P&O Cruises has started to roll out a change that will see places in the kids club charged if guests want to pre-book and guarantee a place.
In an email sent out to guests on Iona, the cruise line has said that it is offering guests the chance to reserve a place in The Reef before the sailing, to ensure that children have a place.
Slots are bookable individually, and will cost £4.95 for the daytime sessions and £8.95 for evening sessions.
For a family with two children who want to attend all of the sessions, that could mean paying up to £38 per day on top of the regular cruise fare.
The notification sent to guests does state that it is being rolled out to Iona first, with no time scale given for it appearing on the rest of the family-friendly ships in the fleet.
The cruise line has said that a number of children’s club places will remain bookable onboard for free, but on a first-come, first-served basis.
Further Charges Risk Annoying Loyal Guests
The new charges to pre-book a place in The Reef for young cruisers come almost a year after the last major change to the kids clubs across the fleet.
In late May 2024, the cruise line introduced penalty fees for guests who reserved a place in The Reef and then cancelled less than 24 hours before the slot. The charge for cancelling at short notice is £5. Guests who keep the booking in the The Reef but then no-show are charged £10.
The charges only apply to The Reef which is for children 12 and under, and it appears from the email communications that the new pre-booking charges also only apply to The Reef.
H2O, the teens club for children aged 13-17, doesn’t require advance booking, primarily because it’s more of a hangout space than one with organised activities.
The new pre-booking charges might sound appealing to some guests, especially those travelling in busier periods such as the school holidays who don’t mind paying extra to guarantee a space for their kids.
But compared to other cruise lines that are a lot more relaxed about their kids clubs, not even requiring the advance reservations regardless of charges, it could be seen as another example of penny-pinching by the cruise line.
Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises, Princess Cruises and Disney Cruise Line are examples of cruise lines that sail out of the UK, just as most P&O Cruises do, that all have free kids clubs with no need to book in advance.
Why parents aren’t happy
The new P&O charges will quickly add up for families who wish to book multiple sessions, especially if travelling with more than one child.
Two children attending two sessions a day for just four days out of a week-long cruise could now cost a family over £100, if they don’t want to risk waiting until they’re onboard and seeing if spaces are still available.
Cruisers have accused P&O Cruises of ‘penny-pinching’ over the latest charges. But it’s not just the cost that’s annoying guests.
Having to plan each day of your cruise hour by hour takes away a lot of the fun and spontaneity of cruising. When it comes to 6pm on Tuesday and it’s time to go to the club, who’s to say that your children will want to? Or what if they wake up tired and aren’t ready for the 9am session?
Having to stick to a rigid schedule isn’t fun. Booking the day before is bad enough, but now we must book sessions before we even board the ship, or risk not being able to attend at all?
Many parents are commenting in Facebook groups that this has put them off cruising with P&O Cruises again. And honestly? I think I agree.
NEW DEALS JUST RELEASED!
Don’t miss the latest P&O Cruises offers…
Related Posts
- Cruising With A Baby Or Toddler On P&O Cruises – 10 Tips You Need To Know
- P&O Iona’s Family Facilities: Kids’ Clubs, Restaurants and Excursions
- Good News For Cruise Parents? Cancellation Charges Introduced For Kids’ Clubs
Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
Seabourn Revamps Loyalty Program With Important Caveat
Carnival Cruise Line frustrated many loyal guests earlier this summer by announcing the new Carnival Rewards program, set to replace the existing VIFP (Very Important Fun Person) loyalty program. Now…
Fake Cruise News Warning After Princess Fire Story Spreads
In an age where AI can write headlines faster than a journalist can fact-check them, the public is increasingly at risk of being misled by fake or sensationalised news stories…
Norwegian Star Towed Back To Port After Engine Failure
Norwegian Star’s latest cruise to Iceland got off to a dramatic start when the ship lost power just hours after leaving New York City. But thanks to fast action by…
Mayor’s Cruise Ship Ban Blocked In Court
Nearly two weeks after Nice’s mayor Christian Estrosi attempted to expel Voyager of the Seas from the Villefranche-sur-Mer harbour, a French administrative court has blocked the local restrictions he tried…
