Free Cruise, but Still Worried about $$$

[FairyDogmother]

First I would like to say how wonderful and informative this message board has been! :D

 

Here is my issue. My father-in-law is taking all of us on a cruise in January. (Star Princess, 1/8-1/15) He has paid for our airfare and our cruise, which is incredibly generous, wonderful and very well appreciated.

 

I'm still worried about how much money this is going to cost. My husband and I are on quite a tight budget, especially since we're going so close to the holidays. He works on commission and has had a bad two months and I do okay, but it only goes so far, y'know?

 

I am wondering if you folks can give a roundabout estimate of what we can plan on spending per day? To help you narrow it down, here's some additional information. My husband doesn't really drink. He is a coca-cola freak and so am I, but I do like the occasional cocktail. We also don't plan on taking any excursions. Our vacations are usually spent sitting pool/beachside reading a book. That's fun to us! We also don't plan on doing the formal night. Is that common? I was thinking about having dinner in our room or going to one of the casual places those nights.

 

I know we're going to have an incredible time, but I am just not sure what to budget for!

 

Thanks in advance. You have all been very, very helpful already!

[sunprincess]

FairyDogMother,

 

Wow, I like your Father-in-law ;)

You can really be in total control of your expenses.

The only real extra expense is your tips. $10/per day/per person is added to your bill.

Anything else will be if you purchase it. They do have the soda card for about $22 for the week. OR you could bring your own. They do offer Drink of the Day specials for your occassional one.

 

As for formal nights, I personally enjoy them. But, everyone does their own thing. You can go up to Horizon Court (24hr buffet) for dinner or the other alternative choices that do charge a cover fee.

 

Shopping is where you can do damage, but,if you go with the attitude you can't, don't.

 

So, you have $140 for tips + whatever else you may need.

 

Good Luck & have an awesome cruise.

 

Cathy

[Next]

You can get by without spending much.

 

Your biggest expense will be the tips that will automatically charged to your cabin. Someone else can post the exact amount but it is something like $10.50 per day per person.

 

A soda card would cost you about $30 for soda for the week or you can pay as you go. Cocktails are $5-8 dpending on what you drink.

 

If you go to a beach on your own, there will be cab fare. If you truly do not want to spend anything, then you can just stay on the ship and relax somewhere. There are free books in the library.

 

There are plenty of free activiities, jeopardy, family feud, shows, chef's tour during sea days.

 

You should plan to tip $2-3 for each room service visit, more if you get a big meal.

 

You should tip the porters at the port $2 per bag.

 

Formal night cost nothing extra, and any decent clothing will more than suffice. Don't feel like you have to get a new dress to do that.

 

Things to stay away from: Bingo, ceramic classes, the Spa, specialty dining.

 

Don't sh away form the picture takers. There is no obligation and your father may want a picture or too.

 

Have a fun trip and don't sweat the money.

[Coral]

What a great father-in-law!

 

You can definitely get by on the cruise rather inexpensively. Budget $70+ per person for tips ($10 per day per person). There may be someone you may want to give another $20 to such as your room steward but $70 pp should be budgeted for tips.

 

I think a Coke card is around $25 pp. This is for unlimited soda fountain drinks. You can not use this through room service or at Princess Cays but at all the bars and in the restaurants. Other fruity drinks (margaritas, etc..) are about the same price as Olive Garden or Applebees - they don't seem overly expensive. The one thing that I think is overpriced is bottled water. I just stop by Walgreens before and buy that. You can drink the water on the ship but I like to have bottled water to bring with me off the ship. You can pick up a few bottles and refill them.

 

Expensive things include spa treatments, hair appts, the shops, pictures, etc. . Personally, I just skip all of these. They are overpriced on the cruise. You can take your own pictures, etc . .Excursions can be expensive but in the Caribbean they are often less expensive and you can often buy them cheaper at the pier or buy them through private companies (check out shore excursion portion of this board).

 

Not sure why you are skipping formal night - some of the best food in the dining room is on formal night (lobster). If you don't have "expensive formal wear", I would still encourage you to go. Just bring a nice dress and suit (or just white shirt and tie) for your husband. You do not need to spend $$$ to go to formal night. I think on my first cruise - I spent a lot of money on clothes for the cruise and it is not necessary. You can go to the buffet that night but the food is so much better in the dining room :)

 

Have a great time! Cruising doesn't have to be expensive.

 

Theresa

[JLC@SD]

First I would like to say how wonderful and informative this message board has been! :D

 

Here is my issue. My father-in-law is taking all of us on a cruise in January. (Star Princess, 1/8-1/15) He has paid for our airfare and our cruise, which is incredibly generous, wonderful and very well appreciated.

 

I'm still worried about how much money this is going to cost. My husband and I are on quite a tight budget, especially since we're going so close to the holidays. He works on commission and has had a bad two months and I do okay, but it only goes so far, y'know?

 

I am wondering if you folks can give a roundabout estimate of what we can plan on spending per day? To help you narrow it down, here's some additional information. My husband doesn't really drink. He is a coca-cola freak and so am I, but I do like the occasional cocktail. We also don't plan on taking any excursions. Our vacations are usually spent sitting pool/beachside reading a book. That's fun to us! We also don't plan on doing the formal night. Is that common? I was thinking about having dinner in our room or going to one of the casual places those nights.

 

I know we're going to have an incredible time, but I am just not sure what to budget for!

 

Thanks in advance. You have all been very, very helpful already!

 

As Coral indicated the best food is on Formal Night and you will have 2 of them. All your husband needs is a tie, I've seen sport coats on Formal Night, and a dress for you with a dress accessory such as a shawl. The Ladies can advise you on this but you don't need to buy anything. You will see all kinds of dress that night.

 

If you have never been on a cruise, it will be a trip of great memories. It is one of the best thing your FIL could do......:)

[Toto2Kansas]

Add in your $10 per day per person for tips, then throw in an extra $20 for the week for room service tips. Other than that, you can probably get away with that much IF NECESSARY. So, a 7 day cruise, the minimum that you would be spending for two, would be $160-$200 for the week. But again, that is the bare minimum without any extras whatsoever. You can add to it as you see fit. Remember, drinks are expensive too, not like in a local restaurant, so you might consider avoiding those if you are on a tight budget.

 

BUT-I would set aside some extra to buy that lovely father-in-law a few drinks for the wonder gift he gave you. ;)

[tennisobo]

Hey FairyDogMother: Come join us on our roll call for the 1/8 sailing. We'd be pleased to see all of you if you care to meet some other CCers here online or onboard. We are planning two get-togethers while on the Star. The first will be after muster drill and the second will be the first sea day. That one should be announced in the Princess Patters since it is being sort-of planned by the cruise director.

 

On our cruise last year we bought very few drinks and just a few other things on the ship. With the auto-tips the bill for the two of us was about $265 total for the week. We spent very little in ports.

 

Hope that helps.....and hope to see you on our roll call or onboard! Not long now! :)

[cactusrose]

Instead of buying the occassional drink at one of the bars you can order a bottle from room service for your cabin. Seven drinks at a bar will run you $35 to $50. You can buy a litre bottle for about $20 (unless you drink something like Grey Goose which will run $30). Bring you mixer on board with you. You will also have an opportunity for free drinks. Champaign at the art auctions, and cocktails or wine at the captains cocktail party on formal nights. It's fairly easy to keep your expenses to a minimum.

[Coolmama_1]

There is so much to do that is included that you could get away with just tips and an occaisional beverage! Go and enjoy! What a wonderful gift for you!

[familia_solis]

As far as formal night is concerned... my husband and I did the CB last month and did NO FORMAL NIGHTS at all. We opted to dine in the Buffet both nights. We were not alone. PLENTY of others didnt want to "dress" up because they were on vacation.

[jennew]

we are on the same cruise with you!!

 

I think everyone has covered the basics on how to save money. I just wanted to add that you might want to figure in a meal if you are going to be stuck in a layover at the airport.

 

Really, the expensive part of cruising is shopping, drinking and excurisions. We don't do excursions, have not ever bought a single item and only have one or two speciality drinks each time. (we split one)

 

Remember this: The ocean view, the sun, the food, and the people watching are all "free". Those are the best parts of a cruise.

[Lynda90]

How lucky you are to have such a wonderful FIL. Other than the auto tips of $140 per wk for the two of you, you can really get by and not spend anything else if you don't want to. You can bring your own soft drinks on board and save the money that you could spend on the coke card. If you want to eat in your room you can always go to the Horizon Court and fill up plates to bring back to your room. There are so many fun things to do on the ship that don't cost anything extra that you won't run out of things to do. So, it is possible to not spend anything other than the tips. Not probable, but possible. Or, go ahead and have a cocktail a day and have room service a few times for a couple of dollars for the tip, and you still would be able to enjoy with spending very little extra. If you purchase the photos they take, you will really be into the extra spending. IMHO, the cost of photos has gotten out of hand. They have just about priced themselves out of the market.

Also, If you enjoy lobster, please do not miss the second formal night.

Have a wonderful time and please enjoy your fantastic vacation.

[DesrtDrmr]

FairyDogmother, you can also take some wine with you if you want to, to celebrate any special evening. Princess allows you to bring wine aboard. If you open it in your room, no problem, if you take it to the dining room for them to open, they will charge you a corkage fee, but I think if you wandered in to the dining room with a glass, noone would say anything. Formal nights are fun, and you can go in whatever you'd wear to church or out to dinner at a nice restaurant. Dress, skirt, or pants.............. Some will be dressed to the gills, but not everyone is................you can get by with black pants, a black or white top, and a pin, or scarf, or something that you would feel dressy in. Your husband could wear a sport coat, or even a dress shirt and tie. There will be men in tuxedos, but also in suits and sport coats............

Other than your tips, as so many others have said, you really don't have any "must do" expenses. We have been on cruises that we did not spend over $200. $70 apiece for tips for a seven day cruise, and a few dollars to tip the luggage handlers at the airport and at the port. You can get off the ship in ports and just wander around, just to see what it looks like, and to say you have. You can buy coke in town, and bring it back with you. Water, too...................or, you can buy the soda card on the ship, but that is just for fountain drinks, no cans, and does not work for the dining rooms. I think a can of soda is around $1.85.

Anyway, have a wonderful time.................take advantage of all the freebies onboard, enjoy the shows, the trivia games, the galley tour, whatever.............stay away from the casino, and as others said, the Bingo, the specialty restaurants like Sabatinis and whatever steakhouse you have on board...........and get your free ice cream in the dining rooms with meals or at the Horizon Court after 3pm. Buying ice cream is expensive...............

[Cruiseteach]

Please don't shy away from formal nights because you think you need some expensive dress. As has been said, your DH can go in a jacket and tie and be fine. As for you, try going to a second hand or consignment shop. You can get some real bargains! A friend of mine bought her cruise dress at Goodwill for $5.00. If that bothers you, try buying an inexpensive long black skirt and a "shiny" top in the after Christmas sales. (My black skirt cost me $7.00 at TJMaxx last Jan.) Usually very cheap! Don't worry about not looking as "fancy" as everybody else. You're on vacation and you'll never see these people again. :) Besides, as long as you don't go in jeans or shorts, nobody really cares. The formal night is part of the fun of a cruise. Don't be intimidated by it.

As for everything else, as has been said, just try to stay out of the boutiques and out of the casino :)

[lbhafen]

We just had a weeks cruise in October, and I still had the statement. My wife and I don't drink much, but she plays bingo and took a couple of excursions. Our total bill came to $700 broken down as:

 

Coke cards: $ 67

Tours: $112

Bingo: $220

Gratuities: $140

Photos: $ 22

Drinks: $140

 

Drinks were a latte here or there, a couple of bottles of wine with dinner and an occassional drink. They do add up fast, I was surprised how much we spent.

 

Like any other activity, budget what you want to spend, and then watch what you do spend and you will be fine. Enjoy your cruise, and make sure to budget enough to buy your father-in-law a drink, and to enjoy one yourself with him!

 

Keith

[FairyDogmother]

Wow...You folks are the best!!!!

 

We will DEFINITELY be buying my father-in-law some drinks. We've already arranged for the big celebration package for him and his wife too.

 

You guys have really eased my mind. As far as formal night...we are so there. It sounds like "formal" is pretty flexible. I had visions of cocktail dresses and sequins! I think I'll take what I have and dress it up with some accessories.

 

I cannot tell you how much I appreciate all the feedback. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!!

[marko711]

Coke cards: $ 67

Tours: $112

Bingo: $220

Gratuities: $140

Photos: $ 22

Drinks: $140

 

Being with Family Priceless

 

 

You will have a great time.

[Rolo Freshour]

FairyDogMother,

 

We too are getting a "free" cruise and it will be our first, I won it on a local radio station. We were also concerned with the extra costs so all the reply's have helped answer many of our questions as well. I am still wondering about the drinks during dining. It was said you couldn't use your soda cards but don't they offer free drinks with the meals?

 

Is the only time you get lobster during the formal nights?

 

Do they have Pepsi or only Coke products? (Sapphire Princess)

 

Does anyone know if room A516 is a good one?

 

Our tips were supposed to be included in the cruise we won, do we still have to tip? How will they know that the tips were already paid?

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Rolo

[Lynda90]

FairyDogMother,

 

We too are getting a "free" cruise and it will be our first, I won it on a local radio station. We were also concerned with the extra costs so all the reply's have helped answer many of our questions as well. I am still wondering about the drinks during dining. It was said you couldn't use your soda cards but don't they offer free drinks with the meals?

 

Is the only time you get lobster during the formal nights?

 

Do they have Pepsi or only Coke products? (Sapphire Princess)

 

Does anyone know if room A516 is a good one?

 

Our tips were supposed to be included in the cruise we won, do we still have to tip? How will they know that the tips were already paid?

 

Thanks for your help

 

Rolo

 

What a nice prize to win. I was on the 11/26 cruise on the Sapphire. A beautiful ship--you will love it. You can check with the purser's desk to see if your tips are included. You should be able to see a credit on your account if the tips are included. During dining there are no soft drinks offered for free. Your choices are coffee, tea, iced tea and milk. During breakfast you may also order juice. That's pretty much it. At the captain's welcome party they serve free drinks. They walk around with trays of champagne, mimosas and manhattans. They also serve free champagne at the art auctions. On the Sapphire, lobster is served on the second formal night (Thursday). Princess uses coke products and I've heard you cannot use the coke card in the dining room.

 

Have a great cruise!

[Coral]

I have always used the Coke Card in the dining room. You can not use it for room service, for can soda (it must be fountain soda), or at the Private Island - Princess Cays.

[FairyDogmother]

I have heard that the Princess Ships carry Coke products only, but I could be wrong.

 

Okay, so just to be sure, I have one more question. I am getting the idea that buying water, soda, and wine on-shore is best. But is that frowned upon by the ship's staff? Should I put it in a bag before I bring it to the ship?

 

My husband and I can drink a 24 pack of canned coke in a week without blinking an eye, and I'm still wondering about the yumminess of the fountain Coke on the ship, so I think we may buy Sodas onshore.

 

Also, which beverages are complimentary and where and when are they complimentary?

 

Thanks again folks!

[JGR01]

Normally people will put a credit card onto their account at the pier-side checkin.

 

However, if you WANT to be very frugal and limit your expenses during the cruise .. I think you can go to the purser upon boarding and change the credit card to CASH. I am not sure on Princess how much of a cash balance you have to maintain (per person not per cabin). I recall on Cunard you had to maintain a $300 balance. Once that was spent (you could review your account on the TV system or most assuredly at the Pursers Desk) you had to 'add' more money to the account. That was a good way to track and limit your spending so you did not have a whopping credit card bill at the end.

 

While I would not 'look a gifting father-inlaw' in the face .. I might ask him since he has given the cruise to you as free HOW he plans to handle the tipping part of the cruise??? He may not realize that the tips are daily added to the account... he may assume that he would give you cash at the end to give to the staff (I think this is still an option tho 90% of the people do the auto-tip mode). If he 'does not know' about the tipping issue, he can put a credit onto your accounts to cover the tips .. via his credit card. ANYONE can put a credit onto your account as a gift before the trip begins (part of the 'welcome aboard' purchases).

 

As you are trying to control your budget, remember that things in the stores will be expensive (sun tan lotion and aspirin and such). Bring plenty of the basic requirements along with you. DO NOT use the ships laundry/dry cleaners as they are also $$ .. I think most ships have self-serve laundry facilities (coins and also $$ for detergent) tho the ironing facilities I think are free.

 

Be frugal. DON'T let this become the over riding issue with the cruise. Don't dehydrate at the pool because the bottled water costs $$ (go to the buffet and get water or iced tea). Find solutions to this .. rather than just NOT doing things because of the costs.

[cynbar]

It's perfectly OK on Princess to carry on wine, soda and bottled water -- as a matter of fact, most passengers do this, and then keep it in the refrigerator in their cabin. No need to specially wrap it. Princess does not allow passengers to carry on hard liquor, although you will read posts from passengers who smuggle it on. This really isn't necessary, since you can order bottles of liquor from room service at very good prices, less than what we pay here at home. I'm not sure about the policy on beer, though -- neither one of us is a beer drinker.

[lbhafen]

Just to clarify one comment. If you purchased a soda card, you can use it in the dining room at any meal to get a free soda. It is just like ordering one at any bar.

[Cruiseteach]

. Our total bill came to $700 broken down as:

 

Coke cards: $ 67

Tours: $112

Bingo: $220

Gratuities: $140

Photos: $ 22

Drinks: $140

 

 

Yeah- that Bingo will do you in, won't it? (And some folks think its the blackjack! :))