Royal Caribbean, MSC, Margaritaville offer family cruise deals

Many avid cruisers love sailing in September and early fall, when ports are less crowded with tourists and cruise lines often offer slightly lower prices during the season. As long as hurricane season storm activity does not increase, you can usually enjoy great weather on an early fall Caribbean cruise.

If you’re planning to cruise as a family, you’ll find plenty of worthwhile, family-friendly activities included in cruise fares on most cruise lines. Most cruise ships even have kids’ clubs that offer fun, supervised spaces for kids to play at no extra cost while parents enjoy some alone time during their vacation.

Related: Price Comparison of Disney and Royal Caribbean Cruises

Even if school and work commitments won’t allow your family to sail in the fall, you can still get a deal by booking a family cruise vacation in September. Right now, several cruise lines are offering limited-time Kids Sail Free deals on new bookings made in September.

Although taxes, fees and port charges are not included in these Kids Sail Free and free third and fourth guest offers, they still offer significant cruise savings for families.

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Royal Caribbean has a popular kids club program.

Image source: Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean is bringing back the popular Kids Sail Free offer

Kids Sail Free is a popular promotion that Royal Caribbean usually runs several times a year, and the cruise line has brought it back for September 2024.

Now through September 30, families can take advantage of the Royal Caribbean Kids Sail Free offer on new bookings on fares valid for select sailings of three nights or more, departing at least 30 days after the booking date.

The promotion offers a $0 cruise fare for additional guests 12 years of age and younger from the date of departure when booked in the same cabin as the first full-fare paying guest and the second guest. Some prohibited dates apply.

In addition to the Kids Sail Free offer, the cruise line is also offering a 60% discount on the cruise fare of the second guest booked in the same cabin as the first full-fare guest.

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Even teenagers sail for free on MSC Cruises

Family cruise line MSC Cruises regularly offers Kids Sail Free promotions that offer substantial savings, especially for families with older children. Unlike the offers of some cruise lines, the MSC Cruises Kids Sail Free discount applies even to teenagers.

On MSC Cruises, children up to the age of 17 sail free on select cruises when sailing as the third and fourth guest. Government fees and taxes still apply.

The current Kids Sail Free offer featured on the cruise line’s website expires on September 22, but you may see another one posted soon.

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Margaritaville at Sea is offering Kids Sail Free until October 8th

Through October 8, Margaritaville at Sea is offering a kids free offer on new bookings made for travel through April 30, 2026 aboard Margaritaville at Sea Islander and through December 31, 2025 aboard Margaritaville at Sea Paradise.

The Kids Sail Free discount offers a free cruise fare for the third and fourth guests when they are between three and 12 years old at the time of departure and are traveling in a cabin with a minimum of two paying guests.

The Margaritaville at Sea’s Kids Sail Free offer is limited, subject to availability, and blackout dates may apply. The offer can be combined with other special offers, such as the cruise line’s on-board credit offer.

Read also: Margaritaville at Sea to “Ships on the Scary Seas” this Halloween

Cruise deals with Norwegian and Celebrity allow additional guests to sail for free on select sailings

Norwegian Cruise Line and Celebrity Cruises also offer promotions that allow families to get free cruise fares for children on select sailings.

As part of Norwegian Cruise Line’s Free at Sea promotion, where passengers can select up to five offers, families can choose a free offer for their third and fourth guests. On select voyages, third and fourth guests can sail at $0 cruise fares or $99 when sharing a cabin with two full-fare paying guests.

Through November 7, Celebrity Cruises is also offering a $0 promotion that allows the third, fourth and fifth guests to sail for free in eligible stateroom categories on select Bahamas and Caribbean sailings departing now through the 14 December 2024. The offer can be combined with an additional promotion offering up to 75% discount for the second guest on selected flights.

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