The best cruise line on the planet?????

[geoherb]

We sailed twice on Princess in 2003. On the first cruise that year (our third Princess cruise), we could get cappuccino without paying extra in the dining room. Also our assistant waiter did not charge us the corkage fee for the few bottles of wine we brought to the dining room during the week. On our second cruise that year, Princess had instituted the charge for cappuccino in the dining room. Also our assistant waiter charged us the corkage fee for every bottle of wine we brought.

 

I'd rather pay a little more to have things like cappuccino included in the price instead of fishing out our cabin cards to make a $1.75 charge. That bothered me more than the corkage fee. (I remember back in the early 1990s when fountain soft drinks were included in the dining room. Canned ones cost extra.)

[momofmeg]

We sailed twice on Princess in 2003. On the first cruise that year (our third Princess cruise), we could get cappuccino without paying extra in the dining room. Also our assistant waiter did not charge us the corkage fee for the few bottles of wine we brought to the dining room during the week. On our second cruise that year, Princess had instituted the charge for cappuccino in the dining room. Also our assistant waiter charged us the corkage fee for every bottle of wine we brought.

 

I'd rather pay a little more to have things like cappuccino included in the price instead of fishing out our cabin cards to make a $1.75 charge. That bothered me more than the corkage fee. (I remember back in the early 1990s when fountain soft drinks were included in the dining room. Canned ones cost extra.)

 

 

What I thought was really stupid was when we were on Carnival Inspiration we could have lemonade on the lido deck for free at the self serve station. In the diningroom though it was a "bar item" so you had to pull out your card to pay for it. They bropught you a bottle of minute maid and a glass of ice. I thought it should be one or the other- to me how hard would it be for them to have a pitcher of lemonade made up for people?

 

I still say look at the TOTAL price. Yes you may pull out your card a few times to sign for a coke, cappucino or whatever but for the differance in price and if you are interested in what is the best value-you still get a better balue with RCCL, Princess and Carnival.

 

As I said I would like to hear from those who have been on both types of cruises-let them tell me where the best value was. I myself, do not mind pulling out my card for a little exttra here and there. that way I control how much my cruise costs and I who do not like wine or beer that much and who only occasionialy wants a cappucino or carbonated drink am not paying for those extras I do not want.

[momofmeg]

momofmeg, you need to do some researching on the luxury lines because there are some great deals out there. Crystal recently had some cruises for 7 days on the west coast that started at $950 per person. That's cheap even for Carnival or RCCI. They have some prices for two week cruises that are going for less than $2K, which is pretty good for two weeks. It's all relative when you're looking for the "best", which the luxury lines are. I recently did a RSSC cruise that had a two for one sale, which means one person sails free. Not many mass market lines do two'fers.

 

I think you misunderstood the "nickel and diming" question. What's usually meant by that is having to sign all the chits whenever you want anything on the ship, not saving money booking a cruise. Some people just don't want to pay for coffee, bottled water, ice cream, soda, and things like that.

 

I would rather have the balcony which runs that price then an inside cabin on Crystal. Like I said I drink very little anyway. At the most 5 drinks a day-I am including alocholic and cappucinos, carbonated drinks all in that. Our on board charge for 2 people usually run around the $500 range. We usually toip aropund $300 for 2 people. So that tacks on about $400 a person.

 

So what you guys are saying you would rather pay more money and no one then charge you for anything separately- you are then paying for that guy who guzzles down a bottle of wine at dinner every night. Sort of like Golden Corral then where everyone pays one price- where I only eat modestly but the fat slob next to me piles up like 4 or 5 plates. To me this is the same mentality.