third/fourth cruisers

[oilbert]

some cruise lines are offering that third and fourth people sail free . how does this work and what is the catch ????

[Cruisin' Chick]

I think you need to be more specific. What cruiselines and where did you see that (are there qualifications or "capacity controlled" listed)???

[gerryl12]

some cruise lines are offering that third and fourth people sail free . how does this work and what is the catch ????

 

They sail free. Of course they share your tiny cabin and have to pay the assigned tips. All it costs the cruise line is the food they eat.

[Essiesmom]

You still have to pay the taxes and port charges, and tips. Some lines offer it much of the time, such as NCL and MSC; others will have an occasional sale if cabins aren't moving. EM

[paul929207]

Cruise lines have a limited number of 3rd & 4th berths. If you already have a cabin, it may not be one that can take another passenger. ALso, the ship is limited to lifeboat capacity. This usually means that not every 3rd and 4th berth can be filled.

[cruiselover57]

some cruise lines are offering that third and fourth people sail free . how does this work and what is the catch ????

 

Don't forget to call or read the fine print. As other posters have mentioned, sometimes this will be offered at certain times of the year and probably NOT over a major holiday when cruises tend to sell out. You may also want to check to be sure if you need to book a certain type of cabin (maybe an ocean view as a minimum might be required).

[jmps]

We have used this pricing once for taking our two daughters with us. It does mean all four in one cabin and one bathroom. I can't imagine two couples doing this but I have seen people here asking about it. We also used it once when our girls took a friend along for a three person cabin for them.. We have only done this on HAL where the cabins are larger than say RCI.

 

We have also done connected cabins for our family and it is nicer but a lot more if 3rd/4th are "free." As was said, you still pay tips and taxes/port charges. We were actually suprised that it works for us but it does and saves a lot of money. We are doing it again on the Carnival Legend next year at a reduced but not free rate.

[dsrdsrdsr]

Bunk beds are lowered from the ceiling. There's no catch. And at least in the UK, taxes and port charges are included in the fare, so it's still free. Tips still have to be (optionally) paid, though.

 

I knew two couples who shared. They couldn't have afforded otherwise. All you need is a dressing rota and a group of people none of whom take an hour to get ready for dinner.

 

I've shared with mother father and brother, absolutely no problem. Nearlt all the time you're in there, the light's out anyway.

[MrsPete]

Be sure to compare the total cost of the "free passengers" against any other cruises you may be considering. For example, Disney ran a promotion like this a while ago, but it was still cheaper to take four people on Royal Caribbean. You have to do the math -- you can't assume anything.