Outrageous infant pricing.

[icyfrost]

As someone who is childless by choice and does not even want kids in my universe, I am grateful that Princess discourages people from bringing them along.

 

I am aware that not all children are offensive, screaming creatures, but there are a lot of parents that allow this behavior than those who stop it quickly, IMO. Within 10 minutes of going to the pool on Carnival, I saw a woman with an infant in a swim diaper in the pool! Right below the sign that said no kids in diapers! Fortunately, an employee promptly told her to leave.

 

Is it a person's right to take their kid on a cruise? Yes. Absolutely. Do I have to like it? No! Bravo to Princess for charging full fare!

 

Try MSC. Kids sail free there; which is why we would never sail with them.

hate to burst your bubble in your universe but princess does not charge full fare for kids it is 3th/4th rates no matter what age!

[Cruisin Oldies]

Many interesting opinions. Make's life never boring. We sailed to Alaska with a 1 yr old and almost 4 yr old grand daughters last year. We'd never expect a steward to have to pick up after us and the room is close to perfect whenever we leave it. That's just the way we've always done it. Usually we took the girls to the buffett for meals and we've cleaned up our area before we leave -- afraid things do spill on the floor but some of it is our fault too and we don't pick up the small stuff. It's the only way we could have gone and we all had a great time. Luckily we didn't have the crying stuff but we eat fairly fast and are gone doing something else. Beware, we'll be back over Easter vacation going to Hawaii.

 

Cruisin Oldies:eek:

[c-cruise]

thanks to all that took the correct side.........the $$$ for security is per person, the $$$$$ for all the behind the scenes folks, to keep the satellites running and to keep the electrical systems and the fuel to get from one place to the other , to keep the computers runinng and the lights on in the call center etc has to be per head count................some lines " make it up " in different ways, princess is infact up-front in reality: Operating cost /ship= operating cost/ ship

 

Those are mostly fixed costs and have little to do with how many people are on the ship. It costs Princess roughly the same amount to staff and operate a vessel with 1 person onboard as it does with 3,000 onboard. That's why it is in their best interest to sail at or over capacity.

 

I doubt the cruise fare of all passengers covers the total operating costs for a given sailing. They count on a certain amount of onboard revenue per person to make each sailing profitable. The onboard revenue generated by an infant is approximately $0. Some lines obviously think that this isn't worth it and charge full 3rd/4th rates. If people don't like it they go to another line and Princess sells the cabin to somebody else. Other lines look at it another way and charge a minimal amount for an infant in order to get those bookings and hope the adults in the cabin make up the difference in onboard spending.

[donaldsc]

One reason may be that the ship is permitted to have a defined number of "souls" on board. Your child is counted as a "soul" but he obviously does not spend any money on the ship. They count on that on-board spending. Therefore, they have to charge for your child.

 

DON

[cacy6893076]

Those are mostly fixed costs and have little to do with how many people are on the ship. It costs Princess roughly the same amount to staff and operate a vessel with 1 person onboard as it does with 3,000 onboard. That's why it is in their best interest to sail at or over capacity.

 

I doubt the cruise fare of all passengers covers the total operating costs for a given sailing. They count on a certain amount of onboard revenue per person to make each sailing profitable. The onboard revenue generated by an infant is approximately $0. Some lines obviously think that this isn't worth it and charge full 3rd/4th rates. If people don't like it they go to another line and Princess sells the cabin to somebody else. Other lines look at it another way and charge a minimal amount for an infant in order to get those bookings and hope the adults in the cabin make up the difference in onboard spending.

 

I think we are agreeing mostly are we not? it's just in the financial breakdown which of, course never having worked for a cruise line period much less in a financial position or in a safety concerns cosideration position , i assume a body is a body is a body and cruise lines must make sure they have enough safety equip for each body, otherwise they would not be allowed to operate and would be in viloation of a multitude laws. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ again or failure to operate within ceratin countires and there goes that.

[donna5]

As someone who is childless by choice and does not even want kids in my universe, I am grateful that Princess discourages people from bringing them along.

 

I am aware that not all children are offensive, screaming creatures, but there are a lot of parents that allow this behavior than those who stop it quickly, IMO. Within 10 minutes of going to the pool on Carnival, I saw a woman with an infant in a swim diaper in the pool! Right below the sign that said no kids in diapers! Fortunately, an employee promptly told her to leave.

 

Is it a person's right to take their kid on a cruise? Yes. Absolutely. Do I have to like it? No! Bravo to Princess for charging full fare!

 

Try MSC. Kids sail free there; which is why we would never sail with them.

 

Yes I know what you mean, the first time I got some of their info, I thought that maybe good and then I saw that kids sail free so now all their offers get deleted or thrown in the trash.

 

What gets me is they have the sanctuary and you have to pay extra to be in an adult area, they don't always enforce adult only pools. But I don't believe you have to pay for the teen and childrens area and they wouldn't let us go there(not that I would want to go there) But I thought in one thread someone was complaing that they have video games that they wanted to play. (This was an adult complaining)

[bplazo]

Well, I would not sail with a cruiseline that offered kids sail free or reduced prices for children because it would be like going to Chucky Cheese or Mcdonalds. Although I do have to say that I have not really seen any children behaving badly on a cruise.

[Denny01]

As someone who is childless by choice and does not even want kids in my universe, I am grateful that Princess discourages people from bringing them along.

 

I am aware that not all children are offensive, screaming creatures, but there are a lot of parents that allow this behavior than those who stop it quickly, IMO. Within 10 minutes of going to the pool on Carnival, I saw a woman with an infant in a swim diaper in the pool! Right below the sign that said no kids in diapers! Fortunately, an employee promptly told her to leave.

 

Is it a person's right to take their kid on a cruise? Yes. Absolutely. Do I have to like it? No! Bravo to Princess for charging full fare!

 

Try MSC. Kids sail free there; which is why we would never sail with them.

 

Unfortunately for you, there is only one Universe - at least the one we are presently in and it is full of infants, kids, teens, young adults, middle aged and us geezers.

 

And by the way, Princess does not discourage children, they charge the same amount as do many other Lines - Carnival, Celebrity, RCL, etc. Al least from my experience in the past few years - which is normally the 3rd person charges.

 

Since the OP only stated (I think) the cost of the infant and not the percentage of that cost to theirs, I'd assume (I know, dangerous word) that the infant was at the 3rd person cost. Unless the UK handles it differently.

 

Den

[countrycruzr]

Yes I know what you mean, the first time I got some of their info, I thought that maybe good and then I saw that kids sail free so now all their offers get deleted or thrown in the trash.

 

What gets me is they have the sanctuary and you have to pay extra to be in an adult area, they don't always enforce adult only pools. But I don't believe you have to pay for the teen and childrens area and they wouldn't let us go there(not that I would want to go there) But I thought in one thread someone was complaing that they have video games that they wanted to play. (This was an adult complaining)

 

Yeah, we had a canal cruise booked a few years ago on MSC but then realized what a zoo it would be when I saw the roll calls and everybody crowing about they were bringing the kids. :eek: We promptly canceled that one!

 

Video games, that's hilarious! Hey, if kids use the adult pool, then adults ought to be able to play in the kiddies' club!

 

Let me be clear, I have nothing against well behaved kids who cross my path. As a matter of fact, hubby are big kids ourselves. What I have a huge problem with, is the parents who refuse to control their children. In my universe, yes, unfortunately, there are lots of folks like that. Fortunately, there are venues like Disney where the focus is on the kids where like minded folks can admire each others' little darlings all they want!

[caribill]

I think possibly Princess have learnt a valuable lesson as last year on one of the round Britain cruises there were reports on this forum of there being 500 children on the Crown. I think if my memory serves me well there were 600 on another cruise.

 

We were on a Xmas holiday cruise in 2009 wwith about 550 kids under the age of 18.

 

Hardly noticed any of them. The children (and their parents) should have been applauded for their good behavior.

[kchobbs]

Unfortunately for you, there is only one Universe - at least the one we are presently in and it is full of infants, kids, teens, young adults, middle aged and us geezers.

 

And by the way, Princess does not discourage children, they charge the same amount as do many other Lines - Carnival, Celebrity, RCL, etc. Al least from my experience in the past few years - which is normally the 3rd person charges.

 

Since the OP only stated (I think) the cost of the infant and not the percentage of that cost to theirs, I'd assume (I know, dangerous word) that the infant was at the 3rd person cost. Unless the UK handles it differently.

 

Den

 

The 3rd and 4th person rate on Princess is significantly higher time and time again then compared with Carnival for an equivalent priced cruise for first and second person. For example if an inside is priced at say $599 pp for first and second price person on both Princess and Carnival, when you do the total price for all four people it is ALWAYS significantly higher for Princess. In fact we can get a balcony for the four of us on a Carnival cruise for the same price as four of us in an inside on Princess. Both having the same base price pp for first and second person.

[robsaw]

I DO think Princess discourages the youngest of infants because they have zero services that cater to that age (under 3 years). Overheard a complaint on the elevator during December cruise where a Mom that took bad advice from travel agent and researched nothing on-line found it too late that it was Mom and Dad on an oceangoing babysitting adventure with their young one who was too young to use any services and banned from the pool as well (no swim diapers are NOT allowed).

[Marian Paroo]

I think MSC, which I will be cruising with does not charge at all for bambinos.

 

But they are Italian, and crazy about babies.;)

[Loonbeam]

I won't say princess actively discourages because of this, but your point is valid. It's more like a lack of encouragement to me than saying they don't want them. Although Princess is perfectly fine for kids, as a general rule I recommend RC to families with Kids/Teens, because their ships are more family oriented than Princess.

 

I DO think Princess discourages the youngest of infants because they have zero services that cater to that age (under 3 years). Overheard a complaint on the elevator during December cruise where a Mom that took bad advice from travel agent and researched nothing on-line found it too late that it was Mom and Dad on an oceangoing babysitting adventure with their young one who was too young to use any services and banned from the pool as well (no swim diapers are NOT allowed).

[cruise77]

You know what ruins my vacation? some ADULTS

 

While I can't remember one cruise where my full enjoyment was hindered by a baby, I can tell you numerous instances where ADULTS who lack proper manners, etiquette, or behavior have definitely hindered my enjoyment.

 

If you've ever been on a cruise where you've encountered the loud person at the table next door who doesn't have volume control, the smoker who thinks its OK to smoke in non smoking areas, the fellow cruiser who pushes and shoves to get in the elevator in front of everybody else, the fellow cruiser who must cut in line in front of you at the buffet, the fellow cruiser who has no idea what formal attire means, the fellow cruisers who drink a little too much and thinks its cute to scream at the top of their lungs as they are walking down cabin hallways, or the tablemates who learned manners from a pack of wolves attacking their prey, THEN you know what I'm talking about.

 

Our son has been traveling since he was three months old. In one year, he's already flown more than many adults travel in their entire life, even in first class. He took his first cruise in December, and he will be cruising again to Alaska before he turns two. Not ONCE did he throw a temper tantrum or scream in public during our last cruise.

 

Exposing him to travel has truly paid off because he knows how to travel. Numerous times, people approach us to compliment his public behavior, whether we are at a restaurant, movie theater, airplane, OR a cruise ship.

 

I'm not going to be delusional and pretend that he's an absolutely perfect angel. But I know when it's time to remove him from a public setting if there's the slightest hint that his behavior may not be appropriate in public. I think that that's where the problem lies. Not with the babies, but with the parents who don't follow this basic rule.

 

Unfortunately, there are people who automatically categorize every young traveler in one group. It would be the same as generalizing with any other age group.

 

 

 

I don't think that the mainstream cruise lines are trying to deter anybody from cruising. They are charging what's fair for a third or fourth passenger, regardless of age. As I mentioned before, its easy to think that because someone is young they shouldn't pay as much, but they are going on the same cruise, sleeping in a bed, eating the same food, visiting the same destinations, participating in the same activities, and enjoying their time onboard just as much as any other passenger of any other age... Why should they be charged LESS?

 

Some adults should be taken out.

[Denny01]

The 3rd and 4th person rate on Princess is significantly higher time and time again then compared with Carnival for an equivalent priced cruise for first and second person. For example if an inside is priced at say $599 pp for first and second price person on both Princess and Carnival, when you do the total price for all four people it is ALWAYS significantly higher for Princess. In fact we can get a balcony for the four of us on a Carnival cruise for the same price as four of us in an inside on Princess. Both having the same base price pp for first and second person.

 

Sounds like a great reason for you to cruise on Carnival.

 

Den

[kchobbs]

Sounds like a great reason for you to cruise on Carnival.

 

Den

 

And we have, but both my wife and I do prefer to cruise with Princess but at some point one the economics starts to outweigh the preference.

[kchobbs]

And we have, but both my wife and I do prefer to cruise with Princess but at some point the economics starts to outweigh the preference.

Typo

[Jacqueline]

It does seem like a lot of money as you gave us the price in pounds- would translate to about $1750 in US dollars for a third person in a room?