This is something that has been bugging me ever since we booked our cruise: Why is the charge for the 3rd and 4th passenger (kids) twice as much in a mini-suite as in an inside cabin? It's the same cabin (whether there are two or four of us in it). The kids do eat the same amount, require the same clean-up, etc. In fact, taking two inside cabins would have been cheaper for us but &quot;costs&quot; the cruise line more (cleaning, can't sell the cabin to someone else).<BR><BR>

An excellent question - one I've also had for awhile. My take is that the cruise line figures anyone who can afford a mini-suite or suite can obviously doesn't mind paying four to five times the inside cabin price for passengers one and two so why not ding them for 3 and 4 as well.

Ingrid - <BR><BR>I didn't realize how high the third/fourth passenger reates were for mini-suites this until I called yesterday to see what it would cost to add a second cabin. After spending three nights in a hotel room with our 10 and 13 year old we decided that even a mini-suite was too much togetherness. To my suprise we were able to add an inside cabin kitty corner to our mini-suite for only an additional $160. Had we booked a regualar balcony cabin with an inside across it would have been $140 less expensive than having us all in one cabin. We could not change to a balcony cabin without incurring penalties since it is less than 75 days before sailing. We are happy with the new arrangement and feel that the extra $160 will be money well spent!!<BR><BR>Steph

Steph,<BR>great idea (we have a 10 and a 12 year old). Which ship are you sailing on? We'll be on the Grand Princess. Our mini-suite supposedly has an additional bed (pullout or bunk?), but I'm also worried about cramped spaces. We got a very good rate on the mini-suite but still could have booked two outside cabins for the same price. Problem wsa we booked the mini-suite and then added the 3rd and 4th passengers later (once my husband and son decided that they wanted to come along after all).

Maybe the cruise lines wish to reduce the amount of children on the ships.<BR><BR>Paul

And maybe they should realize that by reducing the number of children they are discouraging a huge market for potential cruisers.<BR><BR>Personally, my husband hates cruising. My sister, mom and I go with the kids because it's one of the best vacations for kids, and they enjoy it so much. If it weren't for the kiddies, we'd never cruise.

Do minisuites have 2 bathrooms? If not, then I would go for 2 outside suites so you have 2 bathrooms for 4 people - makes alot of differnce, especially on a cruise sip, where bathrooms are small to begin with. Also, because of dress requirements, you are alwyas dressing for dinner, so everyone will need a bathroom at Least 3 times a day, morning, before dinner, and after dinner.

Just a quick update: I booked an additional inside cabin across our minisuite for a total cost of 100.00. Now we just have to decide who will sleep where. My daughter thinks it's the girls in the suite and the guys in the inside cabin

I believe Nina that the children are discouraged since Princess does not wish to overload their children's program staff. On Carnival and Royal Caribbean the children's program is oftentimes overloaded during school breaks. <BR><BR>Paul