So I'm wanting to plan a cruise for summer 2011. I've seen a few cruises either on sites like vacationstogo.com or ecruises that will list some cruises at free for kids. This seems to be special deals, not the norm. Are there any cruiselines where kids (mine will be 2 that summer) are always free? Are deals like that easy to find? Are they easy to negotiate, especially with the down economy? If it's not easy to find who has the most reasonable kid's fares? I saw Disney prices estimated at about half the price of adult rates... better than full price.
Yes, if you find one that includes kids for free snap it up. I remember taking my 6 month old son and paying almost full price - even though I was not allowed to bring a kettle onboard to make his formula and room service would take about 20 mins in the evenings to get hot water for his bottles. It was quicker to run up to the restaurant and get the hot water ourselves.
One of the cruise lines that offers free children's fares VERY OFTEN (in fact, almost always) is MSC. It's an Italian owned line that is beginning to do lots of cruises in the Caribbean, besides their regular transatlantic crossings and many med. cruises.
This is one of those times that a travel agent specializing in cruises might be called for. Look for a bricks and mortar agency near you (not on-line). That way you can go in and talk to someone face-to-face and get a good relationship going. Cruise lines still give commissions to TA for booking cruises.
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Not common on the big/mainstream lines. That's cuz an infant is counted as a "passenger" just the same as an adult for capacity reasons. A ship only has a certain amount of capacity. Every human counts the same. That's why the # of family cabins can disappear rapidly as the ship books up on popular routes.
Not only is the infant a "passenger", but the cruise lines make no additional income for drinks and/or casino etc. etc. for an infant. So, they take the full fare.
It isn't uncommon for the 3rd or 4th pax to pay a vastly reduced fare though-- so if you are sharing your cabin with a spouse and a child, the child, as the 3rd pax is likely to pay $99 or $199 for the cruise rather than $999.
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For U.S. based cruise lines, there are only two that allow infants under 24 months to sail free (however they still have to pay taxes). Those two are Disney and NCL.
Agree with the Costa and MSC recommendations, though they always don't get such great reviews. Also, watch for those 3rd and 4th passenger sail for $99 fares on other lines.
Go to the family forum on cruisecritic.com and ask. Also, read through the threads there, as lots of time, posters will start a thread when these specials pop up.
Keep in mind when chosing a cruiseline that a lot of ships have no child care for a two year old, and don't allow a child that young in the children's program. Also, most ships have no pool for a nonpotty trained child; no swim diapers allowed.
what is the maximum age of the child in order for the child to go free?
i.e for an airline a child aged 12 is an adult, but how does it work for cruises?
Depends on the cruiseline. For example, on MSC, "kids sail free" is for kids 17 and under sailing as the third and fourth passenger in a cabin on the US webpage. On the UK webpage, it's kids under 18.
Sometimes these promotions are available only to residents of certain countries.
Depends on the cruiseline. For example, on MSC, "kids sail free" is for kids 17 and under sailing as the third and fourth passenger in a cabin on the US webpage. On the UK webpage, it's kids under 18.
Sometimes these promotions are available only to residents of certain countries.
Thanks,
I had a feeling it was under 18 if sharing with 2 paying adults
) is MSC. It's an Italian owned line that is beginning to do lots of cruises in the Caribbean, besides their regular transatlantic crossings and many med. cruises.
