Are Royal Caribbean really after the family market?

Having worked in the industry a long time I have seen cruise grow and grow, with selected cruise lines wanting to expand into the family market. Royal Caribbean are doing a fantastic job with flow riders, rock climbing walls kids clubs etc. But when it come to pricing the cruises I think they are either missing a trick or seriously taking the michael (to put it politely)


I have just priced a Christmas cruise on Independance of the Seas for 2 adults and a 13mth baby - the adult price was fantastic at £1800 for an 18night cruise in a high grade balcony cabin. But Royal's price for the baby meanwhile came in at around £800, the same price as a 3rd adult would have paid. This is ridiculous, what is the baby going to get for this? A free babysitter every night? 18 nights supply of nappies? I doubt it, in fact I doubt she'll even get a chocolate in her cot every night. Plus they have the cheek to charge her the full £117 gratuities for the cruise.

Maybe it's a ploy to discourage babies, and I quite understand this kind of pricing from cruiseslines that are not family orientated. But if they are trying to expand and take the family market from the likes of Thomas Cook and Thomson then they definitely need to address this.

Cunard Christmas Cracker?

Cunard's Queen Victoria is sailing a 16 nights canaries cruise departing on the 19th December. Taking in Christmas and New Year and cruising to one of the warmer destinations, she should be the ideal choice. Yet this Christmas cruise still has availability when nearly all other cruises sold out months ago.

Maybe it's the recession - although P&O, Ocean Village and NCL all appear unaffected. Maybe she's too expensive, but with free upgrades, on board credit and keen discounting I think she offers an attractive proposition. I'm stumped, I can see no reason why she hasn't sold - can you?