Onboard Spending - How much should I bring

[Ugly Betty Fan]

I'm probably very early asking this question but, I just booked my first cruise yesterday on Caribbean Princess. I pretty much understand what is included and what isn't included in the cruise fare.

 

What I'm uncertain about is - how much money and/or credit on my credit card will I need to have an enjoyable cruise. I'm treating my parents and grandmother to this cruise and, I want to pay for everything for everyone.

 

We normally have a bottle of wine with dinner, beyond that we're soda drinkers.

 

I have no idea what to expect price-wise for shore excursions and how do I pay for them? Do I book ahead and pay? Do I do that on the ship? :confused:

 

What other expenses will I encounter on the ship? I love Las Vegas and, therefore, I know I'll be spending time the casino.

 

It's a 9 night cruise if that makes any difference.

 

You don't have to be exact, I'm just looking for a ballpark estimate. For example, $100 per day, per person

[spongerob]

$100 per person per day is a good place to start. Casino funds aren't included in that amount. We sometimes spend a little more or a little less depending on how many ports we hit. We tend to spend more on port-intensive cruises and less when we have more sea days.

 

It's easy to overspend.

[Toto2Kansas]

Shore X can be quite expensive through the ship. BUT.......you won't be charged until you board for these and they will be charged to your shipboard account.

Don't forget, if you are footing the bill for others, there will be a $10 per person per day minimum gratuity charged to each passengers account while onboard. 9 days = $90 per person for minimum gratuities.

[napls2]

Check into a wine package if you plan on drinking a bottle every night. Also, if you drink at least 4 soda's a day, a drink card may work for you. You can get as many soda's at any bar and at dinner/lunch that you want. The last cruise we were on the soda was $1.50 + gratuity, so the drink card was worth it. If you don't drink that much, you won't benefit.

 

Don't forget Bingo--it ran us $35 for one set of cards.

They always have those special of the day sales...gold by the inch, watches, t-shirts. But, they also have lots of free things to do, such as games, art auctions, food demonstrations, tours, etc.

 

Have fun and enjoy.

[frofro]

$100 per person per day is a good place to start. Casino funds aren't included in that amount. We sometimes spend a little more or a little less depending on how many ports we hit. We tend to spend more on port-intensive cruises and less when we have more sea days.

 

It's easy to overspend.

 

Really? We are 4 on a 9 night cruise, so I could easily spend $3,600?? I've never been on a cruise so I have no idea what to expect....

[barbarah33]

I would also say $100 per person per day - without gambling funds included, and yes, if you are paying for 4 people on a 9-night cruise that makes $3,600. Keep in mind though that sea days are not as expensive; especially if you are not drinkers. You won't have shore excursions to worry about on those days and the CB has sea days. So that will save you some $$.

I prefer to err on the side of caution when I try to plan and save for my cruises. Then when I get the final bill if I didn't spend that much I am pleasantly surprised. I come home and put the 'unspent' money into what I call the 'cruise fund' for my next vacation!

[sultan_sfo]

Cash Expenses:

Extra tips if given -- Cabin Stewards, Waiters, Asst. Waiters, Bar Tenders

Shore Excursions (Princess) -- Tips to guides and Coach Driver. Lunch Snacks Water not included in Excursions

Shore Excursions (Private) -- Taxis and tips; food; drinks; tips at resorts

Shore Purchases -- trinkets and souvenirs; wine

Airport Pier; Cabs from and to Airport. Tips to porters. Snacks at the airport.

 

We take $50 pp per day for small expenses plus cost of all privately arranged tours in cash or travelers check. Costs is 1.5% to buy but Pursers Desk does not charge anything to cash them.

A bit too detailed list but one needs enough cash. /Sultan

[bhopal21]

A good rule of thumb that will always work.

 

"When you are finished packing remove half the clothes; and take twice the money and you will be all set."

 

Mike:D

[cruisequeen10]

My onboard expenses are:

 

1. tipping ($70 for a 7 day cruise)

2. embarkation photo (approx $20)

3. maybe one drink (I bring water and pop with me)

4. bingo (maybe 1 game)

 

That is about it. $125 approx for the whole week. How is that for budgetting.

[spongerob]

Really? We are 4 on a 9 night cruise, so I could easily spend $3,600?? I've never been on a cruise so I have no idea what to expect....

We're all different, so what I'm reporting is what we've come to expect. I didn't include things like private tours since those are often paid for ahead of time, pre-cruise hotel stays or anything like that. We have spent as little as $50 pp/day and up to $150 pp/day.

 

I don't know if we are just average, or a little on the extravagant side. $100/day for each of us seems to work out most of the time.

[nosmothj]

We went on a 7 day cruise 5 years ago. We had prebooked all of our tours and didn't buy any pictures or things on the ship. With that in mind we spent less than $25 a day.

 

Now if you gamble or drink a lot you can go well over $100 a day.

 

Lots to do on the ship that is free.

[chasetf]

I'm probably very early asking this question but, I just booked my first cruise yesterday on Caribbean Princess. I pretty much understand what is included and what isn't included in the cruise fare.

 

What I'm uncertain about is - how much money and/or credit on my credit card will I need to have an enjoyable cruise. I'm treating my parents and grandmother to this cruise and, I want to pay for everything for everyone.

 

We normally have a bottle of wine with dinner, beyond that we're soda drinkers. I have no idea what to expect price-wise for shore excursions and how do I pay for them? Do I book ahead and pay? Do I do that on the ship? :confused:

 

What other expenses will I encounter on the ship? I love Las Vegas and, therefore, I know I'll be spending time the casino. It's a 9 night cruise if that makes any difference. You don't have to be exact, I'm just looking for a ballpark estimate. For example, $100 per day, per person

I think as you see, there is a wide variety of what people spend depending on the gambling habits, drinking habits, and other spending habits.

 

Certain things are set.... like auto tips. All the other you have to decide. I always set up a budget before hand... pre and post cruise expenses, cruise expenses..... and for the on board I know our history which has averaged about $100 for both of us. (maybe one drink a day / no gambling / no pics / some cheaper mementos).

 

So I suggest you summerize what you plan or want to spend and see if it fits. If it doesn't, then you will know where you can cut. For example (which may or may not fit your situation):

 

Tips = 9 days X 6 people X $10 per day = $540

Extra Tips = 3 people per couple X 3 couples X $20 per person = $120

Drinks = 9 days X 6 people X 2 per day X $6 ea = $648

Wine for Dinner = 9 nights X 1 bottle per night X $25 per bottle = $225

Tours = 6 ports X 6 people X $60 per tour avg = $2160

Souvenirs = 9 people X $50 per person = $540

Art Auctions = none

Pictures = 10 pictures X $10 per picture = $100

Gambling (just for yourselves for instance) = 8 days X 2 people X $20 per day = $320

Bingo = 6 people X 3 games X $36 per game = $648

Soda Cards = 4 people X 9 days X $4 per day = $144

Transfers to and from Pier = 6 people X 2 trips ea X $50 ea = $ 600

Porter Tips = 12 bags X 4 times (airport & pier) X $2 per bag = $96

 

Totals = $6141 which is $682 per person or $76 per person per day

[curiouscat]

Get an amexp card.... This way you don't have the credit limit and you get points and can pay it off the next month (if you can).

 

I never leave home without it...:D

 

CuriousCat

 

So nice to treat your family.

[thomasale]

My onboard expenses are:

 

1. tipping ($70 for a 7 day cruise)

2. embarkation photo (approx $20)

3. maybe one drink (I bring water and pop with me)

4. bingo (maybe 1 game)

 

That is about it. $125 approx for the whole week. How is that for budgetting.

 

Sounds like a blast...I bet your husband has a good time too! :)

[Giorgi-one]

I think as you see, there is a wide variety of what people spend depending on the gambling habits, drinking habits, and other spending habits.

 

Certain things are set.... like auto tips. All the other you have to decide. I always set up a budget before hand... pre and post cruise expenses, cruise expenses..... and for the on board I know our history which has averaged about $100 for both of us. (maybe one drink a day / no gambling / no pics / some cheaper mementos).

 

So I suggest you summerize what you plan or want to spend and see if it fits. If it doesn't, then you will know where you can cut. For example (which may or may not fit your situation):

 

Tips = 9 days X 6 people X $10 per day = $540

Extra Tips = 3 people per couple X 3 couples X $20 per person = $120

Drinks = 9 days X 6 people X 2 per day X $6 ea = $648

Wine for Dinner = 9 nights X 1 bottle per night X $25 per bottle = $225

Tours = 6 ports X 6 people X $60 per tour avg = $2160

Souvenirs = 9 people X $50 per person = $540

Art Auctions = none

Pictures = 10 pictures X $10 per picture = $100

Gambling (just for yourselves for instance) = 8 days X 2 people X $20 per day = $320

Bingo = 6 people X 3 games X $36 per game = $648

Soda Cards = 4 people X 9 days X $4 per day = $144

Transfers to and from Pier = 6 people X 2 trips ea X $50 ea = $ 600

Porter Tips = 12 bags X 4 times (airport & pier) X $2 per bag = $96

 

Totals = $6141 which is $682 per person or $76 per person per day

 

I did not add up all you figures but for 6 persons the cost would be $1023 per person or $114 per person per day.

 

Also, we never do a tour in every port. Sometimes we just go to the beach or walk around.

 

I would expect that everyone would buy their own souveniers.

 

Transfers from pier would never be $50 per trip - more like $10 per person per trip.

 

You have to be crazy to spend $648 on Bingo.

[cruisequeen10]

Sounds like a blast...I bet your husband has a good time too! :)

 

No husband, just me and my mom. She spends even less than me.

[Are we there yet?]

No husband, just me and my mom. She spends even less than me.

 

Honey, if I could go on the cruises you have been on, that is all I would spend too!! Good for you, I'm sure you have just as good a time as most of your passengers....you have figured out what is important to you, so why not?;)

 

I'm cheering for you.:)

[Sailfish]

We budget about $150pp on days while in port and about $50pp on days at sea. We also do not sped a lot on alcohol or the casino, so this seems to work well for us. That said, there are often cruises we don't spend nearly that amount, and occasionally, when we go scuba diving, we will spend more. But it seems to even out in the end and this budget seems to work well for us.

 

You can also add $$$ to your shipboard account, though I wouldn't do that too early (you still want to earn interest on your money!); that seems to help some people. I did not figure tips into this, as I consider this part of the cost of the cruise.

[rdsqrl]

And here's what is probably a very unoriginal idea (in fact, I'm sure I stole it from someone else on this site, like I do all my cruise ideas!): At the end of every day, empty out your wallet of all its change and dump into a piggy bank. That really adds up (in fact, sometimes I've been known to cheat and deliberately hand over two ones for a bottle of water costing $1.27, just to get more for the savings bank!), and with a year's time, you should have a nice little nest egg in there to help with onboard expenses. The key here is to put ALL your change into the pot every day, especially quarters, because they're what really adds up.

[Are we there yet?]

And here's what is probably a very unoriginal idea (in fact, I'm sure I stole it from someone else on this site, like I do all my cruise ideas!): At the end of every day, empty out your wallet of all its change and dump into a piggy bank. That really adds up (in fact, sometimes I've been known to cheat and deliberately hand over two ones for a bottle of water costing $1.27, just to get more for the savings bank!), and with a year's time, you should have a nice little nest egg in there to help with onboard expenses. The key here is to put ALL your change into the pot every day, especially quarters, because they're what really adds up.

 

I also do this, and at the end of the week whatever is left over in paper money goes into my savings. This really makes you think before you buy, if you know it is going towards a vacation.

[ahracer]

Transfers from pier would never be $50 per trip - more like $10 per person per trip.

 

 

True for Ft. Lauderdale but not for many of the other ports Princess sails from.

 

Long Beach, Seattle, Vancouver, Anchorage, etc..

[bubbadog]

i would pick out 2-3 ports that u really want to see,...and the rest can be foo foo drinks or swim,hot tub,walk the beaches,find a cave and.. eeee never mind,just have fun,i think our lowest was 280 for the week:)));) :p

[chasetf]

I did not add up all you figures but for 6 persons the cost would be $1023 per person or $114 per person per day..

Looks like I hit a 9 instead of a 6 when I did the divide by. Thanks for the catch.

Also, we never do a tour in every port. Sometimes we just go to the beach or walk around. I would expect that everyone would buy their own souveniers. Transfers from pier would never be $50 per trip - more like $10 per person per trip. You have to be crazy to spend $648 on Bingo.

My purpose was not to come up with the OP's exact budget. I was merely showing how I go about figuring it out so I know what we would expect to spend.

 

I understand everyone, including the OP, would do or not do tours at each port. As far as transfers... depends when you are coming from and going to. We have paid up to $75 for some transfers (to Anchorage and from Rome) and some have been a $10 taxi ride. Again, point is for the OP to put in their knowns or estimates. ;)

[chasetf]

True for Ft. Lauderdale but not for many of the other ports Princess sails from. Long Beach, Seattle, Vancouver, Anchorage, etc..

and to add Rome, New York, London......

[JRarey]

UBF,

 

Bet you never thought you would incite so much discussion!

 

Obviously many ways budget, but in my humble opinion the two best ways to economize, especially if you are paying for everyone, are:

 

-Set up shore excursions on your own. Many, many internet resources for this. Start with the "Ports of Call" area here on Cruise Critic. You will find recommendations for who is good, warnings for who is not so good, and you can post questions. You can almost always book your own for around half the cost to book thru the cruiseline.

 

-Use a taxi or some other transportation instead of cruiseline transfers to/from the pier. Again, you can find lots of info about costs, etc in Ports of Call.

 

IMO, if you do the above, don't drink much, and purchase a 'wine plan', about $50 a day PP should be a good number.

 

No matter what, enjoy!