MSC Cruises Now Charging for Previously Free Baby Care Service
Key Aspects:
MSC Cruises’ Baby Care service is no longer free for guests across the fleet.
Full pricing and terms have not been disclosed for the previously included service.
Other cruise lines already charge fees for nursery care and after-hours babysitting.
Parents planning the ultimate family getaway aboard MSC Cruises ships have discovered the quiet addition of new fees to the cruise line’s MSC Baby Care service.
While there has been no official announcement of the new fee, the cruise line’s website does note that “charges apply” for Baby Care. The cost is not clarified and may vary depending on itinerary, schedule, the amount of time the service is used, and other factors.
MSC Cruises has confirmed that there is now a charge for the previously free service.
“The Baby Care service has been updated over time. Previously, it included two complimentary 2‑hour slots per day, this has since changed to a revised structure with more availability, which is now chargeable,” the cruise line responded to inquiries on X.
Most frustrating to guests is the fact that this is not a new service and there seem to have been no substantive changes other than a “revised structure with more availability.”
Previously, Baby Care was only available for roughly two-hour time slots, twice per day. This would give parents some limited options to enjoy adults-only time, such as a massage in the morning or a cocktail hour in the evening.
The cruise line’s website now shows updated information and further details. Baby Care is available for eight hours per day and still has a limit of no more than 15 babies at one time. The service is only available for babies from six months to three years of age and parents must register their children onboard in order to participate.
MSC Baby Care is available across the entire MSC Cruises fleet of 23 vessels, including the newest ship, MSC World America, and the upcoming MSC World Asia, scheduled to debut in December 2026.
The program is offered in partnership with Osservatorio Chicco (Baby Research Center) to create a holiday “tailormade for babies.” Dedicated staff supervise the babies at play in baby-only spaces.
Other Cruise Lines Also Charge for Nursery Care Services
It is the sudden change to a for-charge service that is most surprising to guests. Without publicly disclosed rates, parents cannot plan ahead for the service and whether or not it will fit their cruise vacation budget.
This follows changes aboard most cruise lines in recent years, with previously free services now being for-fee amenities. Room service was one of the first amenities to be assessed a fee, either through a delivery charge or a-la-carte pricing for menu items.
MSC Cruises charges per item for room service, with options varying based on the booking “experience” package guests select when planning their cruise.
Another dining fee is also assessed in the complimentary main dining rooms, with a $5 surcharge for ordering more than one entree from each night’s menu. Other cruise lines have similar fees.
MSC Cruises is not the only line to charge for some youth care services, either. While general youth programs are typically complimentary, individual babysitting services (where available) or select after-hours care does have a cost.
Royal Caribbean, for example, offers a “Late Night Party Zone” group sitting for young cruisers ages 3-11 from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. for an extra fee, and the Royal Babies & Tots Nursery offers care for infants from 6-36 months for $9-12 per hour.
Carnival Cruise Line also offers an “Under 2” drop-off nursery time on select sailings and at limited times for $9 per hour per child plus a 20% service charge. The Night Owls babysitting fee is the same.
With MSC Cruises now adding a fee, the cruise line is more closely aligned with competitor cruise lines in how services are charged.
MSC Cruises Now Charging for Previously Free Baby Care Service