Let’s talk budget - Family of 4

Okay, sorry for skipping over that part. I was going to say, that is a lot of money. We did do some pricey excursions so adding one more person to that would definitely add up. I purchase those and pay for them all ahead of time. So once we are on the actual ship, there's actually not much money spent. I think you were in a good place no matter what. Enjoy.

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I have not booked excursions yet.

 

 

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IF you cannot afford it, don't book excursions. you saved hundreds right there.

I would spend half of your money and put the rest toward your next cruise. When we are trying not to spend money, we just pretend the paid things on the ship do not exist. Just imagine those extra restaurants, shops, etc are not there. There is so much to do that is free. Give the kids $100 each for the entire cruise and tell them that is final. If they spend it all in one day it is a good budgeting lesson. We do outside excursions or none at all. Every time i want to spend a lot of money on a ship, i think do I want to spend this now? Or take another cruise asap? Have a specific cruise in mind. It makes it more real.

I would spend half of your money and put the rest toward your next cruise. When we are trying not to spend money, we just pretend the paid things on the ship do not exist. Just imagine those extra restaurants, shops, etc are not there. There is so much to do that is free. Give the kids $100 each for the entire cruise and tell them that is final. If they spend it all in one day it is a good budgeting lesson. We do outside excursions or none at all. Every time i want to spend a lot of money on a ship, i think do I want to spend this now? Or take another cruise asap? Have a specific cruise in mind. It makes it more real.

I like this train of thought!

I do love bingo though, so it’s going to be hard! Lol

I’ve canned the paid restaurant idea and the Cirque show.

Going to spend on:

Uber to cocoa beach

Day pass in Nassau to a resort

Bingo

$100 each for the kids and DH - hahaha

;)

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Well I travel with 5 kids. Now they are officially out of high school so they pay their own way but when they were in school and I paid for their trip. We paid for or at lease planned everything in advance so we knew exactly what we were spending. We plan maybe $200 for on ship spending total. We don't do drink or dining packages. Basically everything is paid in advance so I take very little money

Went on our first vacation in 2011. Took our honeymoon on our 25th anniversary. I haven't look back. Just keep booking them when I can

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That is a HUGE amount of money for a family of 4, considering drinks, gratuity, and parking is already taken care of. What you might consider being on a budget is splurging to the majority of folks. Go do what you want and have a great trip. You definitely have the money for it!

Hello!

We are about to head on our first cruise (well we took one for our honeymoon 20 yrs ago) on 10/1 on the Breakaway.

 

I’m stressing about budget— I don’t want to use CC and have diligently been trying to save.

 

I have prepaid our gratuities and have the $280 for parking aside as well.

 

Also, we won’t be getting off in FL for excursions.

 

I have saved $2700. Ugh, tell me this will be enough? Two teenage boys, my husband will gamble with small budget...

 

I am thinking of buying the dining plan, 2 jet skis and Mejia Day Pass. Our friends rented private cabana in GSC. I’m also bringing my own snorkel gear.

 

What’s your opinion, do you think it’ll work?

 

Jeez I’m stressing so bad - hurricane, money, sick Mom...

 

Tia for any advice. Snarky comments NOT needed.

 

 

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You will want to spoil yourself too. Make sure you have a couple hundred for yourself to spend at the spa for messages. I'm not sure what the Mejia Day pass is, but it sounds like a trip to the sauna. You'll want a massage too.

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I would spend half of your money and put the rest toward your next cruise. When we are trying not to spend money, we just pretend the paid things on the ship do not exist. Just imagine those extra restaurants, shops, etc are not there. There is so much to do that is free. Give the kids $100 each for the entire cruise and tell them that is final. If they spend it all in one day it is a good budgeting lesson. We do outside excursions or none at all. Every time i want to spend a lot of money on a ship, i think do I want to spend this now? Or take another cruise asap? Have a specific cruise in mind. It makes it more real.

I agree. Very similar to my advice. just packaged much more neatly and presented much more gingerly.

I think saving more money for your next cruise is a better way to spend your money. And look at it this way. You might not even like cruising. Why pre-commit and dump tons of money on something you might not even like? Esp when you are concerned about money and the last cruise you did was 10+ years ago? Cruising has changed a lot....for better or worst...

That is a HUGE amount of money for a family of 4, considering drinks, gratuity, and parking is already taken care of. What you might consider being on a budget is splurging to the majority of folks. Go do what you want and have a great trip. You definitely have the money for it!

I agree. It is a lot. NCL has a lot of free quality events included in that price imo. Not so much true on other cruise lines. Everyone says NCL nickels and dimes you....but I think NCL provide a lot of value and fun events.

I spend literally 0 while on board and I have a blast on the cruise every time. I also have a lot of work to do while on the cruise ship....but that is another story for another day :')

You don't have to spend a dime to have a good time.

You will want to spoil yourself too. Make sure you have a couple hundred for yourself to spend at the spa for messages. I'm not sure what the Mejia Day pass is, but it sounds like a trip to the sauna. You'll want a massage too.

 

 

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I bring 2500$ just to gamble with nevermind spending money. I can never budget that with 4 people

You will want to spoil yourself too. Make sure you have a couple hundred for yourself to spend at the spa for messages. I'm not sure what the Mejia Day pass is, but it sounds like a trip to the sauna. You'll want a massage too.

 

 

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Melia is a resort on Cable beach, a pass allows use of the pools and beach. We purchase week long passes to the spa, love it.

We will be on the BA the week after you with a family of 4. We don't even have half that amount, so you will be fine.

I prepaid for the spa package and have the UBP, other than some casino $$ we don't really spend much on the ship.

We make sure to eat a ton for breakfast so we don't have to eat in town. We usually go to the beach, and when we are hungry like around 2 we head back to the ship for lunch.

We are flying in a day before the cruise, I am more worried about spending $$ in NYC beforehand.

Have a great cruise! [emoji924]

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I think a budget of $200 for each teen may be a little better, here's why: Without a soda plan, they can only drink water and juice from the buffet. They don't have convenient options for kids. Then there are a few treats that cost: bakery, ice cream. And a few activities that have a charge. Or get the soda plan and then $100 each. Make sure they read the dailies to see what there is to do each day!

The teens may like Entourage if they are social, but if not social like my daughter they may prefer activities where they can be an observer. Plenty of those too. And make sure they learn where the free food is including O'Sheehan's.

Oh and for adults if you are coffee lovers you will want to pay for better coffee some times.

I think your plans for Great Stirrup Cay and Nassau are good and uber or the excursion bus to the beach at Canaveral is the way to go.

December will be our third time on Breakaway. We did add-on dining last time and will do none this time - choosing to spend on ports instead. The dining rooms, buffet and O'Sheehan's are plenty of good food. Also we did Wine Lovers The Musical once and it was fun but once was enough. We haven't done Cirque yet because we hate to pay for a meal we don't want! Wish they had a show without dinner.

Finally, if your teens are 16 or older they may love Rock of Ages. It has mature themes so wanted you to be aware, but if you are good with that, go and/or let them go. It's my daughter's and my favorite thing on the Breakaway!

I think a budget of $200 for each teen may be a little better, here's why: Without a soda plan, they can only drink water and juice from the buffet. They don't have convenient options for kids. Then there are a few treats that cost: bakery, ice cream. And a few activities that have a charge. Or get the soda plan and then $100 each. Make sure they read the dailies to see what there is to do each day!

 

 

 

The teens may like Entourage if they are social, but if not social like my daughter they may prefer activities where they can be an observer. Plenty of those too. And make sure they learn where the free food is including O'Sheehan's.

 

 

 

Oh and for adults if you are coffee lovers you will want to pay for better coffee some times.

 

 

 

I think your plans for Great Stirrup Cay and Nassau are good and uber or the excursion bus to the beach at Canaveral is the way to go.

 

 

 

December will be our third time on Breakaway. We did add-on dining last time and will do none this time - choosing to spend on ports instead. The dining rooms, buffet and O'Sheehan's are plenty of good food. Also we did Wine Lovers The Musical once and it was fun but once was enough. We haven't done Cirque yet because we hate to pay for a meal we don't want! Wish they had a show without dinner.

 

 

 

Finally, if your teens are 16 or older they may love Rock of Ages. It has mature themes so wanted you to be aware, but if you are good with that, go and/or let them go. It's my daughter's and my favorite thing on the Breakaway!

Thank you! This is great information. I am considering add the soda package. Weird question- anyone know if there is any other option for diet sodas?

My son has diabetes and would only be getting diet soda or water.. Thanks a bunch

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Thank you! This is great information. I am considering add the soda package. Weird question- anyone know if there is any other option for diet sodas?

My son has diabetes and would only be getting diet soda or water.. Thanks a bunch

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For soda, it's just diet pepsi. My daughter was able to ask for club soda and a little squirt of juice - if that's not too much for him. Also check out the juices in the buffet, I found they were often very low calorie.

Budget is for entire cruise, I’ll leave some cash aside for Nassau and the resort day trip. Otherwise rest will be loaded.

 

Can I put a daily limit on their spending cards?

 

Did you kiddos like the kid programs? Entourage? My boys are 16 and 13 and my 16 yo doesn’t want to go!

 

Is Cirque worth it?

 

Let me think of more questions and I’ll back to you.

Did I tell you we are sharing a balcony stateroom! [emoji23]

 

 

 

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Total budget changes things a little. How much do you have left over after paying for the cabin? That's probably a better number to work with. (EDIT...saw you've already paid for the cruise. You have a tone of cash left over, I probably couldn't spend it all unless we went to Atlantis! Go have fun!)

Yes you can limit spending on the kids' cards, and I would strongly suggest you do if on a tight budget and will have kids unsupervised. Ive seen kids rack up $100+ spending in 30 minutes while their parents stepped out. You cannot put a daily limit on their cards, they can either spend or they can't. NCL doesn't give a lot of options for kids unlike some other lines.

My boys are younger than yours, they usually like NCL kids clubs but not on breakaway. They find them too busy and impersonal. Entourage is more of a meet and greet place, I'd encourage them to go even just to meet other people their age. Or head to the sports court!

Cirque ...probably no worth it. Maybe first night when it's discounted. I'd spend the money elsewhere. By Florida you'll want to get off the ship, and you could take the Cocoa beach shuttle for the price of the Cirque show.

Four in a balcony is doable. We did it once as a last minute trip, we knew it would be tight and it was. Try and stagger showering and bathroom use times, and whoever is ready goes on the balcony or to a public area! We prefer the art penthouse suite but it's not always in the budget ;)

Have fun, breakaway is like a big playground!

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Hello!

We are about to head on our first cruise (well we took one for our honeymoon 20 yrs ago) on 10/1 on the Breakaway.

 

I’m stressing about budget— I don’t want to use CC and have diligently been trying to save.

 

I have prepaid our gratuities and have the $280 for parking aside as well.

 

Also, we won’t be getting off in FL for excursions.

 

I have saved $2700. Ugh, tell me this will be enough? Two teenage boys, my husband will gamble with small budget...

 

I am thinking of buying the dining plan, 2 jet skis and Mejia Day Pass. Our friends rented private cabana in GSC. I’m also bringing my own snorkel gear.

 

What’s your opinion, do you think it’ll work?

 

Jeez I’m stressing so bad - hurricane, money, sick Mom...

 

Tia for any advice. Snarky comments NOT needed.

 

 

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We went (family of 4) in March. We had $250 in OBC. We bought a couple of specialty coffees, clamshells on GSC, and a photo... an literally had a mad dash at the last minute to spend the remainder of our obc (and most o the $500 cash that we brought. We weren't even trying to conserve it, just happened that way. I think we tried so many of the free things that we just didn't even consider the extras. Totally possible and your budget is far more than reasonable!