Cruising Tips & Need to Know...

[Cinderose]

The old Cinderellie thread thats still hanging around these boards is so long no one bothers to read it any more..They just add to the end so Im starting another on info I read here once on Cruise Critic...

 

Need to know.....

 

You have probably heard the term "all-inclusive" applied to cruises every so often. But while a voyage is one of the best values around since most all major expenses (lodging, meals, snacks, activities and entertainment) are indeed included in the fare, there are some items -- mostly of a personal nature -- that are out-of-pocket expenses. "Ready money," Lord Byron once said, "is Aladdin's lamp." So set aside some cash to cover these expenditures to truly make your next sailing the cruise of your dreams. And to make sure the incidentals don't break the bank for you, here are some tips on saving on the "seven seas":

 

Shore Excursions: Read the line's shore tour booklet and attend the port lectures given aboard the ship that provide you with more details about the organized tours available for sale on the ship. Prices for these excursions range from about $35 - $75 for a half-day city tour, to more than $200 for some all-day tours over land programs – (offerings such as helicopter flight-seeing, hot-air ballooning, multi zip lining, deep sea diving, etc.)

 

Savings Tip: While you may wish to sign up for some of the ship's tours (particularly if you are not familiar with the port and do not speak the language), you also have the option to tour independently at a fraction of the cost -- or even for free, if you go on a self-guided walking tour. Before setting sail, request free planners with maps, calendars of events and attraction brochures for the ports of call on your itinerary from tourist boards. Check out books on your destination from the public library, and visit Web sites to give you ideas for touring in the ports. Look over the calendars from the tourist offices for festivals or crafts displays (sources of good, free entertainment) during your visit. Art galleries showcasing local work, parks and beaches are some free or nominal charge attractions to check out. Museum and native crafts exhibits are other inexpensive options. If you decide to hire a car and driver to give you a private tour (generally less expensive than the shipboard excursions) or just to take you to the center of town, always agree on the price (and in the case of a tour, what specific points of interest will be covered) before you board the car. Always make sure you are on the ships time and get back to the ship at the very least 30 minutes before sailing time since the ship will not wait for you. Many people have been left and had to fly to the next port (at their own expense) to meet the ship. Keep the ships number with you when you leave just for these type of emergencies most list them and the port numbers in the Capers left in your cabin each night. The numbers change depending on which port your in...

 

Alcohol and other Beverages: Alcoholic beverages and wine are not included in the cruise fare on most lines (with the exception of some ultra-deluxe lines). And your tab can add up: Hard liquor, cocktails and wine range from $4.50 - $9 apiece, depending on cruise line (higher-end lines tend to charge more for drinks); soft drinks will run $1.50 - $3. You can purchase soda cards now (usually a sticker they put on your sign & sail card) but be honest and don’t share. Purchase once you leave the port to save sales tax. Prices for liquor, cocktails and wine on U.K. cruise ships vary from £2.50 - £8, and bottles of wine start at around £10. Tea and coffee start at £1.50.

 

Savings Tip: Most vessels advertise "daily drink specials" that you may want to try. At meals, iced tea, milk, coffee and juices are complimentary. If you are traveling with children, find out if your ship offers "soda packages" that feature unlimited sodas during the cruise for about $20 - $40. (depends on the length of the cruise) - (Its about $3 per can/glass if you buy it one by one) Or bring-your-own! - we pick up soda six-packs in port. Be forewarned, though: cruise line policies on bringing alcohol onboard are highly restricted. Some allow 1 bottle of wine brought aboard per person but may charge you a $15-20 corkage fee. FYI the souvenir glass you get with the DOD (Drink of the day) is yours to keep – exchange it when you order your next drink (refill) and save a dollar or so. Or save them and bring them home with you. We also bring aboard with us a case of water for our duration on the ship. Just make sure you put a luggage tag securely on it so it gets delivered to your cabin and don’t leave it outside your cabin for a long time – these things have been known to grow legs and disappear. Check often to see when your luggage gets delivered. Bring an insulated cup to use for your coffee or for drinks by the pool.

 

Casino Gaming: Shipboard casinos keep getting bigger and bigger, so it is safe to say that the lines are doing well at their tables and slots. We enjoy watching and playing in the slot tournaments they have on some ships. Ask for a free lanyard to be attached to your sign and sail card in the casino. It helps you keep track of your card so you don’t walk off and leave it somewhere or just to keep the card around your neck so it doesn’t get dropped/lost. Bingo is also offered at about $20 per card and can get pretty competative. But they sometimes only play one game for that $20.

 

Savings Tip: Set a limit as to how much you wish to risk and leave if you lose it. Or avoid the casino altogether -- there are plenty of other diversions onboard, like music for dancing, production shows, variety entertainment and TV-style game shows that will not set you back a penny! I understand most slots get tighter as the cruise goes on. And they no longer serve free drinks in the casinos unless you are a very big spender.

 

Spa: A massage is typically around $90 - $160 . Take advantage of ship discounts on port days. Most shipboard spas are operated by Steiner's of London, and the staff, who works on commission, often gives you a sales pitch (they sometimes even call it a "prescription") that calls for you to buy several of their products.

 

Savings Tip: If you get a sales pitch and do not want the products, just smile and say you will think about it and get back to them. Or be bold right up front! -- or ask not to be bothered with sales pitches at all. The products can be pretty pricey. Another tip: check your ship's daily program of activities for ads for spa treatment specials that may be available one day only or during certain hours of a given day. You can also secure massages on the beaches for around $25. They are from locals that make their livings that way and do great massages!

 

Souvenir Shopping: You probably want to purchase something to remember your cruise, and it may take a lot of willpower to pass up on the beautiful -- and expensive -- figurines, perfumes, designer fashions and leather goods if your budget does not allow for them.

 

Savings Tip: Avoid temptation by not browsing in the boutiques onboard and ashore if you cannot afford to buy. If you do plan to purchase some souvenirs, check the prices of merchandise (Jewelry, leather, etc) at stores back home and bring pages of their sales catalogs for the particular items you are interested in to compare prices (they may be cheaper and betty quality at home). Good, inexpensive souvenirs include handicrafts from outdoor markets and street vendors, and local products such as coffee, jellies, etc. purchased at grocery stores in the ports. But do check out that some cruise lines have “sales” to get you enticed to buy. We have found some good deal such as watches for $5 and these sales are usually held outside of or away from the shops such as in the lobby but closer to the end of the cruise. Don’t get suckered in by the “Gold-by-the-inch” my bracelets have all turned my hands colors. They are only plated not solid.

 

Laundry: As at land-based resorts, laundry and dry cleaning charges on a cruise can be steep (approximately $2.50 to $3.50 to wash a T-shirt, for instance). Check to see if there is a self-service launderette and use it (typically, washing and drying one load of clothes comes to about $3 - $4). Some ships offer whatever you can stuff into their laundry bag for $15 to do laundry for you but the clothes take 2 days to come back to you.

 

Savings Tip: If there is no launderette, pack enough changes of clothes for the cruise and do the wash back home. They also leave a large beach towel in your cabin for your use ashore or on deck. These are very nice and can be purchased as souvenirs. Just make sure to return the ones back to the cabin or they will charge you $25 a piece if they are missing.

 

Film and Other Camera Needs: Getting additional film, batteries and other camera supplies will not only cost you more money (generally $1 to $2 more per item than the same articles bought at a discount store back home), but precious vacation time as well. Ships' photographers typically charge $10 - $15 per photo, $15 - $30 per formal portrait. The sittings are free and you can do as many of those as you like with no obligation to purchase.

 

Savings Tip: Buy plenty of film/memory cards and other camera supplies on sale at home -- and bring more than you think you will need, just in case. (I bring one card per port day so if my camera has a problem - I dont lose all my vacation photos) Take your own pictures and rely sparingly, if at all, on the ship's photographers. If you do a group photo – buy just one and get a copyright release to have extras made back home. Carnival can email this to you. I like to bring a folder to put my photos in so they dont get crushed in my suitcase going home.

 

Tipping: Many lines charge about $10-12 per person per day gratuities (paid up front when you board the ship) - to be divided between the dining room waiter ($4 per person, per day), assistant waiter ($2 per person, per day) and cabin steward ($4 per person, per day) - all are approx. If you have butler service, be prepared to tip that crew member $4 per day. Bar tabs are charged a 15 percent gratuity automatically each time you purchase a drink. When the maitre d' performs a special service, such as arranging for a birthday cake to be brought to the table, he should be tipped as well. You can, of course, give extra tips for exceptional service.

 

Savings Tip: These folks -- particularly the waiters, assistant waiters and cabin stewards --work very hard. Unless the service has been poor, tip the recommended amount. Please Do Not remove these from your on board charges-this is how they are paid for their services. And add a little more, if you can, for outstanding attention. We usually give our room steward a 10 or 20 when we first get on the ship and ask him to leave ice in the room, extra towels/robes/news letters or such. It's surprising how a few extra dollars can get you exceptional personal services.

 

Fuel Surcharges: In 2008, just about every cruise line in the land (including mainstream cruise lines and most niche, such as eco-oriented, soft adventure and river companies) responded to the starkly escalating cost of fuel by levying fuel surcharges on cruise trips. As the price of a barrel of oil starkly dropped in the fall, every line removed the charges but be aware they could be added back on if oil goes over a certain price per barrel such as it did a few years ago when gas went over $4 per gallon – read your ships rules.

 

Dining: Most food on the ships is included in the fare – but many ships are now adding the alternative eateries as to which there are charges per person involved. Some you will fork out extra from $20-$35 per person. Make sure you book ahead for these eateries or when you first get on board go and book them directly ASAP, as they fill up fast. The food is exceptional but save your money and dine in the main dining rooms (set-seating times verses alternative anytime freestyle dining) – the food is just as good and you get waiters that entertain you nightly. There’s always the buffet and pizza stations too if you want to be more casual. FYI-Shorts/Swimming attire are not allowed in the dining rooms. You can also order more than one item of anything on the menu. (two Lobster, one Lobster & one Prime Rib, three deserts etc…). Try out the new Chefs Table being done on some of the ships – It's kind of pricey at $75 but is well worth it for a gourmet meal prepared by the ships head chef. Book ASAP since they only do about 12 people per sailing -with tons of food, a photo of the experience, galley tour and personal service. Some give out ship cook books as well. It's been scored a 10 out of 10.

 

Savings Tip: You can also order room service for free to be sent to your cabin anytime – they only offer a limited choice on sandwiches and other items. Remember to tip a dollar or two to the person that brings you your order. We always order coffee/toast in the mornings to be delivered about 45 minutes before we really need to get up (sometimes they are late) and use this as our wakeup call when we have early excursions. I like to bring baggies from home and put a few cookies or rolls from the buffet in them to take back to the cabin to munch on later. Dry cereal can also be used to feed the fish when snorkeling. You’re not allowed to take fruit or meats off the ships due to agriculture laws in other countries.

 

 

EXTRAS: Most The ships layouts can be confusing – print out a copy from their websites or look for them when you board the ship by the pursers desk. We like to decorate our cabin door with magnets , paper cut outs, signs, +++ (especially if we are celebrating a birthday or anniversary, etc.) so that we can find our room in those long hall ways of doors. Makes it easier after a late night of drinking and dancing.

They have safes in most cabins that you can use – bring a card with a magnetic strip on it to use. (I use an old gift card)

Most people by now realize you should have a passport to sail. This is a must. And Don’t take your passports ashore – make a copy to keep with you when you leave the ship. It's also smart to email yourself a copy in case you forget your copy and have to access it if you get left by the ship in a port.

The front desk will usually stamp your passport at each of the ports you visit if you leave it there with them- take it to the pursers desk when you board – then pick it back up the night before you disembark the ship. You wont forget it because you cant get off the ship without it.

You will need a credit card when you board the ship – they will put a hold on it depending on the length of the cruise (from $100 to $250) for all the incidentals you charge during your trip. Or if you want- you can leave your deposit in cash and any unused will be return to you on the last night of sailing in the form of a check placed under your door. If you charge more than the deposit you put down – they will call you to the pursers desk to put down more or suspend your charging privileges on the ship. You can check what you have charged on your cabins tv to keep an eye on your spending. The ship is cashless except in the casino or extra tips. Don’t use a debit card as they take a while to get the holds released.

You must attend the muster drill but most ship no longer require you to bring your life jackets with you.

Use the cabin phones to leave messages to others in your party. And you can call down and have a wake up call done each morning if you need one.

They still have formal nights on the ship but most have toned them down and call them “Elegant nights”. I still enjoy dressing up for dinner. Check the ships newsletter that they leave nightly in your cabin to find out all the sales, shows, meetings, and things goings on the ship for the next day. We take a highlighter and mark the ones we want to make sure to attend. (Wine tasting, pub crawls, piano bars, game shows, ice carvings, bingo, slot tournaments, tea time, spin classes, demonstrations, comedy, karaoke, midnight buffet, sail away parties, shore talks, +++ etc.)

Just because the ship recommends certain places to only purchase gold/silver etc doesnt mean they are the best places to purchase from - do your research and know what your buying so you are informed and have a better chance of not getting ripped off.

Bring an extention cord (small one like the ones you plug your computers into) since the cabins only have one extra outlet and its hard if you have a curling iron/hair blower/razor/phone/camera charger, etc all needing be used at once. They have some pretty neat ones that charge ipods/etc at the same time too. Just search your local Radio shack.

Always tip the porters taking luggage at least $2 - $5 per bag/item when you arrive at the pier. And Mark your luggage with bright ribbon/bows/tape so you find them in the sea of black at the end of your cruise.

If your into smuggling your own booze onto the ship - (not advised) you can opt for "Rum Runners". I dont recommend them since the subject opens up a whole can of worms here on these boards. Many are for them and many are against them. I would double bag anything liquid inside your suitcase - just previous experience FYI!!!

Just relax and have a great trip. For more heads up on what’s happening on your ship…always check out http://www.cruisecritic.com for the most up to date information and photos.