Why do Princess charge a ridiculous price for infants?

[Cruisin' Chick]

We started taking our daughter on cruises at age of 23 months (she was on her 7th in December at age 13) and I think we've always paid third person rate for her each time (that's Carnival and Princess).

 

When they're a toddler, they are still in diapers and or just starting potty training. Even if you bring disposal bags, the cabin steward still has to remove the used diapers. In fact, that was one of the first things we addressed with our steward on that first cruise. At that age, kids do love to throw things off their high chairs at meals. The waitstaff and many other crew members seem to love to dote on the little ones (many are missing their own kids back home).

 

We've never reduced our tips for her as we've felt, no matter how much we work at it, there's still work involved with our little passenger.

 

If you have a problem with paying full fare (or even the 3rd person rate), then you can ask your TA to find you a cruiseline that charges less for infants. But it could be that it's a line that charges more for your rate (like Disney).

[BruceMuzz]

Why does Princess charge so much for infants?

The answer is very simple.

Businesses always give lower prices to customers they want to do more business with.

And they quote higher prices to customers whose business they do not want.

 

Ships make a profit ONLY from onboard spending.

How much money are your infants planning to spend onboard when they cruise?

 

If I had the option of selling a cruise to a family with kids and very little money to spend, or a group of adults with money to burn, the choice would be a very simple one.

 

You should make the same choice. Book with a cruise line that wants your business.

[cruzedude]

Cruiselines barely break even for price of a room. If the cruise isn't booked to capacity they likely are taking a loss of the room alone.

 

 

The entire business model is based on upsells, specialty dining, drinks, gambling, shore excursions (cruiseline usually takes 50%+ off the topline), etc.

 

So for a given cruise if the ticket price is $1000 the cruiseline is counting on making $1500 - $2000 revenue per person. Given that children don't rack up hundreds of thousands in upsells the potential profit is limited to only the ticket price. If your infant was a big drinker and the cruiseline could count of a $500+ bar tab then they likely would be willing to consider cutting the price.

 

 

 

If cruises were truly inclusive (everything covered from booze to shore excursions) ticket prices would be double (or maybe triple) and then likely kids would be significantly discounted.

[Richie2pies]

Princess considers the baby as a body. That body does not spend anything onboard. The "body" leaves dirty diapers and requires other requirements. Princess SHOULD charge the same amount for a "body" as any other body.

[furb]

Why does Princess charge so much for infants?

The answer is very simple.

Businesses always give lower prices to customers they want to do more business with.

And they quote higher prices to customers whose business they do not want.

 

Ships make a profit ONLY from onboard spending.

How much money are your infants planning to spend onboard when they cruise?

Indeed.

 

To boil it down, children generate no income for the cruise line. They do, however, generate mess, noise, and plenty of complaints, all of which demonstrably effect the quality of other passenger's trips, and force the cruise line's staff to deal with those messes, that noise, and all of those complaints from people who have paid a lot of money (relatively speaking...) to escape exactly those things.

 

In effect, children cost the cruise line money, while producing no income. Sounds like a poor business model to follow, no?

[Kian]

Not happy!

 

 

We are (were) BIG Princess fans (Platinum members) but now our loyalty to the cruise line has probably ended when they quoted us £1282 for a 10-day Panama cruise with a 14-month-old. They charge the same price for a child of this age as they do for a much older child!

 

I cannot understand how they can justify this when such a small child is not going to be using the amenities in the same way as say a 10-year-old! We can't even leave our child in a kids programme for an hour when under the age of three so they are certainly not using the time and resources of one of the youth leaders. They don't care much for 5-course dinners and their food will consist of a small bowl full - so why the hike in price????

 

Even airlines cost differently for infants up to the age of 2 as they do not pay a fare (taxes and local charges - yes, but they are costed differently to a 3 year old +)

 

I am absolutely stunned - especially as they are supposed to be 'child friendly'. We will be looking again at cruises but not with Princess.

I do feel your frustration about having to pay a ridiculous sum of money for a baby or toddler, but almost all major cruise lines seemed to adopt this policy. Cruising seemed so affordable back on our first cruise back in 1992 when it was just me and my wife (We now have a 4 year old son and a 18 months old infant girl ). I do understand that children do take up berth space like any other adult, but consider that our infant girl slept in a crib and barely ate or drank anything on our last cruise, the price we had to pay for her was a little unreasonable. Having said that, what else can you do if you do enjoy cruising ?

[charlozy]

hi we cruise on princess ships from australia with our kids and there are no children fares at all, just 2nd and 3rd passenger fares. also princess limit the amount of children and age groups on board. on our first cruise on the pacific princess they didn't allow children under the age of 6 years, this is one of the reason i love princess cruises my kids have loved there holidays with limited kids and always looked after and entertained in small groups, the kids feel special,

and as an adult passengers it's one of the great things you know theres not going to be hundreds of kids. my kids are now 18 and 20 and still cruising with us on princess cruises.

[SJ27]

...some of us booze-drinking, gambling adults who gravitate to Princess in part because of the paucity of young kids. No-charge childen by the MSC boatload? No thanks.

 

You (presumably) chose to have a kid, and now are almost immediately schlepping it along on an expedition it probably neither understands nor appreciates, at least not any more than playing with its blankie. Sorry you feel peeved. On the other hand, I, happily childless by choice, have been underwriting other peoples' kids' schooling and family-oriented tax breaks for many years. And that's the way it is.

 

 

Ouch. Sorry you feel hard done by for having your taxes pay for things you don't use (that's what most people's taxes do by the way, pay for things other people use, or everything would be user-charged) but no need to take it out on someone who clearly neither wants to give up on any holidays for years nor leave baby at home when they go (a position I entirely understand as I'm sure many others do).

 

We will be travelling with a 2 year old next month. No she doesn't "appreciate" the specialness of travelling (her older sister does though, at age 10) but has enjoyed her previous international trips (to a tropical island and snow), she's a very easy traveller, and we don't want to leave her behind. It is a family holiday after all.

 

Incidentally the reason we chose Princess was because it advertises itself as family friendly (this may come as a surprise to a number of people on these boards judging by some of the comments I've seen :eek: ). Celebrity claims to prefer travellers without children so we didn't even look at them. No-one else was really an option for the itinerary we wanted.

 

Did we mind paying 'normal' 3rd and 4th person rates? Well, it is up to businesses to charge what they want, customers can accept or go elsewhere. We liked the itinerary and the ship so went for it.

[hansolosmom]

We've always payed 3&4th passenger rates for our boys - we've never has any kind of 'kids discount' mostly because we travel in the summer which are prime months.

 

 

Also can we not turn this into a child bashing thread - it's seeming to go in that direction with some of the comments. Like SJ27 said we booked on Princess because it's family friendly but reading the boards & some of the comments are making me think the cc members don't believe that

[Loonbeam]

To everyone who thinks Princess does this to 'repel' children, please read my above post again.

 

The reason they do it is that a child takes up a slot that could be sold to an adult and therefore pays the same price. That's it. It's not an active anti-child policy.

 

If Princess didn't want to have children on board it could be handled much more easily and cost effective by removing the kids program and using the space for revenue.

[shepp]

Ouch. Sorry you feel hard done by for having your taxes pay for things you don't use (that's what most people's taxes do by the way, pay for things other people use, or everything would be user-charged) but no need to take it out on someone who clearly neither wants to give up on any holidays for years nor leave baby at home when they go (a position I entirely understand as I'm sure many others do).

 

Honestly, I don't feel "hard done" by paying taxes. But, as I and others have pointed out, the economic model of cruise ships is such that infants are nowhere near as profitable as adult passengers, and should Princess allow free or reduced fares for them, the rest of us would presumably end up subsidizing other peoples' children through our paying higher fares and onboard charges. (I seem to recall, for instance, that MSC, with its occasional free-child promos, charges notably more for shipboard amenities, not even providing free water with dinner.) Paying for public schools is a social good; underwriting other people's vacations is not.

 

And "not taking a Princess cruise at reduced rates" is certainly not the same as "giving up on any holidays for years."

[Iamcruzin]

It's because price is not based on cost but on demand. Princess (and most other cruiselines) charge the same price for 3rd/4th passengers in a cabin because they can. Parents wanting to cruise with little ones will pay it. Also, your toddler is taking a space that might otherwise be filled by an adult 3rd/4th passenger who would pay that amount.

I have received reduced 3rd and 4th passenger rates over the years for my children. With that said the last cruise we took it was cheaper to book a second room for my kids who were 14 and 17 at the time. The 3rd and 4th passenger rate was $50 more pp than the 1st and 2nd passenger rate. Go figure.

[Pam in CA]

I have received reduced 3rd and 4th passenger rates over the years for my children. With that said the last cruise we took it was cheaper to book a second room for my kids who were 14 and 17 at the time. The 3rd and 4th passenger rate was $50 more pp than the 1st and 2nd passenger rate. Go figure.

Princess changed their pricing for 3rd and 4th passengers a few years ago. Since I've never booked a 3rd or 4th, I'm not sure when but you used to be able to book them for $300-$400/pp. Now, they are almost full price.

 

The bottom line is money. Princess charges more because it can. They don't have to work as hard to fill their ships the way some other cruiselines do with advertising, "kids go free", and other promotions. Supply and demand.

[Kian]

Princess changed their pricing for 3rd and 4th passengers a few years ago. Since I've never booked a 3rd or 4th, I'm not sure when but you used to be able to book them for $300-$400/pp. Now, they are almost full price.

 

The bottom line is money. Princess charges more because it can. They don't have to work as hard to fill their ships the way some other cruiselines do with advertising, "kids go free", and other promotions. Supply and demand.

I agree that when we first started cruising back in 1992, it was a lot less for 3rd or 4th, but like Pam said "Princess charges more because it can". I also guess that it doesn't help that since my first cruise, the consolidation of the cruise industry between the big two giants CCL and RCL, as they have bought out other cruise lines like Princess, Celebrity, Costa etc. So they can really dictate pricing.

[dmwnc1959]

Princess considers the baby as a body. That body does not spend anything onboard. The "body" leaves dirty diapers and requires other requirements. Princess SHOULD charge the same amount for a "body" as any other body.

 

Indeed.

 

To boil it down, children generate no income for the cruise line. They do, however, generate mess, noise, and plenty of complaints, all of which demonstrably effect the quality of other passenger's trips, and force the cruise line's staff to deal with those messes, that noise, and all of those complaints from people who have paid a lot of money (relatively speaking...) to escape exactly those things.

 

In effect, children cost the cruise line money, while producing no income. Sounds like a poor business model to follow, no?

 

Bingo! We have a winner! :D:D:D:D:D

[smeyer418]

I agree that when we first started cruising back in 1992, it was a lot less for 3rd or 4th, but like Pam said "Princess charges more because it can". I also guess that it doesn't help that since my first cruise, the consolidation of the cruise industry between the big two giants CCL and RCL, as they have bought out other cruise lines like Princess, Celebrity, Costa etc. So they can really dictate pricing.

if you are paying more now than in 1992(adjusting for inflation) you may be the only one.

[bjshap]

My goodness. What an angry crowd. Seems to me the fare is NOT fair - for singles, babies - or when paying for another person (mom) and not getting the shipboard credits. My husband and I paid for our son, daughter and their spouses - and a 24 month old baby. We got no breaks; and nothing was "credited" (I'm speaking of Captain's Club credits) to our account re these family members. But let's not be so angry. Obviously the lady was not aware that an infant would be charged so much. We live and learn.

[Loonbeam]

Technically, all of those others did receive a credit to their captains circle account. Even the 24 month old. They just can't use all the benefits until over 18.

 

My goodness. What an angry crowd. Seems to me the fare is NOT fair - for singles, babies - or when paying for another person (mom) and not getting the shipboard credits. My husband and I paid for our son, daughter and their spouses - and a 24 month old baby. We got no breaks; and nothing was "credited" (I'm speaking of Captain's Club credits) to our account re these family members. But let's not be so angry. Obviously the lady was not aware that an infant would be charged so much. We live and learn.

[Pam in CA]

if you are paying more now than in 1992(adjusting for inflation) you may be the only one.

I agree. There's no way I'm paying as much in adjusted $$ today as I did ten years ago or earlier.

 

Also, just because a holding company like Carnival Corporation & Plc owns several cruise lines, it doesn't mean the holding company "dictates" pricing nor is there pricing collaboration between the cruiselines. Pricing on Seaborne is very different from Princess and likewise, Cunard is very different from Carnival Cruise Lines.

[furb]

My husband and I paid for our son, daughter and their spouses - and a 24 month old baby. We got no breaks; and nothing was "credited" (I'm speaking of Captain's Club credits) to our account re these family members.

Just in case you didn't see this post:

Businesses always give lower prices to customers they want to do more business with.

And they quote higher prices to customers whose business they do not want.

 

Seems to me the fare is NOT fair

Your mother was with you... did she never teach you that life isn't fair? Cause, well... it isn't. Just sayin'...

[Toto2Kansas]

I guess I just don't understand why someone would think that they would be credited with the cruises (towards their Captain's Circle status) because they paid for someone else's cruise? The cruise count goes to the one that sails.........not the one that pays. :rolleyes:

[shepp]

My goodness. What an angry crowd. Seems to me the fare is NOT fair - for singles, babies - or when paying for another person (mom) and not getting the shipboard credits. My husband and I paid for our son, daughter and their spouses - and a 24 month old baby. We got no breaks; and nothing was "credited" (I'm speaking of Captain's Club credits) to our account re these family members. But let's not be so angry.

 

I looked over the entire thread and failed to find a single post that was "angrier" than the OP's...which was not angry, either.

 

As has been said over and over, Princess is a business, not a family-oriented charity. Why you feel you should have gotten a "break" is beyond me. And, very clearly, Captain's Circle credits are based entirely on days or cruises sailed, not who pays the bills. Unless your family members did not get credited, you have no grounds for complaint.

 

BTW, Princess, unlike some other lines, never gives discounts to seniors. So maybe we fogies should complain that young families aren't subsidizing our cruises? Nah...

 

I dunno, maybe you conflate "angry" with "unsympathetic to what one regards as an unrealistic complaint."

[Pam in CA]

I guess I just don't understand why someone would think that they would be credited with the cruises (towards their Captain's Circle status) because they paid for someone else's cruise? The cruise count goes to the one that sails.........not the one that pays. :rolleyes:

I agree. With that thinking, if the husband (or wife) paid for both of them, the person paying would get the cruise credit, not their spouse. That's a recipe for a rocky marriage. Not all husbands and wives have completely separate credit cards that the other isn't on.

 

My daughter is now Elite on Princess and I've paid for every single day/cruise, and it wouldn't occur to me to be so selfish as to think, "You don't deserve the credit. It's mine!"

[Iamcruzin]

I agree that when we first started cruising back in 1992, it was a lot less for 3rd or 4th, but like Pam said "Princess charges more because it can". I also guess that it doesn't help that since my first cruise, the consolidation of the cruise industry between the big two giants CCL and RCL, as they have bought out other cruise lines like Princess, Celebrity, Costa etc. So they can really dictate pricing.

 

Princess changed their pricing for 3rd and 4th passengers a few years ago. Since I've never booked a 3rd or 4th, I'm not sure when but you used to be able to book them for $300-$400/pp. Now, they are almost full price.

 

The bottom line is money. Princess charges more because it can. They don't have to work as hard to fill their ships the way some other cruiselines do with advertising, "kids go free", and other promotions. Supply and demand.

 

They still do discount for the 3rd and 4th passenger. I was just researching a European itinerary for my sons H.S. graduation and just for kicks I entered 4 passengers for an interior stateroom (kill me if this has to happen) and the 3rd and 4th were half the price of the first two. I was looking as far out as Nov 2012. I am sure If I tried to book one of the 2 for 1 deals they are offering now for Europe that the 3rd and 4th would not be discounted but I would book 2 rooms which is what I would want to begin with.

[JLC@SD]

Indeed.

 

To boil it down, children generate no income for the cruise line. They do, however, generate mess, noise, and plenty of complaints, all of which demonstrably effect the quality of other passenger's trips, and force the cruise line's staff to deal with those messes, that noise, and all of those complaints from people who have paid a lot of money (relatively speaking...) to escape exactly those things.

 

In effect, children cost the cruise line money, while producing no income. Sounds like a poor business model to follow, no?

 

It sounds like the business model I like........we do not want to cruise with a gaggle of kids filling the pools, halls and dining venues.........so the cruise lines that promote kids like Disney..........we avoid. And we select cruises that are less likely to be booked by lots of families with kids.