do all cruise lines charge for infants?

[ourhoneymoon06]

We are thinking about taking our son on a cruise when he is 6 months old and had no idea that cruise lines charge for such a small infant.

[lvtotrvl1]

NCL will charge only port charges , taxes and govt fees...Disney offers dicounted fares ...all the rest will charge a 3rd or 4th person rate for infants....

 

Understand that to a cruiseline, an infant is not a money making person...no drinks, no gambling , no spas etc...also, they do count as occupancy on a ship so allowing alot of infants can impact restricting revenue making clients....

[crusinmama06]

Yep, what lvtotrvl said.

 

And if you do Disney, then you'll pay more for the first and second person in the cabin anyway...so you might as well just pay for the child on RCCL or Carnival. ;)

[c-cruise]

We have found that HAL generally charges a reduced 3rd person rate for a child under 2. At least they have on the three cruises we have done with our daughter (plus one more booked).

[mcfam5]

offers kids travel for free. Celebrat would probably have some specifics, I know she has a cruise booked for 2009 with this cruise line. I would imagine port fees, taxes would need to be paid and definitely gratuities.

[Julienatul]

Sometimes RCCL will run a $99 3rd passenger rate and Carnival will usually discount the fare considerably. Look for specials or just price them all out. Alot of times Carnival will be cheaper altogether even with paying the reduced fare because their 1st and 2nd passenger rates are much lower. We usually average around $250 for DD as the fare on our 5-7 day cruises on Carnival. Also Carnival does not charge gratuities for passengers under age 2.

[NoelsCat]

Also Carnival does not charge gratuities for passengers under age 2.

 

Not to be snarky -- but even if the line doesn't charge gratuities, I hope most parents do tip even for the youngest members. :)

[redsoxgrlt]

I just booked a cruise for the DH and I, including my then-to-be 1 year-old through Carnival. I was charged 3rd person rate for my child, which was basically half price of the per person rate. We booked a balcony room for $779 per person, and were charged $329 for the baby, not including fees and tax. etc. I'm assuming if you got a less expensive room you would pay less for the 3rd person (child).

[wanderingfool]

Costa also just charges port taxes for infants (including destinations other than the Caribbean.)

[redsoxgrlt]

P.S. Noelscat- What an adorable little boy!!! :)

[gkrnjlr]

NCL will charge only port charges , taxes and govt fees...

 

 

What age children does this include?

 

Thanks!

[NoelsCat]

P.S. Noelscat- What an adorable little boy!!! :)

 

 

Ahhh, :o Thank you. He is truly the light of my life. Thanks for making my night. :)

[Julienatul]

Not to be snarky -- but even if the line doesn't charge gratuities, I hope most parents do tip even for the youngest members. :)

 

We absolutely do, we actually end up tipping more than the prepaid gratuties are. However, if you are budgeting, this is a consideration because those pre-paid gratuties add up. It allows you to tip where the actual service was provided. For instance if your 6 month-old is only bottle fed and eats out of baby food jars with baby spoons you brought and doesnt accompany you to the dining room or sleeps in the stroller through dinner as ours did at that age, then I dont feel tipping is necessary for the dining staff who never saw him/her. However, the room steward who worked just as hard emptying the trash with dirty diapers and changing sheets on the crib certainly deserves a nice tip. It allows you to choose accordingly which is great.

[c-cruise]

We absolutely do, we actually end up tipping more than the prepaid gratuties are. However, if you are budgeting, this is a consideration because those pre-paid gratuties add up. It allows you to tip where the actual service was provided. For instance if your 6 month-old is only bottle fed and eats out of baby food jars with baby spoons you brought and doesnt accompany you to the dining room or sleeps in the stroller through dinner as ours did at that age, then I dont feel tipping is necessary for the dining staff who never saw him/her. However, the room steward who worked just as hard emptying the trash with dirty diapers and changing sheets on the crib certainly deserves a nice tip. It allows you to choose accordingly which is great.

 

I tend to agree with this. We removed the tips for our daughter at 5 months old as she really didn't use any services on the ship, we even brought and changed our own crib sheets. On her two subsequent cruises at 11 months and 18 months we left her tips in place. We generally tip our dining room stewards extra as we do ask more of them with having to deal with a baby in the dining room.

[redsoxgrlt]

Glad you mentioned that, removing tips didn't even cross my mind but I will be removing tips for my 1 year-old now!! Not being cheap, I always give the standard charged tips for DH and I, plus we always leave the room steward extra cash, as well as the waitstaff.. that should cover the baby! I wouldn't do this if I had an older child or teenager or something, but I don't see the sense in paying adult charges for a baby that isn't being served in the dining room, etc.

[gkrnjlr]

This past cruise we were on (9/7/08) we were not charged gratuities for the baby and we were up in the air about leaving anything extra for her, etc. It was our view that no one would be going out of their way, etc. so we hadn't decided what we'd do.

 

While we were on cruise we were given so much "extra" treatment that was above and beyond by people that weren't even our waiters, etc. that we ended up actually becoming friends with, too. We ended up tipping more than the gratuities would've cost for her alone. They really did go out of their way to entertain and play with her, etc. If they hadn't, I don't know that I would've left much extra. We got the "wow" treatment.

[notentirelynormal]

Princess didn't charge us tips for our 6 MO grand daughter.

[Kerry's Girls]

Glad you mentioned that, removing tips didn't even cross my mind but I will be removing tips for my 1 year-old now!! Not being cheap, I always give the standard charged tips for DH and I, plus we always leave the room steward extra cash, as well as the waitstaff.. that should cover the baby! I wouldn't do this if I had an older child or teenager or something, but I don't see the sense in paying adult charges for a baby that isn't being served in the dining room, etc.

 

I think I would have thought the same way before my first cruise with tots. But, if your one year old will be eating anything in the dining room or buffet, or if your room steward will be removing your toddler's dirty diapers/towels/linens from your room, I'm not sure how your child is causing that much less work than an adult. I think once you're on board you'll realize that a toddler actually causes more work for those who are helping you. If your child is eating only baby food from a jar and making no mess, I could see removing the portion allotted for the wait staff, but that would be the only discount I could think of. We are just off our latest cruise and I'm always touched by the number of staff who dote on my children because they've left their own at home in order to provide a better life for their kids. I'm always inclined to tip more, not less. Clearly you're not cheap since you often leave extra for yourself and your husband (which I don't do), so I'll be interested to know what you decide once you're on your cruise.

 

Have a great time!

 

Best,

Mia

[NoelsCat]

I think I would have thought the same way before my first cruise with tots. But' date=' if your one year old will be eating anything in the dining room or buffet, or if your room steward will be removing your toddler's dirty diapers/towels/linens from your room, I'm not sure how your child is causing that much less work than an adult. I think once you're on board you'll realize that a toddler actually causes more work for those who are helping you. If your child is eating only baby food from a jar and making no mess, I could see removing the portion allotted for the wait staff, but that would be the only discount I could think of. We are just off our latest cruise and I'm always touched by the number of staff who dote on my children because they've left their own at home in order to provide a better life for their kids. I'm always inclined to tip more, not less. Clearly you're not cheap since you often leave extra for yourself and your husband (which I don't do), so I'll be interested to know what you decide once you're on your cruise.

 

Have a great time!

 

Best,

Mia[/quote']

 

 

This was very nicely said. :)

[queenL]

We cruised with our daughter when she was five months. It was a positive experience. She is about to take her second cruise this Nov. I just wanted to add that MSC cruises kids are free and Costa often has kids free sailings too.

[redsoxgrlt]

I think I would have thought the same way before my first cruise with tots. But' date=' if your one year old will be eating anything in the dining room or buffet, or if your room steward will be removing your toddler's dirty diapers/towels/linens from your room, I'm not sure how your child is causing that much less work than an adult. I think once you're on board you'll realize that a toddler actually causes more work for those who are helping you. If your child is eating only baby food from a jar and making no mess, I could see removing the portion allotted for the wait staff, but that would be the only discount I could think of. We are just off our latest cruise and I'm always touched by the number of staff who dote on my children because they've left their own at home in order to provide a better life for their kids. I'm always inclined to tip more, not less. Clearly you're not cheap since you often leave extra for yourself and your husband (which I don't do), so I'll be interested to know what you decide once you're on your cruise.

 

Have a great time!

 

Best,

Mia[/quote']

 

 

 

Well, of course I say that now, but like you said I may change my mind, once I cruise for the first time with a little one! I'm assuming that the baby won't be using dining room service, since she will only be 1 and we have the late seating. I've read elsewhere on this board that possibly feeding her early (from the buffet or baby food, etc.), getting her ready for bed and letting her doze in the stroller while having dinner is a good way to go! Might be wishful thinking, though :rolleyes: LOL! I understand your point about the room stewards, though. I'm probably underestimating the extra work my child will be for everyone because she hasn't even arrived yet! No matter what, I'll make sure the service people are well taken care of, since they always do such a great job!

[BrooklynChick]

I just booked a cruise on the Norwegin Gem for 11/29/08. We were charged only taxes and port charges for my 7 month old daughter. As for tips - I am definetly planning on tipping extra for the room steward. We are doing a wait-n-see for wait staff.

[Ellie78]

Hmmm, I had no idea they charged for infants. I was looking to take a cruise using travelocity for booking, and they only had a place to enter the number of children going for ages 3-7. Can someone help me out with this? TIA.

[crusinmama06]

Hmmm, I had no idea they charged for infants. I was looking to take a cruise using travelocity for booking, and they only had a place to enter the number of children going for ages 3-7. Can someone help me out with this? TIA.

 

Yep, some do charge. Just do some research and play around with the dates. The best thing to do is to go to a booking site that does allow you to enter the age of the child (Expedia does)

 

Then click on "list by price" or something to that effect. You will see the inexpensive cruises first. So although you may be paying for the infant, you may be paying less for the 1st/2nd person (usually the adults) in the cabin. So the overall price of the cruise will be less.

 

If you are able to travel during dates that typically, other parents cant (during school times, not holidays)....then look for those dates. The price to cruise is often alot less.

 

I have been on cruises where the kids were $89. I have also been on cruises where the kids were $1,049. ;) Big difference...lol.

 

So just play around with the booking sites.

 

Also, some cruiselines are more family friendly....so you may want to exclude ones that aren't.

 

If you have any more questions, feel free to ask and I'm sure one of us can help you.

 

Welcome to CC :D

[Kerry's Girls]

Well, of course I say that now, but like you said I may change my mind, once I cruise for the first time with a little one! I'm assuming that the baby won't be using dining room service, since she will only be 1 and we have the late seating. I've read elsewhere on this board that possibly feeding her early (from the buffet or baby food, etc.), getting her ready for bed and letting her doze in the stroller while having dinner is a good way to go! Might be wishful thinking, though :rolleyes: LOL! I understand your point about the room stewards, though. I'm probably underestimating the extra work my child will be for everyone because she hasn't even arrived yet! No matter what, I'll make sure the service people are well taken care of, since they always do such a great job!

 

Just FYI - at 1 your child would (could) be eating regular food. Even if it's only at the buffet, that would still require wait staff to clean, etc (the buffet staff are included in tips). But obviously you're very open minded, which will also really work for you when cruising with baby. After your first year with child, you're really going to need and appreciate all the service you recieve on board! How wonderful to have a child and a cruise to look forward to. Congratulations!

 

Best,

Mia