Kids Sail Free

[RichardandHyacinth]

When does this promotion happen? Following the arrival of twins 5weeks ago , coupled with a 21 month old (who we've cruised with twice) , DW and I are wondering will we ever be able to afford a cruise again :confused

[rebeccalouiseagain]

Even if kids sail free- you'll have to get a more expensive cabin that holds 5. Might be time to leave the kids home with a sitter. Will probably cost much less in the end.

[cb at sea]

By the time your twins are old enough to sail...who knows what "specials" they'll be offering!

[djmess]

I cruise mostly with NCL the last several years. I know they offer that promotion a couple times a year. At least I've noticed it and been able to take advantage of it at least twice.

 

I've also seen other lines offer this, but I haven't followed them as much.

 

I was recently told about MSC cruise line and they always have kids sail free. A friend just went on the Divina and posted a review in the MSC thread. She and her husband said it was fabulous.

 

So, don't give up on cruising. Save and plan. Check the cruise line websites often. If you are serious about it, you may need to check every week or so, but who knows if you will catch the sale next week or in 6 months. fingers crossed for you

[gkrnjlr]

We are a family of 5 and our kids have been cruising since they were 9 months old. It's do-able! We are currently booked under the kids sail free promotion with Carnival for our upcoming cruise. We've also sailed to Alaska on NCL with the kids sail free promotion.

 

I don't know what months NCL offers the promotion but I do know that I see it in March each year a lot, but as a previous poster said....it's offered several times per year. SO....keep an eye out!

[The Mister]

(1) Does RCI offer KSF other than in March?

 

(2) If yes, is it ever a particularly good deal, or should I expect the rate for the first two guests to be significantly inflated like they were a few months ago?

[Keith1010]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

These offers occur many times depending on supply and demand.

 

Keith

Edited June 13, 2014 by Keith1010

[Lerin]

I was recently told about MSC cruise line and they always have kids sail free.

 

^^ This. And they are trying to up their American market so the prices for adults are pretty low too.

[Aussiebel]

Just a quick word about MSC cruises and their kids sail free. We are a family of 5 also (kids are 7, 5 and 4). We hunted high and low looking for the best way we could afford a cruise. We priced cruise lines with family cabins, and also looked at the cost of booking 2 inside cabins on many different cruise lines. We have finally booked a cruise on the MSC Divina for next July as we felt it offered us the best value for money. Unfortunately the kids sail free is only available for 2 children staying in a cabin with 2 adults. We were able to get around this by inviting family along. We booked a balcony cabin for 2 adults and 2 children, and were able to book one of our children into another family members cabin. (The price we paid for our Balcony cabin was less than we were quoted for an inside cabin on a few other cruise lines.) If we hadn't of done this we would have had to book 2 cabins. This is then charged as 2 adults fares and 1 child in first cabin and 2 adult fares in the second cabin (so really only 1 child is travelling free instead of all 3). I hope this hasn't confused you, just wanted to share our experience travelling as a family of 5. Don't give up hope on cruising again, I found with a bit of research, and keeping an eye on prices regularly something affordable will always pop up!

[gkrnjlr]

Just a quick word about MSC cruises and their kids sail free. We are a family of 5 also (kids are 7, 5 and 4). We hunted high and low looking for the best way we could afford a cruise. We priced cruise lines with family cabins, and also looked at the cost of booking 2 inside cabins on many different cruise lines. We have finally booked a cruise on the MSC Divina for next July as we felt it offered us the best value for money. Unfortunately the kids sail free is only available for 2 children staying in a cabin with 2 adults. We were able to get around this by inviting family along. We booked a balcony cabin for 2 adults and 2 children, and were able to book one of our children into another family members cabin. (The price we paid for our Balcony cabin was less than we were quoted for an inside cabin on a few other cruise lines.) If we hadn't of done this we would have had to book 2 cabins. This is then charged as 2 adults fares and 1 child in first cabin and 2 adult fares in the second cabin (so really only 1 child is travelling free instead of all 3). I hope this hasn't confused you, just wanted to share our experience travelling as a family of 5. Don't give up hope on cruising again, I found with a bit of research, and keeping an eye on prices regularly something affordable will always pop up!

 

We have the exact same problem. We're a family of 5 and if we can't get a cabin for 5 it gets expensive paying the 1st and 2nd fare on 4 people. Do you have any friends that are sailing at the same time or can you convince friends/family to cruise with you?

[The Mister]

We have the exact same problem. We're a family of 5 and if we can't get a cabin for 5 it gets expensive paying the 1st and 2nd fare on 4 people. Do you have any friends that are sailing at the same time or can you convince friends/family to cruise with you?

That's why RCI's family cabins are such a good deal during KSF promos. :) (When those cabins are available, of course.)

[gkrnjlr]

That's why RCI's family cabins are such a good deal during KSF promos. :) (When those cabins are available, of course.)

 

We've never sailed RCI. Are the family cabins available on all ships?

 

Thanks!

[KatieCharlotte]

We've cruised as a family of five with Carnival at very affordable prices. The Dream, Magic, and Breeze have oceanviews for five, and many of the older ships (including the Victory and the renovated Sunshine) allow five in certain inside and oceanview cabins, which can be very cheap even without "kids sale free" promotions (which aren't even always the best deals). You'll be able to save more by sailing when schoolage children are in school.

[The Mister]

We've never sailed RCI. Are the family cabins available on all ships?

 

Thanks!

Voyager, Freedom and Oasis class ships have them for sure. I don't think the other classes do. I've read elsewhere on CC that you can, in fact, use the KSF promotion on berths 3-6, effectively getting a cruise for 6 for the (probably somewhat inflated) base price of 2 (plus port fees and tips, of course).

[Hekla]

Even if kids sail free- you'll have to get a more expensive cabin that holds 5. Might be time to leave the kids home with a sitter. Will probably cost much less in the end.

 

I was thinking a lot more about the cost of airfare too if they have to fly to port. Kids only fly at reduced rates until 2 if you are lucky. I had to start paying full fare for my kid at 12 months because no way I was holding a near toddler for 12 hours. You'd have to hope stars cross to some extent that the cheap cruise matches up to cheap airfare. We've had to fly during the school year because it is often just simply too expensive to fly during peak. But when you can work it out, it can work out. We got an unexpected trip to Iceland out of flying Icelandair and using their free stopover service. It cost us $700 extra for a long weekend there. We would have not have gone there otherwise. And it was soooooooo worth it.

 

Personally, this was one of the huge motivators for us to stop at one kid. Travel is just expensive, even on the cheap, but at the same time, very important to us. We make a lot of adjustments in other areas of our life too to afford it: cheap no contract cell phones, drive old cars bought in cash, rent a place below our means, very little eating out, meals at home are planned, going to movies only happens once a year for kid's birthday, no credit card debt, buying a lot secondhand on CL, eBay and at Goodwill. We have rewards credit cards that we used to pay about $600 towards this cruise. We put everything we possibly can on the cards and then pay them off immediately. I mean, I pay as soon as charges post, not when the bill is due. So even if you have more than one kid, there are ways to significantly reduce your expenses and scrape up some extra cash for a vacation.

 

You just have to decide what is important to you. You may decide cruising isn't all that important after all. Nothing wrong with that. I know a lot of people look at us and can't understand how we can possibly drive around our old buckets and use such an old cell phone, etc, etc. *shrug*

[rebeccalouiseagain]

I know many parents want to bond with their kids on vacation and there is nothing wrong with that. The OP mentioned three small children and the expense of traveling with them.

 

Parents need vacations, kids go joyfully. But consider this... babies are on vacation everyday. They don't pay bills, carpool, clean the house and get road rage. Kids eat, play and sleep. They don't need a getaway. Toddlers aren't going to remember the trip at all.

 

Parents don't have to feel guilty about getting away for a week each year without their kids. It is a great time to rest and rejuvenate. Happy parents are good parents.

[fizboBunny]

babies are on vacation everyday. They don't pay bills, carpool, clean the house and get road rage. Kids eat, play and sleep.

 

I have never thought of it this way, but it's so true.

[gkrnjlr]

Voyager, Freedom and Oasis class ships have them for sure. I don't think the other classes do. I've read elsewhere on CC that you can, in fact, use the KSF promotion on berths 3-6, effectively getting a cruise for 6 for the (probably somewhat inflated) base price of 2 (plus port fees and tips, of course).

 

Thank you! I will check them out! We've been wanting to try RCI but just haven't yet. The kids ooh and ahh over the commercials when they come on tv.

[Onessa]

They don't need a getaway. Toddlers aren't going to remember the trip at all.

Well if they don't "remember" why bother with infancy and early childhood at all -- give birth and then shuttle the kids off to some huge sterile baby dormitory and let robots take care of them until they turn 7 or 8 years old, because they won't "remember" much until then.

 

Your infant or toddler, while not having specific memories of certain events, certainly is shaped by all of their early childhood experiences. Writing off taking your young children with you on a vacation because "they won't remember it" doesn't make any sense. Joining your family on a nice vacation certainly would be a positive experience for your little one(s).

 

As to infants and young children not "working" -- you try learning to walk and talk and coordinate your fine motor skills -- more work than you do on a daily basis :D !

Edited June 18, 2014 by Onessa

[rebeccalouiseagain]

Onessa- I would assume that if one left three toddlers (I was referring to the OP's post) at home to go on a trip- they would leave said children in good hands.

 

Are you seriously that worried about your kids being without you for a week? I've left my son at home five times since he was born (he's 13) and he was not with robots- he was with loving family members who enjoyed the time with him. It's not the end of the world leaving kids at home for a week- whether they are a baby or teen. They'll be fine and it is nothing to feel guilty about.

 

I should note that my youngest son has been on over 25 cruises and I have only done one without him. The other trips were to Italy, Las Vegas, New Orleans and France. I don't regret not taking him either! I'm not anti-traveling with kids at all. But it's ok to leave them home and focus on yourself once in a while. Happy Moms are better parents.

Edited June 18, 2014 by rebeccalouiseagain

[boulders]

We've never sailed RCI. Are the family cabins available on all ships?

 

Thanks!

 

Voyager, Freedom and Oasis class ships have them for sure. I don't think the other classes do. I've read elsewhere on CC that you can, in fact, use the KSF promotion on berths 3-6, effectively getting a cruise for 6 for the (probably somewhat inflated) base price of 2 (plus port fees and tips, of course).

 

Radiance class and Quantum class have family cabins too.

[AlohaPride]

Congratulations on the birth of your twins!! We also have three kids and still cruise, so it's NOT completely lost to you :) Enjoy this time!

[Onessa]

Onessa- I would assume that if one left three toddlers (I was referring to the OP's post) at home to go on a trip- they would leave said children in good hands.

 

Are you seriously that worried about your kids being without you for a week? I've left my son at home five times since he was born (he's 13) and he was not with robots- he was with loving family members who enjoyed the time with him. It's not the end of the world leaving kids at home for a week- whether they are a baby or teen. They'll be fine and it is nothing to feel guilty about.

 

I should note that my youngest son has been on over 25 cruises and I have only done one without him. The other trips were to Italy, Las Vegas, New Orleans and France. I don't regret not taking him either! I'm not anti-traveling with kids at all. But it's ok to leave them home and focus on yourself once in a while. Happy Moms are better parents.

I am simply pointing out that the concept that since the kids are "too young to remember" it is OK to leave them behind is a really stupid argument as to why you should exclude them from any particular activity. Babies and toddlers are impacted by experiences for which they have no distinct memories. The experience of being cared for by someone else could actually be a positive experience -- but don't be saying that simply because they will not "remember" that you need not concern yourself about it.

 

And PS - I am a "happy" mom. While I've needed to go away on business trips without her, and while she has gone off on school trips, band trips, team trips without me (so it is not like we are joined at the hip!); I've never felt it necessary to vacation without her.

Edited June 19, 2014 by Onessa

[hopesicle]

When does this promotion happen? Following the arrival of twins 5weeks ago , coupled with a 21 month old (who we've cruised with twice) , DW and I are wondering will we ever be able to afford a cruise again :confused

 

We did the KSF promotion with Disney in April 2013 and the prices weren't inflated. It made a Disney cruise actually affordable for us and Disney is the BEST for small kids in my opinion. We have our 3rd on the way but I wonder if Disney has a room to accommodate 5-not sure.

As far as when, you just have to keep an eye on the blogs (mousesavers.com for Disney) and the boards (here is probably best) to find when the various cruise lines do these promotions. We're doing KSF with Royal Caribbean in September on the Allure and while it is not a "good deal", without this promo there is no way we would ever go on this ship. (and truthfully we wouldn't be going on it anyway except we have a generous family member who is paying for it since it's double what we normally pay!)

I don't disagree with the person who posted that parents need time away, we've done this for sure, but don't give up on traveling with your kiddos, you just have to find the right time and deal!

[southern cruising couple]

(1) Does RCI offer KSF other than in March?

 

(2) If yes, is it ever a particularly good deal, or should I expect the rate for the first two guests to be significantly inflated like they were a few months ago?

 

YES! We are booked on the Allure of the Seas for September 7th under the Kids Sail Free Promo. This promo was good for sailings Sept - November. Saved us over $1400 for a Boardwalk Balcony.

 

Now that we have two kids we will definitely try to seek out these promotions and be prepared to book quick because usually the promotion must be booked within a short time frame with sailing not too far off.