Extra charges

[Princess Patches]

I have seen the complaints about the extra charges on these boards before and the response generally seems to be "yes, but cruising is cheaper than it was 20 years ago". However, you have to look at it from the OP's perspective. The OP may have been cruising for just a few years so he/she hasn't noticed any decline in cruise prices but has noticed an increase in extra charges.

 

It is true these extra charges seem to be escalating in the past few years and I find them somewhat irritating too. One can easily say no and I do, but sometimes on vacation you would rather not even be asked. It hasn't gotten to the point where it spoils my cruise but a family that we used to cruise with won't go on Princess any longer because they felt the selling was too much. I haven't gotten to that point myself but we will have to see where it all goes from here. It is still an overall very enjoyable experience for me.

[Daphne8100]

Our Emerald Princess Med cruise was fantastic, and we were careful about not buying many extras. Just with the basics it was much much fun. Our final bill wasn't too bad. Of course, we paid the full service charge/tip.

 

Without the tip, our total bill was about $600 for 4 people 12 days. Not bad.

 

At our first dinner (traditional) my DH got nervous and asked if it was extra. He was very impressed when I said it was included. It was wonderful and we had no desire to go to a special restaurant.

 

This included some drinks and wine with dinner most nights. We got a couple of trinkets, dramamine.

 

We had a fantastic luxurious trip of a lifetime vacation without many of the extras.

 

My family really made fun of me, but I packed two full suitcases with sodas, drinks, and other stuff I didn't want us to pay for on the ship. It was great not to have to budget for sodas.

 

Just ignore the marketing. You'll come out ahead.

[bdjam]

Who would of thought 20 years a go that there would be retarants on the ship that you would have to pay for.

Um...both Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth (the first ones, not the ships that are currently at sea) had Veranda Grilles in the ‘30s, ‘40s and ‘50s. These were the ala carte restaurants on board that were exclusive – and seats were had only after paying the extra tariff (and fighting for reservations it would seem). One would assume that the rest of the Atlantic Fleet would have had the same type of situation. Those ships also had extras – first class over third, for cost reserved deck chairs, etc. – that the general traveling public didn’t pay for. So this isn’t something new.

 

That being said, a perfectly acceptable cruise can be had without paying for extras. In fact I would venture to guess that there are many people posting here who have minimal on board accounts at the end of their cruise because they don’t see a need to take advantage of the extras. But if cruise lines today are going to appeal to a wide market – which they all want to do and which is really a double edged sword – they need to offer things that appeal to a wide market. Not everyone in the market is adverse to paying extra for … extras.

 

As for cruise ships, the extras now offered - specialty restaurants for one - weren't there when the cruise industry first started taking off in the late 60s (the QM and QE models mentioned above were abandoned). People had ONE choice for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You really get what you pay for - and I think sometimes some tend to want more than what they're paying for.

[Jstringers]

I have seen the complaints about the extra charges on these boards before and the response generally seems to be "yes, but cruising is cheaper than it was 20 years ago". However, you have to look at it from the OP's perspective. The OP may have been cruising for just a few years so he/she hasn't noticed any decline in cruise prices but has noticed an increase in extra charges.

 

It is true these extra charges seem to be escalating in the past few years and I find them somewhat irritating too. One can easily say no and I do, but sometimes on vacation you would rather not even be asked. It hasn't gotten to the point where it spoils my cruise but a family that we used to cruise with won't go on Princess any longer because they felt the selling was too much. I haven't gotten to that point myself but we will have to see where it all goes from here. It is still an overall very enjoyable experience for me.

 

 

THANK YOU...this was the point I faltered to make. The problem isn't that there are extra charges on cruises. The problem is how they are sold to the cruisers.

[MercedMike]

What have they done to make it so much cheaper to cruise. I cannot think that charging $ 20.00 for a steak or getting a massage would add up. Was drinks included was food better ( I had the best food on the Dawn from pre meal to desert) . Were the cruises just over priced? Ships cheaper to build? Please don't take this as me trying to start a fight

 

Why is it comparatively cheaper to cruise! Well, there are many reasons. Bigger ships mean moving more people at less expense (economy of scale.) Hugely competitive business means lots of low fares to compete. The lines have just learned to do it better and less expensively, and market it more agressively.

 

But -- bottom line -- one reason that cruise vacations are such a great bargain is all the folks that ARE paying for all the added profit centers for optional things! The more people that pay for the extra charge restaurants or the Sanctuary or the ice cream, the less my basic old time cruise costs me! Every ship is constantly looking for new sources of income. I think it is great that I get to CHOOSE whether to indulge in them or not.

[OuiOnboard]

...But -- bottom line -- one reason that cruise vacations are such a great bargain is all the folks that ARE paying for all the added profit centers for optional things! The more people that pay for the extra charge restaurants or the Sanctuary or the ice cream, the less my basic old time cruise costs me!....

And even more to the point, "all the folks that Are Paying" can have the cruise that meets their desires just as those looking for "my basic old time cruise" can access their type of cruise experience. Yeah....it's all about choices.

[OuiOnboard]

....But if cruise lines today are going to appeal to a wide market – which they all want to do and which is really a double edged sword – they need to offer things that appeal to a wide market.... [/quote]

I can see the benefit of expanding the group of potential pax in terms of holding the line on the basic costs of cruising, but I wonder what would be the nature of the other side of this sword.

[Toto2Kansas]

You really get what you pay for - and I think sometimes some tend to want more than what they're paying for.

 

Now, that is the most honest statement I have read on these forums in quite awhile. I have to totally agree with this in every way!

Between the complaints for items there is an extra charge for, to the NUMEROUS threads about how to get a free upgrade, you get what you pay for. You want a more inclusive cruise, there are cruise lines out there that will fit the bill, but you will definitely pay dearly for them.