Top 10 money saving tips please!

[Mydnite]

Can you order complementary milk for the children?

 

Yes, and chocolate milk

[HappyJan]

I hope you and your children will enjoy the spectacular Independence of the Seas as much as our family did. The CC members that posted answers above mine have basically said it all.

 

Deck 5 (Royal Promenade)

Cafe Promenade -- coffee, water, pastries, cookies, desserts, fruit cups, yogurt, sandwiches, other small items are FREE 24-hours a day

Sorrento's -- pizza, salad, fruit, sweets, water are FREE 24-hours a day (I think, or, at least we never found it closed)

 

Deck 11

Jade & Windjammer Buffet -- Various hours. Everything is free. For some reason chocolate chip cookies could only be found here. They are the most popular and disappear first. We could never find them in the Cafe Promenade.

Sprinkles Ice Cream -- Free soft serve ice cream cones 11am-9pm. One side of the machine is chocolate and vanilla, the other side was strawberry and chocolate!! Adults and kids used the machine equally.

 

Soda -- skip the soda and drink water, fruit juices (at breakfast) lemonade, iced tea, coffee. Drink an "Arnold Palmer" which is half lemonade and half iced tea.

 

Free Alcohol -- 1) get a few nips of various items at the free liquor tasting offered outside the shops in the Royal Promenade (Deck 5) during the first night of the cruise. 2) Captain's Welcome -- during the first formal night waiters pass out free champagne for you to raise your glass with the Captain. 3) If you are a returning RCI member, you'll get more free drinks (kids can have a fruit punch) at the Crown & Anchor party. 4) In ports, pop into a grocery store in a near-by shopping mall and sodas, beer, wine, etc are much cheaper. Just drink everything before you get back on the ship.

 

Dining Rooms (Romeo & Juliet, MacBeth & King Lear) -- Don't be shy about asking the waiter to bring you fruit and/or cheese plates with every meal. My daughter discovered this about 4 days into our cruise and she loved the cheese and crackers and colorful fruit assortment each evening with her meal. Also, ice cream is free at dinner and they have lovely lady fingers included with it.

 

The Flowrider -- is FREE for boogie boarding and such. I believe you only pay for private surfing lessons.

 

Other Free Fun 'n' Games -- golf, shuffle board (on the promenade deck), card and board game room. Attend lots of activities -- hairy legs, belly flop, etc. The H2O Zone pool is awesome and that should keep kids happy and busy for a long time!

 

Bon Voyage!

 

HappyJan

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Independence of the Seas ~ March 6-14, 2010

[willysgrandma]

Take your own water bottles or travel cups with you. You can fill them at the buffet with iced tea or water and save yourself a lot of money by not having to purchase soda on the ship - especially for the kids.

 

Also, tell your room steward to remove the items from the mini-bar in the refrigerator when you get onboard. That will save money - no temptation to open those $3 or $4 soda!

[Jo and Rob]

Thank you everyone! I didn't realise flow rider is free so that is a bonus. Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my question so thoroughly!

[Happy ks]

Keep in mind that all this food: sandwiches, juices, milk, ice cream, room service etc...is not free, it is paid for with your cruise fare.

 

A person could cruise for no extra cost over the gratuities if they really wanted to. Just don't drink alcohol or soda, gamble or play bingo, buy souvenirs or photos, vist the spa or hair salon.

 

We like to drink wine and buy one photo per cruise, plus we like good wine, so our onboard account is around $100 per day for the two of us. If we didn't enjoy wine with dinner, our onboard account would be less than half that. If I were cruising with just kids, no husband, I could probably spend almost nothing.

[krisko]

1. Smuggle liquor and wine.

2. Organize your own ship excursions or just go to the beach.

3. No dinners at portofino/chops. The dining room food is decent enough.

4. Watch the shows and skip the casino. If you do the casino, have a $$$ set aside per day and follow it.

[joeyancho]

Bring a 24 pack of the kids favorite soda. There are glasses and ice in the cabin. We always bring soda. It is nice to have it in the room and it save a few bucks. Bon Voyage.

[Scoobydobe7]

If you have any pictures taken, try to keep them all together (you can put them behind the first one, on a nighlty basis. They will not get thrown out and that way you can keep track of them) until the last night of the cruise - you then decide which ONE you would like to purchase.

 

One our first cruise we came home with FOUR. (They did make nice christmas gifts for our parents):D