Spending Money

Hi First time on a Cruise

P and O in Late October for 12 nights

Family of 4

2 adults 2 children , - 9 - 13

We have paid for the cruse and select dinning we need

we have parking sorted , and have our Euros for the 5 ports we are visiting

I am trying to save money for what we will need to ospend on board ,

I understand it depends on what i do , we are a normal family will buy a few bits have a a few drinks

What kind of money do we need as not been before have no ideas :)

Help

You do not need any actual cash for on board spend as it all gets charged to the individual cruise cards held by the individual cruisers. You link them at check in at embarkation port to any number of credit cards, most people link all cards to one credit card as a family. Some children can independently sign for purchases including drinks with their cruise card so it's a good idea to find out at reception whether they can spend or not if their cruise cards are linked to your credit card! This can usually be changed by parent and you can get a fixed price soda card with spaces to be punched out as and when they get the drinks. You can also take concentrates to squirt into water to make up squash from the free water supply.

It is permitted to take on board certain bottles of wine etc. but I have no idea on alcohol as I dont drink it. Someone will advise on this in a bit.

Regards John

Thanks for the quick reply John

We have purchased 3 of the 20 x Soft Drinks Cards for the trip

We plan on taking a bit of booze on , Not lots

will have a few nights when we have a drink ,

just trying to understand what i need to plan for would £500 cover our on board spend for the 12 days , we already have the shore money,

Cheers James

Has anyone explained about tipping. Lots of posts about it on here . Gratuities will be added at a daily rate to your account, this is to cover all waiting on and housekeeping staff. P and O have one of the lowest daily rates.

That is about £45 a day which is sufficient in my opinion for most people. I am assuming that any shore excursions are not included in this figure. Beaches are typically available at most ports with you paying for a local taxi.

On board cost is just drinks and ice creams. Additionally buying things from the really useful stuff emporium (sun cream, after sun, paracetamol, etc.). There are other shops which do souvenirs and clothing but these are best avoided. Upgraded restaurants fees, most things are expensive unless you really want go for it. Doctor is expensive so avoid that if you can, if you get seasick take ginger lumps from Holland and Barret on line. Define what if anything the children can buy.

Regards John

Thanks

I had forgot about that !

Alcohol prices are similar to pub prices; you might like to buy a Costa coffee from their bar, or have the occasional lunch at the Glass House/Beach house, which are reasonably priced, but if you're not spending on gifts, casino, tours etc, then there's no reason to be spending much at all!

There's an ice cream outlet the children might want to spend on- Magnums and such, and a shop selling sweets and crisps, but really I can't think of much else... and there's plenty of food to choose from which is free...

We spend on a lager at lunch and wine with dinner; our main expense is speciality restaurants and excursions. We may buy something from a shop such as tissues or plasters if we've forgotten to take them (although tissues are provided in the shower room), my husband sometimes has a Bingo card, but other than that, we don't spend an enormous amount.

Tips are £5.00 a day for normal cabins; not suites and you will be charged for three people I believe as the age limit is 12. Standard procedure is "Autotipping" which means you do nothing and the amount is added to your three accounts daily. They may be removed as you feel appropriate and new and tips paid in cash if you wish.

Having said that your older child will not not have the indignity of the coloured elastic wristband for the entirety of the cruise. These colour code which muster station is correct for each child.

Tea and coffee is available free in your cabin using kettle and same up in buffet, Costa Coffee is a luxury and chargeable!

Regards John

Thanks for the quick reply John

 

We have purchased 3 of the 20 x Soft Drinks Cards for the trip

 

We plan on taking a bit of booze on , Not lots

 

will have a few nights when we have a drink ,

 

just trying to understand what i need to plan for would £500 cover our on board spend for the 12 days , we already have the shore money,

 

Cheers James

Don't know what the rules on P&O are but on American cruise lines, you can bring one bottle of wine per adult which has to be consumed in the cabin but no booze if you mean the hard stuff.

DON

Don't know what the rules on P&O are but on American cruise lines, you can bring one bottle of wine per adult which has to be consumed in the cabin but no booze if you mean the hard stuff.

 

DON

P&O allows a reasonable amount of drink, including wine, beer and spirits. They reserve the right not to allow it if it's not seen as reasonable. Some take a wine box and perhaps gin or whisky for drinking in the cabin. The drink prices at the bars are only pub prices, though, so we rarely bother.

Don't know what the rules on P&O are but on American cruise lines, you can bring one bottle of wine per adult which has to be consumed in the cabin but no booze if you mean the hard stuff.

 

DON

Hi Don,

As Jo's post, P&O's policy is very different to most.

Take aboard, at embarkation or ports of call, as much of whatever booze you reasonably want, for drinking in your cabin or balcony.

P&O reserve the right to deny this privilege, but have only been known to do that with groups of youngsters who're clearly intent on getting blotto.

Strangely, alcohol that you buy from ship's d/f shop is held by them til the end of the cruise.

We normally take wine, and a bottle of Pimms and another one or two of lemonade. Steal bits of fresh fruit, cucumber etc from the buffet (but I've never seen mint), ice from a drinks station, and any time is Pimms o'clock on the balcony :)

JB :)