family friendly yet and had limited 3/4 passenger cabins available on their ships. Lot of the year a 7nite in an Ocean View Cabin cost was $799ea for first 2 passengers and was $1099ea for 3rd and 4th passengers, or even higher. As a single Father raising 3 kids, they didn't cruise often. Back then was cheaper to spend a week at Disney/Universal Studios, now a week on a cruise is cheaper... Only time I remember Royal not having a Single Supplement was right after 9/11 and Anthrax scare, lasted for about 9 months. Was able to take 7nite on the new Explorer of the Seas for $799 total cost in a Balcony cabin, we had about 20% cabins empty.

Edited November 26, 2018 by ONECRUISER

[mr walker]

7 hours ago, NateUpNorth said:

 

There's also an argument to make that perhaps passengers who eat more than me should pay a higher fare.

There's also an argument to make that perhaps passengers who teetotal should pay a higher fare.

There's also an argument to make that passengers who don't pour money into the arcade should pay a higher fare.

Etc. etc. etc. etc.

 

Judging by the threads around here, I'd say the biggest factor should be the adults being grateful those kids (at full fare) might be subsidizing your booze prices, specialty restaurant prices etc etc etc. 

I'm a big believer in user pays, so a fare rate & then you pay for what you use would be fine with me, adults or kids.

 

I don't actually see any evidence of there being subsidising of drinks or specialty restaurants prices by kids or anyone