Logistics when booking rail or cruise travel for a family.

[Wormius]

I am trying to understand something with cruise ship / train travel bookings.

If I am going to go on a cruise or take a train excursion with my family, isn't it cheaper to book everything individually rather than as a group of 4?

As an example, a train trip from Jasper to Quebec City, if I were to arrange the trip as 2 adults, 2 kids, the cost for a sleeper cabin for 2 is $2200 per adult and $1700 per kid for a return trip, which works out to approx. $8000.

If I book a sleeper cabin for 2 for just myself for $3200, and then economy fares for the other 3 members of my family for $850 for the other adult, and $490 per kid that works out to only $5000, and then everybody could stay in the sleeper cabin anyway.

Similarly on cruises, couldn't you book a nice balcony suite for one person, and then the cheapest possible rooms for other members of your family and then just all stay in the nice room together? It doesn't seem reasonable that a party of 4 staying in one room pays more than 4 individuals staying in separate rooms.

Am I missing something obvious and important concept that would make this unfeasible?

Not that I am plannning on blowing $5000 on a train trip to Quebec City, but this has been nagging in the back of my mind for a while. I realize that a single person pays more than any one member of the larger party, but the price discrepancy is quite high when you're considering a party of 4 would pay an extra $3000 if the trip was booked as a group rather than individuals.

[Ace]

Thank you for showing me how to get cheaper travel, your logic is absolutely correct IMO.

I could see they might not give you enough towels or something like that initially.

[FlamesAddiction]

I would just fly. There is literally nothing worth seeing between Jasper and Quebec City anyway. I think it would be like $500.

[GGG]

My only concern would be that you need some kind of pass to access the sleeping area of a train or fancy area of the cruise ship. Or if the balcony room on te cruise ship gets you better access to the nicer restaurants on board.

I dont know as I havent done either but your logic seems sound,

[Wormius]

Yeah, I don't think I would take a train to QC, but I was looking at train as fun alternative to planes, if time isn't of the essence.

I just wasn't sure how this all worked. I was just going through the motions of seeing what train trips or cruises would cost the family. I guess the concern would be not having access to the different areas of the train or ship.

[Ashartus]

I haven't been on a lot of cruises, but the prices per person for cruises are often based on double occupancy or there'd be a price for the cabin and a smaller amount additional for extra people. Unless there's some sort of special deal I can't see a cruise ship letting you book multiple rooms for a family for less than booking one room for the same family - but if you can get a deal like that then go for it.

[bizaro86]

A cruise will charge more for single occupancy, often 2x the per person price.

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by GGG

My only concern would be that you need some kind of pass to access the sleeping area of a train or fancy area of the cruise ship. Or if the balcony room on te cruise ship gets you better access to the nicer restaurants on board.

I dont know as I havent done either but your logic seems sound,

Have never done a train trip like that, but we've done many cruises and all passengers get access to the same restaurants and areas.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

Have never done a trail trip like that, but we've done many cruises and all passengers get access to the same restaurants and areas.

This isn't true. Oftentimes passengers in suites/higher class cabins get better perks.

A couple of examples:

On Celebrity, those booked in Aqua class have exclusive access to the "Blu" dining room.

On Norwegian, those in certain suites get breakfast/lunch in the Cagneys specialty restaurant.

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by bizaro86

This isn't true. Oftentimes passengers in suites/higher class cabins get better perks.

A couple of examples:

On Celebrity, those booked in Aqua class have exclusive access to the "Blu" dining room.

On Norwegian, those in certain suites get breakfast/lunch in the Cagneys specialty restaurant.

It is true. I'm not saying it's ALWAYS the case but I've cruised in a suite, with a balcony and in a cheap inside cabin and I've never seen any difference. I've never seen a restaurant that I couldn't use when I was traveling on the cheap. I've never sailed Celebrity but have been on Norwegian as well as several other lines.

Higher-end passengers can get things but restaurants not one of them that I've ever seen. Cruise lines want their restaurants to be well used. There are restaurants you pay extra for but all of those I've seen can be used by anyone.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

It is true. I'm not saying it's ALWAYS the case but I've cruised in a suite, with a balcony and in a cheap inside cabin and I've never seen any difference. I've never seen a restaurant that I couldn't use when I was traveling on the cheap. I've never sailed Celebrity but have been on Norwegian as well as several other lines.

Higher-end passengers can get things but restaurants not one of them that I've ever seen. Cruise lines want their restaurants to be well used. There are restaurants you pay extra for but all of those I've seen can be used by anyone.

With all due respect, you're wrong. Many cruise lines have restaurants or times that are exclusively for certain passengers. I gave two examples. If the OP books one cabin in a suite (full suite, not a mini-suite) and one in a lower fare cabin on NCL, those in the suite will have access to Cagneys for breakfast/lunch and those in the other cabin will not. Similarly on Celebrity, if he booked one aqua class cabin, only those in that cabin could eat at Blu, and they would be automatically booked there.

I'm not saying its a big deal, and I wouldn't pay extra for it myself, but if the OP books one cabin as a suite level and one inside cabin he should look into it.

[Northendzone]

The train from Quebec City to jasper would be some kind of awesome as the scenery in northern Ontario is impressive.

I believe that all passengers on the cruise lines have equal access to germs, microbes and spores.....enjoy