Can YOU list the "extras" you pay for on Princess and NOT *insert mass market line*

[mrdawson]

As a general rule, I would ear-mark $ 50. per day per passenger for incidentals (including tips, alcohol, spa services, etc.).

 

What?? I need $50 to just cover pre dinner cocktails!!! ;)

[mrdawson]

LOL!! Thank you for helping us cruise for less $$!! People who spend cheerfully and freely make it possible for penny-pinchers like us to cruise! We're retired, and have to watch the $. However, we do tip very generously!!! :) It's great that the cruising industry gives us a choice as to how much our vacation will cost. Cheaper cruises = more cruises!;)

 

Your welcome!! I am a giver....LOL..I'm only here to help! Just ask ALL my Princess cheerleader friends!;) Right Largin, BDJam and Coiran! :D

 

And when I retire(hopefully in 8 years) I will prolly be a penny pincher as well!:eek:

[spongerob]

I have to admit, on our first cruise I felt like I was being nickle-and-dimed for the first couple of days. Then I got over it, and realized that I didn't HAVE to spend money on the souvenir glass if I really didn't want to. I think at the time I was surprised at how many "extras" there are...but then again, most of my previous vacation experience was in Las Vegas where I the usual comment I heard about anything that might cost extra was, "It's already been taken care of, sir." We just got with the program, understood how things worked, and didn't look back.

 

You don't have to pinch pennies to have a great time. Aside from excursions, we spent less than $75/day between the two of us, including a few photos, martini cards, and a couple of Regal Princess mugs which I hope will be a nice memento some day. I never felt as if we lacked for anything, had to show special restraint, or had to worry if the cost were too high. It was no worse than going to a nice hotel or resort.

[karen2cruz]

Agree with Spongerob, you dont have to buy anything they offer you.

 

Other than the soda cards, we dont spend much on board. We can do without specialty coffees, art and jewelry. Occaissionally we get a foo-foo drink (w/o alcohol) and I might sneak a bingo game - sssh,dont tell DH. We did go to the specialty restaurants in the past, but dont even do that anymore. We love to relax on our balcony and visit the ports.

 

Probably, the one area I wish all the cruiselines would lower the price on is the photos area-what a waste of paper. I would buy more if the prices were reasonable.

[ccrain]

After our January 2004 Island Princess Panama Canal cruise I thought the constant sales pitches were over the top...until we went to Hawaii and stayed at the Hilton on Oahu. $3.50 for the little coffee grounds, $3.00 for a 16 oz, then 15 oz, then 14 oz bottle of water...$17 for a burger...I swear I heard a little counter in the bathroom going ticka, ticka, ticka when I unrolled the toilet paper!

 

At least on the ship I get to say NO!

[iancal]

I think cruise vacations can be a very good value when compared to other types of vacations. Like any other vacation opportunity, the supplier wants to upsell (we may call it nickel and diming). So if you know what is in and what is out, then add the price of tips, coffee, ice cream and whatever else people may resent paying for you will reach a total price. And if you want the photos...add them in as well! Then make a decision. The upsell WILL not abate given the competitive nature(read great pricing) of mainstream cruise vacations. I heard that the goal is $100. pp/day. We are no where close to this, but then again we usually go with private tours and buy most things on shore. We have never been accosted about buying cook books but I can assure you it would be a very short conversation with anyone who attemped to sell us one during dinner.

[cruise182]

It was no worse than going to a nice hotel or resort.

Never had a waiter at a "nice hotel or resort" try to sell me cookbooks an the like!:eek:

[LARGIN]

Interesting.. Guess I have been lucky. I have found that after a polite shaking of one's head no, the person hawking the goods wanders away. There is no "hard selling".

[Thanz]

Of course my DW won a Grand Suite upgrade from our Inside cabin on the second night of our cruise, so we couldn't complain.

Off topic, but how the heck did you do that?

[spongerob]

I haven't had anyone try to sell a cookbook at our table during the last 4 or 5 cruises. I think it was being done a couple of years ago (2004), and the complaints about it were common. Since then, we haven't had anyone in the dining room selling them. The only time I've seen them offered since then was at the Maitre d's cooking demo and galley tour, where they will be signed by the Exec. Chef and Maitre d' if you wish.

 

It's a good book, by the way, one I use quite often.

[cruise182]

Interesting.. Guess I have been lucky. I have found that after a polite shaking of one's head no, the person hawking the goods wanders away. There is no "hard selling".

 

I feel that a waiter trying to sell a book lessons the experience. Just like some feel that a casual dressed guest on formal night lessons the experience!:)

[prettypixie]

I have no real basis for comparison having only sailed on Princess recently and only Disney once (quite some time ago), so I can't say if the nickel and diming is better or worse on one line than another. I will mention though, as I have in previous posts, that on some Princess cruises, not all, the dining room staff were really "motivated" to sell things like cook books and wine tastings during meals. It was not the end of the world, but it was pretty annoying to have to listen to multiple sales pitches during dinner while we were relaxing and trying to enjoy our dinner and conversation. For the most part the wait staff were not unpleasent or pushy when making the sales pitch, but they were, nonetheless, disrupting us----not really what I want to deal with when I am on vacation. Again, I have noticed this more on some Princess cruises than others (some cruises we were never approached to buy anything while dining). This may be common practice on other lines too----I don't know.

 

I feel about the same, I have only sailed NCL prior to my Princess cruise and in comparison the harassment of upselling was much worse on Princess. I was apalled at the upselling during my dinners. Any other time it didn't really bother me but at dinner, it truly is tacky. I can understand them simply asking if I'd like to purchase wine or drinks from the bar, but when you go as far to try and sell anything else or push the wine selling even after I said no once already, it's a bit much. Did it ruin my vacation? No. But I would be lying if I said it wasn't annoying. It was nothing compared to the harassment to buy things in Jamaica. :o

 

As for the extras on Princess it was about the same as with NCL, although I believe their brewed coffee is free on NCL, it was a year ago so it may cost extra now. I try to avoid caffeine anyways, so it's no biggie if coffee costs extra. And...I lived a week without soda, imagine that! I drink water most of the time anyways. It's good for you, people! :D

[mii]

I have been on seven Princess cruises and not once have I been approached at the dining room table to buy a cookbook. Maybe I have been lucky.

 

I truly do not feel that I am "nickel and dimed" to death either. If I want the object that has a cost on it I buy it. I do not feel forced into buying the darn thing. I do not go buy the speciality coffee's as I think the coffee on board for free is o.k. As for the photo's I have some already from previous cruises so I no longer buy those. Out on the decks where the waiters are coming and going alot a simple no thank you works.

 

Marilyn