Traveling with Kids can be expensive. If you are anything like me, you will always be looking for any special promotions.
Cruising can be especially expensive. Fortunately, if you time it right, you can sometimes take advantage of the Royal Caribbean Kids Sail Free promotion and potentially save a lot of money.
While our kids have now grown up and have kids of their own, I can still remember the amount my daughter Nicola could rack up on her Seapass. Kids are expensive LOL. Therefore any savings you can find are worthwhile investigating. If they work for your particular cruise sailing you can save a lot!
In this article, I will explain how the Royal Caribbean Kids Sail Free promotion works and when it is normally available. The information contained here is kept up to date as best I can – but please be aware promotions come and go, and information can change quickly. Therefore, always check directly with Royal Caribbean or your travel agent before making any planning decisions.
So here’s what we are going to cover:-
The KiD SAIL FREE PROGRAM – ALL THE LITTLE DETAILS
What is the Royal Caribbean Kids Sail For Free Offer?
The Royal Caribbean Kids Sail Free Promotion is a special promotion.
The promotion offers you a 100% discount on the cruise fare for any kids aged under 12 who occupy your cabin with two other adults.
The promotion only applies to sailings of three nights or longer and is only available for cabins with triple or quadruple occupancy. The cabins can be any category, but the cabins with pull-down Pullman beds often provide the best budget-conscious options. ( What is a Pullman Bed on Royal Caribbean? Find out here. )
The promotion is only offered within the US (including Puerto Rico), Canada, and certain Caribbean countries.
When is the Royal Caribbean Kids Sail Free Normally Offered?
The promotion is usually offered around 4 times a year. It applies to cruises booked during the promotional period for sailings dates up to two years in advance.
Will My Kids Really Sail For Free?
Yes and No! Strictly speaking, they do sail free. They do not pay any cruise fare. However…..and this is where it gets a little complicated. Your kids will still have to pay the Port Fees and Taxes that would normally apply. They would also have to pay gratuities, and don’t forget any extras like the Royal Caribbean drink package for all their soda needs! Royal Caribbean Wifi costs will also quickly mount up if the kids need wifi as well!
The other thing to consider is that two adults sailing in a two-person occupancy cabin will pay less than 2 adults and a kid in a triple or quad-occupancy cabin, even though your Kid pays zero for the cabin. The reason is due to the BASE price of the cabin. Dual occupancy cabins cost less than Triple or Quad cabins.
So when you are trying to compare the prices with and without the kids, always make sure you are comparing the exact same cabin category.
What age is kids sail free on Royal Caribbean?
Kids need to be aged 12 or under to apply, and need to be in a stateroom occupied by at least two adults.
Do kids always sail free on Royal Caribbean?
No, the promotion is only made available at certain times of the year.
Is Royal Caribbean Kids Sail Free Currently Available?
The quickest way is to check the current Royal Caribbean Promotions Terms and Conditions page – if it mentions “Kids Eat Free” then the promotion is currently active.
Royal Caribbean publishes a list of blackout dates when the promotion cannot be used. They are quite extensive and unfortunately cover the common dates your kids would be out of school.
What are the Kids Sail Free Blackout Dates?
Here is the list of Blackout dates (this is from the last promotion) where the Kids Sail Free promotion cannot be used.
2024 Blackout Dates
- Spring Break: March 8 to March 22, 2024
- Easter: March 22, 2024 to April 4, 2024
- Thanksgiving Holiday: November 22 to November 29, 2024
- Christmas and New Year: December 20 2024 to January 3, 2025
2025 Blackout Dates
- Spring Break: March 7 to March 28, 2025
- Easter: April 12, 2025 to April 24, 2025
When Will Royal Caribbean Kids Sail Free Next Be Available?
Unless you know someone inside Royal Caribbean’s marketing department, it’s impossible to know. The offer is made available around four times a year.
What happens if Kids Sail Free is offered AFTER you have already booked?
You can call Royal Caribbean and ask if they can apply the promotion to your booking. If you meet all the conditions in terms or kids’ ages, cabin type, and occupancy, they will normally apply the saving to your booking.
If you have booked through a travel agent the process is usually even simpler, as they will do this for you.
Does the Kids Sail Free offer apply to Junior Suites?
Yes, it does as Junior Suites had a standard occupancy of 4. The savings can be quite substantial as well.
Does the Kids Sail Free offer apply to Standard Staterooms?
It does, as long as the stateroom category is a triple or quad occupancy room.
What about other Stateroom Categories? Does Kids Sail Free apply?
Yes, the same criteria apply. The room must be a triple or quad occupancy stateroom.
I’m struggling to understand how Royal Caribbean is working out the prices on the Kids Sail Free Quotation.
Don’t worry, you are not alone. Royal Caribbean Maths is “a thing”. It can be very confusing at times. As long as the cruise fare is shown as zero, then the quotation will be correct.
If you are trying to compare the quotation, with one for just the two of you and not the kids, then make sure you are comparing identical cabin categories. Different cabin categories have different prices, this is where it gets confusing.
Kids Sail Free just got added to the cruise that I have booked. Can I add my kid to the booking? He wasn’t coming with us originally.
Unfortunately, to change your booking, you would need to cancel the original booking and create a new one. But before you do that check it was a refundable fare. Then reach out directly to Royal Caribbean or your Travel Agent for advice.
Let’s Look Forward to Our Next Cruise With the Kids
So there you have it. The Royal Caribbean Kids Sail Free promotion can be a great way to save money. It’s also a great way of bringing the family all together.
Kids absolutely love cruising and the best part is….Royal Caribbean does a great job of looking after them for us with their Adventure Ocean program.
So if the time is right, and the promotion is available, give the kids the treat they deserve.
Spot anything wrong or out of date in this article? Please let me know here and we’ll get it updated?
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