Price for toddlers?

[WMQueenie]

We are looking at booking an anniversary cruise with our grown children and grandchildren. We have 18 month old twin grandchildren...I have looked around and can not find how much they charge for toddlers?! There would be 6 adults and the two babies...

[mjkacmom]

If they are 3rd and 4th passengers, that's the fee.

[SJNB]

It depends on the amount of people in the cabin with the children, if there were two adults and two kids, they would pay the 3rd and 4th person rate, which varies by cruise. Unless NCL was running a kids sail free promo, then they would only pay port fees and taxes. They haven't ran that promo since summer 2014.

 

Hope this helps. We sail next Friday and only had to pay $117 for our 13 month old because of the Kids Sail free promo

 

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[WMQueenie]

Holy moly.....that really puts a kink in our plans.... can't see paying $900 for a baby!!! :(

[SJNB]

The 3rd and 4th person rates are reduced rates. If you go onto NCL's website and do a mock booking, you can select 4 people in a cabin, and then you can click on the right hand side to see a breakdown of the rates

 

 

 

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[WMQueenie]

I just did that and the price difference was $75 a person. Can't justify spending almost $1000 for an 20 month old - actually 2 (twins)...

this is really ruining my night. So disappointed.

[SJNB]

what date and ship was it? That seems strange.

 

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[WMQueenie]

Gem - June 27

Just tried an inside cabin - cat IF

For 2 people it was $999 each

For 4 people it was $924 each

[mjkacmom]

Holy moly.....that really puts a kink in our plans.... can't see paying $900 for a baby!!! :(

 

Actually, cruise lines would much rather have adults board than babies. They really get in revenue from the fares, and there is a finite capacity. They get revenue from alcohol sales and gambling. Babies don't gamble, drink, use spa services, buy stuff, book excursions or photos, pay for up charge dining, use Internet packages... They lose money on kids.

[rvsullivan]

I just did that and the price difference was $75 a person. Can't justify spending almost $1000 for an 20 month old - actually 2 (twins)...

this is really ruining my night. So disappointed.

 

I'm not sure if your viewing this correctly or not? I just did a mock booking to get an idea. A random cruise to the Caribbean for an inside priced out at $579 per person for two or a total of $1158. Same room for four came out $414 per person or total of $1656. For $500 or $250 per child.

[mjkacmom]

Gem - June 27

Just tried an inside cabin - cat IF

For 2 people it was $999 each

For 4 people it was $924 each

 

All area schools are finally out for the summer, so ships sail wih lots of families. They charg it because they can. We sail with our kids during non peak times,and the rates for 3rd/4th passengers are much lower.

[cb at sea]

Once in a while, you'll find a promotion with reduced rates for children.....but they aren't free! There is a finite amount of souls the ship can take...whether adult or baby, there must be a spot in a lifeboat for EVERYONE....since children don't spend any money, it's not cost-effective for a cruise line to "give away" a lifeboat space.

[C Cruise Dude]

Call NCL's 800 number and let a rep help you to insure that you are getting the correct fare. NCL does have cruises where kids under 18 sail free. Check into that.

[rvsullivan]

OP is looking to book a 4th of July cruise specifically. Chances of kids sail free is slim. Schools out!

[WMQueenie]

OP is looking to book a 4th of July cruise specifically. Chances of kids sail free is slim. Schools out!

 

We would return on the 4th of July...

 

I never cruised with children before and am shocked that they charge that much, especially under 2 years old! For what this cruise would cost for the 6 adults and 2 babies, we could probably spend a week at Disney World on property, park tickets, meal plan AND airfare from the northeast.

 

Cruising has become our favorite vacation. This was to be our 40th wedding anniversary trip with our entire family, now we have to review other options.

:(

[FireEater]

Disney for a week with 2 18 month old? Imagine the fun you will have in Florida summer weather pushing/carrying/lugging 2 pre 2 yo children around a crowded park all day, every day, for a week...

 

Bet a cruise is sounding better and better....:p

[dexddd]

Looking at the pricing details, it is base rate of $999 for the first two each and 3 and 4 are $849 each. Very generally speaking, that seems high for a 3rd and 4th but not unheard of. Maybe the sailing or that category has sold quite well. Categories IC, ID, IX are all showing sold out.

Edited December 28, 2014 by dexddd

[Demonyte]

I never cruised with children before and am shocked that they charge that much, especially under 2 years old!

 

As said by others already before in this thread, by the laws the infants take up one place lifeboat just like kids and adults, and in addition cause a lot more expenses to the cruise line compared to an average adult that spend money on drinks etc. Kids also often cause more work for cabin stewards because of the extra bed arrangements, possibly more cleanup (even with extra dishes), etc.

 

What comes to the price, $999 for first two passengers and $849 for third and fourth is quite unusual normally, but definitely not during high season - when the demand if high and the ship is getting full, they will rise the prices of third and fourth persons because otherwise they'd eventually need to leave whole cabins empty because of the lifeboat capacity for each area would be maxed out.

 

So unless it was a high season cruise, the price for 3rd and 4th would usually be for example anywhere from $199 to $499 instead of $849 on that specific cruise.

[mjkacmom]

We would return on the 4th of July...

 

I never cruised with children before and am shocked that they charge that much, especially under 2 years old! For what this cruise would cost for the 6 adults and 2 babies, we could probably spend a week at Disney World on property, park tickets, meal plan AND airfare from the northeast.

 

Cruising has become our favorite vacation. This was to be our 40th wedding anniversary trip with our entire family, now we have to review other options.

:(

 

But it has been explained to you the reasons why pricing for babies/children is not discounted on cruises vs. land based vacations. Add in peak season, and a. Very expensive cruise port (always going to cost more sailing out of NYC), and there you have it.

 

I still think once you add up flights, ground transportation, lodging, park tickets, and meals for WDW, cruising will still be cheaper.

 

Just a FYI, there are no clubs on the Gem for the under 3 crowd, and no pools for the diapered set.

[bluesea777]

For this particular June 27 sailing the 3rd and 4th person rate is $849 per person plus taxes & fees, regardless of the cabin category.

 

Perhaps you should look into sailing off season when the 3rd & 4th person rates are cheaper.

 

Our wedding anniversary is in Aug but the cruise prices are too high so we tend to celebrate them in Oct ....

Edited December 28, 2014 by bluesea777

[WMQueenie]

For this particular June 27 sailing the 3rd and 4th person rate is $849 per person plus taxes & fees, regardless of the cabin category.

 

Perhaps you should look into sailing off season when the 3rd & 4th person rates are cheaper.

 

Our wedding anniversary is in Aug but the cruise prices are too high so we tend to celebrate them in Oct ....

 

We always cruise in the fall. Our anniversary is in March but we have a son who is a teacher and a daughter-in-law in nursing school so the only time we can all go together is the summer. So I guess that means we are have to pay the price or find something else to do. I do have an email into our guy at NCL to confirm the pricing.

 

Thanks for all your comments.

[GoofyCrew]

Keep in mind that you will also have to pay $12/per day/per child for gratuity.

 

I hadn't anticipated our children's gratuity being the same as an adults but, for most of the same reasons that they charge a 3rd/4th fare for them, are the same reasons they have a gratuity. It caught me off-guard, so be prepared. That was an extra $168 for us.

[Got Tequila?]

The daily service charge/gratuity is only for guests age 3 and over, not for the OP's 18 month old grand children.

 

 

Also the 3-8th guest fare is the same price in any cabin on that same sailing date/ship....so it's a higher percentage of discount off the pricing of the higher end suites.