Paying full for a 7 month baby?

If you do not like the product, don't buy it -- if you don't like how they price the product, don't buy it.

LOL. Who said anything about not liking the product? You are responding to a post that was in response to a couple of other posts and had absolutely nothing to do with liking the product.

I recently booked a cruise with Cunard taking our 18 month old. They informed us under 2s are free, at most there would be a £100 admin fee for the 2 week holiday. In the end there was no charge at all. This was booking direct with Cunard in the UK and wasn't any sort of special offer. May be different in other countries.

LOL. Who said anything about not liking the product? You are responding to a post that was in response to a couple of other posts and had absolutely nothing to do with liking the product.

The price of the product - the fare and the basis of the fare is what this thread is all about. Everyone will be more inclined to like a product enough to buy it if they like the pricing.

When you said you didn't get ".. the way they formulated the fares" you certainly were discussing the product : pricing of cruises is very much part of the product,

Royal want us to pay a full cruise fare for a 7 month old baby. Are they kidding me?

 

 

 

Our TA called Royal twice and they told her the same thing both times.

Going to assume this is a liability.. every passenger counts, perhaps for lifeboats and any emergency. Every guest has to and must be accounted for incase of any possible emergency.

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Royal want us to pay a full cruise fare for a 7 month old baby. Are they kidding me?

 

 

 

Our TA called Royal twice and they told her the same thing both times.

Why are you bringing your 7mo old anyway? Not being rude, just curious.

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The price of the product - the fare and the basis of the fare is what this thread is all about. Everyone will be more inclined to like a product enough to buy it if they like the pricing.

 

When you said you didn't get ".. the way they formulated the fares" you certainly were discussing the product : pricing of cruises is very much part of the product,

Never said that I didn't get the way they formulated the fares. A previous poster has said something to the effect that the baby would take up space in the lifeboat and that is why they pay the fare they do, to which I responded that the baby would be in someone's lap and they didn't establish fares that way (by who is taking up space in the lifeboat). Cheng and spookwife were kind enough to point out that SOLAS and CG regulations do indeed count infants as taking up a seat, which I acknowledged and re-iterated that it wasn't how fares were established. No where in that discussion did I even intimate that I don't like the product or have any issue with pricing.

Only way to avoid this is to leave the baby with grandma, aunt, friend, etc. They still nap at that age. Will baby nap in the cabin with you or in a stroller on a deck with you, in a lounge at night with you? Will you get a crib that will barely fit in your cabin? Leave the baby at home if at all possible. Then you can really enjoy the cruise and won't worry about the baby's napping and bringing enough diapers, food, etc. !

Strongly agree! That's why kids at sea camp starts when they are potty trained and preschool age.

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I get that. Still not the way that they formulate the fares.

This sure sounds as though you don't get the way that they formulate the fares.

OP - I strongly suggest you check out the family cruising board you will find a lot more support and tips about cruising affordably with little ones. On the main board people berate you for bringing children and think if anything you should pay more to have children on board. Many lines offer paying port taxes only for 3rd/4th passengers or kids under a certain age. Thankfully, not all cruisers have this attitude. We started cruising with our first at 8 months and will be cruising with a 4 year old and 9 month old in November. We have always had a great time (not stressed as other posters suggest) and although my children won't remember these early cruises WE remember and cherish the time and memories with them. Try NCL too we've done several trips with them with kids sailing free. All the best!

This sure sounds as though you don't get the way that they formulate the fares.

LOL, I'm sure at some point in your teaching career you taught your students about "context", regardless of what subject you taught. Try reading from post #11.

Cheng and spookwife were kind enough to point out that SOLAS and CG regulations do indeed count infants as taking up a seat, which I acknowledged and re-iterated that it wasn't how fares were established.

But it IS how they formulate fares.

If you look at specs on ships, there are two occupancies listed. One for double occupancy in every cabin, and one is a max capacity.

Max capacity is based on lifeboat seats. You have to have a seat for every person on board. No matter what age.

If lines are running at close to MAX capacity, then a child is taking a space that could be filled by an adult, so it is priced that way.

One might be no big deal, but say on one of the mega ships, there are 200 children under 2 that are sailing free. That is a LOT of adult fares that are being lost. Say and average price of $1000 per person, would YOU give up $200000 in income for 1 week?

If the cruise or line is running at or below double occupancy rate, they MAY offer reduced fares or free for small children, as they have the lifeboat seats that are not being filling by paying adults.

Simple business.

And if it was YOUR business, you would do the same thing.

But it IS how they formulate fares.

 

If you look at specs on ships, there are two occupancies listed. One for double occupancy in every cabin, and one is a max capacity.

 

Max capacity is based on lifeboat seats. You have to have a seat for every person on board. No matter what age.

 

If lines are running at close to MAX capacity, then a child is taking a space that could be filled by an adult, so it is priced that way.

 

One might be no big deal, but say on one of the mega ships, there are 200 children under 2 that are sailing free. That is a LOT of adult fares that are being lost. Say and average price of $1000 per person, would YOU give up $200000 in income for 1 week?

 

If the cruise or line is running at or below double occupancy rate, they MAY offer reduced fares or free for small children, as they have the lifeboat seats that are not being filling by paying adults.

 

Simple business.

 

And if it was YOUR business, you would do the same thing.

The capacity of the lifeboats establishes how many fares they can sell. What the market will bear at any particular time is what establishes the cost of the fare itself.

One might be no big deal, but say on one of the mega ships, there are 200 children under 2 that are sailing free. That is a LOT of adult fares that are being lost. Say and average price of $1000 per person, would YOU give up $200000 in income for 1 week?

Oh, and by the way, cruise lines do limit the number of kids in certain age groups on a sailing. Last year we couldn't join our friends because Regal Princess didn't allow any more kids aged 4-8 on board. Our friends' family was also in a predicament, since they had an 8 and a 10 year old. They were waitlisted, and when somebody with kids backed out, they were allowed to book the cruise.

not many adults want to be stuffed 4 to an inside cabin. I considered for a minute putting my parents and mother-in-law in the same cabin, but quickly changed my mind. But 2 adults and 2 small kids in an inside cabin is doable.

 

Oh, and by the way, cruise lines do limit the number of kids in certain age groups on a sailing. Last year we couldn't join our friends because Regal Princess didn't allow any more kids aged 4-8 on board. Our friends' family was also in a predicament, since they had an 8 and a 10 year old. They were waitlisted, and when somebody with kids backed out, they were allowed to book the cruise.

This really sounds unusual - a cruise line discriminating on the basis of age? I have a hard time believing that, as long as a cabin was available, they would refuse to sell it- hoping that someone with a more "acceptable" age might come along.

LOL, I'm sure at some point in your teaching career you taught your students about "context", regardless of what subject you taught. Try reading from post #11.

#11 points out that not charging for infants costs the line money - so of course they do want to charge - meaning that charging, or not charging, for infants IS establishing how they set fares.

Forget "context" -- it is a simple matter of reading comprehension.

This really sounds unusual - a cruise line discriminating on the basis of age? I have a hard time believing that, as long as a cabin was available, they would refuse to sell it- hoping that someone with a more "acceptable" age might come along.

I've heard this about Princess for years and years.

When I cruised with them more often there were often posts from people who stated that the age limit for their child had been reached.

I've heard this about Princess for years and years.

When I cruised with them more often there were often posts from people who stated that the age limit for their child had been reached.

Interesting - I think it is a good idea to limit the number of any demographic, I just did not imagine that their systems were sophisticated/flexible enough to monitor or their bean-counters would be happy with actually turning down any fare payer. But if they limit children- do,you think they might also want to limit the elderly - particularly those reliant on scooters - whose "traffic jams" at MDR entrances seem to annoy many?

Now, if the would only monitor and limit sales to loud-mouths, drunks and line-jumpers.

It it just occurred to me - when you have parents traveling with two children - you will of course come up to the limit on the number of cabins which would accommodate four - that would explain the limitations - without it being simply age-based.

#11 points out that not charging for infants costs the line money - so of course they do want to charge - meaning that charging, or not charging, for infants IS establishing how they set fares.

 

Forget "context" -- it is a simple matter of reading comprehension.

That post starts off "The infant will be taking a lifeboat seat" and it was that part of the post I was responding to when I said "I don't think that is how fares are formulated (and I doubt a 7 month old would be sitting anywhere other than someone's lap". Yes, the number of seats in the lifeboats does establish how many tickets they can sell, but how much they can sell them for is subject to many variables and it only makes sense that they sell each spot for as much as they can get since that is what businesses do.

Limiting the age groups of children simply means that they do not have the facilities or staff to handle more kids in that age group in the kid's program, so they don't allow further bookings.

OP - I strongly suggest you check out the family cruising board you will find a lot more support and tips about cruising affordably with little ones. On the main board people berate you for bringing children and think if anything you should pay more to have children on board. Many lines offer paying port taxes only for 3rd/4th passengers or kids under a certain age. Thankfully, not all cruisers have this attitude. We started cruising with our first at 8 months and will be cruising with a 4 year old and 9 month old in November. We have always had a great time (not stressed as other posters suggest) and although my children won't remember these early cruises WE remember and cherish the time and memories with them. Try NCL too we've done several trips with them with kids sailing free. All the best!

Thank you. Some topics just bring out the trolls on CC, I have seen it before.

I think that we have found a solution with MSC.

Why are you bringing your 7mo old anyway? Not being rude, just curious.

Why wouldn't we? Before you start doubting our pareting skills you might want to check all facts. There's info in this thread that will give you a hint.

Will your cruise require a long trans atlantic flight?

I recognize your disagreement with the policy and also understand your position as a loyal RCI cruiser, but again, you seem to be condemning them as somehow alone in what is - with the exception of MSC, for now - essentially an industry wide policy. Unless you cruise with MSC, you will likely be cruising with nobody - not just abandoning RCI - as a result of your feelings.

 

And RCI, as with the other lines, does from time to time have promo's to lessen the financial impact on those traveling with children. I know from personal experience with now adult children who cruised with us on many an RCI cruise since they were very young.

 

As another had mentioned, please price out your intended cruise with MSC and come back to the thread with the results. It would be interesting to see how the total price compares to that of RCI, or others, for the same date and general itinerary with the children included.

 

Enjoy your cruising.

I can give you the total of what it would cost for us five cruising with Royals Symphony Of The Seas, their newest ship. Vs. MSC Seaview, their newest ship. Both sail in the west Med, it's not exactly the same ports but close. Royal sails from Civitaveccia and Barcelona, Barcelona are more expensive. Because of that our plan was to sail from Civitaveccia. MSC sail from several cities but our choice would be Barcelona. Both ships embark within a day from each other.

Both cabins would be balcony cabins.

Since MSC will level match your C&A status we would get a discount for being Voyager Club members (they have allready given me my membership).

I have the numbers in Swedish Crowns, but divide by 9 and you more or less have it in U.S $.

Royal: Me, my wife and baby.

42 280 kr

My inlaws:

31 084kr

Total: 73 364kr for one week.

MSC: Me, my wife and baby.

26 598kr - 5% MSC VOYAGER CLUB discount = 25 268kr

My inlaws.

26 598kr

Total: 51 866kr

Difference: 19 498kr that's around 2166 U.S $ for one week.

That's enough for me to give MSC a chance.

I can give you the total of what it would cost for us five cruising with Royals Symphony Of The Seas, their newest ship. Vs. MSC Seaview, their newest ship. Both sail in the west Med, it's not exactly the same ports but close. Royal sails from Civitaveccia and Barcelona, Barcelona are more expensive. Because of that our plan was to sail from Civitaveccia. MSC sail from several cities but our choice would be Barcelona. Both ships embark within a day from each other.

Both cabins would be balcony cabins.

Since MSC will level match your C&A status we would get a discount for being Voyager Club members (they have allready given me my membership).

 

I have the numbers in Swedish Crowns, but divide buy 9 and you more or less have it in U.S $.

 

Royal: Me, my wife and baby.

42 280 kr

My inlaws:

31 084kr

Total: 73 364kr for one week.

 

MSC: Me, my wife and baby.

26 598kr - 5% MSC VOYAGER CLUB discount = 25 268kr

 

My inlaws.

26 598kr

Total: 51 866kr

Difference: 19 498kr that's around 2166 U.S $ for one week.

 

That's enough for me to give MSC a chance.

I'm glad that you found something that will work for you. I know that it is hard to understand the "why" sometimes, but I have always been a fan of shopping around because the "why" for one vendor is not as important as it is for another.