How Much Does It Cost For Kids To Go On A Cruise?

Cruising with kids can be a magical family adventure, filled with onboard water parks, character meet-and-greets, and exotic ports. Price tag? Oh, wait, perhaps you haven’t researched that yet! No worries. As parents, you surely must often wonder if it's worth the splash. The cruise industry will keep booming, so long as the kids come rolling into this world, and new mega-ships like Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas have entered service to entertain them. Costs for children vary wildly by line, age, cabin occupancy, and promotions. Unlike adults, kids aren't always full-fare passengers, but extras like port fees, gratuities, and activities add up quickly.

This refreshed guide breaks down latest pricing across major lines, drawing from current deals and policies. Whether you're eyeing Disney's enchanted voyages or MSC's budget Mediterranean escapes, understanding kid costs helps craft a vacation that's fun without financial regret. We'll explore base fares, free-sail perks, and hidden fees, plus strategies to save and top destinations for value.

How Much Does It Cost for Kids to Go on a Cruise?

Cruising with children doesn't mean you have to spend a lot. If you have done your homework, you’d know that costs depend on family size, kid’s ages, and cruise line policies. Most cruises charge per person, treating kids (typically 2-17) similarly to adults, though some cruise lines have discounts for third/fourth guests in a cabin being a child. A family of four might pay full for the first two (adults or not), with kids as third/fourth getting 50-100% off base fares—plus mandatory port taxes ($100-300/child) and gratuities ($16-20/day/child).

Line-specific Discounts: Royal Caribbean often runs "Kids Sail Free" for under-12s as third/fourth guests on select sailings. This helps save $500-1,000/child. Carnival's VIFP loyalty tiers slash rates further in this category. Disney Cruise Line, known for its magical experience for children, starts at $150-250/day/child, with under-3s free on select itineraries, but they still cost full gratuities. Norwegian is Free at Sea bundles (drinks, Wi-Fi) which is great for savings, but you should expect $99-199/child for other amenities and expenses.

Age matters: Infants (under 6 months) are barred from many cruise lines for health reasons. Age range around 6-23 months can sail free on some cruise lines (like MSC, Costa), but parents will still pay taxes applied to them. Ages 2-11 get deepest discounts mostly, while 12-17 are treated as near-adults and so same rates apply as adults. Luxury lines like Crystal or Seabourn charge full for all, emphasizing their exclusivity over the staple family deals in other cruise lines we have mentioned earlier.

Entertainment and dining: Free basics (pools, kids' clubs) are mostly available, but premium activities (arcades, babysitting) can cost anywhere around $10-50/hour. Add in specialty dining, and we have $25-75 per child. Always check terms and conditions while booking. Free kids’ cruise deals often exclude taxes, fees, and packages in their billing. So, make sure you know how much to keep at hand with you.

Top Ways to Save on a Cruise with Kids

Family cruises can surely and heavily impact carefully crafted budgets, especially if you are unprepared. But with awesome cruise deals floating on our online cruise booking platform, you can know how to trim costs without skimping on fun aspects of your upcoming cruise journey:

Find Kids Sail Free Promotions

Cruise Lines like Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, MSC, Holland America, and others offer free base fares for kids 12 and under (or up to 17 on select) as third/fourth guests. Holland America's latest cruise deal covers Hawaii/Alaska; Norwegian's Free at Sea includes perks as well. Book 6-9 months out for savings up to $1,000/child. You can find them on our online cruise booking page link here, where you can select advanced options and check supplier promotions.

Look for Affordable Lines & Off-Peak Sailing

Carnival and MSC stand out for the value they bring for families on a cruise. For example, a 7-night Caribbean costs anywhere from $300-500/child, including clubs like Camp Ocean. You should book a cruise during shoulder seasons (September-November, January-March) for 20-40% off. Avoid summer peak seasons.

About Loyalty Programs & Bundles

Carnival's VIFP or Royal's Crown & Anchor programs are the best rate slashers, especially when they offer 10-25% cuts for repeat cruise bookings. All-inclusive bundles (drinks, Wi-Fi) save $200-500/family. Norwegian's Free at Sea packs in extras from $99/person.

Book Early & Monitor Deals

When you are booking a cruise on Cruisebooking, you’ll notice above where we have flash sales and the latest cruise deals on offer. Maybe, you don’t have time, so no worries. Just subscribe to our newsletter and everything else is taken care of. You can also buy onboard credits pre-cruise for activities. For example, $100 buys arcade passes or mini-golf.

Group Rates & Adjacent Cabins

Group rates can be extremely enticing. For example, with a minimum of 8 cruise tickets, you could get 10-15% off of the total bill. You can read our Group booking article here to know more. Interconnecting rooms are best without suite premium costs. Self-assist disembarkation can also slash more costs.

Budget-Friendly Family Cruise Destinations

We have detailed the costs of these valuable spots in our list below. They are perfect places where you can have both adventures and the affordability to enjoy them. You should aim for shorter sailings (3-5 nights) from U.S. ports to cut flights, that’s our little suggestion for you:

Bahamas & Caribbean

From Miami/Port Canaveral, expect a 3-4 nights on Carnival/Royal starting at $200-400/child. But when it comes to Nassau's beaches, Atlantis waterpark: free kids sail deals make them enjoyable! Harvest Caye (Norwegian) offers ziplines for $50-100, so that the kids may have an adventure they’ll remember for a long time.

Mexico (Western Caribbean)

This is an exciting region. Check out our latest article on this awesome place. Cozumel's reefs, Cabo beaches are the best hangout places you can score with 7-nights from $300-600/child on MSC. Snorkel excursions cost $40-80 easy-peasy. But you can also opt for budget ports like Ensenada for tacos and whale-watching.

Alaska (Inside Passage)

You can now access this region with a summer 7-nights from Seattle/Vancouver on Princess/Holland America ($500-800/child). Good news: Glacier Bay hike is free and kid-friendly salmon bakes is around $50. We recommend shoulder season cruising. It saves around 20%! Cool!

Mediterranean (Short Loops)

The beauty of Rome's Colosseum and Santorini beaches can be enjoyed with 7-nights cruise deals from Barcelona/Rome on Costa/MSC ($400-700/child, we have the deals here) and with family tours costing $100-200. As we always advise, keep in mind that off-peak (April/October) drops rates 30%.

Norwegian Fjords

Enter this icy paradise by booking a cruise for 7-nights from Copenhagen on Hurtigruten ($600-900/child). You can then Kayak around the fjords for extra $80 if you want to enjoy more.