Hi OzBargainers,
I recently got a quote for a cruise on Carnival Sprit for my family.
I was surprised they charge the same amount regardless of the child's age.
Basically for a family of four, my 3yr old and my 1yr old both are charged full adult rate.
Whats your experience, is there a cruise line that offers discounted price for kids ?
Thanks
yeah those kids clubs you can dump your kids in all day, offer zero value right?
You can only leave kids there if they are over 3. Under 3 and you have to pay per hour for babysitting.
RCI have kids sail free sales occasionally, look out for them. Sign up with a travel agent and get them to send you an email when the sale comes up. Generally speaking, the 3rd and fourth guests in a cabin are half price anyway.
MSC Cruises have a children under 12 sail for free with parents deals as well.
https://www.msccruises.com.au/en-au/Cruise-Deals/Our-Fares.a…
MSC cruises don't depart from Oz?
Unless the particular cruise line is purposely trying to keep the little shits off of the confines of a cruise ship…
Also, I guess for the 3 year old, they're taking up a berth, aren't they? One that an adult could potentially take up, an adult who would undoubtedly spend more on the ship itself (I'm assuming this isn't such aan issue for the one year old because they can just sleep with the parents, or in the cupboard or something.
If they're young enough, could even sleep in the bathroom sink!
Yeah, but you can close the cupboard… Leave 'em in the sink and they're all in your face and blahblahblah and shit.
Correct, just like going 'single' normally costs the same as the total cost for 2 twin share.
$4000 single, or $2000/twin share aka $4000.
Send an inquiry to a few of the many many Australian cruise retailers online. You can also inquire directly through the cruise line web sites.
I am surprised that Carnival did not have any as they seem to design their business around families/children here.
I'm taking my family on a cruise (first one) and we've paid less for our children (9 & 10 years old) than for us. We're going with Princess.
Correct, the cost per person comes down the more people in a room. so you can see if one of two ways.
Everyone gets a discount (aka all adults) or the adults pay the full price twin share price and the 'kids' are discounted. At the end of the day, the cost per berth is the same.
Basically for a family of four, my 3yr old and my 1yr old both are charged full adult rate.
Kids gets other things like the kids club, aka free child care. So you can dump your little angels in kids club all day and not have to deal with them nor cost you a cent.
So while you might not see the 'value' in it, others do. Just like a airline, a bum in the seat is a bum in the seat, regardless of the age.
From my experience, kids under 2 aren't able to be left in kids club so there's almost no value. Even if your child is days away from turning 2, they won't let your child into the kids club without parental supervision. Best to wait until they turn 2!
Ridiculous isn’t it. A 1 year old gets zero value out of their services.
I guess they potentially stop the parents spending more money on other things on board so they try to get the money back that way.