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Never cruised.. Bermuda/boston w/kids??


Chzbrg28
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So we want to go in 2016,June . We have a 6,4&1.5 yr old. It seems like a convenient way to go! Flying is hard with this crew. I've read some others reviews and photos and it looks like fun. So we have 3kids going and us 2. What can we expect to pay? Websites I've looked at have given me $500-&1500pp. We defin can't do $1500pp. Any tips for booking? Thx

Super excited for our first vacation !!

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I think you are out of luck. With three children that young, you will need a ship that has cabins for five - hard to find - or two cabins that connect with an interior door. Celebrity Summit from Cape Liberty, NJ has Family verandah cabins that sleep five, but they are few and book early. Not sure what the NCL ship from Boston offers. EM

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You will end up spending about 1/2 of the cruise cost in "incidentals"...like tips and beverages..booze and soda is NOT included.

 

And, yes...5 passengers is going to be difficult. Ship cabins are tiny...4 in one cabin is packed...most don't even allow 5 unless you book a suite. Cabins are nowhere near the size of a hotel room...

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I love the boston to Bermuda run on the Dawn, but with 3 little kids you might want to check out Breakaway which sails to Bermuda from NY. It has family oceanview rooms that will hold 5. On Dawn you will need to get 2 connecting rooms. Assuming you and your significant other want to sleep in the same room :)

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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The key is to book early.

 

Lowest price rooms and those in the best locations in all other categories go first.

 

I would get a Travel Agent who specializes in cruises to help you. Ask friends who cruise if they have a recommendation.

 

We've done a cruise several times to Bermuda and a couple when our children were young and it was great.

 

You get a nice mix of sea days and days in port.

 

Keith

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I would suggest getting a travel agent or booking directly over the phone with an agent from the cruise line itself. There are some rooms on cruise lines that hold 5, but they are few and book fast. If you are comfortable with two connecting rooms or side by side or across from one another, that would be your best bet.

 

Last year Royal had a few sales that were great for families...when we booked they had a deal where the 3rd and 4th passenger were half off. They also did a kids sail free deal that some took advantage of. But it is hard to determine when those sales would be....

 

Its best to book as early as possible and then if price drops before your final payment date you MAY be eligible to get that price drop and save some money.

 

Flying is so expensive so I am right there with you as far as needing to drive to the port to save on expenses.

Keep in mind to also prepare for onboard purchases, gratuities (even have to be paid for the kiddos), drink packages or drink purchases, and specialty dining, and if you have to use the paid child care at all....

 

 

And try to find a ship that has a child swim area incase your little one isn't potty trained yet, they will not be allowed into the pool unless it is a designated area for babies still in swim diapers. (We were pretty diligent in getting our 2 year old trained this summer for our upcoming cruise in April, she will be an early 3 year old and the ship we are going on has no swim diaper areas available and she would not have been able to go to the kids club)

 

 

Just to give you an idea we paid a little over $3300 for our family of 4 for a 10 day cruise, that included our prepaid gratuities I added to the booking. Our travel agent also gave us $100 onboard credit to use once on ship. We will then only have to worry about onboard expenses and our drinks (probably getting a package)..we don't do the special dinning that cost more and we may or may not do any excursions as they would cost more as well.

 

 

I would also recommend getting travel insurance for your family, which can be purchased through a travel agent if you use one. We received a quote for a little over $100...that would protect us on canceling after final payment if needed, if we missed the ship on boarding day or at a port, and any medical emergencies if they happen while on vacation....I don't want any of these things to happen but it feels nice to have insurance in the event something did.

 

 

and I know I am rambling on, but some say cruising with kids is expensive when really it isn't. We did a 7 day trip to the beach last year where we split a condo with other family....it was a 14 hr drive to and from...after you add in all the meals, gas, entertainment, and shopping for souvenirs etc...I am certain we spent a little over $3000 and that vacation wasn't even as long as this upcoming cruise!

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  • 2 weeks later...
So we want to go in 2016,June . We have a 6,4&1.5 yr old. It seems like a convenient way to go! Flying is hard with this crew. I've read some others reviews and photos and it looks like fun. So we have 3kids going and us 2. What can we expect to pay? Websites I've looked at have given me $500-&1500pp. We defin can't do $1500pp. Any tips for booking? Thx

Super excited for our first vacation !!

 

I believe cruising will be a wonderful affordable option for your family, for mostly everything is included in the price of the cruise, in terms of lodging, food, and entertainment and kids programs that will allow the adults some free time. The key is booking early. In terms of booking there really isn’t much of a price difference when booking directly from the cruise line or from a travel agent. The advantage of booking with a TA is the fact that you may get perks such as free beverage packages or free upgrades etc. Once you find the ship and itinerary that works for you, you can pay a deposit to book and then you will have up to 90 days prior to sailing (each cruise line may vary a bit) to pay the entire balance. Most cruise lines offer specials on the 3rd guest and each guest after. For instance my children and I (3 of us total) are booked on the Emerald Princess I paid $816.00 for the first 2 and only $199.00 for the third person, note this does not include tax and other surcharges the total was about $2200. In terms of price it really depends on the type of stateroom, and where you would like to go.

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