Just curious...pricing cruising with 1 and 2 year old....

[tartana]

I just priced a potential late 2023 cruise with our grown children and grandbabies who will be 1 and 2 years old at the time.  Celebrity prices them both at over $900 each.  Is this normal?  This is the first time I have even looked potentially at taking them, so I'm wondering if anyone has any insight on similar scenarios? It seems pretty crazy for 2 and less to be that price IMO. 

[davekathy]

As it should be. 

[tallnthensome]

3 minutes ago, davekathy said:

As it should be. 

Why? You don't like kids on your cruises ? 1 and 2 year olds don't consume a whole lot so they shouldn't be charged that much. Not receiving direct service like adults as well. 

[cruisestitch]

They often make pretty big messes in their stateroom…..ground up Cheerios in the carpet, that kind of thing

[omeinv]

That sounds right for third and fourth passengers in a room. 

 

Generally children pay the same price as anyone else, since cruise ships capacity is determined per person, regardless of age (or size).  Consequently each passenger aboard "consumes" one available space.  While it's true children that young don't eat much, they do use up statutory capacity; and do not gamble, go to specialty restaurants, buy art, or participate many of the other additional revenue streams the cruise lines count on for profitability. 

 

Very rarely Celebrity will run a promotion where children sail for less.  That type of promotion is more common on lines that market more toward families with younger children. 

 

Harris

Denver, CO

[davekathy]

17 minutes ago, tallnthensome said:

Why? You don't like kids on your cruises ? 1 and 2 year olds don't consume a whole lot so they shouldn't be charged that much. Not receiving direct service like adults as well. 

I never implied or expressed that. 

[tallnthensome]

2 minutes ago, davekathy said:

I never implied or expressed that. 

Then why do you insist that a one year old pay $900 to eat baby food on board ? Is staff feeding and changing this baby and rocking them to sleep? 

[davekathy]

9 minutes ago, tallnthensome said:

Then why do you insist that a one year old pay $900 to eat baby food on board ? Is staff feeding and changing this baby and rocking them to sleep? 

I never implied or expressed that I insist who gets charged what. Way above my pay grade. Just agreeing with Celebritys policy.  I have no idea and don't care what the staff does for an infant. 

Edited June 4, 2022 by davekathy

[markeb]

This used to come up about once every 3-6 months pre-pandemic. I guess we're getting back to normal...

 

It's not what the baby is eating. It's what's not being bought by a teenager or adult who could be in that space. I'd take it as an indication, like it or not, that Celebrity's pricing models are going back to fully booked ships. There are limits to how many "humans" can be on the ship, and infants don't buy booze, specialty dinners, etc. You're paying for what they're not buying as extras, although they're not going to say that.

[mahdnc]

1 hour ago, tartana said:

I just priced a potential late 2023 cruise with our grown children and grandbabies who will be 1 and 2 years old at the time.  Celebrity prices them both at over $900 each.  Is this normal?  This is the first time I have even looked potentially at taking them, so I'm wondering if anyone has any insight on similar scenarios? It seems pretty crazy for 2 and less to be that price IMO. 

 

tartana,

 

The pricing sounds correct although a long time ago your two grandbabies' cruise fare could have been free!

 

We have sailed with our two kids for 14 Celebrity cruises since 1996.  I have watched the pricing for kids change over time. 

 

On our first cruise in 1996, Celebrity had a reduced fare for children under 12 as long as they were sailing as 3rd/4th passengers.  It was only about $100 cheaper than an adult sailing as a 3rd/4th.  Also back then our infant son sailed for free because that was the fare for kids under two years old although they still paid taxes and fees. 

 

Also, suggested gratuities for kids under 12 yrs old (sailing as 3rd/4th) was 50% of the amount recommended for a 1st/2nd adult.  That always generated a lot of discussion on Cruise Critic back in the day on whether kids merited the 50% discount (dkjretired would attest to that).  We always cheerfully paid the stateroom and dining room staff 100% (or more) because they were so great with the kids.  We would also generously tip the Fun Factory youth counselors who did not have any gratuities suggested by Celebrity.

 

By 1999, Celebrity eliminated the special fares for kids although the 50% gratuities for kids 12 yrs and under still remained.  And somewhere after 2007 the 50% gratuity charge for kids was eliminated.

 

So today there are no special fare or gratuity discounts for kids built into Celebrity's pricing structure.  Pre-pandemic, Celebrity would occasionally run a promotion where kids cruised for free (again, as 3rd/4th passengers).  You will likely not see that for a while.

 

David

Edited June 4, 2022 by mahdnc

[LGW59]

1 hour ago, tallnthensome said:

Then why do you insist that a one year old pay $900 to eat baby food on board ? Is staff feeding and changing this baby and rocking them to sleep? 

I think it is Celebrity who is "insisting" they pay, NOT the poster, take your complaint to Celebrity

[Dar & Bob]

1 hour ago, tallnthensome said:

Then why do you insist that a one year old pay $900 to eat baby food on board ? Is staff feeding and changing this baby and rocking them to sleep? 

So with that logic why should I pay as much as a man who consumes more than I do?? Really a body is a body, where do you draw the lines?

[Arizona Wildcat]

2 hours ago, tallnthensome said:

Then why do you insist that a one year old pay $900 to eat baby food on board ? Is staff feeding and changing this baby and rocking them to sleep? 

You certainly have opinions about all sorts of things.

[chemmo]

9 hours ago, tartana said:

I just priced a potential late 2023 cruise with our grown children and grandbabies who will be 1 and 2 years old at the time.  Celebrity prices them both at over $900 each.  Is this normal?  This is the first time I have even looked potentially at taking them, so I'm wondering if anyone has any insight on similar scenarios? It seems pretty crazy for 2 and less to be that price IMO. 

As others have said this is the norm on cruising and I think fairly standard across all lines although it may be worth checking Disney…I guess many of us have got used to hotel/holiday deals with free or very reduced baby/child prices.

 

Celebrity would not be our cruise line of choice with babies. For slightly older children there are the well recommended children’s clubs and they can obviously enjoy the main pool. There is no splash pool area on Celebrity ships.

 

Another way to keep costs down (and possibly improve your cruise experience) could be to look at some of the family accommodation on some of the Royal Caribbean ships. They have some suites that are ideal for extended and multigenerational travel. Whilst initially they can look expensive if you add up the cost of a couple of veranda rooms as the alternative then they can become a good option. Suite perks, shared family space, easy to arrange babysitting sharing time. Most of their ships are far more family oriented too and have splash pool areas etc which your youngest grandchildren could enjoy, plenty of things for older grandchildren to enjoy too.

[mac_tlc]

Royal is currently running a kids sail free promo. Expires soon.

 

mac_tlc

[ymncruise]

Watch for 3rd and 4th person free specials. Maybe they will offer them again since the ships are sailing fuller. 

[islabahia]

11 hours ago, tallnthensome said:

Then why do you insist that a one year old pay $900 to eat baby food on board ? Is staff feeding and changing this baby and rocking them to sleep? 

Interesting…your comments on several threads seem to be of a “poke the bear” quality.  Are you just boosting your post count or stirring the pot?  JMHO

[mahdnc]

@tartana, I forgot to add that it is common today to see Celebrity shore excursions discounted for kids that are 12 years old and under.

 

[TeeRick]

There are other cruise lines that might give you lower or no fares for young children.  Just do some research.  You already know Celebrity's policy.  If unhappy go elsewhere.  No response on this board will change the Celebrity policy.  Not a question of fairness.  It is your cruise, your money and your buying option.

[PTC DAWG]

Celebrity’s pricing on this works for me. 

[mayleeman]

@tartana Besides the other reasons given, please also remember that Celebrity has to have staff specially trained and assigned to children in the event of an emergency, or god forbid, evacuation. A couple of small children may not consume as much on-board on a cruise, but they don't hear announcements, understand muster requirements, or move themselves without help. Yes, parents will usually take them  but Celebrity is responsible for their safety.

 

BTW, sorry your questions got deflected by someone who wanted an argument. I hope people are aware it wasn't you.

Edited June 4, 2022 by mayleeman

[ellsbells3032]

We are going with my 9 month old and that price sounds pretty similar to what we are paying 

[docsneeze]

I empathize with OP on this matter.   We cruised with our 18 mo pre Covid on RCL after being on Celebrity many times in the past.  The food, service, and accommodations were noticeably inferior to Celebrity.  Splash pools and toddler facilities were a joke.  Most lines will charge around $400 per infant but Celebrity charges considerably more.  The fares you mention are in line with what we have paid.  This may be intentional to discourage children taking their cruises for the benefit of its target older markets.

 

 I realize that Celebrity is a more adult oriented line but even Holland America charges much less and has better food and family oriented activities than other mass market lines.  No one will mention HAL with RCL or Carnival.

 

Some of the comments on these boards regarding children seem to be mean spirited and as a parent I understand EVERYONE wants to have a pleasant and peaceful vacation.  But parents should be able to enjoy an upscale cruise experience also.

 

Children under 3 generally are not nearly as high maintenance as older kids and do not require nearly as much attention.  However, Celebrity is an upscale line and we prefer the higher quality experience. In that regard we are willing to pay for it.

 

Finally, as mentioned above, many other lines have cheaper child fares or even free.  Conversely, Disney is one of the most expensive lines.  As your children get older, you will likely feel the need to spend even more just to provide that experience for them!!

 

I wish you and your family pleasant cruising as it is one of the best multi-generational vacation options out there.

 

[gold1953]

when ships sail to capacity you can get turned down for extra passengers in your cabin even though you have the extra beds. Capacity means all seats in life boats are taken. So small children count and often take spots from money making passengers. Food is low cost compared to the extras

[Homosassa]

1 hour ago, TeeRick said:

There are other cruise lines that might give you lower or no fares for young children.  Just do some research.  

However, included in that research should be the the fares for passengers one and two on the cruises with reduced fares for children.

 

This is especially true for childless passengers.

 

Often the fares for adults will be higher for any adult, with or without children, to subsidize the reduced children's fare compared to a comparable cruise on the same line, ship and itinerary without the reduced children's fare.

 

While Disney fares have been mentioned as being high, Disney also tries to attract adults without children. Those adults will also pay the same high rates without children to help subsidize the children's fares for others.