Any cruise ships that don't charge for toddlers? My son is 4 y.o.?

Question

Would like to take a cruise in September. Am looking for ways to save money. Any suggestions on a cruise line? thanks.

Answer 1

I cant think of a single one that wont charge for the kids. they dont charge full price for the 3rd person in a cabin. but yur son will be eating and using the services on the crusie, probably taking advantage of the babysitting/child care so whatever they charge i'm sure you will get your money worth

Answer 2

As the other have said, there is a big discount for the 3rd or 4th passenger in a cabin (children or adults) but it is not free.  You will be expected to tip the full amount of $4 per day for the cabin steward per person and this includes children.  No discount on that as it involves quite a bit more work for them with children.  The same goes for the waiter and the busboy.  Make sure you give the full tip amount per person and do not skimp because of a child.

Answer 3

None of the "American" ships have a no-fare for pre-schoolers policy, but they do pay the 3rd-passenger fare.  There may be some "European-based" cruiselines that have no-fare for preschoolers.  You'd have to do a search on those lines to find out, or ask a travel agent.

Answer 4

your son is not a toddler, a 4 yr old eats almost as much, if not more sometimes, as adults.....you will not get him for free, usually under 2 because they dont eat as much etc

Answer 5

I don't think there any cruises that wouldn't charge for your son - keep in mind there ARE services for 4 year olds too, they have a sort of day-care center for them and activities and such on all but the smallest of ships.

I have two babies (1 and 2) and have taken them on a couple of cruises.   Carnival charged $150 for the baby and $300 for the 2 year old.  The year before, Royal Caribbean charged $250 for 1 baby.   My main advice to you if you're looking to save money on a cruise vacation with kids:

Don't book the airfare with the cruise company.  Book it separately, or better yet, look into whether there are any cruise ports close enough to you that you could drive there and park.   This will usually save you at LEAST 30% on airfare costs plus you will  often get a direct route instead of multiple stopovers that the cruise lines often book for you.

Don't book the excursions through the ship - book them on your own once you get there - you'll save at least 20% and sometimes you can do even better.   Try negotiating on whether you could bring your son along for free or for cheap.

Don't buy one crumb of food or drop of beverage  when you are ashore in the different ports - the ship provides them for free, so why pay?   Head up to the buffet and pack yourself a picnic lunch to take to the beach!    It's free!

If you need emergency supplies while you are travelling (forgot your toothbrush?  need some kind of medication?)  Don't be afraid to seek out the local Wal-Mart in the various ports - don't buy stuff in the ship's store, if you can avoid it.  

Barter with the local vendors for souvenirs!   They will be happy to give you a better deal if you're buying multiple things - or even if you're not!  

Avoid the bars, casinos, the spa, bingo, and the various lectures (these are mostly sales-pitches) if you want to keep your cruise "on the cheap".    Instead, seek out the Broadway-style shows (a staple on most cruises), family activities like arts-and-crafts, trivia, sing-alongs and scavenger hunts.   (added bonus - these events often give out "prizes" that are identical to the souvenirs sold in the ship's store!)

The cheapest cruise line is generally Carnival - Royal Caribbean is pretty close.   Norwegian and Princess vary pretty wildly depending on where the ship is going and how new the ship is.  You might steer clear of Holland and Celebrity altogether - cheap is not their watchword.  Crystal, Silverseas and Seabourne are also not likely to be found in the bargain bin.   Disney cruises are fairly expensive but you might still consider them if the price isn't too bad - their child facilities are second to none!  

Wait til the last day - morning of disembarkation, even! - to buy any pictures from the ship's photographer.  Oftentimes if they haven't met their quota, they will have a last-minute sale.  At any rate, those pictures aren't going ANYWHERE until your cruise is over - don't feel pressured to buy them early in the week, or to buy them at all.  

No need to pay for the internet services onboard the ship - the ports are usually jammed with Internet cafes - they cater to the cruise line employees!  Just follow the groups of cruise employees at the pier, and you will find that they will generally lead you to the cheapest long-distance phone calls, and the best internet prices in town.  

If you are determined not to pay extra for your son - you might look into staying at an all-inclusive resort.  There are several in Mexico and on the various islands that let you bring one child per family for free.   These resorts will often include free alcohol, and offer similar excursions to the cruise ships.  They're notorious for pushing time-shares though, so watch out.