Would You, if it meant a less expensive cruise?

[packedandready]

I have to agree with the other posters. I'm a thrifty person who would be extremely tempted to take advantage of the types of programs you describe. I tend to cut corners to save costs - it's just my nature. In my opinion, one of the very top benefits of a cruise vacation is being treated like royalty for a week. I don't want to be tempted to sacrifice that for the sake of saving some bucks, because it would lessen the experience. Not having that option saves me from myself!

 

Oh my goodness...we must be twins separated at birth:eek:

[shaggyofwv]

When we did our land based vacation, the options were various "levels" of food plans, all of which changed the package price...

 

And I was thinking...if RC were to do the same...how would I "build" my vacation?

 

I think, for us at least, we'd go with a Windjammer breakfast and dinner plan, forgo Lunch altogether, and then augment our dinners with Chops. Not every night, but maybe 2 nites on a 7 nite.

 

While the dinners in the MDR are fine, and we have no complaints, we could very easily skip it, if it meant a cheaper room...

 

I wonder how much of our "daily charges" go toward food...and how much savings there would be...

 

We've been blessed up until now with the ability to cruise every year or so...and have alternated with land based vacations other than that..but I've recently gone from being a 2 income family of 2 to a 1 income family of 2. So, our cruises will become more infrequent...and I'm just trying to figure out some of the things that could be done to drive down the cost...IF it were available...

 

Personally, I don't want to be bothered with the minutia. I prefer the way things are now. RCI gives me a set price of the entire cruise package and, if I am willing to pay it, I book it.

[Tatka]

If I wanted to save on food, I'd sail on NCL. 7 dayers on newer ships this past December ran at $275

 

Their cruises are cheaper (much cheaper than RCCL's), and they have less sophisticated food in both regular free DR - which was still enough for us :) - and then they have many additional paid restaurants for those who wish to spend more.

[cruzincurt]

Well some want to bring all their own alcohol aboard, next will be those wanting to bring all their own food aboard, after all, the food from the grocery store is cheaper.

 

They could put refrigerators, microwaves, toaster ovens, hot plates and coffee pots in each cabin; a grille on the balcony. Oh wait, those are called efficiencies on land based vacations. Some ships already have guest laundry and ironing facilities.:rolleyes:

[firefly333]

Sounds like Cunard, who has different levels of grill, princess grill, etc for those who want to pay to eat with folks who have more money :D

[printingchick]

Oh my goodness...we must be twins separated at birth:eek:

 

Judging from your handle, that may well be true. I'm packed and ready at least a MONTH before my departure date!!

[FireIce0010]

I think the prices are to low right now. How you get a nicer meal in the MDR and better service if they don't charge you for it. Some people just don't get it- you have to pay for what you get. Cruising has declined in quality since I started cruising in 1979 and i miss the amenities.

 

I don't think that we will ever see that again when it comes to mainstream cruising. The cruise lines have found that bigger is better. They have lowered their prices to attract the masses in order to fill those large ships. I don't like it but if we want to cruise on lines like Royal Caribbean, we either put up with it or move up to a more premiun line.

 

It's not all bad. The food is not as good as it once but there are many other options that make up for it. In the end, I still love to cruise.:)

[grand isle joe]

What's next? Should we pay for the toilet? How about paying for hot water in the showers? Paper cups and sporks at dinner? Make your own bed. If you compare the cost verses value I think that you would find cruising is one of the best values for the money. There is a certain standard that should be expected and participated in on the ships and price should be considered but also what the cruise lines provide for your fair. We save and budget and have a spending plan before and during the cruise and don't have too many surprizes on the cost issue.

[packedandready]

Judging from your handle, that may well be true. I'm packed and ready at least a MONTH before my departure date!!

 

We're not booked until 4-12 and I'm itching to get in there and start laying stuff out. But afraid DH will think I've completely lost my mind.

[GXmanDC]

How much do you think an average 7 night Caribbean cruise cost then?

 

And for the OP, that is not a cruise i would be interested in.

 

Regent Seven Seas provides the luxury service, they have a 7 night Caribbean cruise sailing out of FLL (2/16) listed at $5,295.00, "Early Saver" program comes in at $2,650.00, Window stateroom, FLL-Cozumel, Belize, Santo Thomas-Key West-FLL. Early Saver would not be an option at this date, in fact room is sold out.

 

RCI 7-day western Caribbean on Liberty out of Miami (2/21) is $1,199.00 USD for ocean view, ports are Labadee, Montego Bay, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Miami. It may have been cheaper months ago, not sure.

 

I've only done RCI so my experience is limited. Tp the OP, I would not be interested in the a la carte experience you described. However there could be a market for it. NCL cruises are less expensive and they give the option for better food/entertainment if you want to pay the upcharge. One of my brothers likes the NCL ships for this reason, but he and my sister-in-law tend to sail on RCI because of all of the activities.

[mitchpam]

I posted this on another thread, but the question has yet to be answered... this thread seems to be talking about a similar issue... here is my question...

 

We have sailed Celebrity and Carnival so far. We are considering a spring cruise in 2010 for dd graduation. Price has been a huge issue. I wuoild love to think we could try out RCCL but the initial price is a little hard to swallow.

 

I have a question for those who know RCCL well... I have heard that there are lots of extras that need to be paid for. We have some friends and relatives who sailed RCCL and they told us of the "food shops" and "restaurants" that charge. I was under the impression that most cruise lines have a specialty facny diningroom option, but that all other food on the ship is part of the price. There was one exeption that I could think of on both our other cruises and that was specialty coffee, but everything else was included. So my question is this... will I not only pay more for the booking, but also for ice cream, burgers, fries... etc? Would like to know ahead of time and not have any surprises....

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[jbrambach]

I posted this on another thread, but the question has yet to be answered... this thread seems to be talking about a similar issue... here is my question...

 

We have sailed Celebrity and Carnival so far. We are considering a spring cruise in 2010 for dd graduation. Price has been a huge issue. I wuoild love to think we could try out RCCL but the initial price is a little hard to swallow.

 

I have a question for those who know RCCL well... I have heard that there are lots of extras that need to be paid for. We have some friends and relatives who sailed RCCL and they told us of the "food shops" and "restaurants" that charge. I was under the impression that most cruise lines have a specialty facny diningroom option, but that all other food on the ship is part of the price. There was one exeption that I could think of on both our other cruises and that was specialty coffee, but everything else was included. So my question is this... will I not only pay more for the booking, but also for ice cream, burgers, fries... etc? Would like to know ahead of time and not have any surprises....

__________________

 

Well, I am trying to think what food costs extra on RCCI and I can think of a couple things:

1-Johnny Rockets (but if you are a past passenger their will be a coupon that will waive the cover charge of $4.95 but the shakes and sodas are extra).

 

2- Chops and Portofino's, the specialty restaurants if the ship has them.

 

3- Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream, but there is free ice cream at lunch and dinner in the diningroom as well as free frozen yogurt by the pool.

 

4-Seattle's best coffee.

 

5-And as on others lines soda and adult drinks.

[mitchpam]

Thanks so much... I just finished looking at the Oasis video clips and they showed a boardwalk type with a candy shop, burger place, and a few others... I suppose those will cost extra? Do you know about how much these things run? I am relieved to hear about free ice cream and just paying for the premium stuff... my kids loved that about the Carnival cruise...

[cruisePRN]

I don't think that we will ever see that again when it comes to mainstream cruising. The cruise lines have found that bigger is better. They have lowered their prices to attract the masses in order to fill those large ships. I don't like it but if we want to cruise on lines like Royal Caribbean, we either put up with it or move up to a more premiun line.

 

It's not all bad. The food is not as good as it once but there are many other options that make up for it. In the end, I still love to cruise.:)

I tried Azamara last month and it wasn't a step above RCL it was a mass market line. The food and service in the MDR I didn't care for. I believe RCL has declined in recent years, it used to be more middle class, mid stream but it's going after people who can't afford to cruise and cheapening the experience. We seem to have mass market or high end, the middle of the road has disappeared in cruising.

[kyriecat]

It depends on the ship and amenities available.

 

Some ships have specialty restaurants like Chops, Portofino, and Johnny Rockets. Chops is $25 pp, Portofino is $20 pp, and Johnny Rockets is $4.95 pp. You don't have to eat in these. All ships have a main dining room for sit-down dinners, a buffet (Windjammer) for casual dining, and a cafe with snacks like burgers, pizza, hot dogs, fries. Some ships have more choices.

 

Some ships have a Ben & Jerry's ice cream station. Ice cream prices vary depending on if you want a cup, cone, sundae, etc. All ships have soft serve ice cream available. I've heard some are open 24 hrs and some only open for a few hours each day. On my last cruise, the soft serve station was only open from 3-6 but on previous cruises it was available from 12-8. I don't know who sets the times.

 

Some ships have Seattle's Best coffee. Again, prices vary based on what you want. All ships have free coffee available 24 hrs either on the pool deck or from room service.

 

All ships have a variety of shops like clothes, jewelry, alcohol, snacks. You don't have to buy anything.

 

On all ships, alcoholic beverages, sodas, and juices (except during breakfast) are extra. Tea, water, lemonade, coffee, and sometimes fruit punch are available for free. For breakfast there is milk, apple juice, and orange juice also included. Some ships have other juices too but not all.

 

On all ships, services charges for the staff are not included in the fare.

 

Bingo, casino, and excursions are all extra.

[jbrambach]

Thanks so much... I just finished looking at the Oasis video clips and they showed a boardwalk type with a candy shop, burger place, and a few others... I suppose those will cost extra? Do you know about how much these things run? I am relieved to hear about free ice cream and just paying for the premium stuff... my kids loved that about the Carnival cruise...

I really do not know about the Oasis as their is no other ship to compare it too. The candy shop sound like it might be extra, but maybe the burger place will be like an outdoor grill to ease the traffic in the other food venues

[GXmanDC]

Well, I am trying to think what food costs extra on RCCI and I can think of a couple things:

1-Johnny Rockets (but if you are a past passenger their will be a coupon that will waive the cover charge of $4.95 but the shakes and sodas are extra).

2- Chops and Portofino's, the specialty restaurants if the ship has them.

3- Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream, but there is free ice cream at lunch and dinner in the diningroom as well as free frozen yogurt by the pool.

4-Seattle's best coffee.

5-And as on others lines soda and adult drinks.

 

Just a small clarification:

 

On Freedom and Voyager class ships Seattle's Best coffee is included in cruise fare and available in Cafe Promenade. Espresso drinks are extra.

 

On Voyager class Cafe Promenade offers small sandwiches, snacks, and pizza no extra cost.

 

On Freedom class Cafe Promenade is the same, but the pizza and salads are over at Sorrento's, no extra cost.

 

I've enjoyed my one dinner at Chops, I've never purchased any other food on a cruise. Now drinks are a different story.

[mitchpam]

So there are just more options of specialty shops to spend extra money in... but you still get the same basic included food fare as you do on the other lines... not sure if I could keep the "I wants" to a minimum every time we walk by one of these places... hmmm.... I might have to set a specialty limit... thanks for the "food for thought!"

[jbrambach]

Just a small clarification:

 

On Freedom and Voyager class ships Seattle's Best coffee is included in cruise fare and available in Cafe Promenade. Espresso drinks are extra.

 

On Voyager class Cafe Promenade offers small sandwiches, snacks, and pizza no extra cost.

 

On Freedom class Cafe Promenade is the same, but the pizza and salads are over at Sorrento's, no extra cost.

 

I've enjoyed my one dinner at Chops, I've never purchased any other food on a cruise. Now drinks are a different story.

Yes, thank you. I cruised on the Enchantment & Sovereign first and always paid for regular coffee and Seattle's Best; I was surprised (happily)to see that the regular coffee was no charge in the back of the Prom Cafe on my Liberty cruise.

 

Also, I am not a big egg salad eater, but the Egg Salad sandwiches at the Prom Cafe were delish.

 

To the OP, Sorry off topic but hope the info is helpful to some:)

[Ocean Boy]

I tried Azamara last month and it wasn't a step above RCL it was a mass market line. The food and service in the MDR I didn't care for. I believe RCL has declined in recent years, it used to be more middle class, mid stream but it's going after people who can't afford to cruise and cheapening the experience. We seem to have mass market or high end, the middle of the road has disappeared in cruising.

 

I think you mean RCI is making cruising affordable for people who at one time couldn't afford to cruise. In reality, I think RCI is just doing what it has to in order to fill the inventory of cabins that it has. They can't fill the ships with the same cruisers that they have had for years. Of course, they can't really afford to loose those cruisers either. I don't how one goes about finding the right balance to figure out how to maintain one's customer base and attract the new customers that are needed to sell the inventory. I'm sure it is hard to keep everyone happy and I'm glad that I'm not the one who has to come up with the plan.

[shaggyofwv]

We seem to have mass market or high end, the middle of the road has disappeared in cruising.

 

This is a refelection upon U.S. society in general. The middle class is disappearing and you are getting more working class "poor" on one end and the ultra-wealthy on the other end.

[cruisePRN]

I think you mean RCI is making cruising affordable for people who at one time couldn't afford to cruise. In reality, I think RCI is just doing what it has to in order to fill the inventory of cabins that it has. They can't fill the ships with the same cruisers that they have had for years. Of course, they can't really afford to loose those cruisers either. I don't how one goes about finding the right balance to figure out how to maintain one's customer base and attract the new customers that are needed to sell the inventory. I'm sure it is hard to keep everyone happy and I'm glad that I'm not the one who has to come up with the plan.

I agree with you, RCL overbuilt and has to fill those ships. In the process RCL and the other cruise lines have cheapened the experience. It's mass market or high end, the middle class gets squeezed out. I personally prefer to cruise less and upgrade to a more upscale line which i hoped Azamara would be but it wasn't. I'm still looking though. I still like RCL and am sailing to Alaska on her in May.

[El Mono]

This is a refelection upon U.S. society in general. The middle class is disappearing and you are getting more working class "poor" on one end and the ultra-wealthy on the other end.

 

Pure capitalism at its best ;-) Just imagine how much money that could be divided among the wealthy if we just eliminated the middle class ;-)

[FLACRUISER99]

When we did our land based vacation, the options were various "levels" of food plans, all of which changed the package price...

 

And I was thinking...if RC were to do the same...how would I "build" my vacation?

 

I think, for us at least, we'd go with a Windjammer breakfast and dinner plan, forgo Lunch altogether, and then augment our dinners with Chops. Not every night, but maybe 2 nites on a 7 nite.

 

While the dinners in the MDR are fine, and we have no complaints, we could very easily skip it, if it meant a cheaper room...

 

I wonder how much of our "daily charges" go toward food...and how much savings there would be...

 

We've been blessed up until now with the ability to cruise every year or so...and have alternated with land based vacations other than that..but I've recently gone from being a 2 income family of 2 to a 1 income family of 2. So, our cruises will become more infrequent...and I'm just trying to figure out some of the things that could be done to drive down the cost...IF it were available...

Maybe you should try Easy Cruise.

http://www.easycruise.com/