Reasonable rates for a baby on board???????????????

[wadeod]

We are planning on going to Alaska on Princess next year. I just found out that it will cost about $800 to bring our 1 year old? that seems outrageous to me. Is there any cruiseline that will let you bring them for free, or more reasonable

[yarlenna]

Not other lines, but other times and itineraries. You are far more likely to get good rates on a Caribbean cruise sailing anytime that school is in session.

[cruisinqt]

I agree with Yarlenna. It's probably not the cruiseline to blame as much as the place you are going and the time of year you are going. Our kids were half of our cruise price when we sailed on RCI and Carnival.:D But our cruises have mostly centered around the Eastern and Western Caribbean. And we never sail at the height of the season when it's pricey, like summertime. So if you change the time or place, the price might drop. Good luck!:)

[Cloudmaster]

Leave the baby with Gramy and grampy. They will love you for it, and you will have a wonderful time without having to worry about the baby.

[BaumD]

For safety reasons, there is a limit to the number of people that are permitted on the ship (passengers and crew). There are probably more beds on the ship than people allowed. The cruiselines especially in summer, want to maximize the number of people by filling up as many 3 and 4 berth cabins as possible to get to the Coast Guard permitted max. Your 1 year old counts the same as an adult. If they let your kid travel for free, they may have to turn away an adult who wants to be the 3rd person in a cabin. Plus your kid doesn't drink, lose money in the casino, play bingo, shop, etc. Granted your 1 yr old won't each much food, but that's a small matter.

[aqusis]

NCL only charges port and taxes for children under two when in the same room as two paying adults.

[Guest nhrich]

NCL normally charges only port & tax for children under 2.

 

Rich

Carefree Vacations

[iamlisad]

We chose NCL Star for our Alaska cruise this June for just that reason. My nephew was only one and paying full fare seemed crazy. NCL charges only port fees and taxes which seemed quite reasonable considering that he did eat finger food, and require the same care by the cabin attendant that anyone else would. We weren't particularly crazy about NCL freestyle but if you want to save the bucks on the baby this is the way to go. The itinerary roundtrip from Seattle was great, too, by the way.

Lisa D

Pittsburgh, PA

[davisj]

I was also planning on taking my daughter who will be 11 months old at the time on my RCI cruise in March. They told me the same thing, about $800 it would cost. I spoke with someone who told me that it doesn't matter is she is 11 mths. or 60 yrs. old, the price is the same because it is another person. They have to include her in the headcount and for life saving measures (life vests and room in a life boat). I asked the guest svcs. agent if that meant they would have a life vest to fit my daughter and she told me no. I checked with Norwegian and Disney, you only pay the taxes on the child. I wrote a letter to Florida's Consumer Affairs Dept. to file a complaint and they sent me a letter back stating they forwarded my complaint on to Maritime Affairs. The only reason I am not changing to another cruise line is because my mother in-law is getting married and approx. 20 people have booked there cruise. In the future, I will not use RCI, I can understand paying a small fee, such as the taxes but $800 is ridiculous.

[Martino]

I was also planning on taking my daughter who will be 11 months old at the time on my RCI cruise in March. They told me the same thing, about $800 it would cost. I spoke with someone who told me that it doesn't matter is she is 11 mths. or 60 yrs. old, the price is the same because it is another person. They have to include her in the headcount and for life saving measures (life vests and room in a life boat). I asked the guest svcs. agent if that meant they would have a life vest to fit my daughter and she told me no. I checked with Norwegian and Disney, you only pay the taxes on the child. I wrote a letter to Florida's Consumer Affairs Dept. to file a complaint and they sent me a letter back stating they forwarded my complaint on to Maritime Affairs. The only reason I am not changing to another cruise line is because my mother in-law is getting married and approx. 20 people have booked there cruise. In the future, I will not use RCI, I can understand paying a small fee, such as the taxes but $800 is ridiculous.

 

Sorry, but I can't for the life of me imagine why you would file a complaint to the state of Florida about this?????

 

Do you really want the government to be able to dictate to companies whether they should allow free fares for children, or anyone, for that matter.

 

The ball is totally in your court......suck it up and pay, change cruise lines or leave the kid at home.......just keep the government out of private business affairs.

[Beffy1167]

I was also planning on taking my daughter who will be 11 months old at the time on my RCI cruise in March. They told me the same thing, about $800 it would cost. I spoke with someone who told me that it doesn't matter is she is 11 mths. or 60 yrs. old, the price is the same because it is another person. They have to include her in the headcount and for life saving measures (life vests and room in a life boat). I asked the guest svcs. agent if that meant they would have a life vest to fit my daughter and she told me no. I checked with Norwegian and Disney, you only pay the taxes on the child. I wrote a letter to Florida's Consumer Affairs Dept. to file a complaint and they sent me a letter back stating they forwarded my complaint on to Maritime Affairs. The only reason I am not changing to another cruise line is because my mother in-law is getting married and approx. 20 people have booked there cruise. In the future, I will not use RCI, I can understand paying a small fee, such as the taxes but $800 is ridiculous.

I agree with the previous poster: Why would you expect to be able to take your toddler with you for free? She is 11 months old, which means she probably eats at least SOME table food. She will also need somplace to sleep, which means that SOMEONE will be making her crib/bed up. Presumably you will bathe her, which means that she'll be using water from the ship. She'll also have use of the ship's electricity, etc. $800 is less than full fare......I think it's not a bad deal!

 

But if you really want something for nothing, then go with the other cruise lines. And if you don't want to suck up and pay, then leave your daughter with someone else. At 11 months old, it's not like she'll remember the wedding anyway.

[smeyer418]

While I don't see what the poster has to complain about, I am sure he will get a letter saying sorry there is nothing that can be done, as they aren't doing anything wrong. The people who should be able to complain is some of the single sailors. One cruise line has a spcial for two and when one person wants to go for the double rate is told they have to pay 3 times the cost.

[KellyJean]

We are planning on going to Alaska on Princess next year. I just found out that it will cost about $800 to bring our 1 year old? that seems outrageous to me. Is there any cruiseline that will let you bring them for free, or more reasonable

 

Disney lets the little ones cruise for free until they turn 3 (I think you might have to pay the port charges and taxes though). But....honestly, with the prices I've seen for the Disney cruises, I don't think you're coming out any better price-wise.

[TWELVEOHONE]

Have a friend taking an infant on RCI to the Caribbean. Royal caribbean charged them a full third/fourth person rate. Thsi seems very unfair a the infant will not be eating cruise line food and will cost the cruise line almost nothing. But its their ship and taht what they charge regardless of itinerary or time of year.

[celtic selke]

I was also planning on taking my daughter who will be 11 months old at the time on my RCI cruise in March. They told me the same thing, about $800 it would cost. I spoke with someone who told me that it doesn't matter is she is 11 mths. or 60 yrs. old, the price is the same because it is another person. They have to include her in the headcount and for life saving measures (life vests and room in a life boat). I asked the guest svcs. agent if that meant they would have a life vest to fit my daughter and she told me no. I checked with Norwegian and Disney, you only pay the taxes on the child. I wrote a letter to Florida's Consumer Affairs Dept. to file a complaint and they sent me a letter back stating they forwarded my complaint on to Maritime Affairs. The only reason I am not changing to another cruise line is because my mother in-law is getting married and approx. 20 people have booked there cruise. In the future, I will not use RCI, I can understand paying a small fee, such as the taxes but $800 is ridiculous.

On my last cruise with Celebrity, during the lifeboat drill; there was a young couple with a baby wearing a baby-sized life jacket provided by the cruise line.

I find it very hard to believe that ALL cruise line do not provide infant and child life jackets.

Am I in error?

 

celtic

[yarlenna]

Why should a child be free? I do not understand the expressed opinion that little ones should get a free ride. When I used to work at Disney, families with children were much more that twice the work of a couple without kids. If anything, the young ones needed more clean-ups, special bedding, and parents think that no tip is due to a waitress (over the tip for the adult supper) for heating formula and baby food. I know the little ones don't eat much, but there are other expenses - particularly potable water, waste disposal, and if the child is toilet trained - there are available children's activities - for the price of a tip to the staff.

Previous posters are correct about the lines being limited by the Coast Guard as to the number of souls they can have on board. Every human is counted - from the captain, to the infants. The cruise line is selling many things to you. Some of them are obvious: food, entertainment, transportation and activities. Some are not. One of the things that is hard to appreciate is the share of that total number of passengers. NCL is the third ranked cruise line - with Carnival (in all its brands) and RCI 9including Celebrity) having the lion's share of the business. NCL is doing many things to attempt to gain market share (Open seading dining, and American flag vessels which can do Hawaii without the need for a distant port spring to mind.) OK so THEY are willing to absorb the cost of a child in hopes of attracting the family to cruise. Just remember that NOTHING is free and somebody has to pay for every service used and every space occupied. If not the passenger him or herself, then the cost is spread over the entire passenger population. Personally, I would rather pay only for my own way.

[cruisinfanatic]

I was also planning on taking my daughter who will be 11 months old at the time on my RCI cruise in March. They told me the same thing, about $800 it would cost. I spoke with someone who told me that it doesn't matter is she is 11 mths. or 60 yrs. old, the price is the same because it is another person. They have to include her in the headcount and for life saving measures (life vests and room in a life boat). I asked the guest svcs. agent if that meant they would have a life vest to fit my daughter and she told me no. I checked with Norwegian and Disney, you only pay the taxes on the child. I wrote a letter to Florida's Consumer Affairs Dept. to file a complaint and they sent me a letter back stating they forwarded my complaint on to Maritime Affairs. The only reason I am not changing to another cruise line is because my mother in-law is getting married and approx. 20 people have booked there cruise. In the future, I will not use RCI, I can understand paying a small fee, such as the taxes but $800 is ridiculous.

Well, since all or most all cruiselines charge for a baby, if you won't cruise on RCCI then where?

[imsulin]

Excellent point, Cruisinfanatic!! As stated before, Disney and NCL are the only lines that only charge an infant under the age of two port charges and taxes only. That leaves ALL the other cruise lines (RCI, Carnival, Celebrity, Princess, Holland America, Costa, etc.) that will charge the 3rd/4th passenger rate for ANYONE, regardless of age. Sounds like davisj will have to be content with either NCL or Disney, and when that child turns two, both of these cruise lines will charge them the regular rates. I'm sorry, but I think it was really silly to file a complaint with the Florida Consumer Affairs Dept. hese cruise lines have been charging this way for YEARS, and if jadavis had done a little homework, that would have been apparent. And BTW, jdavis...they have to pay taxes AND port charges....not just taxes. Sorry if I sounded offensive.

[bplazo]

I look at it this way, I took my daughter to amusement parks (Disney, Kings Island, Cedar Point) she rides the rides but I just walked around and watched. I still had to pay full admission price even though I didnt make use of the rides.

 

If you dont want to pay the third and fouth passanger rate stay at home with the baby.

[BabySam99]

wadeod....Good luck with whatever you decide and have a good trip. :)

[Clarksfan1]

Lets not beat around the bush here they do it mainly because it keeps many people from bringing babies/little ones on board. While I do agree that people should be able to vacation with their entire family, and yes sometimes that does include little ones I don't want to see an entire ship full of them. If RCCL allowed toddlers to cruise for free it would do a number of things.

 

1. The pool area would be littered with children. Now I'm sure all of us on here keep an eye on our children. But lets face it, many people let there children run crazy and let others take the burden of watching them.

 

2. The daycare would be a mess. If you and your hubby go on the ship, are you never going to want any time to yourself? So I assume you will use the children services provided onboard. This cost money.

 

3. Not to mention so much of the employees time in the daycare would be spent on the toddlers, it wouldn't be fair to the children of other ages.

 

4. I have heard stories about cruisers taking their young children on the Ships and once the child fell asleep the parents would leave the room and go out for the evening. (We all know this happens) And if children cruised for free this would increace the chances of children being left in the room and something potentially bad happening.

 

5. Also, if they allowed 3rd guest children/Toddlers to cruise for free it would only be a matter of time before single parents say they are being discriminated against because they went on a cruise with just their child and had to pay full price for them.

 

I agree with a number of the other posters. You have 4 options

1. Disney

2. Leave the child with parents/family

3. Pay for the child and enjoy yourself

4. Don't go.

 

I have heard people say they don't want to go on Disney Cruise Line because too many kids running around and they want an adult vacation. But then they complain because they can't take their child on the cruise for free.

 

GET THE HUMOR.....DON'T WANT DISNEY BECAUSE TOO MANY KIDS.

 

funny stuff.

 

BTW: I love kids.

[wadeod]

FYI, I tried NCL..........................and they charge for kids under 2 also. Maybe the only free ride is on Disney????????? oh well

[imsulin]

There is no such thing as a "free ride". You still have to pay port charges and taxes.

[njoyndride]

After seeing my daughters cabin which included housing my 10 mo. old grandchild, whom I love dearly btw, I believe the cost is justified. She's not untidy, just small space...small child. Not to mention the asst. waiter that now is part of the family since my granddaughter fell in love with him :D he brought her lovely fruit and yummy rolls every night to go with her "jarred" dinner. I too thought it silly prior to departure but sucked it up and now believe it was money well spent, and yes it was my money that was spent. I think the best was the crew that insisted on holding her because they had babies at home just her age and just wanted to snuggle, still makes me tear up.

[beachchick]

To me this is along the same lines of parents who want their co-workers to "make up the slack" when the parents need to stay home or leave early for their children. My feeling is this: You chose to have a child--that's great; you want to bring your child on a cruise--also great; you don't want to have to pay for your child--sorry, that's not the way life works. I never assumed that our daughter would get a free ride; if she did get a discount, we considered it a bonus, not a right. The cruiselines have every right to charge what they see fit for any passenger, baby or otherwise.

 

Stepping off my soapbox now.

beachchick