NCL now charging for infants

[Huxley'sCruisers]

Why would anybody even think of bringing an infant on a cruise? To ruin it for everybody else?

I'm very glad I booked our cruise for November last week. My second child will be 6 months then and we saved several hundred dollars due to the new policy.

 

We traveled with my oldest when she was 6 months as well, she was the youngest person on the boat, was incredibly well behaved (better than rowdy kids and rowdy adults), and gave smiles to everyone. Everywhere we went she was complimented, as were we (her parents) for her good behavior, and told by many that seeing her brightened their day. When we took her to dinner with us we either went early and she was well behaved, or we took her after she was already asleep in her stroller, and that is our plan for this time too. Unless people book adults-only trips they really shouldn't complain about well-behaved children (and infants) sharing the boat with them.

[Want2Cruise]

I just noticed that the fares for 3rd and 4th passengers went up on our cruise on the Breakaway June 2013. The fare was $499 and it is now $549 plus taxes.

 

Our last vacation the adults were more problematic then the kids. Our kids look at us and said I am glad that you don't drink and get drunk.

 

My kids have cruise since the age of 4 on NCL and they enjoy cruises. Dinners we see how they are feeling and determine what will be best. That is why we love NCL with Freestyle dining.

[GrandmaHofmann]

Lifeboat space? That's nuts. First of all, what are the chances of using a lifeboat. Secondly, an infant would be in his mother's arms on a lifeboat, not sitting aside her, and a toddler likely would be, too. This is just chintzy.

[time2cruise1]

Lifeboat space? That's nuts. First of all, what are the chances of using a lifeboat. Secondly, an infant would be in his mother's arms on a lifeboat, not sitting aside her, and a toddler likely would be, too. This is just chintzy.

 

That may well be the case but they still count as occupied berths for lifeboat space. Once the ship fills up others can not book due to that. Not chintzy just business. They are not going to get any onboard revenue from infants so a small cruise fare is not to much to ask.

 

If you want to bring an infant to a football game here even if they will be sitting on your lap you need a full price ticket for them.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - Jim

[DMH15]

I'm very glad I booked our cruise for November last week. My second child will be 6 months then and we saved several hundred dollars due to the new policy.

 

We traveled with my oldest when she was 6 months as well' date=' she was the youngest person on the boat, was incredibly well behaved (better than rowdy kids and rowdy adults), and gave smiles to everyone. Everywhere we went she was complimented, as were we (her parents) for her good behavior, and told by many that seeing her brightened their day. When we took her to dinner with us we either went early and she was well behaved, or we took her after she was already asleep in her stroller, and that is our plan for this time too. Unless people book adults-only trips they really shouldn't complain about well-behaved children (and infants) sharing the boat with them.[/quote']

 

I don't think the majority don't complain about the few well-behaved children it's the many who aren't that are the reason.

 

I was discussing with my mother and she remarked how much the times have changed. She said her generation would never have taken a baby on a cruise, which at that time was considered a luxury vacation. In fact, air travel was too. She said thete was an unspoken rule amoung her peer group that only after a toddler made it through the "terrible twos" they would take baby steps into dining out and the like before a thought was given to a vacation. And then it would start with camping or a trip to grandmas. But now it seems babies are everywhere. Not just Chili's and Denny's.

 

I believe your child is worthy of compliments. I travelled on the Sun to S America and we had a 3 year old in our roll call who was an absolute delight. So, yes it is possible. But it didn't happen by accident. I certainly applaud good parenting.

[halos]

Lifeboat space? That's nuts. First of all, what are the chances of using a lifeboat. Secondly, an infant would be in his mother's arms on a lifeboat, not sitting aside her, and a toddler likely would be, too. This is just chintzy.

 

*sigh*

It doesn't matter what you think....there are laws.

 

 

Sometimes these boards exhaust me.

[xcolie616]

I just sailed in June and all i payed for my 8 month old was taxes and port fees. The main reason I sail on NCL is that they were the only line that did not charge full fare for infants, this stinks! I always thought why charge full fare when most infants drink breast milk or formula and water and eat the baby food that you have to bring. Plus my daughter even slept in the same bed as me. I am going on a cruise with her again this Sept and I am glad that i booked during a kids sail free promotion and ended up paying just the port charges.

[xcolie616]

Btw my daughter was very well behaved and never disturbed any one else. She even went to shows with us and did not make a peep. Everyone is arguing about kids in general being on the boat but the post is about the price jump. As i said I sail NCL because of under 2 having a reduced rate. It makes sense that they dont pay full fare because they do not even eat the food!

[bplazo]

Btw my daughter was very well behaved and never disturbed any one else. She even went to shows with us and did not make a peep. Everyone is arguing about kids in general being on the boat but the post is about the price jump. As i said I sail NCL because of under 2 having a reduced rate. It makes sense that they dont pay full fare because they do not even eat the food!

 

So what if she does not eat food, should someone who eats less pay less than for someone who eats more? I do not do any activities on the ship should I pay less than someone who uses the amenities of the ship? So, pay for your child.

[emcelh]

I just sailed in June and all i payed for my 8 month old was taxes and port fees. The main reason I sail on NCL is that they were the only line that did not charge full fare for infants, this stinks! I always thought why charge full fare when most infants drink breast milk or formula and water and eat the baby food that you have to bring. Plus my daughter even slept in the same bed as me. I am going on a cruise with her again this Sept and I am glad that i booked during a kids sail free promotion and ended up paying just the port charges.

They don't charge full fare, they charge the normal 3rd or 4th person rate. I can understand why some people are disappointed. It will cost a bit more if they choose to travel on NCL with their very young children. Maybe you can find a cruiseline that still only charges port fees and taxes. Bottom line is that NCL made a business decision to do what most other cruiselines have been doing for some time now. If you think that the lifeboat argument has no merit, take it up with the Coast Guard.

[cruzeluver]

I just sailed in June and all i payed for my 8 month old was taxes and port fees. The main reason I sail on NCL is that they were the only line that did not charge full fare for infants, this stinks! I always thought why charge full fare when most infants drink breast milk or formula and water and eat the baby food that you have to bring. Plus my daughter even slept in the same bed as me. I am going on a cruise with her again this Sept and I am glad that i booked during a kids sail free promotion and ended up paying just the port charges.

 

Most infants also do not book shore excursions, gamble, buy drinks, shop on board or do much of anything that generates revenue.

[peg013]

I've never been bothered by an infant or toddler on NCL however - for those saying they don't eat the food or sleep in a seperate bed.....they do however generate plenty of dirty diapers to be disposed of.......

[firefly333]

im surprised to see people happy there charging more for the kids under 2 now. reading comments like im glad, and maybe there will be less kids now. well the way i see it, if my ds is paying the higher rate now, dont be mad when hes in the speciality restaraunt or mdr crying and making some noise. its his right. hes a paying customer just like you.

 

You are going to be surprised how hard tips are to remove on your NCL cruise.

 

I just saw your post about removing tips on Carnival cruises.

 

Reading thru your others posts to see what kind of poster you are that removes tips... and plans it ahead of time before service is even rendered.

[ds99jove]

I posted this in another thread on the subject:

 

Hmm, after reading this I tried it myself today. Since I'm in sweden I got directed to the eu site (if it matters?).

 

I entered 2 adults, 1 child of age 4 and 1 infant of age 1.

 

Child was charged €249

Infant was charged €99

 

Doesnt fit with

 

"All children now pay the same rate, which is typically the reduced [third or fourth] fare when traveling with two adults in the same stateroom," from the article.

[ds99jove]

I've never been bothered by an infant or toddler on NCL however - for those saying they don't eat the food or sleep in a seperate bed.....they do however generate plenty of dirty diapers to be disposed of.......

 

I doubt that an infant's 4-5 diapers a day is anywhere close to what an adult generate in terms of garbage.

[tne1106]

I posted this in another thread on the subject:

 

Hmm, after reading this I tried it myself today. Since I'm in sweden I got directed to the eu site (if it matters?).

 

I entered 2 adults, 1 child of age 4 and 1 infant of age 1.

 

Child was charged €249

Infant was charged €99

 

Doesnt fit with

 

"All children now pay the same rate, which is typically the reduced [third or fourth] fare when traveling with two adults in the same stateroom," from the article.

 

It could very well be that it is for bookings in the us only. Just ask the poor Aussies about variations in pricing structures depending on where you live and book.

[NLH Arizona]

Unfortunately, this isn't the fault of the kids-it is the fault of the parents. Kids get overtired and can misbehave and when parents don't correct them or take them out of the restaurant, it is the parent who is wrong.

 

I have been on too many vacations where the parents think going on vacation means they go on vacation from their kids and they want the cruise line to be the parents for the week. It amazes me to see families together in a ship dining room when the kids are running around the table, fighting, or yelling and the parents act like they don't see or hear the kids.

 

And God forbid you say anything -the parents stick up for the kids behavior. I find myself complimenting parents when I see well behaved kids in restaurants or out in public.

 

You need to pin the blame where it belongs- with parents that allow it. But I can understand where you are coming from.

 

You are so correct....it isn't the children it is the parents. And it is so funny that everyone says their children are well behaved; they sits quietly in the theatre and dinning room, never disrupts anything and would never do anything wrong, so were do all of the rowdy children come from. I think the problem is that the parents don't pay attention to their children, thus they yell, run around, throw food, etc., and that is why everyone thinks their children are well behaved, because they don't notice what they are doing. Maybe if the parents were more attentive to the children, it would make everyone's vacation (including the children who just want attention) better.

[rvsullivan]

You are so correct....it isn't the children it is the parents. And it is so funny that everyone says their children are well behaved; they sits quietly in the theatre and dinning room, never disrupts anything and would never do anything wrong, so were do all of the rowdy children come from. I think the problem is that the parents don't pay attention to their children, thus they yell, run around, throw food, etc., and that is why everyone thinks their children are well behaved, because they don't notice what they are doing. Maybe if the parents were more attentive to the children, it would make everyone's vacation (including the children who just want attention) better.

 

Very astute posting!! Thank you!!!

[ThursdaysChild]

RCCL raped us last year with what they charged for our son when we sailed on the Allure of the Seas. Their 3rd passenger rate was more than what the 1st/2nd rate was on the Carnival Dream! (But it was worth it!)

 

Unbelievable! I wouldn't toss the word "rape" around so lightly. If you had personally experienced rape, you'd certainly come up with a different word for being, in your opinion, charged unfairly. Are you female????

 

If someone had violated your infant son, would you use the word rape so cavalierly?:mad:

[DMH15]

Unbelievable! I wouldn't toss the word "rape" around so lightly. If you had personally experienced rape, you'd certainly come up with a different word for being, in your opinion, charged unfairly. Are you female????

 

If someone had violated your infant son, would you use the word rape so cavalierly?:mad:

 

I agree with you. I am surprised the mods have not removed it. In fact I alerted them to it when it was newly posted.

 

One cannot equate an act of violence to having to pay more for a cruise.

[seasidemama]

I don't think the majority don't complain about the few well-behaved children it's the many who aren't that are the reason.

 

I was discussing with my mother and she remarked how much the times have changed. She said her generation would never have taken a baby on a cruise, which at that time was considered a luxury vacation. In fact, air travel was too. She said thete was an unspoken rule amoung her peer group that only after a toddler made it through the "terrible twos" they would take baby steps into dining out and the like before a thought was given to a vacation. And then it would start with camping or a trip to grandmas. But now it seems babies are everywhere. Not just Chili's and Denny's.

 

I believe your child is worthy of compliments. I travelled on the Sun to S America and we had a 3 year old in our roll call who was an absolute delight. So, yes it is possible. But it didn't happen by accident. I certainly applaud good parenting.

 

with all due respect, there are a lot of things about that generation that are well forgotten... babies are part of our society and the mentality that kids should be seen and not heard is well put behind us. I understand there is a limit to how much a child could be allowed to act up before removing him/her from a public venue, however I also think that some people's tolerance levels are at zero which is ridiculously inconsiderate.

 

Babies and kids are part of our society - even if you don't have kids or plan them in the future, you yourself were once a child and ALL parents have gone through this. If anything, I think parents should be given extra consideration for the very difficult job they have of raising our future generation and leaving kids at home with a sitter is awful in my opinion - parents and babies/kids have the right to enjoy a family vacation without being looked at cross eyed all the time.

 

Just like we give consideration to older folks we get stuck behind because their pace is too slow etc - we don't tell senior citizens to stay home because it's a pain getting stuck behind them. this age group should be given consideration as well.

 

 

 

well I'm finished with my rant - it is directed to all the posters in this thread btw... happy vacations to all!

[NLH Arizona]

with all due respect, there are a lot of things about that generation that are well forgotten... babies are part of our society and the mentality that kids should be seen and not heard is well put behind us. I understand there is a limit to how much a child could be allowed to act up before removing him/her from a public venue, however I also think that some people's tolerance levels are at zero which is ridiculously inconsiderate.

 

Babies and kids are part of our society - even if you don't have kids or plan them in the future, you yourself were once a child and ALL parents have gone through this. If anything, I think parents should be given extra consideration for the very difficult job they have of raising our future generation and leaving kids at home with a sitter is awful in my opinion - parents and babies/kids have the right to enjoy a family vacation without being looked at cross eyed all the time.

 

Just like we give consideration to older folks we get stuck behind because their pace is too slow etc - we don't tell senior citizens to stay home because it's a pain getting stuck behind them. this age group should be given consideration as well.

 

 

 

well I'm finished with my rant - it is directed to all the posters in this thread btw... happy vacations to all!

 

On my first cruise on NCL this year, there were a number of children. Some were great and some were not so great. The difference was the parents. I realize that both you and your children should be able to enjoy your vacation, but should your child be able to scream in Cagney's while others are trying to have a nice dinner or run around in the MDR throwing food or running around the pool or running up and down the hallways yelling at the top of their lungs. What is the "limit" as you call it....is it 5 minutes, 10 minutes or 20 minutes, to some it is unlimited. Does that mean that the drunk using swear words in front of your children has a "limit" as well...is it okay for them to use the F word for 5 minutes or 10 minutes or 20 minutes in front of your children. I think if a child starts crying or screaming or misbehaving, they should be taken out immediately and then returned when they can act accordingly, the same goes for drunk adults, adults using unacceptable language, etc.

 

I don't think the majority of people think children should be seen but not heard, what they are saying is that screaming at the top of their lungs in restaurants is not appropriate or throwing food or running around interferring with the wait staff, etc. Parents wouldn't get cross-eyed looks, if they supervised their children. You can enjoy your vacation all you want, but it doesn't mean that your parenting skills are on vacation as well and you can let your child run amuck.

 

You think that parents should be given extra consideration, for what - supervising their children, something that became their responsibility when they had children.

 

And BTW, children are given the same consideration as seniors - small children or children in strollers are slower than most and people get stuck walking behind them and I'm sure they get the same dirty looks and rude comments that the seniors do who are slower than most.

[tonyrocks922]

 

I understand there is a limit to how much a child could be allowed to act up before removing him/her from a public venue, however I also think that some people's tolerance levels are at zero which is ridiculously inconsiderate.

 

As someone whose tolerance level for kids acting up is zero (depending on the time and place), I would argue that you are the ones who are being inconsiderate. You having unruly kids is not my problem, and if I am eating in a nice restaurant, watching a show or trying to relax on a sun deck, I shouldn't have to be subjected to yelling, screaming, or other noise.

 

Obviously in a family pool, theme parks, and low-end restaurants there's a much higher limit to how much a child should act up and if I am annoyed by a kid in those places it's my own fault for going there. There's no reason to take an unruly child to a nice restaurant, on a cruise, or any other non-family venue except for selfishness and the attitude that the world owes you special consideration because you chose to have children.

 

Babies and kids are part of our society - even if you don't have kids or plan them in the future, you yourself were once a child and ALL parents have gone through this. If anything, I think parents should be given extra consideration for the very difficult job they have of raising our future generation and leaving kids at home with a sitter is awful in my opinion - parents and babies/kids have the right to enjoy a family vacation without being looked at cross eyed all the time.

 

Oh, what a shock, you do actually think the world owes you extra consideration and even say so. Pure selfishness. Parents who travel with children are not deserving of anything more than parents who leave kids at home when appropriate, or those without children.

 

You are an incredibly selfish person and your unruly children will probably be the same.

[phantomII]

As someone whose tolerance level for kids acting up is zero (depending on the time and place), I would argue that you are the ones who are being inconsiderate. You having unruly kids is not my problem, and if I am eating in a nice restaurant, watching a show or trying to relax on a sun deck, I shouldn't have to be subjected to yelling, screaming, or other noise.

 

Obviously in a family pool, theme parks, and low-end restaurants there's a much higher limit to how much a child should act up and if I am annoyed by a kid in those places it's my own fault for going there. There's no reason to take an unruly child to a nice restaurant, on a cruise, or any other non-family venue except for selfishness and the attitude that the world owes you special consideration because you chose to have children.

 

 

 

Oh, what a shock, you do actually think the world owes you extra consideration and even say so. Pure selfishness. Parents who travel with children are not deserving of anything more than parents who leave kids at home when appropriate, or those without children.

 

You are an incredibly selfish person and your unruly children will probably be the same.

Well said, I agree 100%. My tolerance level is zero also. As a father who raised two well behaved kids we still did not take them to nice restaurants, cruises etc. because no kids are perfect all the time. If your kid screams, cries or runs around for even one second they should not be there, period.

I don't owe you or any parent consideration when you bring your innocent, well behaving (in your eyes) brat to an adult venue.

[Huxley'sCruisers]

In what universe is a cruise - a relatively inexpensive form of vacation with a wide variety of activities geared to children of all ages - NOT a family venue? I'm sorry if you don't like children, that it your problem. And yes, the majority of the time when kids are acting badly it is the parents fault, but sometimes even the most well-behaved children will have bad moments. Good parents do their best to deal with those moments, but sometimes there is nothing you can do to quiet an upset child, they are not always rational beings. I think most parents do their best, and a few bad ones ruin our reputation with curmudgeons who take issue with all children before giving the kids a chance to prove them wrong.