Children's prices for cruises

[joybook]

Has anyone got any information as to whether any cruise line, preferably Princess have children's prices for cruises? Wife and I are looking into a cruise with our son and wife and their two children aged 11 and 8 and our daughter and husband and their two children aged 5 and 2.

 

An indication given to me by a TA has suggested that while cruise costs for children can be quite complicated, it looks as though the quad share price is probably the best one you will get and it won't matter if the 3rd and 4th person in the statetroom is aged 2 or 10 or 55 years old.

 

Any info from your experiences will help.

 

Thanks heaps

[karatemom2]

In our experience the cost for our two children in a quad cabin has always been at a third and fourth person rate. We have not received any special child rate with Princess. We still find the rates on Princess to be very competitive for our family though.

[Belle]

Yes the only way you get a lower price (for children)

in a cabin is by them being the third and fourth person.

TA is right..doesn't matter the age!

[CALMOM]

No discount due to age. I believe kids actually require more clean up then adults, so that makes since.

[spunky01]

This is our first Princess cruise and we were shocked that even in a quad, which princess does not have alot of, children are the same price. For this cruise there were no 3rd or 4th person rate. We are taking the whole family on this cruise, 3 children, there husbands, friends and 3 grandchildren.

[Donna_In_India]

Just booked a cruise for us with our 1 yr old daughter. The price for her was the full 3rd person rate. Thought this was pretty bad since she's not really eating, won't be using any facilities, and she certainly doesn't make a mess! I had checked Princess, RCI, and NCL - only NCL had very reasonable rates.

[Iamcruzin]

No discount due to age. I believe kids actually require more clean up then adults, so that makes since.

 

Why do you think that kids require more clean up than adults? Teens in their own room may be less tidy than younger children but I have seen some pretty sloppy adults. I think it is because they don't make money on kids. If you buy the ultimate card there is really nothing else to spend money on except excursions and pictures. Kids can't drink liquor or gamble. NCL and Royal have more up charge products for children so maybe that's how they can make up the cost for a lower children's rate.

 

On our last cruise it was actually less expensive to book two rooms than to squeeze 4 into one room. The 3rd and 4th rate was $50 per person more than the first 2 passenger rate. Princess was offering a special 1st and 2nd passenger rate at the time of the booking. It worked out in our favor because we have teens old enough to occupy a stateroom alone.

[Colo Cruiser]

Gone are the days of 3rd and 4th pricing.

They used to have $199/$299/$399 pricing.

[BobT172]

We are taking the whole family on this cruise, 3 children, there husbands, friends and 3 grandchildren.

 

My entire family and myself are available for immediate adoption.

[Toto2Kansas]

It is just Princess policy for charging the same 3rd and 4th passenger rates no matter what the age of the passenger. They do not have children's rates/discounts. And if the first two passengers are paying a deeply discounted rate, that will not change the 3rd and 4th passenger pricing, therefore at times, the added passengers can pay the same, if not more than the first two. Good Luck finding it cheaper!

[Hunwolf]

As another person said...they don't offer a reduced rate for children because (quite honestly) they don't make money by bringing children on board. They don't drink or gamble...so they are (from a business model perspective) a waste of space. :cool:

 

A 3rd person on Carnival and/or NCL seems petty reasonable compared to some of the other lines. At least the last time I checked.

[Appygirl]

Why do you think that kids require more clean up than adults?

 

 

 

Um, let's see. On the Island Princess in May there was a family seated next to our table in the Horizon Court, 2 children under 5 years old. Children threw their food everywhere. On the table, under the table, at the passengers at the surrounding tables. It was a HUGE mess. Then they got up and left. The parents did not clean up the mess their children made. So guess who cleaned it up? Hint: not us!

[cruisemom42]

Um, let's see. On the Island Princess in May there was a family seated next to our table in the Horizon Court, 2 children under 5 years old. Children threw their food everywhere. On the table, under the table, at the passengers at the surrounding tables. It was a HUGE mess. Then they got up and left. The parents did not clean up the mess their children made. So guess who cleaned it up? Hint: not us!

 

I agree. My son and I were seated one time with a lovely couple and their 2.5 y.o. son in the MDR. The little boy was cute, relatively quiet, and the parents were attentive. We all enjoyed the meal. Nonetheless, when they got up to leave (before us), I couldn't help but notice that where the little boy had been seated, there were cracker crumbs everywhere on the seat and floor as well as pasta on the floor.

 

I cannot say the same for the rest of us at the table.

[momzcruzing]

I recently treated my 3 children, their spouses and my 11 month old grandson to a cruise. I paid the full 3rd person price for the baby-- made him order a steak every night!! Was gonna stick a few lobsters in his diaper. :p

[bjcanady]

Has anyone got any information as to whether any cruise line, preferably Princess have children's prices for cruises? Wife and I are looking into a cruise with our son and wife and their two children aged 11 and 8 and our daughter and husband and their two children aged 5 and 2.

 

An indication given to me by a TA has suggested that while cruise costs for children can be quite complicated, it looks as though the quad share price is probably the best one you will get and it won't matter if the 3rd and 4th person in the statetroom is aged 2 or 10 or 55 years old.

 

Any info from your experiences will help.

 

Thanks heaps

 

Yes, Costa has children under a certain age sail free (or very reduced rate )on many cruises.

[Iamcruzin]

Um, let's see. On the Island Princess in May there was a family seated next to our table in the Horizon Court, 2 children under 5 years old. Children threw their food everywhere. On the table, under the table, at the passengers at the surrounding tables. It was a HUGE mess. Then they got up and left. The parents did not clean up the mess their children made. So guess who cleaned it up? Hint: not us!

 

I think this experience was the exception not the rule. Although it's not intentional accidents do happen and adults spill drinks and drop food on the floor when carrying the plate to the table or back to their room. Something else to consider is that most families travel during peak travel times and if Princess can fill the ships at the higher rate why should they offer special fares for children. It’s just good business.

[cdngrl]

i'm cruising with my daughter and grands (age 4 and 8 mo) and the price for 2 staterooms was only $20 more than for 4 of us in a room.

[kimberley]

I am sure I received a child rate on the Sea Princess for my then 15 year old daughter. MSC charge £1 for children under 18 years. Kimberley

[tmitchell82]

Price of taking our DD on a cruise is the same as adding any other 3rd person to the room. The only "discount" we get is that DD, who is 5, does not spend much on the cruise. Only thing on her bill last time was the tips. No cost for the kids club and the activities (except of course the tip) I have also found that mom and dad's bill gets smaller too. No staying out late at Skywalkers having a few drinks at night....

 

Tim

[bplazo]

I think this experience was the exception not the rule. Although it's not intentional accidents do happen and adults spill drinks and drop food on the floor when carrying the plate to the table or back to their room. Something else to consider is that most families travel during peak travel times and if Princess can fill the ships at the higher rate why should they offer special fares for children. It’s just good business.

 

Sorry, its a rule not an exception. I have worked in a restraunt for years and we usually need to get the broom out when there are children at a table.

 

Why should children cruise less than adults. You do receive a discount if they travel as third and fourth guest in a cabin.

[joybook]

Many thanks to you all - as expected some great responses. I will always find it difficult to accept that a 5 year old will eat as much as a 35 year old. All things considered though I am sure that it all has to do with profit (including profits at the casino etc) and while I can accept that profit is all important I have also been of the opinion that a little profit is better than none at all. I can only assume that the cruise lines expect that cruises will always be full.

 

Thanks again for your responses:)

[caribill]

Why should children cruise for less than adults. You do receive a discount if they travel as third and fourth guest in a cabin.

 

Not on Princess. 3rd and 4th passenger pricing in a cabin is the same no matter what the age. And, it can often be higher than the pricing for the first and second passengers.

[Ando]

Check out Holland America. They often have very low 3rd/4th passenger fares. On one cruise all we had to pay was the taxes of about $200 for DD aged 6 at the time; another was about $599 compared to our rate of $2000.

 

As everyone else has posted the Princess 3rd/4th passenger rates are usually only slightly less than the 1st & 2nd passengers in the cabin. But given the excellent kids clubs facilities on Princess and the amount of enjoyment DD gets from the cruise overall it's still great value for money.

[a-midship]

To the OP

 

Try checking out MSC Cruise line - I think they have a children sail free program

[Coral]

I am sure I received a child rate on the Sea Princess for my then 15 year old daughter. MSC charge £1 for children under 18 years. Kimberley

 

UK pricing is a totally different beast compared to US pricing. i have heard of Princess UK giving price breaks to kids.