Do Kids Really Sail For Free?

[CRUISEFOUR]

I did a mock booking for two adults in a Central Park Balcony on Harmony Next November and the price is roughly $1,900. When I do a mock booking for the same cabin with two adults and one child the price is roughly $2,900. Where in this scenario is the kid sailing for free? What am I doing wrong? I selected two adults and one child at age four before proceeding to cabin selection. 

[jsf]

Do you still believe in Santa Claus? 

Kids only sail free if you own your boat, cruise lines are in business to make MONEY!

[smplybcause]

Royal had changed around categories so cabins that hold 2 people are in a different category than those that hold 3 or 4. Was it the same exact cabin you priced out? If not what's the price difference between a cabin with 3 adults vs 2 adults and one child? 

[CruiseBride926]

You still have to pay taxes and port fees. We ended up with a great deal that actually ended up being less then a cruise I took alone with my husband a month and a half earlier. We had the same room both times and it was actually listed as a 3 person room but because my youngest is still in a pack and play they put us there (I booked by phone). Not sure if the room maximum being smaller had anything to do with it but I think it was the same or really close to the same when I did the mock booking online myself with a 4 person room.

[rimmit]

What is the date?  Some dates in Nov are blocked out.  Also rooms that hold 3 and 4 are a different category and are more expensive.

 

We use KSF a lot. At least 3-5 times a year.   It truly is free except grats, taxes and port fees.

[bearette]

Whatever a sail is called you have to look at the price.  I have sailed kids sail free (taxes only) this week last year and they were free (as my family had another room without kids and paid more then we did).  The category can make a huge difference even though I feel like there isn't any difference in the room, except the location. Also know not all rooms qualify so if you are looking for a holiday or when kids are out of school they won't be free. They only run that promotion when kids are typically in school to entice families to sail.

[Ourusualbeach]

2 hours ago, rimmit said:

What is the date?  Some dates in Nov are blocked out.  Also rooms that hold 3 and 4 are a different category and are more expensive.

 

We use KSF a lot. At least 3-5 times a year.   It truly is free except grats, taxes and port fees.

Exactly. 

[Merion_Mom]

4 hours ago, CRUISEFOUR said:

I did a mock booking for two adults in a Central Park Balcony on Harmony Next November and the price is roughly $1,900. When I do a mock booking for the same cabin with two adults and one child the price is roughly $2,900. Where in this scenario is the kid sailing for free? What am I doing wrong? I selected two adults and one child at age four before proceeding to cabin selection. 

 

S/he wrote that it’s the SAME cabin. 

[Ourusualbeach]

5 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

S/he wrote that it’s the SAME cabin. 

Impossible. 

 

Same type of cabin but not the same category. On Harmony if you 2 people you get a diffetent category than if you select 3. 

 

Example 4D is 2 people 5D is for 3 or 4. Sane cabin type diffetent categories 

Edited December 15, 2019 by Ourusualbeach

[Illbcruzn4life]

I did a mock booking for Nov 2020 CP balcony with 3 adults the price was $2749.06.

This is with 30% off.

 

Same category with 2 adults and 1 kid the price was $2348.06.

 

While the kid is not entirely free there was a savings of $401.00 since with the KSF discount you lose the 30% discount.

 

I think I did that right.

[ONECRUISER]

1 hour ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

I did a mock booking for Nov 2020 CP balcony with 3 adults the price was $2749.06.

This is with 30% off.

 

Same category with 2 adults and 1 kid the price was $2348.06.

 

While the kid is not entirely free there was a savings of $401.00 since with the KSF discount you lose the 30% discount.

 

I think I did that right.

Looks right

[LuCruise]

12 hours ago, bearette said:

 They only run that promotion when kids are typically in school to entice families to sail.

Always check your sailing, even if it is a school holiday.  We took our kids on Symphony this past March break and Kids Sale Free did show up at one point.  (I think our break was a week earlier than usual).  It didn't help us as the price had risen so much since we booked, but was surprised to even see it on our school break.

 

Also, we have Mariner booked last week of August...the week leading up to Labor Day.  Kids Sale Free applies and we applied it for our younger one.  Would have saved us even more but our older one is over 12.

 

So always check your booking.

[tallnthensome]

Did the original poster simply assume that all sailings were KSF? I agree and most know that there are blackout dates you can see when making cruise and date selection. The OP said next November so Ill take a guess it’s over Thanksgiving and there’s no way KSF that week most likely .....

[TravelMommyof2]

They absolutely do sail free (just have to pay taxes/port fees $122 per kid on our Symphony 2020 early March sailing).
 

Before the discount, our two kids fare was $574 each in 1D balcony. With KSF that fare went to zero. I will add we called our TA to get KSF discount months after we originally booked.

 

The above posters are correct, you can’t do a mock booking for two people then a mock booking then add a kid. Technically you are still in a balcony but no longer the 2 person room. The website automatically put you in the more expensive 3/4 person room...the kind with a sofa bed.

Edited December 15, 2019 by TravelMommyof2

[3monkeys4me]

When I am comparing the KSF deals I do a mock booking using 3 adults and then with 2 adults, 1 child so that I can check exact price.

 

For our sailing on Allure next fall it was about $1000 cheaper to have 2 adults, 1 child vs. 3 adults. 

[GalwayGirl03]

We have a KSF sailing over Thanksgiving next year b/c it is an 8 day cruise that leaves the day before the thanksgiving black out sale...we are in a full suite for an amazing deal...so yes KSF is the real deal...but there are blackout dates!

[NavyCruiser]

That's why I'm voting for the Socialist next Nov, then EVERYONE sails for FREE!!!  😀😀

[cb at sea]

Lol!

 

[rimmit]

2 hours ago, GalwayGirl03 said:

We have a KSF sailing over Thanksgiving next year b/c it is an 8 day cruise that leaves the day before the thanksgiving black out sale...we are in a full suite for an amazing deal...so yes KSF is the real deal...but there are blackout dates!

Is that the Grandeur?  If so we may book it.  Also looking at a couple X cruises out of FL, but Baltimore is only 6.5 hours driving vs a plane flight so the convenience is tempting.

[GalwayGirl03]

Yes on Grandeur..Baltimore is only 1.5 hours for us...no plane tickets for us either and we booked way back in august for this so our price is AMAZING....its over 1500 more now...so book ASAP!!

Edited December 15, 2019 by GalwayGirl03
more info

[CRUISEFOUR]

On 12/14/2019 at 12:32 PM, smplybcause said:

Royal had changed around categories so cabins that hold 2 people are in a different category than those that hold 3 or 4. Was it the same exact cabin you priced out? If not what's the price difference between a cabin with 3 adults vs 2 adults and one child? 

It wasn’t the same cabin but it was the same category (CP balcony same deck). The price for 3 adults was around $3,400 vs $2,900 for 2 adults and 1 kid. 

[CRUISEFOUR]

On 12/14/2019 at 2:06 PM, rimmit said:

What is the date?  Some dates in Nov are blocked out.  Also rooms that hold 3 and 4 are a different category and are more expensive.

 

We use KSF a lot. At least 3-5 times a year.   It truly is free except grats, taxes and port fees.

The date is Nov 1. If the date was blocked out would the option for kids sale free still show up during the booking?

[CRUISEFOUR]

On 12/14/2019 at 4:28 PM, Merion_Mom said:

 

S/he wrote that it’s the SAME cabin. 

Sorry...not the same cabin as the cabin for 2 would be different than the cabin for 3. It was the same category and deck (CP balcony). 

[CRUISEFOUR]

On 12/14/2019 at 4:45 PM, Illbcruzn4life said:

I did a mock booking for Nov 2020 CP balcony with 3 adults the price was $2749.06.

This is with 30% off.

 

Same category with 2 adults and 1 kid the price was $2348.06.

 

While the kid is not entirely free there was a savings of $401.00 since with the KSF discount you lose the 30% discount.

 

I think I did that right.

I agree with your numbers. I just thought the price would be closer to the price for 2 adults or around $1,700 before taxes and fees. 

[rimmit]

20 minutes ago, CRUISEFOUR said:

The date is Nov 1. If the date was blocked out would the option for kids sale free still show up during the booking?

did you actually get to the last page of the booking where you type in The names?  Many times the KSF discount doesn’t show up till the last page. Sometimes it will before, but sometimes you have to go almost to the end to get it to appear.