What is there to Spend $$ Onboard?

[vesw01]

Not being a drinker, a knick-knack buyer, smoker or expensive clothing kind of person - other than gambling - do "you" spend a lot of money on the ship and what for?

[Beffy1167]

[font=Comic Sans MS][color=magenta]Sounds like you probably won't spend much money on board. DH and I are like you, not big drinkers, not big knick-knack buyers, etc. (although I always by a fridge magnet--usually under $5 and he gets a t-shirt--usually around $20). We have NEVER donated money in the casino--and probably never will! Our sail and sign card for [i]sea days[/i] is usually under $15 a day. [/color][/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS][color=magenta][/color][/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS][color=magenta]Excursions are the costliest part of our vacation--and we do book all-day excursions through the cruise line. They end up on our S&S cards, too. But even with those, we usually average under $100 a day for the TWO of us. Our last cruise (Carnival's Sensation in February) was a five-nighter and the S&S card was just under $400 for the entire trip.[/color][/font]

[teedee]

[b][font=Comic Sans MS][/font][/b][b][font=Comic Sans MS]Shore excursions and spa treatments always seems to be one of my biggest expenses on a cruise. Both totally worth it too![/font][/b]
[b][font=Comic Sans MS][/font][/b]
[b][font=Comic Sans MS][/font][/b]
[b][font=Comic Sans MS]Terri[/font][/b]

[GoinCruisin]

Soft Drinks, Photos, Video Games for the kids, tips, excursions, spa services... souvenirs, bingo.. i'm sure there are more...

[sea_u_onboard]

Don't forget jewelry (good and cheap), watches, perfume and other luxury items.

[ParrotheadMel]

Our S&S bill was roughly 1/3 tips (for 4), 1/3 drinks (for 2 adults only) , and 1/3 photos, with a few minor souvenirs (Christmas ornaments and keychains). Our girls stopped at every single backdrop Carnival rolled out to get their picture made. If you couldn't find them, they were in the Photo Gallery. We only bought about 1/4 of their photos, but still a lot (obviously we are new to cruising).

[pholter]

Photos, Photos, and Photos.... Also, specialty cookies, coffees, teas, and milkshakes at the cafe... Shore excursions usually, but this time we are booking direct and paying direct to save about 25% per tour... Convenience items in the gift shop we may have forgotten or got ruined/leaked on during travel... My biggest expense is the EXTRA tips over and above the $70pp we've paid in advance for our cruise to show our appreciation to the hardworking crew members (even the omelette maker!)....

[hill6]

I usually spend a lot on tshirts, pictures, keychains, little snacks to take ashore (fritos, fruit jellies, etc) to munch on during the tour. Oh and lets not forget the milkshakes. YUM YUM.

[hstrybuf]

I honestly have no idea how much we spend on board. I leave the bills to my DH. ;) As to how we spend that money, well, drinks, gambling, shore excursions if we don't book them independently, shopping (on board [b]and[/b] in the ports), tipping, and specialty restaurants. We don't use the spa or Camp Carnival, rent pay per view movies or play bingo so that about covers it.

[yarlenna]

My expenses:
Beverages - carbonated bottled and alcoholic
Shore Tours and Activities- both purchased from the line and elsewhere
Tips - Waiter, Busperson, Cabin Steward, Maitre d'
Postcards and postage
souveniers - mostly T shirts and rain gear purchases
Dining in extra cost restaurants - some of the best money I have ever spent

I generally average about 50 per person per day. in these expenses

[consmarci]

Last year we spent a week on the Paradise with a family of 4. We only had tips to pay on our sail and sign...not a single charge all week! Imagine our surprise! We did not plan it that way, but it is easy to do!
My hubby did make his donation to the casino, however! Not much, almost breakeven, but overall it CAN be done! And we did not feel we that we missed out on anything...I did not like the photos, I don't do spa stuff, none of us are "shoppers" to speak of and if we do shop it is in ports, we are non-drinkers and the iced tea and lemonade was fine with us!

[alleauna]

I'm such a frugal person, so I'm glad to see at least a couple of you are like me. We are going with lots of cash *just in case*, but I honestly think we'll be coming home with little spent over and above the cost of booking the cruise! :)

[Cotton]

[b][color=darkslategray]Hi again Ves. You asked about [i]onboard [/i]expenses. I have to say that my onboard charges to S&S account are minimal. I probably cruise 'cheaper' than anybody I know. [/color][/b]

[b][color=darkslategray]1) I buy a drink, maybe two, a day. (I have my own wine and Cokes in the cabin), and I usually buy a bottle or two of wine in the dining room.[/color][/b]

[b][color=#2f4f4f]2) I buy ONE photo only - the one taken when boarding the ship so I have a 'title page' for my scrapbook of the cruise.[/color][/b]

[b][color=#2f4f4f]3) Unless I have a nice shipboard credit to use up, I rarely buy anything from the gift shop.[/color][/b]

[b][color=#2f4f4f]4) I do buy a couple of bottles of liqueur on the ship to take home.[/color][/b]

[b][color=#2f4f4f]5) I don't play bingo, although I do donate some bucks to the casino.:rolleyes: [/color][/b]

[b][color=#2f4f4f]On my last cruise, I was scurrying around the gift shop the last evening, trying to use up the shipboard credit. My balance on the account for the entire cruise was a [i]credit[/i] of less than a dollar.[/color][/b]

[b][color=#2f4f4f]I'm really and truly not a cheapskate. I just don't find that many ways to spend money on a cruise. It absolutely boggles my mind when I see how HUGE some folks' S&S accounts are!:eek: [/color][/b]

[iluvdoxies]

If your children go to Camp Carnival, you will need to tip the people working in there in cash- not sure how much because we've never used it- but you could post a thread about the amount to tip them.
We buy the photos- the one when you first board and the ones they take in each port and use them in our scrapbook.
We had a formal one taken a few years ago and I wear the same dress, so dont need that one.
We buy liquor to take home , but just a few bottles.
It seems the more we cruise, the less we buy--dont need anymore Carnival tee shirts.
One time we did buy the travel video because we were in it- it was 25.00, but a nice souvineer of our trip.
The cookies and coffee and milkshakes in the cafe go on your s & s card if you buy anything there- the cookies from room service were just as good, but you still have to tip room service, so the cafe cookies were not that expensive.
I also buy my perfume if I am running low, Once I had a massage in the spa.
Cant think of anything else right now---

[Krooze Family]

How much are these yummy shakes that everyone is talking about?

[akeka]

Did anyone mention the internet? Most of my S & S bill is internet charges. I like to keep up on my email.

Kya Lynn

[madelinerose]

Other than tips, our charges will probably be:

Wine w/dinner and an occasional cocktail otherwise.
2 nights at Nick & Nora's - $100
Massage for me
Maybe 1 pic on a formal night
Maybe $50 tops in the casino


We don't buy t-shirts or souveniers. We plan on "winging it" rather than doing the planned shore excursions.

Have a great cruise. :cool:

[savdblt]

Hi,
Could you please give me your thoughts on the Sensation? I sail 8/26/04 and I am very curious about the ship. Never sailed b-4 and heard some bad things. Any info would sure help. Thanks!

[savdblt]

Can anyone give me recent Sensation info? Cruising 8/26/04 and would like a heads up.

Many Thanks!:o

[hstrybuf]

savdblt, since I haven't been on the Sensation in a few years, I would suggest one or two things. First, start a new topic requesting info on the ship. Also, do a search for Sensation and you will probably find more info than you can read in one night. Finally, just scroll through several pages of posts and see what you find. (Okay, so that's three!) :D The Sensation was our first ship and will always be special. Enjoy her! :)

[mohavemommy]

My DD spent most of her cruise allowance on the [color=red]Chocolate Covered Strawberries[/color] from the cafe.:D