Cruise fare for children

[WESTEAST]

There are a few recent threads commenting on seeing an increase in the number of children onboard and other threads inquiring about activities for children.  Hence, curious to know what is the cruise fare for a child under 18 e.g. % of adult per person fare? 

Edited July 29 by WESTEAST

[EJL2023]

16 minutes ago, WESTEAST said:

There are a few recent threads commenting on seeing an increase in the number of children onboard and other threads inquiring about activities for children.  Hence, curious to know what is the cruise fare for a child under 18 e.g. % of adult per person fare? 

Not totally sure, but I think if they are in a stateroom with two paying adults, they are charged the fee for 3rd and 4th guest fares. I have no idea how much that is..I’m sure someone with much more Oceania experience will be able to share more info. 

[AMHuntFerry]

8 hours ago, WESTEAST said:

There are a few recent threads commenting on seeing an increase in the number of children onboard and other threads inquiring about activities for children.  Hence, curious to know what is the cruise fare for a child under 18 e.g. % of adult per person fare? 

I just tried a mock booking on O's site and a 3rd person in a cabin appears to be 50% of the fare (higher percent if a sale fare since the 3rd person doesn't get the sale price).

[Fam_Cruise]

2 hours ago, AMHuntFerry said:

I just tried a mock booking on O's site and a 3rd person in a cabin appears to be 50% of the fare (higher percent if a sale fare since the 3rd person doesn't get the sale price).

Also 3rd and 4th person in cabin doesn't get SM, but according to 2 O reps they do get a WiFi account and specialty restaurant reservations. Of course O marketing implies WiFi and FREE (aka included) Specialty restaurants are SM benefits, which they aren't.

 

So end game, 3rd and 4th in cabin don't get meal wine and beer package or the shore excursion OBC.

[jonthomas]

The mere fact that this topic is on an Oceania site has me concerned. 

My wife and I experienced some horrendous issues with kids on Celebrity. One of the many reasons we no longer sail that line. There I believe,  kids sail free. Yes they have a large kids program and cater to families.

So it's hard to understand why anyone would bring kids on O, where there is NO program  and you have to pay for them.

We have not experienced major issues with kids on O, since the numbers have been small. Yes they hang out at the pool, wander around looking for something to do. Sad really.

My fear is that if O begins to have a program and offers other incentives, a mostly kid free line will become something else.

Several large families can also be an issue.  We experienced that they reserve areas in the Terrace, dominate the staffs attention,  change a peaceful dining experience. Tables have been pushed together to accommodate them, etc. But again that has not happened often on O.

Still we love O and as long as things pretty much stay, calm and classy we will continue to love it.

Sure don't miss Celebrity's Walmart parade.

 

But that's a whole other topic.

[jonthomas]

I also need to add...

 

We do travel as an extended family with two young boys ages 7 and 5.

 

At Christmas time we will be on the Celeb reflection ...

The boys go free, they will be in the kids camp during the day. Will be eating in the buffet mostly, with us reminding them not to run. Hard to do, with all the kids, running. A wild time, no doubt, but expected and not seen as a holiday for us.

We will be on the Vista in February. Quiet,  orderly and sane. Just what we expect from O.

We hope.

[fizzy]

1 hour ago, jonthomas said:

I also need to add...

 

We do travel as an extended family with two young boys ages 7 and 5.

 

At Christmas time we will be on the Celeb reflection ...

The boys go free, they will be in the kids camp during the day. Will be eating in the buffet mostly, with us reminding them not to run. Hard to do, with all the kids, running. A wild time, no doubt, but expected and not seen as a holiday for us.

We will be on the Vista in February. Quiet,  orderly and sane. Just what we expect from O.

We hope.

We keep almost re booking the Insignia for the Bermuda cruise which got canceled during the shutdown but comments like these aren't at all appealing. It seems as though you grownups  have little interest in the family aspect. Stick the kids in camp. At night the boys go free and I guess the grownups also are free of them. It's ok for you to take a Walmart cruise for that plan of behavior but a total NIMBY on your beloved Oceania. Maybe Oceania is trying to change their vibe just a bit.

[SbbquilterUT]

This thread is a wee bit concerning to me - calling Celebrity a Walmart cruise makes me feel we may not fit in on Oceania.  Celebrity does not offer kids sail free, that can be found often on Royal Caribbean.  We have experienced different numbers of kids on Celebrity depending on length of cruise, month sailed and departure port but only once where we even noticed the kids on board.  

[sunlover12]

1 hour ago, jonthomas said:

I also need to add...

 

We do travel as an extended family with two young boys ages 7 and 5.

 

At Christmas time we will be on the Celeb reflection ...

The boys go free, they will be in the kids camp during the day. Will be eating in the buffet mostly, with us reminding them not to run. Hard to do, with all the kids, running. A wild time, no doubt, but expected and not seen as a holiday for us.

Anytime I am with my children and grandchildren is a holiday. We are scattered across the country and it is rare when we are all together. We will all be on a RCI cruise next year and very much looking forward to it. We'll be eating dinners in the main dining room. You don't have to settle for the buffet.  Cherish the time with your family all together and don't form a preconceived notion that it won't be a holiday. 

[basor]

16 minutes ago, SbbquilterUT said:

This thread is a wee bit concerning to me - calling Celebrity a Walmart cruise makes me feel we may not fit in on Oceania.  Celebrity does not offer kids sail free, that can be found often on Royal Caribbean.  We have experienced different numbers of kids on Celebrity depending on length of cruise, month sailed and departure port but only once where we even noticed the kids on board.  

Please note that there is only one person making these comments while the rest of us are very happy with the few children we have been lucky to sail with.....O does not ban children from sailing but they provide no activities for them (except in Alaska on a few cruises they advertise as "family cruises" and no monetary incentive to bring them.  Do not let one person's rant affect your opinion of the rest of us O cruisers!

[MEFIowa]

There hasn't been any change in policy or pricing for 3rd-4th guests in a cabin. O makes no major advertising for children. So, what has gone on in the past continues today and in the future.

 

On our 4 O cruises over 40 nights since 12/2021 I've seen one toddler (spoke with her mother one day as she was watching the child), a couple teenagers, and a smattering of 20 somethings. One of the 20 somethings had his 23 birthday and the passengers helped him get pretty hammered in the casino. He was hungover for 2 days. (Spoke with him and his mom over the cruise many times. He was there with a younger sister, too.)

 

I doubt we'll see many on our upcoming 22-night Baltic cruise on Sirena starting 28 Aug.

[Vallesan]

17 minutes ago, SbbquilterUT said:

This thread is a wee bit concerning to me - calling Celebrity a Walmart cruise makes me feel we may not fit in on Oceania.  Celebrity does not offer kids sail free, that can be found often on Royal Caribbean.  We have experienced different numbers of kids on Celebrity depending on length of cruise, month sailed and departure port but only once where we even noticed the kids on board.  

I’ve never sailed Celebrity but am aware of Walmart. The suggestion is that Oceania is way more upmarket! From what I’ve read, Celebrity and Oceania are different but each has its merits. Don’t  be put off by some of the posts here.

 

We’ve sailed over 150 days on Oceania but the  passengers we’ve met haven’t been either ‘snobby’ or ‘stuffy’.

 

Oceania isn’t an ‘adult only’ line for that you would need to go to Viking or Virgin. So yes there are sometimes children on board but usually only a few. Having 50 + children (and I hope somebody has been around and done a head count!) on a cruise seems unusual. As you rightly say on Celebrity length of cruise, month and itinerary all affect the number of children onboard. I think the same is true of Oceania. If you travel on a port intensive itinerary in late June/July/August in the Med there will be more children than usual. The same apparently is true of Alaska.

 

Don’t be concerned make up your own mind!

 

 

[jonthomas]

2 hours ago, sunlover12 said:

Anytime I am with my children and grandchildren is a holiday. We are scattered across the country and it is rare when we are all together. We will all be on a RCI cruise next year and very much looking forward to it. We'll be eating dinners in the main dining room. You don't have to settle for the buffet.  Cherish the time with your family all together and don't form a preconceived notion that it won't be a holiday. 

Yes but a different kind of holiday.

 

As for there being very few who object to having kids on board O, you are correct. There are many more on other boards where they feel they can speak more freely.

[MEFIowa]

42 minutes ago, jonthomas said:

... As for there being very few who object to having kids on board O....

I know for myself that I only "object" to ANY passenger whose behavior is problematic, regardless of age. Unruly children and the elderly with neurological impairment both shouldn't cruise. And unruly children are the result of poor parenting. While Dementia and Parkinson's, for example, are diseases.

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, jonthomas said:

Yes but a different kind of holiday.

 

As for there being very few who object to having kids on board O, you are correct. There are many more on other boards where they feel they can speak more freely.

Your suggestion that posters on this board are not speaking freely is nonsense and frankly insulting. 

 

Please enlighten us about the reasons you think posters here are unwilling or unable to express honest opinions. 

 

I'm not the first to suggest this and I hope I'm not the last...if more people make this point perhaps you'll start paying attention:

If you want a cruise that's guaranteed to be free of children then book a cruise on Viking, Virgin  or some other adults-only line.

 

[jonthomas]

Yes we have sailed with Viking several times post covid, but prefer the almost child free Oceania. At least it was for the 10 cruises we have done so far.

Many sail on lines that have ship within a ship, for many reasons, no kids allowed in certain areas is one of them. We found that didn't work very well as staff had a very hard time enforcing the rules with parents.

[jonthomas]

you were right, I found one more that is speaking freely....

 

it is from the topic of Vista july 23, topic #86

84...

 

"The downside of this trip was the 130 kids onboard.  We were stunned Oceania is now allowing kids.  

There were babies, in the pool and hot tubs with diapers. This is allowed in the concierge hot tubs too.  This was not a ship for kids.  Not enough to do.  They had a little room for them to play in.  Kids will be kids and some do not behave. It's the parents obligation to make sure they do. "

 

would not liked to have been on that one...

 

Edited July 30 by jonthomas

[njhorseman]

16 minutes ago, jonthomas said:

you were right, I found one more that is speaking freely....

 

it is from the topic of Vista july 23, topic #86

84...

 

"The downside of this trip was the 130 kids onboard.  We were stunned Oceania is now allowing kids.  

There were babies, in the pool and hot tubs with diapers. This is allowed in the concierge hot tubs too.  This was not a ship for kids.  Not enough to do.  They had a little room for them to play in.  Kids will be kids and some do not behave. It's the parents obligation to make sure they do. "

 

would not liked to have been on that one...

 

The last sentence of that post is:

 

"All in all, we did enjoy our time on the Vista. "

 

Apparently having a substantial number of children on the ship did not ruin the poster's cruise.

[ORV]

14 minutes ago, jonthomas said:

you were right, I found one more that is speaking freely....

 

it is from the topic of Vista july 23, topic #86

84...

 

"The downside of this trip was the 130 kids onboard.  We were stunned Oceania is now allowing kids.  

There were babies, in the pool and hot tubs with diapers. This is allowed in the concierge hot tubs too.  This was not a ship for kids.  Not enough to do.  They had a little room for them to play in.  Kids will be kids and some do not behave. It's the parents obligation to make sure they do. "

 

would not liked to have been on that one...

 

And like some others they are misinformed, they were under the impression that Oceania hasn't allowed kids in the past. The other boards you speak of have so much misinformation that it would be impossible for me to be a member there. I have a low threshold for that. 

 

 

[basor]

1 hour ago, jonthomas said:

you were right, I found one more that is speaking freely....

 

it is from the topic of Vista july 23, topic #86

84...

 

"The downside of this trip was the 130 kids onboard.  We were stunned Oceania is now allowing kids.  

There were babies, in the pool and hot tubs with diapers. This is allowed in the concierge hot tubs too.  This was not a ship for kids.  Not enough to do.  They had a little room for them to play in.  Kids will be kids and some do not behave. It's the parents obligation to make sure they do. "

 

would not liked to have been on that one...

 

So one person commenting on children onboard on one cruise - a trend this does not make!  

[chloemonkey]

I totally understand that Oceania is NOT an Adults Only Cruise line.....but for the past 8-10 years ago we were really surprised when we encountered children onboard.  We HAVE found a slight increase over the past year or two?  Nos sure what that trend indicates......And we too have travelled with extended family both on larger cruise lines and on the "cruise within a cruise" lines...and also during vacation time and on lines that DO offered Kid's Clubs/programs....

 

But at the risk of being chastised.....I would NEVER take my extended family (which does include children!) on an Oceania Cruise.  I think this would be asking for problems as there is just not enough for them to do.  And if the children booking Oceania increases substantially?  I will very likely switch to an adults only line.....as I have 17 grandchildren an enjoy travelling with them....but not ALL of the time and not on a ship with no kids activities.....

 

So please allow those of us our opinion/choice.....as long as Oceania allows children - the choice falls to us whether to continue booking with them or make a switch.....

 

[jonthomas]

Thank you for having the courage to say how you feel and saying it much better than I have been able to.

[basor]

Exactly - it you wish to sail with NO children than choose a line that does not allow children under 18 but don't complain you don't like those cruise lines and your preference is O and want them to be child free...not going to happen..

[lorimay]

We are on the Vista now with over 70 children. We have seen very little bad behavior from the children and it has not affected our cruise in any way. Almost every one of the families on this cruise is European (French, Portuguese, Spanish) and several brought their nannies along. Since this is an Eastern Mediterranean cruise this is an easy vacation for them and I have to believe the stable cost of this cruise compared to the inflation in some of their countries makes this an attractive value. 
 

I know the crew is not happy about all the kids. And I suspect that some of the parents didn’t realize how hard it would be to keep their kids happy. I think they cracked down from last cruise because there have been blurbs in the daily newsletter and some of the running around at the beginning of the cruise has stopped. 
 

We used to cruise with our children on lines with kids clubs but spent the majority of our time actually with our kids. We would have never brought them on an Oceania cruise with nothing to do. I sill think this is just a summer anomaly and that on most cruises there will continue to be fewer kids. Even on Celebrity, people who didn’t want to cruise with kids timed their cruises so kids were in school. Other than summer holidays and end of year cruises I doubt you are going to see a lot of kids on Oceania. I think this is much ado about nothing. 

[jonthomas]

Yes I am hopeful that you are correct.