It's Our first cruise and I have questions!!!

[tanda156]

My husband and I are going on our first cruise Feb 28th to the western carribean on the Carnival conquest.It's our 10 year anniversary. I have been reading online and the more I read the less I know! My biggest question is , how do we know what costs more and what is included? I get the drinks and soda are more but I have read different restaurants have surcharges. Do they have it posted, this restaurant costs more? Does it cost for room service? They say its free but are there hidden charges? I don't want to get on board and end up with a $1000 bill that I didn't know I would have. Also, how much are drinks and sodas? Are there any other fees I have to know about? We figured we would just eat at the buffet because we don't like dressing up and my husband has a big appetite, but I don't want to pay for every meal.

 

What about shore excursions? They say book it in advance, the place I booked it with told me if you wait you can get it half as cheap? Any other advice for me? Thanks for any help! April

[5waldos]

There is usually one specialty restaurant on board which has a charge of about $30, including gratuity. Most people tip a bit more. You pay for alcohol and soft drinks, there is a specialty coffee shop. room service is free, people tip 1-3 or 4 dollars depending on how much you order. things you buy of course you pay for. ditto gambling. So almost everything is included on board and the things that aren't are not necessary- although the steak house really was very very good. I'm sure that others will refine this.

 

Excursions- you have the choice of booking them with Carnival or booking them from one of many outside groups. On our first cruise we stayed with what Carnival offered, figuring we were novices. The real advantage to the Carnival excursions is that the ship WILL wait for you if you are delayed for any reason. They will NOT wait for you if you have arranged the excursion yourself outside. The outside ones are often cheaper and not as crowded, although some of them are also pretty full. As a newbie I would at least consider staying with Carnival for excursions as there is less stress. But I certainly don't remember them getting cheaper- only sold out.

[tanda156]

When I went to shore excursions on carnivals website, for the Jamaica port they only have one excursion and that is golf. When I had looked 3 months ago there were lots of different ones. Any suggestions???

[5waldos]

And one tip if you are drinkers- you can bring on one bottle of wine each (and you can read more here about what people do to increase that). You can also order through the Carnival website drink coupons which 1) save a little bit of money and 2) you can spread out the pain. I did this last time so that by the time we sailed we had prepaid enough that our drinking on board (which was not excessive) had already been paid for. They will deliver the coupons to you at dinner in the Main Dining Room (MDR) the first night. There is huge amounts of info here so happy reading. The one other thing you should do is keep track of the going price for your cruise- if the price drops you can probably get a refund. I just got $140 refunded on our ocean view room. I was surprised and pleased. Happy reading.

[Koval]

My husband and I are going on our first cruise Feb 28th to the western carribean on the Carnival conquest.It's our 10 year anniversary. I have been reading online and the more I read the less I know! My biggest question is , how do we know what costs more and what is included? I get the drinks and soda are more but I have read different restaurants have surcharges. Do they have it posted, this restaurant costs more? Does it cost for room service? They say its free but are there hidden charges? I don't want to get on board and end up with a $1000 bill that I didn't know I would have. Also, how much are drinks and sodas? Are there any other fees I have to know about? We figured we would just eat at the buffet because we don't like dressing up and my husband has a big appetite, but I don't want to pay for every meal.

 

What about shore excursions? They say book it in advance, the place I booked it with told me if you wait you can get it half as cheap? Any other advice for me? Thanks for any help! April

OK, first breath...

Ok better now :p

You may not like to "dress for dinner" but take a dress anyway. and a nice pair of slacks and a nice shirt, dress shirt for the hubby.

Just in case you want to enjoy an Elegant night. On Carnival, you don't have to dress to the nines (in tux and ballroom gown) but you should be in a dress or dressy pants and top for the Special feel of the evening. Not jeans and such. if you really do not want to do that. those are the nights you may want to take in the Buffet. but the rest of the nights, Casual dress is fine for the Main Dining Room (MDR), no cut offs, flip flops, or swimsuits or tank tops though.

Ok on to the things that cost extra, Gambling of course. Soda. If you drink allot of soda, you can bring a reasonable amount on board with you. a six pack each, maybe more. other wise if you do like to have allot of soda, buy the soda card. like $6 a day I think maybe a bit more.

you can also bring on one bottle of wine each. Remember there is always ice tea, coffee, fruit juices, milk, so it is not like you are going to go thursty. There is soft serve/self serve icecream on the lido decks, I think on all carnival ships. Add milk or root beer, and you have two other options, of course, you should bring your own root beer to save $$. You can also get soda in port, and bring it back to the ship.

The MDR has great food and great service but if you want to go the extra mile, for the five star resterant treatment, at a great value. make reservations at the steakhouse. $30pp, and from what I understand, it is WONDERFUL. ( my niece and her new hubby did it on our first cruise) I have not done it yet, waiting for my first cruise with the hubby, for that romantic type special treatment, and service. Room service, is free, but you tip the person bringing the food, a dollar or two. you know when you are purchasing anything, because you have to sign for it, using your sail and sign card. If you are planning any spa days, they are less expencive on port days, and if you are thinking of buy shirts or something from the gift shops, wait till closer to the end of the cruise, as they often times go on sail, like buy one get one. I hope some of this helps...

[CanWeGoYet?]

If you want to dine in a specialty restaurant that has a surcharge, it will not be a hidden surprise you get hit with later. You would have to make reservations, there is no charge to dine at the buffets or even the main dining room. I hope you will try the main dining room at least once, unless you are there for elegant night you don't have to be dressed up. Just don't go in a bathing suit, shorts & flip flops. Even elegant night isn't ballroom gowns & tuxes, clothes you would wear to church would probably be fine. The waiters will be happy to get your husband more than one entree. You don't have to worry about being charged extra from using the main dining room, unless you order pop, wine, or mixed drinks. The food and service is so nice, it's a big part of the reason why most people who cruise love it so much.

You can check your onboard bill from the cabin in your tv, I recommend checking it daily so you won't have sticker shock on your last night at sea. Also, if there is a mistake it is better to address it early on rather than stand in the line at the pursers desk near the end of the cruise. That line can be very long, and if you wait until the last minute you won't be able to try coming back at a different time of day when the wait could be less.

If you are not sure if something costs extra, just ask. If you are asked for your sail and sign card (as you would be if ordering a soda, etc., this should alert you that it is being put on your bill). Nothing wrong with expecting to know what the costs will be, if anyone thinks you are cheap for asking that is their problem. I believe the sodas are around $3 each, a soda card is good for fountain sodas but not the cans.

As far as shore excursions go, I don't know that they go on sale when you are on board, but in general you can get them cheaper by going with an outside tour rather than booking through the ship. Sometimes they are the same tours too. Join your roll call and see if anyone has arranged a private tour you could join, the savings can be significant. Just make sure you know what ship's time is before leaving for your port day, and leave a wide margin of time to be back on board (I try to be back on board the ship no less than 2 hours before sailing). If the excursion is a long ways from the port, it is safer to book the ship's excursion imho.

You can often get spa deals at a discount if you wait until around half way through the cruise, if they are not booking well. On my last cruise, they offered port day rates every day. I would not book the first day, unless they were offering a great deal on 1st day specials.

Some of the exercise classes like pilates or yoga have an extra charge, but this will be specified on the sign up sheet and also in the daily sheets (carnival capers).

I hope you have a wonderful cruise!

 

eta: on the room service, no extra charge on carnival but you should tip the server, a dollar or two cash when they deliver your food.

[Koval]

Another thing, go to the roll call for your sailing date and ship. see if there are some folks already talking it up, and see what they are doing for excursions, you may find that they are doing some group stuff, that you could get in on. safety in numbers, and there are allot of cruisers that already know the ropes and are glad to help. Ignore those who just yammer about nothing,and pick on you for asking questions, that happens here more than on a roll call :o)

Most of all enjoy your cruise to the fullest.

I managed to spend hardly anything on my Sail and sign card. just some shirts. Oh and for free souvenirs, try the pursers desk for some carnival decks of cards. I went a couple of days and got two packs each time, took care of the co workers, easy peesy. take lots of the smaller bills for those room service tips, and port days while buying on the street. another tip. put ones and a five in one pocket, and all your other money in a different pocket or pockets, while out shopping the streets. so when you say, I only have, $8 for the $10 item, when you pull out the money from your pocket, that is all you have, not a $20 :eek:

[sparkscruiser]

My husband and I are going on our first cruise Feb 28th to the western carribean on the Carnival conquest.It's our 10 year anniversary. I have been reading online and the more I read the less I know! My biggest question is , how do we know what costs more and what is included? I get the drinks and soda are more but I have read different restaurants have surcharges. Do they have it posted, this restaurant costs more? Does it cost for room service? They say its free but are there hidden charges? I don't want to get on board and end up with a $1000 bill that I didn't know I would have. Also, how much are drinks and sodas? Are there any other fees I have to know about? We figured we would just eat at the buffet because we don't like dressing up and my husband has a big appetite, but I don't want to pay for every meal.

 

What about shore excursions? They say book it in advance, the place I booked it with told me if you wait you can get it half as cheap? Any other advice for me? Thanks for any help! April

 

Frist of all Welcome to Cruise Critic and Happy Anniversary!

 

Relax, you are going to have a wonderful time! Not sure if you will have anytime dining on the Conquest, but that would be an option if you did not want to attend dinner every night at the same time. The buffet is good, but you will really enjoy the dining room service and food. As far as dressing up, resort casual is expected in the dining room for dinner except on elegant night. So Khaki's for your honey with a polo shirt and capris and nice top for you would be just fine. As far as the appetite - no worries! If your husband wants to order two entrees, that is not a problem. Many folks do so on formal night as they want both the prime rib and the lobster. The Specialty restauraunt is to be experienced - but it is dressy and will take about two to three hours to have dinner. It is a fantastic experience. Well worth the $30 surcharge. Get yourself a soda card if you love soft drinks - if you are drinking more than 5 a day, well worth it. You can check your sail and sign account via your folio number on your tv in your cabin so you can always be aware of what you have spent. You can also buy drink coupons before you leave and they will be delivered to you on the first night of the cruise in the dining room. Coffee Card can be purchased as well for specialty coffees. That is a money saver as well. Excursions..... While you will save money by using the independent vendors - this is your first cruise and you may be overwhelmed by all the options - pick one or two of the ships excursions this time - next time, be adventurous! You can prepay these as well, so no surprises there either. Ok, I have rambled enough - anymore questions, feel free to ask. We all were new here at one time ourselves!

 

Loz

[tanda156]

Yes, it does help alot. And I do forget to breath! I'm nervous and I still have 100 days left! I don't mind dressing up but my hubby does. What about portion sizes and seconds? My husband is 6'4" 245 and is always hungry! And he never drinks anything but soda, like 4-6 glasses at a sitting! This is why I worry! The card is a great idea where do you purchase it? And where can you purchase the coupons for drinks?? I have not seen them on carnival. That is great you can bring soda with you. Is there anyway to keep it cold?

[skylock]

If they ask for your sail and sign card, it is not free.

 

I cannot even imagine going on a cruise and not eating in the dining room. You will be cheating yourself if you skip it.

 

Bring your soda/bottled water with you. If you drink more than 3 sodas a day, get the soda card. Remember, you will be off the ship a couple of days in port. Get the soda card at any bar.

 

Forget the drink coupons. Way to much hassle for a few pennies saved.

[CanWeGoYet?]

For sure buy the soda card, if your husband drinks that much soda. He will be one of the few that saves money with it. You can buy a soda card on board, or through the Bon Voyage department, I don't have the number but if you call the main carnival number (1-800-227-6482) you can be transferred to that dept. & I bet someone will have that # posted in a jiffy, if it hasn't already been done by the time I hit send!

Tell your cabin steward you want to keep ice handy for your pop, and he or she will keep it replenished in your stateroom.

The portions in the main dining room are not big, but they are more than willing to bring extra servings or more than 1 entree. I try not to clean my plate just to avoid weight gain, whenever I would leave some of my food uneaten the wait staff would be worried I didn't like it, and want to get me something else. So they are ridiculously willing to bring you extras. :)

[KenMo]

Yes, it does help alot. And I do forget to breath! I'm nervous and I still have 100 days left! I don't mind dressing up but my hubby does. What about portion sizes and seconds? My husband is 6'4" 245 and is always hungry! And he never drinks anything but soda, like 4-6 glasses at a sitting! This is why I worry! The card is a great idea where do you purchase it? And where can you purchase the coupons for drinks?? I have not seen them on carnival. That is great you can bring soda with you. Is there anyway to keep it cold?

 

Meals in the MDR are served in courses. So....if he wants two entrees, then he should order them at the same time. He can order what he wants off the menu. No problem.

 

The soda card....there will be a table on Lido where they will be selling the soda cards. One tip: Wait until you leave port to avoid tax.

 

The drink coupons can be ordered on Carnival's website. I believe it's under "Gift" or something like that. Another tip: Google rum runners.

 

Keeping soda cold....collapseable cooler. Or, bring a garbage bag to line your trash can. The steward will keep it iced for you.

[pokergirl34]

If he drinks that much soda, get the card. It's $6/day + 15% tip, so for a 7 day cruise, about $48+-. Buy it after you sail so you don't have to pay sales tax.

 

Go to the dining room for your meals, he doesn't have to get fancy. Nice looking, long shorts (not swim trunks or sporty shorts) are fine, as are jeans or khakis with polo shirts or nice looking tshirts (no graphics, brands, sayings, etc) for Cruise Casual evenings (5 of your 7 nights).

 

For the 2 Cruise Elegant nights, dress pants and a dress shirt are fine for him. The buffet is not the same as the dining room. My husband doesn't like to dress up but he had no trouble staying in the Carnival dress codes for the dining room because he enjoys the experience and the food much better than going to the buffet.

 

The portion sizes are small; however, one can order multiple appetizers, main courses and desserts. Some nights I would have 2 appetizers and 1 main course. Or 1 appetizer, 1 main course and 2 desserts. No one will look down on you nor will the staff refuse to serve you.

 

If you want to bring soda, you can put it in the room fridge, but it will not cool it. It just keeps it from being warm. Your room steward will provide you ice. But if he drinks 4-6 glasses of soda at a meal, the soda sticker would be the way to go. You can buy it at the bar on the Lido deck (and probably other bars too - that's where we bought ours).

 

Wait a few weeks and check to see if the excursions reappear for you. I had them appear and disappear a few times. If you book them before you sail you will need to pay for them in full with a credit card.

 

Hope that helps!

[tea4ular]

Ok, food and beverage first:

 

The dining room and buffet food is free. You may order a second helping (or even thirds if you like), no one will give you a second look. You can try one of anything on the menu if that pleases you. Your husband has a big apetite, enjoy the dining room! The food is good and sometimes great. Be sure to try the warm melting chocolate cake at dinner. it's a Carnival specialty and most everyone loves it! You can dress casually, just no shorts or bathing suits.

 

Room service is free, but do plan on a small cash tip to the person who delivers as they are not included in the split of the tips you pay at the end (Carnival recommends $10.50 per each of you per day for tips).

 

The pizza parlor is free (and open 24 hours). As are the other buffet type specialty food areas (but not open 24 hours) - some ships have Mongolian BBQ, rotisserie chicken, burrito bars, a deli, Indian food, and other fun type food to explore. The "grill" by the main pool (free) has burgers, hot dogs, and other grill type stuff (not 24 hours).

 

On most of the ships there are self service frozen yogurt and soft serve ice cream machines (near the buffet, by the coffee area) free, and available 24 hours. Unfortunately they rarely have toppings, but it's a nice treat anyway.

 

IF your ship has a specialty restaurant (not all of the ships do), it's likely a steak house and the cost is $30 each person, plus gratuity. I have never splurged on the specialty restaurant but I hear it's a very nice 3 course meal. I don't care to pay extra for food that I've already "paid for" in my fare. That's just me.

 

Liquor, wine, soda and bottled water and juices all cost extra. You can purchase a soda card which if you're a soda drinker I believe is a decent deal, it comes out to about $8 a day for all the soda you can drink during your trip (Coke brand products). A single soda runs about $4 when you factor the automatic gratuity they tack on. Liquor drinks are expensive (nearly $10 each when you factor the automatic gratuity they tack on). Since you're just signing for stuff, a bar tab can really get away from you.

 

Now here's some good news...you and your husband are each allowed to bring one bottle of wine on board with you when you first get on the ship, so if you're a wine drinker, and would like to enjoy some, bring some. You are also allowed to bring soft drinks and bottled water. When my husband & I sail, I bring about 2 of the 24 oz bottled water for each of us per day. My in-laws drink a lot of soda, they bring a couple of 12 packs when they board.

 

In the buffet area you will find free coffee, tea, hot chocolate & lemonade (as well as water from a spout) 24 hours. At breakfast time, the buffet and the dining room will also have apple and orange juice.

 

Hot tip...in the main dining room during meals you may enjoy (free of charge) espresso and cappuccino (normally they cost extra at a specialty coffee "bar" you'll find on the ship, it also sells pastry. Why someone would buy them, I cannot tell you).

 

Ok, other stuff (not food related):

 

All photos taken by the cruise line cost money. And they aren't cheap. They cost about $15 for a 5x7 and $23 for an 8x10. They also aren't that great. Unless you plan on doing a formal portrait, skip those. since it's your first cruise and a milestone anniversary (congrats!) you most likely will splurge on the one they take of you as you're boarding. Make it fun and if you like what you see, buy it. There's a photo "gallery" you go to and look for your pictures. They are not available electronically.

 

The gym and the spa area. If you're inclined, the gym is free and the equipment is great. Classes like pilates, yoga and spinning cost extra about $10 a class, sometimes they offer a package deal. Massages, and other "services" cost extra, and again, they're not cheap, and again, sometimes they offer specials. You don't mention which ship you'll be on, but some of the newer ones have a special spa retreat area, that costs extra. It may offer specialty spa rooms like a special steam or sauna, or even a specialized jacuzzi. Most of the ships offer a free steam room or sauna, and all the other jacuzzi's and swimming pools are free to use. Some ships have jacuzzi's that are off the beaten path, so be sure to review your deck plans carefully. Your ship may have an "adults only" serenity area, it will be free. It is not topless (many people ask), but a quiet outdoor deck with comfy chairs and loungers to just chill out on.

 

Basketball, ping pong, mini golf (if your ship has a course) are free.

 

All the night clubs, piano bar, karaoke, evening entertainment, disco, etc. are all free. The late night comedy (adults only and a bit "racy") is often worth staying up for, the comics are usually quite good. Enjoy the evening shows in the main theater, they are really a great way to spend some time.

 

Bingo costs and they only accept cash for bingo cards (strange since everything else on the ship you just sign for). The casino will cost (naturally).

 

The library is free and they have some board games available, but the hours of availability are really strange and it is more often closed than open (we bring our own Scrabble, Cribbage, etc.). If you play cards, go to the pursers desk and ask for a deck of cards (free).

 

There will be (relatively new) movies playing on the TV in your cabin, they are free. Some ships now have pay-per-view movies, they cost. about $9. Some ships have an outdoor movie screen by the main pool, it's free, but they charge $1.50 for popcorn.

 

The activities during the day (trivia games, art shows, tea time) are all free. Unless you bid on art during the auction, of course!

 

There are all sorts of shops on board, including duty free liquor (which you will get the last night of the trip regardless of when you purchase it).

 

I think I hit on the key points. Tell us what ship you're on and we can all provide even more information.

 

I should write a book!!! ;)

[tanda156]

You all have such wonderful advice! My blood pressure is starting to return to normal. lol One other question what about bringing cash? Should I just use a credit card or is it safe to carry alot of cash? Do I need to bring traveler's checks??

[KenMo]

You all have such wonderful advice! My blood pressure is starting to return to normal. lol One other question what about bringing cash? Should I just use a credit card or is it safe to carry alot of cash? Do I need to bring traveler's checks??

 

We use plastic for the S&S card.

 

We bring plenty of cash as well. It stays in the cabin safe until we go into port. Then we just take out what we think we will spend and leave the rest in the safe.

 

I used TC's on my first cruise. PITA, IMO, to go to the purser's whenever I wanted to cash some. I don't bother with it anymore. But lots of people do. BTW, TC's wouldn't be the best idea in ports. Most of the local vendors won't take them. They like the green stuff.

[tanda156]

It is the Conquest

[read52]

We eat in the dining room for all our meals. Breakfast and lunch you can wear shorts. For dinner, a sundress for you and a shirt and pants for your husband. He can order as many of the entrees, desserts, and appeitizers as he wants. They usually posted what the meals are that day by the dining room. He can go to the buffet if he is still needs something to eat or room service. I would get the soda card because he can use it anywhere on the ship. All he has to do is show the card. We always buy the soda card because we don't drink. I bring water because I am not crazy about their water.

[lisajm]

On the Triumph in FEb. you use your s&s card for bingo, no cash needed.

[JAMB]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=48388 - Carnival Secrets they usually don't tell you about link

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=474782 - Conquest only questions. Post'em here link

 

Above are two links we found very helpful before our first cruise and I know there are a couple more, I just don't have them bookmarked. There is a wealth of information here to the point that by the time we booked our second cruise I was informing my TA about things to do and watch for from Carnival.

 

To address some of your questions:

 

Food

 

We eat in the MDR every night and I wouldn't worry about your DH not having enough to eat. Like others have stated there is not a problem ordering more than one item from any part of the menu. I am a big eater also and I have never left the dining room hungry. One thing that I did not see mentioned is that the Monet Dining Room also offers a sit down breakfast every morning and on sea days it is also open for lunch. It offers a change of pace from the buffet.

 

The one thing we like about the MDR is the service we receive from the Carnival Staff. We have had an excellent wait staff on both of our cruises and they will do everything possible to make your dining experience fantastic. I would at least eat in the MDR your first night and if you don't like it you can eat at the buffet the rest of your cruise. On our first cruise we only planned on eating in the MDR the first night and now we can't imagine not eating there.

 

The buffet is good but remember it is a buffet you can run into times that the food has been out for a while and while it is still good it may have lost some of its appeal. Also, you will need to watch for the hours they are open, they don't serve all day and they shut down, if I remember right, before or right around the time of the second MDR seating. If you miss it your are left with pizza or room service.

 

Room service is free but like others have said it is recommended that you tip a dollar or two when your food arrives, and with all tips it is not required but recommended. We used room service on our first cruise for one breakfast and two lunches but in our case we found that we would rather eat in the MDR or the buffet. Nothing wrong with the food we just didn't like eating in our room.

 

There are a couple of specialty restaurants. The Point is the steakhouse it is is going to cost an additional $30. We have not eaten there but from what we have read and heard it is worth the extra money. Sur Mer is the fish and chips restaurant. I know they serve other things but we have not eaten there so I can't give you a complete list but there is information in the links at the top of the page. There is a pizza place which is good and the grill which has excellent hamburgers. Both of these are located in the sky pool area on the Lido Deck

 

Drinks

 

From what I have read the alcohol drinks have gone up since our last cruise. My DW sounds like your DH when it comes to soda. I would recommend buying the soda card. It can be used in the MDR and if he drinks that much soda it will nearly pay for itself in two nights.

 

The bartenders will offer up the drink of the day in a special glass, you can save a little bit by asking them to serve it up in a standard glass. I may be wrong but I think that applies to all of the blender drinks they serve.

 

My experience has been that if you want a "good" drink stay away from the premixed drinks they offer, order something that they need to free pour you usually get a little more booze in your drink.

 

Extra Cash

 

You should plan on bringing cash with you for on board tipping and while in port. You can use your credit card but remember you credit card company will usually charge a fee for international use. All three of your ports of call accept American money.

 

I see you are on the Western cruise and you will be in Jamaica and Cozumel and in both countries put on your bargaining hat, it's amazing at some of the deals you can make if you bargain a little with the sales people. I never thought of it but as one person mentioned carry your small bills in one pocket and the larger ones in the other. If they see you only have a little money they will be more willing to cut a deal, in most cases. We have purchased $15 T-shirts for 4 for 1 in some of the stores in Jamaica.

 

We usually bring $300-500 in EXTRA cash for tipping. Now I know this has spawned numerous debates on these boards and these are my opinions only for tipping, use the information if you like. This is a quick break down of who we tip and how much.

 

Room Stewart - We usually tip him anywheres from $20-50 on the first day. We like extra pillows and when they check on you the first day we ask for them and give him this tip. If there are additional things we ask for during the cruise we will give him an additional tip every time. We usually see that they are tipped an additional $100 during the cruise.

 

Wait Staff in MDR - We tip them on the second to last night of the cruise. The head waiter receives a $50 tip and the waiter and cocktail waitress each receive a $20 tip. The Maitre'd may or may not get a tip depending on if they did something additional for us, if we do we plan on a $50 tip.

 

Bartenders - When we board and order our first drink on the Lido deck I will tip the bartender $5 and with this tip I can usually get the same bartender throughout the cruise. With each drink you order there is a tip added to the price of the drink but I will usually tip them an additional $1-2 for most of my drinks. If I have a really good bartender I will tip them $5 here and there during the cruise. What I have found is that even though I am paying more for the drink within a day I am getting doubles, and sometimes triples, for a dollar or two more. In a previous life I worked as a bartender and if you take care of them they will take care of you. Tipping them also means that when the bar is busy and they see you, you will usually get served faster and I have found that even if it isn't your regular bartender the others know you and will serve you faster also.

 

Now it should be noted that when I am on a cruise I tend to live at the Lido Deck bar and since I am not the one doing the driving I partake of more adult beverages than normal. Our bar bill can be $800 - 1000 if the kids are not cruising with us.

 

Others - If there is someone else on the cruise that does something extra or special for you we see to it that we tip them also. On our last cruise we had our kids along with us. The assistant Maitre'd in our dining room also worked breakfast and lunch in the Monet. Every time we would come into the restaurant she would make it a point to get the attention of my then 3 yr old daughter and at night in the MDR she would come over to the table to say HI to her also. We decided that she went above and beyond her job and gave her a tip also. Also on that note our head waitress earned an additional tip having kept our daughter entertained throughout dinner every night. On the second to last night she asked us to remain at the table for a few minutes as she had to go get something. She goes to her quarters and returns about 10 minutes later with one of her personal stuffed animals for our daughter, needless to say our appreciation was shown.

 

Shore Excursions

 

We book ours through Carnival but only because we want the guarantee that if our tour runs late the ship will be there when we get back. On our first cruise one of ours did run late and we got back to the ship 45 minutes after it was to have sailed. If you book on your own you may find that some of the people on your tour are from the ship and booked through Carnival but you paid 25 - 50% less than they did. It really all depends on how comfortable you are in doing your own bookings. Like one poster said, it is advisable when booking your own tours to be back to the ship about 2 hours prior to sailing.

 

Wow, I didn't plan on writing a book, sorry about that.

 

I hope this helps and you have a wonderful cruise. February is a great time to cruise and since I see you are from Nebraska you are going to love the weather, I grew up in the north so I know what winter is all about too. You never forget your first time. Remember you are on vacation, things may not be perfect but you are on a ship in the middle of the ocean, you don't need to cook or clean and you have a drink in your hand, can life get any better.

[Lilmatcat]

It is wonderful that the last poster is able to tip so generously, however spending an extra $300-500 on tips is not the norm for the average cruiser, so don't get scared away by that. You will be expected to pay the auto-gratuities (I think they are $10 per person/per day). They get added to your account, however some people prepay them through their travel agent. If you receive great service or make special requests, by all means feel free to tip for it. They greatly appreciate it!!!

 

I'd also repeat the suggestions that you take advantage of the food in the main dining room. The dress code has relaxed considerably through the years (particularly for the non-elegant evenings). Your husband will not go away hungry (as was mentioned, he can order more than one entree if need be). Also, remember the pizza and ice cream station are always available and so is room service, so IF he is hungry later in the evening he won't be starving on the ship.

[ecpc1302]

I too recommend the MDR for dinner, although we really like the buffet for breakfast. Lunch is split between MDR and buffet depending on our whim of the day.

 

I have another thought for room service, you can order sandwiches,chips, salads, cookies, brownies, etc to snack on in the afternoon before you get ready for dinner. We used to do this when we were younger and chose late seating for dinner.

 

Another tip, you can have dinner in the MDR and in addition go to the buffet, get pizza or any of the other food options. Dining is not an either/or situation.

 

There is really no reason to go hungry on a cruiseship. Happy Cruising!

Elsie:cool:

[conchead]

It is wonderful that the last poster is able to tip so generously, however spending an extra $300-500 on tips is not the norm for the average cruiser, so don't get scared away by that. You will be expected to pay the auto-gratuities (I think they are $10 per person/per day). They get added to your account, however some people prepay them through their travel agent. If you receive great service or make special requests, by all means feel free to tip for it. They greatly appreciate it!!!

 

Yikes!!

 

I'd also repeat the suggestions that you take advantage of the food in the main dining room. The dress code has relaxed considerably through the years (particularly for the non-elegant evenings). Your husband will not go away hungry (as was mentioned, he can order more than one entree if need be). Also, remember the pizza and ice cream station are always available and so is room service, so IF he is hungry later in the evening he won't be starving on the ship.

 

I couldn't agree more.

I like to eat too, but am not one for dressing up. The MDR is not as formal as I was lead to believe. On non elegant nights it is very casual. Elegant nights, just do like I will do, pants and a nice shirt, maybe a polo or something..and No Tie! Our waiter took care of me and my son without us asking, (I think he could tell we like to eat) He would bring out extra appetizers, entrees and ask if we wanted extra desert. Now, even with that, I didn't want to ask for extra, but I will admit that some serving sizes were a little small, but you know what..that is a good time to hit the buffet if he wants a little more. The MDR food is a little better, so I would go for that first, then the buffet, not reverse. We book early seating to give us more options for the night time with shows buffet, etc.

btw, that was my first cruise. I was afraid I wasn't going to like it, thinking it was going to be too formal and stuffy. I am a jeans/polo and shorts /t-shirt kind of person...that was back in March, now I am hooked and have 2 more booked.

The Main thing is to relax and enjoy the trip.

[magictam]

Shore Excursions

We hardly ever book them through the ship as it can be much more expensive. My rule of thumb is the time factor. I always plan on being back on the ship at least 1 hour before it's due to sail. If a private tour would just barely make that 1 hour mark, I DO NOT book it independently. I I will go with a similar tour through the ship.

For example if the private tour is for 3 hours and the ships in port for 6 hours, I do private tours. Many times we just grab a tour when we hit the docks.

If you book independent, ask alots of questions first (refund policy, what happens if it breaks down, do they guarantee to get you back to the ship if they break down), read reviews (go to the ports of call section here to find lots of ideas). Google the ports our visiting for other ideas. One advantage to booking a private tour before you leave is you can have it paid for before you leave.

I found half the fun in the days prior to leaving when exploring all my options and planning it out. Enjoy your cruise.

[jamstew]

I'll be on the same cruise, and it's my first as well, so this has all been extremely helpful!