Really think on how much these cruises cost!

[rti]

We cruised on Emerald in the Med this summer. We hadn't cruised for about two years and I was really surprised on how much everything cost. The excursions averaged $200 pp at many ports, the shuttle buses just to the ports were $15pp, the nice lounge chairs $15 pp, ice cream, internet at $.75 per minute, dinner out on your balcony $$, and etc. Our final bill was alittle surprising! I'll think txice before booking with Princess again>

[Tina G]

All mainstream cruise lines market the same way. You have control over what you spend. It is possible to have a very nice cruise without taking excursions in every port, dining in alternative restaurants aboard ship, buying trinkets or "art", using the internet :eek:, or even buying drinks! Yes, Europe is expensive! Enjoy your prepaid meals and entertainment on board, and reflect how much it would cost you to duplicate this on land! We spent two days in Rome after our cruise, and we spent almost as much as the 12 day cruise cost. And we are penny-pinchers!

[Pam in CA]

We cruised on Emerald in the Med this summer. We hadn't cruised for about two years and I was really surprised on how much everything cost. The excursions averaged $200 pp at many ports, the shuttle buses just to the ports were $15pp, the nice lounge chairs $15 pp, ice cream, internet at $.75 per minute, dinner out on your balcony $$, and etc. Our final bill was alittle surprising! I'll think txice before booking with Princess again>

Huh? There is no charge to use the swimming pools, there's plenty of free ice cream (the charge is just for the specialty ice cream at Scoops), most shuttles in ports are free but it depends on the port, the dinner on your balcony is a special meal with special waiters (they didn't have that before), you can drink all the purified water you want from the tap (sort of like drinking tap water at home vs. bottled water), and the Internet is a much better deal than it used to be. What you're citing as new charges are really new services and options that you didn't have before. You don't have to order any of these special items and still have the same great cruise you've always had. Cruising today is FAR less-expensive than it used to be.

[vmom]

Okay...I'm not getting the $15 pp for nice lounge chairs. What's that about?

 

Haven't done Europe, but never heard of paying extra for lounge chairs on the Caribbean cruises we have been on.

[rti]

This really got me. To have to pay for adults only pool, true they did have padded lounges but geez the main pool was so crowded and the other pool had the movies blarring all afternoon. We were so tired from touring the ports we needed just a relaxing day! That's what I mean VMOM..

[Pam in CA]

Okay...I'm not getting the $15 pp for nice lounge chairs. What's that about?

 

Haven't done Europe, but never heard of paying extra for lounge chairs on the Caribbean cruises we have been on.

I have no idea. I'm assuming he's referring to The Sanctuary on the Crown and Emerald which is a special area above the adults-only pool area, which is FREE. Not only do you get a padded lounger but you also get special amenities. There's a charge but it's not only for the lounger. That's like saying you're paying $25 for a chair in Sabatinis.

[rti]

That was the Emealds adult pool!

[vmom]

This really got me. To have to pay for adults only pool, true they did have padded lounges but geez the main pool was so crowded and the other pool had the movies blarring all afternoon. We were so tired from touring the ports we needed just a relaxing day! That's what I mean VMOM..

 

 

Okay, so the fee is paying for the use of the solarium... now it makes sense. I haven't cruised on a ship with a solarium. I know there is a post on the board at present discussing this issue.

 

My understanding is that use of the pool and chairs around it is free, but the area above the pool has a charge. Never having seen this, I don't quite know how this all works.

[chasetf]

We cruised on Emerald in the Med this summer. We hadn't cruised for about two years and I was really surprised on how much everything cost. The excursions averaged $200 pp at many ports, the shuttle buses just to the ports were $15pp, the nice lounge chairs $15 pp, ice cream, internet at $.75 per minute, dinner out on your balcony $$, and etc. Our final bill was alittle surprising! I'll think txice before booking with Princess again>

If you think it is expensive on the ship you should try it on land. Check out was a hotel costs per night. Food is at least twice what you would expect in most US cities. Then there are taxi rides. The one we took from Heathrow to Victoria Square area was 60GBP or 120USD.

 

What do you think a balcony dinner in a hotel would run. :eek: Plus you can pass on those lounge chairs, ice cream, and do the internet when in port.

[fti]

Cruising can be expensive or you can pay as little as you like. I cruised last summer with Princess in Alaskaand paid for some of the extras. But I booked excursions independently. And I kept track somewhat of what I was spending so I would not be surprised at the end of the week. All cruise lines lowball the initial price then nickel and dime us to death.

 

Last month I cruised Celebrity in Alaska. Our port times were generally very long, I spent most of my time in the ports hiking or doing free or inexpensive excursions, spent very little on board and had a blast.

 

It totally depends on your desires, interests, budget, etc.

 

John

[JLC@SD]

We cruised on Emerald in the Med this summer. We hadn't cruised for about two years and I was really surprised on how much everything cost. The excursions averaged $200 pp at many ports, the shuttle buses just to the ports were $15pp, the nice lounge chairs $15 pp, ice cream, internet at $.75 per minute, dinner out on your balcony $$, and etc. Our final bill was alittle surprising! I'll think txice before booking with Princess again>

 

These are typical on all cruise lines......unless you pay three times the Princess fare for an "all inclusive cruise".....;)

[swisskris]

I agree that excursions through the ship are expensive. I'd suggest for the next time to try and do some on your own. That being said, Europe is expensive, more so in big cities like Rome, Barcelona, Lisbon, Athens etc. However, if you consider the cost of staying in a hotel in a big European city that is atleast 4 stars, plus travel from city to city the cruise ends up to be much less expensive!

[chasetf]

Cruising can be expensive or you can pay as little as you like. I cruised last summer with Princess in Alaskaand paid for some of the extras. ..............It totally depends on your desires, interests, budget, etc. John

We have found Tahiti and Europe / British Isles are the most expensive areas we have traveled. Parts of Asia (Japan) (although we have not been there for many many years) is probably also expensive. whereas Vietnam or Thailand are probably pretty economical.

 

Alaska is no where near as expensive as Europe except when you start getting into some of the flying tours or the pre/post cruise land tours. New England / Canada are mid range cost wise.

 

Mexico and the Caribbean are probably the cheapest..... It does not cost much to go to the beach. Australia and New Zealand were pleasantly economical in our mind and well worth the cost.

[spongerob]

Hmmm, your ability to spell and write in complete sentences also seems to have gone away since your cruise...I'm guessing you are a younger family member. Not that it matters, your comments can still be addressed.

 

Another thing, if you haven't noticed, is that the US dollar is not very strong and that makes anything off the ship, like excursions, just that much more expensive.

 

It's common for first-timers to be surprised by the all the extra fee items. People should be aware that while cruising might cost less than it did in the olden days of the late 20th century, it's still a luxury vacation and you can easily ding up a luxury tab. Especially in Europe.

[City_Woman]

We budget for every cruise we take. After 8 cruises budgeting becomes easier. That way, there are no surprises.

 

For our upcoming 10-day, we have estimated that we may need up to an additional $1700 to cover all of our additional expenses (casino, excursions, alcohol, shopping, tips.).

 

Yes, the amount is large, but it no longer comes as a surprise.

 

We also do Sandals once a year and Sandals all inclusive is on par with our cruise spending. Again, we budget for it so there are no surprises.

 

Judy

[custompcsys]

I'll think txice before booking with Princess again

 

Check out easyCruise. I think they would be more your style, and you can take a nice Greek Isles cruise. Or maybe stick to the Caribbean on Carnival.

 

By the way, I went to London last December and spent significantly more per day than what my European cruise cost me earlier that year. The thing you didn't mention is that with a cruise, all your lodging, meals (and not just 3 meals a day, we're talking food anytime you want it, including room service), transportation to each city you will visit, and entertainment, are all included at no extra charge. You get use of the adults only pool, or any other pool you want, for free. You can get a lounge chair for free. You can get ice cream in the Horizon Court in the afternoons for free.

 

Maybe your post should have said "You know, next cruise I have to exercise a bit more self-control and not buy all the extra stuff because we were caught by surprise at our final bill!" instead of bashing Princess for something every cruiseline does.

[wtevrfltsurbt]

New cruisers need to keep in mind that regardless of "all inclusive" and other tag lines they see/hear/read, that the reality is it is just like a land vacation in the sense that: if you go to Hawaii and stay at a hotel and want to go swim with the dolphins~you have to pay for that. If you then go to the bar at the same hotel and order liquor~you pay for that. If you want to see the island/rent a car/take a tour~you pay for that. Most hotels do not offer portrait photos, but if they did~you'd pay for that too.

I do not feel that cruiselines are nickle and diming as these things and services are extras and would be paid for on a land vacation. (yes I am old school and do remember when things were different on cruises but things have changed over the years as most industries have with regard to what they offer for the price~think Milk Man delivering the milk to your front door at no extra charge).

The upside of cruising is that when you pay for your "room" you get great FREE food, FREE entertaiment/shows/movies, your hotel moves you around the country for FREE, and you rarely hear your kids say "are we there yet":eek:

There are those who will challenge the FREE word, saying that you are paying for it within the price of the cruise, but tell me what hotel, even at 300-400-500 dollars a night can offer the same?

jmoho

[chrysalis]

Check out easyCruise. I think they would be more your style, and you can take a nice Greek Isles cruise. Or maybe stick to the Caribbean on Carnival.

 

By the way, I went to London last December and spent significantly more per day than what my European cruise cost me earlier that year. The thing you didn't mention is that with a cruise, all your lodging, meals (and not just 3 meals a day, we're talking food anytime you want it, including room service), transportation to each city you will visit, and entertainment, are all included at no extra charge. You get use of the adults only pool, or any other pool you want, for free. You can get a lounge chair for free. You can get ice cream in the Horizon Court in the afternoons for free.

 

Maybe your post should have said "You know, next cruise I have to exercise a bit more self-control and not buy all the extra stuff because we were caught by surprise at our final bill!" instead of bashing Princess for something every cruiseline does.

 

EasyCruise would be cheaper, but you pay extra for absolutely everything.....each bite of food you pay for....rumour has it that you have to insert a coin to flush:D

[High C's]

We cruised on Emerald in the Med this summer. We hadn't cruised for about two years and I was really surprised on how much everything cost. The excursions averaged $200 pp at many ports, the shuttle buses just to the ports were $15pp, the nice lounge chairs $15 pp, ice cream, internet at $.75 per minute, dinner out on your balcony $$, and etc. Our final bill was alittle surprising! I'll think txice before booking with Princess again>

 

I guess I'm not understanding why your final bill was "surprising". All of the charges you mention are clearly indicated at the time of the purchase. To have been "surprised" as you put it would mean that you were not aware of the charges until you received your final bill.

 

As a CC member, I would have only assumed you would be well aware of them beforehand, as this type of information is readily available on these boards.

 

Excursion prices are available on line and are well published at the time of booking; the Sanctuary costs are posted, the cost of Ultimate Balcony dining is made clear at the time that you order.

 

Perhaps you should have kept better track of what you were spending? I still cannot understand what "surprised" you.

[Steamboatin]

Do they have chair hogs in the Sanctuary?

[wtevrfltsurbt]

Do they have chair hogs in the Sanctuary?

 

Nope~ they have chair snobs instead:D

hahahahahahaha-snort-hahahahahahaha

[rti]

Hmmm, your ability to spell and write in complete sentences also seems to have gone away since your cruise...I'm guessing you are a younger family member. Not that it matters, your comments can still be addressed.

 

Another thing, if you haven't noticed, is that the US dollar is not very strong and that makes anything off the ship, like excursions, just that much more expensive.

 

It's common for first-timers to be surprised by the all the extra fee items. People should be aware that while cruising might cost less than it did in the olden days of the late 20th century, it's still a luxury vacation and you can easily ding up a luxury tab. Especially in Europe.

Sponge-No, I'm not a young cruiser. This was our 9th cruise. I noticed you have posted over 11,000 replies, do you have nothing else to do?

[Sierra Fox]

This really got me. To have to pay for adults only pool, true they did have padded lounges but geez the main pool was so crowded and the other pool had the movies blarring all afternoon. We were so tired from touring the ports we needed just a relaxing day! That's what I mean VMOM..

 

 

Once again, you do not have to pay to use the pool, only the area above the pool, which is the Sanctuary. I haven't been on the Emerald but I know the Crown has an adult pool all the way aft as well (FREE), so there's a possibility that the Emerald does too and that you somehow missed it. - SF

[we2cruze]

We cruised on Emerald in the Med this summer. We hadn't cruised for about two years and I was really surprised on how much everything cost. The excursions averaged $200 pp at many ports, the shuttle buses just to the ports were $15pp, the nice lounge chairs $15 pp, ice cream, internet at $.75 per minute, dinner out on your balcony $$, and etc. Our final bill was alittle surprising! I'll think txice before booking with Princess again>

 

All the things you mentioned are optional expenses. Personally we've never done (or paid for) any of them except the internet and a couple of ships shore excursions. When taking a cruise you can really add on the expenses by doing the extra. By taking advantage of the ammenities that come with the price of the cruise, doing your own "excursions' in port, and keeping any internet usage down to the bare minimum of checking in at home, you can keep your extra costs relatively low. We have found that we can cruise for a fraction of the cost of a comparative land-based vacation.

Just curious, were the expenses you incurred on the ship charged at the US dollar rate or did you have to pay a Euro conversion rate?

[ldoc31]

Hmmm, your ability to spell and write in complete sentences also seems to have gone away since your cruise...I'm guessing you are a younger family member. Not that it matters, your comments can still be addressed.

 

Another thing, if you haven't noticed, is that the US dollar is not very strong and that makes anything off the ship, like excursions, just that much more expensive.

 

It's common for first-timers to be surprised by the all the extra fee items. People should be aware that while cruising might cost less than it did in the olden days of the late 20th century, it's still a luxury vacation and you can easily ding up a luxury tab. Especially in Europe.

 

You must be having a bad day at work. What is with the sniping over spelling and grammar--not your usual reply. If you had really read the original post you would have known it was not the first cruise.