Traveling with Infant - Avoiding Inflated fares?

[Islandatty]

We are planning a cruise with our DS and DDIL and their baby who will be just 9 months old at time of planned cruise.  Our idea has been to get 2 cabins side by side.  But we are upset that the cruise line is quoting inflated fares for the 2 adults in cabin with the infant plus another 1/2 fare for the baby, as compared to fares for us in second same category cabin.  Why would that be and is it possible to avoid that fare inflation?  The baby would obviously not sleep in a bed or eat the ships food or drink their beverages.  And the parents sharing a cabin with their baby SHOULDNT pay more than the grandparents next door for the same type accommodations.  What do people make of this and does anyone have any suggestions on how we might avoid this pricing scheme?  Advice appreciated.  

[crazyank]

29 minutes ago, Islandatty said:

We are planning a cruise with our DS and DDIL and their baby who will be just 9 months old at time of planned cruise.  Our idea has been to get 2 cabins side by side.  But we are upset that the cruise line is quoting inflated fares for the 2 adults in cabin with the infant plus another 1/2 fare for the baby, as compared to fares for us in second same category cabin.  Why would that be and is it possible to avoid that fare inflation?  The baby would obviously not sleep in a bed or eat the ships food or drink their beverages.  And the parents sharing a cabin with their baby SHOULDNT pay more than the grandparents next door for the same type accommodations.  What do people make of this and does anyone have any suggestions on how we might avoid this pricing scheme?  Advice appreciated.  

Not enough info.  Which cruise line?  Inflated in what way?  cabin category?

[Islandatty]

Celebrity. sky suite,  about $1k more pp for the adults in suite with infant (compared to rate for adults In Same category suite w/o baby) plus 1/2 that inflated amount for infant. 

[Islandatty]

Correction..,not $1k pp more but $1k total more for 2 adults plus baby 50% fare addition.

[jludvigs]

It’s not inflated. You pay per person regardless of age. The only way to get around this is to sail on cruiselines that have specials for kids sailing free. 

[Islandatty]

It is absolutely inflated because aside from the additional charge of $1984 for the baby, the adults in”cabin 1” would pay $3999 pp and the two in “cabin 2” would pay $4399 pp PLUS the additional charge for the infant.

[jludvigs]

You need to provide more details and more clearly otherwise all we can do is speculate. You said it’s charging for the baby, that is correct. If the adults are being charged more then you need to call the cruiseline. 

[1025cruise]

Like it or not, the baby is the third person in the cabin, and on the lifeboat. Yes, there is a charge at whatever the going rate is for the third person. 

 

[Itchy&Scratchy]

4 hours ago, jludvigs said:

You need to provide more details and more clearly otherwise all we can do is speculate. You said it’s charging for the baby, that is correct. If the adults are being charged more then you need to call the cruiseline. 

cabins for 3-4 people are usually charged at a higher rate pp than cabins for 2, regardless of age.

 

[kitkat343]

I do agree with the fact that it feels wrong to pay extra for a child under one year of age.  But the fact remains that a cruise ship has a total overall number of passengers they can have, and that includes a total number of 3rd/4th passengers in all of the rooms.  Once they reach capacity for excess guests, they will block the ability of all guests to book more than two passengers per room, which means allowing your infant to sail for free might block their ability to sell a third fare to an adult later on.  TEMSCO does the same thing when you book a helicopter to a dogsled in Alaska.  There is no children's discount, since a child takes up one seat on the helicopter, and prevents them from selling a full price ticket to an adult.  

 

It feels like cruising is a much better value for families when your children are old enough to go to the kids club.  You can either wait until your child is old enough for that, or keep an eye out for children sail free/3rd and fourth passengers sail free sales.  I don't have an exhaustive list of lines that do this, but I know that RC occasionally does, NCL does on some sailings, we actually sailed HAL with our son for free when they had a 3/4 passenger free sale.  In general, kids sail free on MSC so that might be easier to search:  https://www.msccruisesusa.com/en-us/Cruise-Deals/Kids-Cruise-Free.aspx .    If you have your heart set on this specific cruise, only you can decide if this cruise is worth the extra cost to your family but there is nothing you can do to eliminate the surcharge in your second room right now. 

Edited January 3, 2020 by kitkat343

[Islandatty]

This would make some sense to me for a child..even a young child...who can sleep in a bed, and take up a space that could be sold to an adult. But at 9 months, the baby cannot sleep in a bed.  (At best he would have to be in a portable crib I guess, which they would carry along.)  So the helicopter analogy doesn’t work for me. If there is a total head count for the ship and allowing an infant to be with parents deprived them of the right to sell a third “bunk” to an adult in another cabin, I could understand that, but then they are so tough on adults traveling as solos, who should, by analogy, free up space to sell to others. Anyway, we will decide what to do.  

[mjkacmom]

1 hour ago, Islandatty said:

This would make some sense to me for a child..even a young child...who can sleep in a bed, and take up a space that could be sold to an adult. But at 9 months, the baby cannot sleep in a bed.  (At best he would have to be in a portable crib I guess, which they would carry along.)  So the helicopter analogy doesn’t work for me. If there is a total head count for the ship and allowing an infant to be with parents deprived them of the right to sell a third “bunk” to an adult in another cabin, I could understand that, but then they are so tough on adults traveling as solos, who should, by analogy, free up space to sell to others. Anyway, we will decide what to do.  

 

1 hour ago, Islandatty said:

This would make some sense to me for a child..even a young child...who can sleep in a bed, and take up a space that could be sold to an adult. But at 9 months, the baby cannot sleep in a bed.  (At best he would have to be in a portable crib I guess, which they would carry along.)  So the helicopter analogy doesn’t work for me. If there is a total head count for the ship and allowing an infant to be with parents deprived them of the right to sell a third “bunk” to an adult in another cabin, I could understand that, but then they are so tough on adults traveling as solos, who should, by analogy, free up space to sell to others. Anyway, we will decide what to do.  

There are only so many souls allowed in each lifeboat station. The infant could prevent an adult from sailing in a cabin in that section, even if there was an empty bed. They make a lot more money off of adults, drinks, gambling, specialty restaurants, spa treatments, and make very little to none on babies. 

[akcruz]

1 hour ago, Islandatty said:

This would make some sense to me for a child..even a young child...who can sleep in a bed, and take up a space that could be sold to an adult. But at 9 months, the baby cannot sleep in a bed.  (At best he would have to be in a portable crib I guess, which they would carry along.)  So the helicopter analogy doesn’t work for me. If there is a total head count for the ship and allowing an infant to be with parents deprived them of the right to sell a third “bunk” to an adult in another cabin, I could understand that, but then they are so tough on adults traveling as solos, who should, by analogy, free up space to sell to others. Anyway, we will decide what to do.  

Equate the helicopter to a lifeboat, there are only so many seats and far less than the beds available on the ship.  Quite often people are unable to book more than 2 in a cabin even though there are beds for more because lifeboat capacity has been maxed out, nothing to do with age of anyone but just overall capacity.  Cruising has many different "rules" than other vacations that many do not realize.  Maybe a cruise isn't the best choice right now for your family, only you can decide that.

[cb at sea]

ANY person...whether they eat, drink or not....takes up SPACE in a lifeboat.  That's what you're being charged for...lifeboat space.  A baby also makes lots of trash..diapers, wipes, the "home-brought" food....etc...  every person is considered a "soul" who needs space in a lifeboat.  So yes..prepare to be charged  no matter the AGE of the "soul" onboard.

 

[bearette]

They do this because the demand is great for 3rd/4th to your sailing.  You also want a suite which is a more expensive room so the 3rd /4th rate will be higher.  It is not like a hotel where kids stay free.  They not only make money by the booking, but by the money you spend on board (or don't spend on board in the case of the infant).  You need to keep that in mind when booking a cruise.  I used to love to sail Princess, but I haven't since I had my kids because their 3rd/4th passenger rates are too high.  Celebrity is known as an older folks cruise line and not geared toward families.  Try other lines or other weeks as the demand for each sailing will be different.

 

This is one of the most popular complaints for families so know you are not alone, but it has been their policies for years.

[Kerry's Girls]

When I cruised alone with my twin babies, one of them was charged full fare because that's how the pricing is no matter the age - two full fares, then 3rd/4th possible discount (though not always discounted).  They don't ask how much you'll be eating.  Even in many European cities, you're not allowed to bring a baby to a hotel room without letting them know as they won't allow more than two bodies in a room.   Your baby also won't be drinking, shopping or gambling - ways in which cruise lines make profits, so it's not in their interest to make it cheaper to bring a baby.  That said - I found  cruising by far to be the best way to travel with my babies, so it was well worth it.