why does the per person price jump when I bring a one year-old?

Hi all,

We have traveled all over but are relatively new to cruising. We did a 10 day cruise on Princess four months ago and loved it, so hoping to do another.

I'm interested in the RC cruise leaving on Monday out of Miami, for four nights, in the Bahamas. When I quote out two adults in an interior cabin the RC website gives me a per person price of $338. When I add our one-year old daughter to the same cabin, the per person price becomes $409. Can anyone explain? I again emphasize that I am not in any way getting a larger cabin. All we need for her is a pac and play to sleep in (or she can sleep with us if the beds are joined).

Thanks!

I think the difference is adding a third person in the cabin. She does not cruise for free.

Some cabins can only accomodate 2 people. That's probably the lower price you got. When you added another person you needed a quad (a cabin that can accomodate 4 people - there are no 3's). There probably weren't any quad cabins in the lower category, so you were bumped up. Categories can account for placement on the ship, not size. So, a cabin in a "better place" can cost more than a cabin in a "less desirable" location even though they are exactly the same size. I suspect that this is what happened.

The rate for two may be an inside guarantee for two people. For three you need a cabin that can legally hold three people so are probably looking at a rate for a cabin assignment.

I did a "dummy" booking for this cruise using TX as my home state & the 1st & 2nd person rate did not change, just added an additional $199 for the baby.

There are a couple of possible reasons. RCI does not have child rates ... the 3rd person in the cabin is charged the 3rd/4th rate (which varies in price just like the price for the 1st two passengers based on how the cruise is selling), regardless of age. With that being said, cabins that hold 3/4 can sometimes cost more as they might be in a different category than the cheapest 2 person cabins. Also ... during peak family travel times, cabins with 3/4 will cost more as they are in high demand.

What everyone has said is very true. Two years ago we booked 3 in a cabin one being. 18 month old. The first 2 passengers had a 'special' rate of 499 pp the third did not. That price was around 650! Well needless to say we were astounded. We did watch prices and a few weeks later we rechecked and the price for all was 499 pp and Princess adjusted. And definitely all cabins types cannot accommodate more than 2. Its easy to see this on Princess site. RC pricing lumps it all together from what I've seen and now they don't even tell you prices broken down for each type of discount like they used to. I didn't know which of the 3 discounts I qualified for until calling

Yeah, I'm well aware that babies/children pay for the cruise, and have no issue with that. I was just wondering why we all instantly had to pay a higher rate. You have helped clear that up!

I did a "dummy" booking for this cruise using TX as my home state & the 1st & 2nd person rate did not change, just added an additional $199 for the baby.

Interesting! Was that on the RC website? I bid the cruise out earlier, and every bid was about $409 per person. I feel like I tried in on RC and they wouldn't quote it. I'll have to try again.

Interesting! Was that on the RC website? I bid the cruise out earlier, and every bid was about $409 per person. I feel like I tried in on RC and they wouldn't quote it. I'll have to try again.

Yes, it was on the RCI website. Good Luck.

The rate for two may be an inside guarantee for two people. For three you need a cabin that can legally hold three people so are probably looking at a rate for a cabin assignment.

BINGO!! Just priced out the cruise and the $338 rate was an interior guarantee. If you pick you own cabin the price for 2 is $457/pp, while the price for 3 is very close to $409/pp.

Gregg

Maybe it's to compensate your neighbours for being woken up at night by a baby screaming

Joke, honest :D

Some cabins can only accomodate 2 people. That's probably the lower price you got. When you added another person you needed a quad (a cabin that can accomodate 4 people - there are no 3's).

RCI has cabins for 3 people. There are cabins with one Pullman.

Some cabins can only accomodate 2 people. That's probably the lower price you got. When you added another person you needed a quad (a cabin that can accomodate 4 people - there are no 3's). .

Im not sure if this is correct. Ive been on the majesty 3 times and if I remember right, last year 3 of us went and got a cabin on deck 4 with 2 double beds and a pull down.

This little "trick" should work... until the child reaches the age that a pack and play will no longer suffice and you have to buy a 3rd berth.

Book the cruise for two, get a cabin assigned, and then call and add the infant. You get the benefit of the guarantee cabin or the lower price for a double instead of a quad. Since all the cabins can handle a pack and play, it does not have to be one with a 3rd or 4th bed.

Now that our child is 5, we cannot do this anymore. But it worked from his 1st through 4th cruise!

This little "trick" should work... until the child reaches the age that a pack and play will no longer suffice and you have to buy a 3rd berth.

 

Book the cruise for two, get a cabin assigned, and then call and add the infant. You get the benefit of the guarantee cabin or the lower price for a double instead of a quad. Since all the cabins can handle a pack and play, it does not have to be one with a 3rd or 4th bed.

 

Now that our child is 5, we cannot do this anymore. But it worked from his 1st through 4th cruise!

This is no longer true. Not all rooms can accommodate a crib.

I'm surprised reading this. I was told a third person can't be added to a cabin that only accommodates 2. What line did the adding a small shild to a cabin for 2. Just curious.

I'm surprised reading this. I was told a third person can't be added to a cabin that only accommodates 2. What line did the adding a small shild to a cabin for 2. Just curious.

We just sailed on FOS and my 3 kids were booked in 9401. We added the baby after and RCCL let us. we had the connecting balcony 9396 too.

You could consider finding a fourth person and booking two cabins. three of you can share one with one person in the second cabin. You might even price the two cabins for three people...it might be close or cheaper than a triple.

We just sailed on FOS and my 3 kids were booked in 9401. We added the baby after and RCCL let us. we had the connecting balcony 9396 too.

Was the cabin you added the baby to a cabin for 3? If so no problem. Dio they charge a third person

Was the cabin you added the baby to a cabin for 3? If so no problem. Dio they charge a third person

Cabin is for 2 but they said since it is a pack n play we could add him. We paid full 3rd passenger fare for him.

Cabin is for 2 but they said since it is a pack n play we could add him. We paid full 3rd passenger fare for him.

That great they let you. We went on Princess and were told that we had to boo a cabin set up for 3. Funny thing it was one of those little hanging berths! The baby was 16 months and 3 the next cruise! Would have never used it anyway. They wouldn't even put the twins to a queen unless they didn't use the berth! Weird. Luckily the prices for the 3 person were all the same in the class of cabin but a pain having something there not used

Maybe it's to compensate your neighbours for being woken up at night by a baby screaming

 

Joke, honest :D

LOL, in our experience it was a 3 year old screaming at the top of her lungs. Thank goodness it only took one stern look into their balcony (6AM). They apologized and the rest of the cruise was peaceful :)

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This little "trick" should work... until the child reaches the age that a pack and play will no longer suffice and you have to buy a 3rd berth.

 

Book the cruise for two, get a cabin assigned, and then call and add the infant. You get the benefit of the guarantee cabin or the lower price for a double instead of a quad. Since all the cabins can handle a pack and play, it does not have to be one with a 3rd or 4th bed.

 

Now that our child is 5, we cannot do this anymore. But it worked from his 1st through 4th cruise!

Fabulous idea!

We are booking on Princess this summer for an Alaskan cruise and I will do just this . . . I have cruised them before and know that the Pack and play fits very nicely into the open closet space.