Thrifty Cruise....

[livin4him]

:o I hope we aren't the only " first time cruisers" who are trying to stay within a budget...THRIFTY.....

 

Like I've posted before, this is our 25th anniversary cruise, but we do have to stay within our means.( we are parents of 2 high school kids, so ANY extra money we have goes to cars, insurance, and senior portraits..lol....)

 

Help me out here...we have been given $200.00 on board credit (due to Katrina cancellation last year). We plan on using $100.00 for our tipping, and the other for whatever...

We also plan on bringing $25.00 for additional tipping, but I can't imagine having room service! Everyone says there is food around the clock, right, so why have them bring it to me??(no question is stupid , I hope..)

 

Then..I really have no desire to go on an excursion..shop around the ports, and rent a taxi to Channuba Parque(sp)...soooooo, I guess my question is how much " spending money" do you think we need?? We don't drink, we both are tea drinkers, so no cokes..and we don't gamble... We plan on buying a few souvenirs, but just a few..

 

Help ...:confused:

[JanineM]

I would plan on buying at least one or two of the pictures taken aboard the ship. On RCCI they are $9.95 to $19.95, but I personally think that it is worthwhile to buy one. We rarely dress up, and it is nice to have a good picture of the two of us.

 

If you don't drink or gamble, then you'll save a lot of money. We used room service a few times for late afternoon snacks, when the Windjammer was closed. We would have a cheese plate, or wraps sent up and tipped $2 each time. Although there is always some kind of food available, it may not be exactly what you are looking for.

 

You will probably walk ashore in some of the ports, and you may see some little souvenir that would be perfect for a Christmas present, or just something you want. It's worthwhile to have a bit of cash for that, or even just for a bottle of water or soda while you're ashore.

 

My guess is that you could get away with your $200 credit, plus maybe $100 "just in case".

 

Hope you have a wonderful time!

[wwinfl91]

I'm assuming you are taking a 7 day cruise. If that is the case the $100 for tips is probably not enough. It is normally $10 a day per person in cabin which would be $140 for 2 in cabin for a week's cruise.

 

Now if you don't take any tours at any of the ports, stay out of the casino, don't drink at any of the bars and don't eat at any of the speciality restaurants you will still have $60 in cruise credit to use.

 

We have been on 13 cruise and have never used room service so I wouldn't worry about that one.

 

Depending on your ports plan on spending from $0 to $100 per port stop if you go ashore and go anywhere other than walking distance of the ship. I would definitely plan on bringing at least a couple of hundred dollars emergency funds in addition to an ATM card and a credit card with available credit just in case. If you have to go to the infirmary for instance you will get charged or if you fall or are hurt in a port and end up in hospital on shore they will demand payment before releasing you.

 

I don't mean to be mean but that is my opinion.

 

Have a great next cruise.

[livin4him]

No problem...

I would never think you were being mean..just helpful... thanks...

Our cruise is a 5 night , 6 day cruise, so that's how I came up with the $100.00 gratuity......Thanks for the heads up about emergencies...I never thought about that...

We are really looking forward to cruising..

[livin4him]

I would plan on buying at least one or two of the pictures taken aboard the ship. On RCCI they are $9.95 to $19.95, but I personally think that it is worthwhile to buy one. We rarely dress up, and it is nice to have a good picture of the two of us.

 

If you don't drink or gamble, then you'll save a lot of money. We used room service a few times for late afternoon snacks, when the Windjammer was closed. We would have a cheese plate, or wraps sent up and tipped $2 each time. Although there is always some kind of food available, it may not be exactly what you are looking for.

 

You will probably walk ashore in some of the ports, and you may see some little souvenir that would be perfect for a Christmas present, or just something you want. It's worthwhile to have a bit of cash for that, or even just for a bottle of water or soda while you're ashore.

 

My guess is that you could get away with your $200 credit, plus maybe $100 "just in case".

 

Hope you have a wonderful time!

 

 

 

 

 

thank you so much...we are really excited...:D

[Cotton]

I can't imagine having room service! Everyone says there is food around the clock, right, so why have them bring it to me??(no question is stupid , I hope..)

 

No questions are stupid. You need to know these things.

Add'l tipping:

 

$1 per piece of luggage to the porters at the pier who put your luggage on the ship.

 

$1-2 for room service. I know you may not use room service, but it surely is nice to have that coffee and croissant delivered first thing every morning!;)

 

Then..I really have no desire to go on an excursion..shop around the ports, and rent a taxi to Channuba Parque(sp)

 

I'm not sure Chankanaab Park on Cozumel is fully opened yet after Wilma, but...there is an entry fee to the park. (Well worth it, IMO, but there IS a fee. (Taxi to Chank is $10 per cab, not per person, and of course another $10 for the return trip.)

 

I guess my question is how much " spending money" do you think we need?? We don't drink, we both are tea drinkers, so no cokes..and we don't gamble... We plan on buying a few souvenirs, but just a few..

 

Is this a Carnival cruise? I buy one photo only - and that's the one taken at embarkation. It's $7.95, and a great souvenier, because it shows the homeport, date of sailing, and the ship's name.

 

Since you don't plan on drinking, gambling, or buying Cokes, I'd say your $200 OBC should cover everything ON the ship.:)

[clackey]

Hola Livin,

 

My friend Cotton is slipping. He didn't mention one of the cheapest, I mean least expensive places in Coz. Paradise Beach. For the price of a taxi ($12 to $14) you can have a gorgeous beach and all they ask is that you spend money on food and drinks, and you know that you have to eat.;)

 

Other tips are:

Book through independent tours.

Shop for winter cruises. ( We've had 5 nights for $269 @.)

Bring your own soft drinks.

If you want to partake of the demon rum or brewski, do it at an all inclusive beach or resort break.

[2Cruise4Ever]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I beleive that your complimentary on board credit can not be used toward the tips. Also, room service is free unless you order dinner from one or more of any specialty restaurants on board. But, tipping your cabin steward for bringing the food is generally rule of thumb (couple bucks anyway). Having said that, why not use some of your on board credit for an excursion you might not have taken otherwise? You'd be surprised at how much fun it its. You also may want to purchase a few items from the shops on board.

 

Oh, and by the way, we live for Him, too :D

[jlp20]

What credit funds can and cannot be used for is spelled out by the individual cruiseline.

 

There is going on a budget, being thrifty and being frugal.

 

The problem with a budget is the unknown. Using public transportation is fun and part of a vacation with us. But discovering there is no bus service after 5 PM on a Sunday and your 8 miles from the ship calls for an expensive cab ride.

 

Nothing wrong with being thrifty. But watching others doing something you can’t because it costs $15 puts a damper on the entire vacation mood.

 

I think we would be in the frugal camp. We research excursions and see what our dollar actually gets. We could pay $35 for each of us to get on a bus into a Mazatlan market and watch the flying pineapples and ride back to the ship. Or get a taxi for $12 each way to a public market and walk over to the flying porcupines, which is also free to the public. The most expensive thing we have done was the Yukon White Pass Railroad. Well over a hundred for one ticket, but about 12 hours-great entertainment- wonderful self serve meal and an unforgettable train ride. Expensive, but worth more than what we paid.

 

Scrimp and save before the trip, treat your self to something special once during the trip. Getting breakfast or just coffee and bagels for $2 in your room on a sea day is great.

 

“Take half the clothes and twice the money”

[texas greeneyes]

Hola Livin,

 

My friend Cotton is slipping. He didn't mention...

 

Your friend Cotton is a she. :)

[livin4him]

I can't imagine having room service! Everyone says there is food around the clock, right, so why have them bring it to me??(no question is stupid , I hope..)

 

No questions are stupid. You need to know these things.

Add'l tipping:

 

$1 per piece of luggage to the porters at the pier who put your luggage on the ship.

 

$1-2 for room service. I know you may not use room service, but it surely is nice to have that coffee and croissant delivered first thing every morning!;)

 

Then..I really have no desire to go on an excursion..shop around the ports, and rent a taxi to Channuba Parque(sp)

 

I'm not sure Chankanaab Park on Cozumel is fully opened yet after Wilma, but...there is an entry fee to the park. (Well worth it, IMO, but there IS a fee. (Taxi to Chank is $10 per cab, not per person, and of course another $10 for the return trip.)

 

I guess my question is how much " spending money" do you think we need?? We don't drink, we both are tea drinkers, so no cokes..and we don't gamble... We plan on buying a few souvenirs, but just a few..

 

Is this a Carnival cruise? I buy one photo only - and that's the one taken at embarkation. It's $7.95, and a great souvenier, because it shows the homeport, date of sailing, and the ship's name.

 

Since you don't plan on drinking, gambling, or buying Cokes, I'd say your $200 OBC should cover everything ON the ship.:)

 

 

Yes..it is Carnival, the Holiday...and I think I'll try the croissant and coffee!!lol..I really am just trying to get the most info I can. so you are a great help...thanks,

[livin4him]

What credit funds can and cannot be used for is spelled out by the individual cruiseline.

 

There is going on a budget, being thrifty and being frugal.

 

The problem with a budget is the unknown. Using public transportation is fun and part of a vacation with us. But discovering there is no bus service after 5 PM on a Sunday and your 8 miles from the ship calls for an expensive cab ride.

 

Nothing wrong with being thrifty. But watching others doing something you can’t because it costs $15 puts a damper on the entire vacation mood.

 

I think we would be in the frugal camp. We research excursions and see what our dollar actually gets. We could pay $35 for each of us to get on a bus into a Mazatlan market and watch the flying pineapples and ride back to the ship. Or get a taxi for $12 each way to a public market and walk over to the flying porcupines, which is also free to the public. The most expensive thing we have done was the Yukon White Pass Railroad. Well over a hundred for one ticket, but about 12 hours-great entertainment- wonderful self serve meal and an unforgettable train ride. Expensive, but worth more than what we paid.

 

Scrimp and save before the trip, treat your self to something special once during the trip. Getting breakfast or just coffee and bagels for $2 in your room on a sea day is great.

 

“Take half the clothes and twice the money”

 

thanks...i like the " frugal"..That would be what we would be classified...Just wanting the most for our buck...Our ports are only 7 hours stays, so the 12 hour great entertainment is out ...and for 100. 00 for 12 hours...sounds like a great price...

You have totally convinced me to order a bagel or croissant and coffee !!$2.00..what a "frugal " idea..lol..

thanks from on frugalite to another..

:)

[livin4him]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I beleive that your complimentary on board credit can not be used toward the tips. Also, room service is free unless you order dinner from one or more of any specialty restaurants on board. But, tipping your cabin steward for bringing the food is generally rule of thumb (couple bucks anyway). Having said that, why not use some of your on board credit for an excursion you might not have taken otherwise? You'd be surprised at how much fun it its. You also may want to purchase a few items from the shops on board.

 

Oh, and by the way, we live for Him, too :D

 

Thanks for the info 2Cruise!! I checked with Carnival, and they do allow the tipping with the on board credit...Glad you gave me a heads up on that...thanks.

 

and ..it's great to know we have a "network" of friends livin for Him !! God bless...:)

[Cotton]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I beleive that your complimentary on board credit can not be used toward the tips.

 

Yes it can on Carnival. I always end up with OBC, and it takes care of my tips. (Now that we know the OP is going on a Carnival ship.):)

 

Also, room service is free unless you order dinner from one or more of any specialty restaurants on board.

 

On Carnival, hot meals are not delivered to cabins.

 

But, tipping your cabin steward for bringing the food is generally rule of thumb (couple bucks anyway).

 

Also on Carnival - The cabin steward doesn't deliver food. Room service has their own delivery folks, but yes a tip is customary, as I mentioned above.

 

THIS is why it's nice to know exactly which ship, or at least which cruiseline when posting questions, as I'm sure you'll agree. LOL

[Cotton]

Your friend Cotton is a she. :)

 

:D Thx, Tex.

 

Clackey, I eat all those shrimp for you, and you didn't even know I'm a SHE? Awwww. Oh, BTW, I didn't mention Paradise Beach because she asked specifically about Chankanaab.;)

[clackey]

Your friend Cotton is a she. :)

Thanks Greeneyes. I didn't know Cotton had a gender.:p

 

Cotton if you are out there you have my deepest apologies. Not that you are a woman, but for not realizing that your pronunciation and penwomanship was female. I really thought that it had a feminine flare but I was afraid to insinuate anything. Lo siento, amiga.

 

I appreciate you taking good care of the shrimp, but I must confess that I love Cotton. I wear it everday.

[GEEFLOWR]

Hello everyone....A few years ago I was seeing this guy who said that on the Saturday that was coming up, he and 11 of his friends were just going to go to the pier and get last minute cruise tickets...He said it was dirt cheap that way...I thought it was risky for 12 guys to expect there to be enough vacancies for all of them....and each of them had packed for a week and taken vacation from work!!! Anyway, they did end up going...Have any of you ever heard of this or how to go about doing this?

[Pednurse]

Since you are celebrating an anniversary you should allow for a formal picture. They were $20 for an 8x10. We just returned from the Holiday and we love her. This was our 2nd time on her. The staff is so friendly. Our steward Arnold was the best. He took very good care of us. I know you will have a wonderful cruise.

[Happy ks]

Hello everyone....A few years ago I was seeing this guy who said that on the Saturday that was coming up, he and 11 of his friends were just going to go to the pier and get last minute cruise tickets...He said it was dirt cheap that way...I thought it was risky for 12 guys to expect there to be enough vacancies for all of them....and each of them had packed for a week and taken vacation from work!!! Anyway, they did end up going...Have any of you ever heard of this or how to go about doing this?

 

You can no longer do that, the Coast Guard requires a full manifest in place 3 days in advance. Thanks to the terrorists of 9/11 a lot of things have changed.

 

To the OP, with the exception of gratuities, anyone can cruise for exactly what they have paid in their fare. Everything else is a choice, everyones choices are different. I doubt we could cruise for less than we do, but we enjoy a bottle of wine with every dinner and one formal portrait. Unlike Cotton, I want us all to look nice, the welcome aboard photos are usually our worst. But, wait a few days, until after the formal dinner at least, choose one photo that is your favorite. The photo studio keeps them all until the end of the cruise.

 

Our tab at the end of the week is probably a lot less than many. But, we've taken enough cruises to no longer want any souvenirs cluttering our house, we don't go on vacation to shop. We probably spend more on our photo processing after the cruise than most spend onboard (except the wine :) ). We aren't gamblers, don't play bingo, don't go to the "art" auctions. I'd love to do spa treatments onboard, but the prices are just so much higher than what I'm willing to pay.

 

Some people throw caution to the wind and rack up a huge bill. We don't care to have a bill come the next month for prior entertainment. So, we take along cash, open a credit account with a credit card (just easier) and pay it off the night prior to disembarkation. If we have a drink or bottle of wine after we pay our account, we'll let that ride on the card so we don't have to stop by the desk the final morning.

 

Another thing I'd like to mention, only because I made this mistake the first time we cruised, is to not pay a lot of attention to packing lists you will see on these boards. You only need your essentials, like clothing, toiletries, first aid kit and a camera. All the electronics, cups, pens, bags, clocks are unnecessary (really), especially if you have to ask what it is used for. We cut down every time we cruise and find ways to mix and match, adapt and re-use. Pack light, take clothes you already have, dress nice for formal night, have a great time!

[livin4him]

Thank you Kathy...!! your info is great...I do plan on taking a power strip and extension cord for my small fan. I can't sleep without it..

 

I am a true mix and matcher, so that info was great...:)

[livin4him]

Since you are celebrating an anniversary you should allow for a formal picture. They were $20 for an 8x10. We just returned from the Holiday and we love her. This was our 2nd time on her. The staff is so friendly. Our steward Arnold was the best. He took very good care of us. I know you will have a wonderful cruise.

 

Thanks for your help..We will do the formal picture..didn't think of that...I'm so glad to hear you say you love the Holiday..I know that Cotten does too...Mobile is just a great place for us to go out of...not far from West Monroe La!!

Thanks...:)

[Cotton]

You're in WM? Had lunch in Monroe at my old hangout, The Mohawk, a few weeks ago.

 

Since you mentioned the power strip....I don't know if I said anything about that, but I take the little 3" adapter that fits right into the wall socket in the cabin. No long cord or bulky power strip to pack. Three appliances can be plugged into it. $.79 at WalMart.:)

[livin4him]

thanks cotton...Yep..in WM...you know they have a Mohawk in WM now..your old hang out had to be on Louisville..right?? I work on Breard kinda close, and I work with a Breard!!

 

:)

[jlp20]

>>>You can no longer do that, the Coast Guard requires a full manifest in place 3 days in advance. Thanks to the terrorists of 9/11 a lot of things have changed.

 

Not the Coast Guard, but Customs. The three day period is something the cruise lines came up with, since they needed time to finish their paperwork before submitting it. I think it offically is more like 24 hours. I once got a last chance offer from Princess that was emailed to me 54 hours before the ship was set to sail. I can only imagine that since all my information was already in the Princess data banks, they could fill in the forms themself.

 

And yes, it was possible to "haggle" a cruise minutes before sail time, back in the day.

[GEEFLOWR]

I called Carnival before anyone had responded on here and the guy said that you can call and book it the same day, but there will not always be a savings. (although he probably works on commission and wouldn't want to deter me from booking with him right then!)...lol