First time cruisers! Help!

[taliacamp]

Hi, My husband and I are going on our first cruise on Sunday. We are on a 5 day on the CB. I've been getting some awesome info from these boards(Thanks!) but I just had a couple of questions, I hope you guys can help. How much do you think we will be spending on tips? I had heard something like $11.00 per day. Is that $11.00 for each of us or as a couple? Do they automatically put it on our bill at the end of the cruise? I know that we should have some ones on us for the room service guys, but we just want to get an idea of how much we'll be spending on tips on our credit card.

My husband also was asking what kind of shows they have on the CB. If anyone has been on recently that info would be great. One more thing, are cigarettes expensive on the ship or should we stock up before we leave? ( I know, I know, we're gonna quit, but it's vacation!)

Thanks to anyone who responds!!!!

[Toto2Kansas]

Gratuities are based on your stateroom category. Balcony cabins and below the automatic minimum gratuity is $10.50 PER PERSON per day. Mini suites and above it is $11.00 PER PERSON per day. These are automatically charged to your shipboard account as a hotel charge.

[taliacamp]

Thanks Toto, we have a balcony so I guess it will be $10.50 per day. Thanks again!

[dyanalee]

Hi, My husband and I are going on our first cruise on Sunday. We are on a 5 day on the CB. I've been getting some awesome info from these boards(Thanks!) but I just had a couple of questions, I hope you guys can help. How much do you think we will be spending on tips? I had heard something like $11.00 per day. Is that $11.00 for each of us or as a couple? Do they automatically put it on our bill at the end of the cruise? I know that we should have some ones on us for the room service guys, but we just want to get an idea of how much we'll be spending on tips on our credit card.

My husband also was asking what kind of shows they have on the CB. If anyone has been on recently that info would be great. One more thing, are cigarettes expensive on the ship or should we stock up before we leave? ( I know, I know, we're gonna quit, but it's vacation!)

Thanks to anyone who responds!!!!

 

 

I have never been on the CB but have just cruised the Diamond Princess and since the things you ask are more about the cruise then anything else, I think most of them are the same. We were charged $10.50 each for the tips. Cigarettes you can only buy at the bar and they are $4 a pack. We just brought our own, they did not have our brand anyway. The shows were great in our opinion, they had something for everyone. And of course there is the Casino where we spent quite a bit of time during the day. If you don't want to do anything like that, there is always the pools to lounge around and have a nice cool drink if you are so inclined. You will have a wonderful time. As for $1's, we took plenty for tipping the roomservice person, and for laundry, but we were gone 15 days, so I doubt you will be doing laundry. I just love cruising and am looking forward to our Alaskan cruise on the Dawn Princess. Hoped this helped some.

[Toto2Kansas]

Just to go a bit further. Cigarettes can be purchased by the carton onboard, but they will not be delivered until the final night of your cruise. They are much less expensive than you pay on land. There is also a duty free limit on how many you can bring home with you.

 

Depending on the ports you visit, they are available for less in places like St. Martin and St. Thomas and you are able to bring them back onboard without them being held until the final night.

 

As previously stated, to buy them onboard for your use, per pack at some of the bars is the only way.

[royalcruz]

I went on CB in December and they had a comedian (Sarge, who was still there as of last week), a hypnotist, and a Latin musical revue. I don't remember the others but there were 2 or 3 musical revues. Get to the theatre 20-30 minutes before the show starts in order to get any seats.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Maybe if there's a hypnotist show, you can ask for a no-smoking trance.:D

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Hi, My husband and I are going on our first cruise on Sunday. We are on a 5 day on the CB. I've been getting some awesome info from these boards(Thanks!) but I just had a couple of questions, I hope you guys can help. How much do you think we will be spending on tips? I had heard something like $11.00 per day. Is that $11.00 for each of us or as a couple? Do they automatically put it on our bill at the end of the cruise? I know that we should have some ones on us for the room service guys, but we just want to get an idea of how much we'll be spending on tips on our credit card.

My husband also was asking what kind of shows they have on the CB. If anyone has been on recently that info would be great. One more thing, are cigarettes expensive on the ship or should we stock up before we leave? ( I know, I know, we're gonna quit, but it's vacation!)

Thanks to anyone who responds!!!!

 

I hope you have a great cruise. Unfortunately your cruise is only 4 days.:(

As first timers you probably won't sleep much and come home exhausted. If you took the whole week off you'll have 3 days to rest up before getting back to the rat race. Enjoy!

 

Bill

[taliacamp]

Funny Cruisin Chick! With my luck he'll turn me into a chicken!

[taliacamp]

Thanks S S Oceanlover, I know technically it's 4 days but when I count Sun through Thur I come up with 5 ( O.K., O.K. It's crazy but it makes me feel better, 4 days seems so short! :( !!!

[cynbar]

If Sarge is on your cruise,make sure you see him--- he is hysterical, my rather sedate DH was in tears he was laughing so hard!! Princess usually has a good assortment of entertainment on their ships --- Broadway style shows, other acts like a comedian and a hypnotist, an island deck party, 50's night, a cruise staff talent show, and so on. Even with the shorter cruise, you should have a lot of choices. MUTS is great too. Have a wonderful time!!

[cs]

Just to go a bit further. Cigarettes can be purchased by the carton onboard, but they will not be delivered until the final night of your cruise. They are much less expensive than you pay on land. There is also a duty free limit on how many you can bring home with you.

 

Depending on the ports you visit, they are available for less in places like St. Martin and St. Thomas and you are able to bring them back onboard without them being held until the final night.

 

As previously stated, to buy them onboard for your use, per pack at some of the bars is the only way.

 

Wow, is Carnival doing that now too? We bought cartons on all of our sailings - Carnival, NCL, & RCL and were able to take them with us. This is the first time I've ever heard of that!