Scared cruise newbie

[chadci]

Hi everyone,

 

I guess "scared" is not quite the right word but I have a lot of questions... and I've done a lot of searching and reading so far.

 

I'm getting married next year and all along we had planned to spend our honeymoon in Ireland but I have a friend who cruises often and he suggested to just take a cruise. We have the cruise picked out ( 7 Night Western Caribbean with RC but have to wait until after Christmas to book ( we have 5 kids, 4 with birthdays within 10 days of Christmas and no, the kids are NOT going :D)

 

I understand that when you do not pre-pay tips you divy up your tips at the end of the trip and pay each person. How does that work when you pre-pay?

 

Is it smart to pre-book excursions? She wants to swim with dolphins at one of the stops and I want to take the 4x4 trip in Cozumel. In the event that it rains or for whatever reason you cannot do the excursion, do you get refunded or??

 

Lastly, and I know that this gets asked a lot, but since I am pre-paying as much as possible, we do not gamble and we are not heavy drinkers how much should I budget for everything else? I would assume a few drinks a night per person. I was planning for $500 each but I want to make sure I'm not forgetting anything. Since she is a student and I'm really the only income we have to work with a budget. While I want us to have a great time I don't want us to have to deny ourselves anything because of money.. it is our honeymoon afterall.

 

Thanks guys!

[eh2zed]

When you prepay your gratuities on RCI you will receive vouchers and envelopes the second last night. You then put the voucher in the appropriate envelope and hand them out to the staff.

As for tours you really want to go on, you should certainly prebook them to avoid disappointment of them selling out. You will be refunded if the tour is cancelled.

As for spending money onboard its really up to the individual. We just did 14 days and our final bill was $20 for some transfers. I know others can run up bills into 4 figures.

[chadci]

When you prepay your gratuities on RCI you will receive vouchers and envelopes the second last night. You then put the voucher in the appropriate envelope and hand them out to the staff.

As for tours you really want to go on, you should certainly prebook them to avoid disappointment of them selling out. You will be refunded if the tour is cancelled.

As for spending money onboard its really up to the individual. We just did 14 days and our final bill was $20 for some transfers. I know others can run up bills into 4 figures.

 

Thanks for the info. How much should I plan on things onboard costing? She is a mixed drink kind of gal, I usually stick to beers. I forgot to mention that I'm also a soda drinker so I'm adding the soda pass to my total as well!

[uppitycats]

Hi everyone,

 

I guess "scared" is not quite the right word but I have a lot of questions... and I've done a lot of searching and reading so far.

 

I'm getting married next year and all along we had planned to spend our honeymoon in Ireland but I have a friend who cruises often and he suggested to just take a cruise. We have the cruise picked out ( 7 Night Western Caribbean with RC but have to wait until after Christmas to book ( we have 5 kids, 4 with birthdays within 10 days of Christmas and no, the kids are NOT going :D)

 

I understand that when you do not pre-pay tips you divy up your tips at the end of the trip and pay each person. How does that work when you pre-pay?

 

Is it smart to pre-book excursions? She wants to swim with dolphins at one of the stops and I want to take the 4x4 trip in Cozumel. In the event that it rains or for whatever reason you cannot do the excursion, do you get refunded or??

 

Lastly, and I know that this gets asked a lot, but since I am pre-paying as much as possible, we do not gamble and we are not heavy drinkers how much should I budget for everything else? I would assume a few drinks a night per person. I was planning for $500 each but I want to make sure I'm not forgetting anything. Since she is a student and I'm really the only income we have to work with a budget. While I want us to have a great time I don't want us to have to deny ourselves anything because of money.. it is our honeymoon afterall.

 

Thanks guys!

 

I think someone already answered your question about tips on your ship. Pre-paying is really the best way to go -- quick, convenient, you'll not forget anyone that is supposed to be tipped. When you book your cruise you'll have an opportunity to pre-pay then.

 

Here are other costs to consider:

 

transportation to/from airport (if you need that to get to your port)

 

flights

 

an overnight stay at a motel in the port city -- most folks recommend that you get to the port one day early: flight delays, cancellations, are all-too-common, andcan really add some unnecessary stress to your vacation!

 

transfers (either cruise ship provided, or a cab) from the airport to the cruise ship...and back to the airport when the cruise is over

 

alcohol and soft drinks, sometimes specialty coffees, juice during the day. Soft drinks are around $2.50 a can; bottled water the same; beer can be $5 or more; hard liquor drinks $6 - $10 and more. I see you're buying a soda card...you'd have to figure out how much that is, how many sodas a day you might consume, and whether that's worth the cost to you.

 

Spa services: massages, facials, hair treatments, pedicures, manicures -- all that costs more, and you'd be expected to top those people in addition to the charges

 

Souveniers, both on the ship and on shore

 

Any meals you might want when you're off the ship

 

I don't know if RC hs specialty restaurants that have a surcharge -- you'd need to go to the site here, or their website, to see.

 

You asked about excursions. It varies, but generally if you want to cancel, you have to do that at least 24 hours in advance. Some excursions will be clearly marked that you cannot cancel. If the ship cancels them for some reason, generally you'll be reimbursed. If you book your own (outside of what is offered by the ship), each vendor will have it's own cancellation policy.

 

Have a great cruise!

[chadci]

I think someone already answered your question about tips on your ship. Pre-paying is really the best way to go -- quick, convenient, you'll not forget anyone that is supposed to be tipped. When you book your cruise you'll have an opportunity to pre-pay then.

 

Here are other costs to consider:

 

transportation to/from airport (if you need that to get to your port)

 

flights

 

an overnight stay at a motel in the port city -- most folks recommend that you get to the port one day early: flight delays, cancellations, are all-too-common, andcan really add some unnecessary stress to your vacation!

 

transfers (either cruise ship provided, or a cab) from the airport to the cruise ship...and back to the airport when the cruise is over

 

alcohol and soft drinks, sometimes specialty coffees, juice during the day. Soft drinks are around $2.50 a can; bottled water the same; beer can be $5 or more; hard liquor drinks $6 - $10 and more. I see you're buying a soda card...you'd have to figure out how much that is, how many sodas a day you might consume, and whether that's worth the cost to you.

 

Spa services: massages, facials, hair treatments, pedicures, manicures -- all that costs more, and you'd be expected to top those people in addition to the charges

 

Souveniers, both on the ship and on shore

 

Any meals you might want when you're off the ship

 

I don't know if RC hs specialty restaurants that have a surcharge -- you'd need to go to the site here, or their website, to see.

 

You asked about excursions. It varies, but generally if you want to cancel, you have to do that at least 24 hours in advance. Some excursions will be clearly marked that you cannot cancel. If the ship cancels them for some reason, generally you'll be reimbursed. If you book your own (outside of what is offered by the ship), each vendor will have it's own cancellation policy.

 

Have a great cruise!

 

 

Thanks for the tips. I drink a LOT of soda, so it will be worth it!

 

As for transportation, we are driving to the Miami port and I'm going to find one of the local park / snooze and cruise hotels. After the cruise we are going to spend a few days in Miami and then head over to the area where my (will be) wife grew up and things... and then head home.

[cb at sea]

On RCI, the specialty restaurants will be around $25 pp....that does include the "tip" for those waiters.

Tips for your room attendant, waiter, ass't waiter and head waiter will be $9.75 per person per day. Tips are extended on the last evening of the cruise. The envelopes they leave in your cabin will break down the amounts your should give to each of your "servers".

There's no reason to purchase many of the "extras"....it will really run up your bill. You can have a perfectly lovely cruise without pedicures, facials, etc!!!!

Get a guidebook on your ports so you'll know if you even NEED an excursion...many things are so easy to do on your own, but you have to KNOW about them!!!! A guidebook is the best investment you'll make!

[chadci]

Thanks!

[Kidsgoneletscruise]

First off congrats on your marriage and taking time out from your busy schedules to mark this moment in your lives. And...getting away without the kids. ;)

 

Taking your wife to swim with the dolphins will be AWESOME. I realize this is on the pricey side of excursions but honestly it is worth every penny. We swam with the dolphins in Nassau and still talk about it like it was yesterday. We've never taken the jeep 4X4 tour but friends of ours did and they said it was great.

 

Lastly, there are many of us who have to strictly budget our cruises and we still have the time of our lives! :D

 

Happy cruising!!!

[chadci]

First off congrats on your marriage and taking time out from your busy schedules to mark this moment in your lives. And...getting away without the kids. ;)

 

Taking your wife to swim with the dolphins will be AWESOME. I realize this is on the pricey side of excursions but honestly it is worth every penny. We swam with the dolphins in Nassau and still talk about it like it was yesterday. We've never taken the jeep 4X4 tour but friends of ours did and they said it was great.

 

Lastly, there are many of us who have to strictly budget our cruises and we still have the time of our lives! :D

 

Happy cruising!!!

 

 

Thanks!

 

What's the best way to keep track of spending while at sea? Do you get print outs each time or..? With a card I can see where it would be VERY easy to lose track.

 

How long does the dolphin swim last? I'm not sure I'm interested in doing it but I may if it's not just a quick in and out deal.

 

And FYI the ship will be Liberty of the Seas, any special heads up about cruising on that ship I may not have found in my research? I'm already starting to look at a cruise for our 1 year anniversary... I've always wanted to cruise Alaska.

[uppitycats]

No, you don't get print-outs each time, but you are given a receipt, just like any other "charge" transaction. So you can keep a tally of those, or go to the purser's desk however often you want and see a running account of what you've spent so far.

 

Alaska is awesome! We've been there 3 times, and would love to go back one day!

[chadci]

Alaska is awesome! We've been there 3 times, and would love to go back one day!

 

Alaska has been a hard sell for me. I want it, she wants nothing to do with it! What's the best time of year to go?

[TrevyMcShaw]

Again, congratulations.

 

You can also keep track of your spending on the TV in your room on the ships I've sailed. I've never been on Freedom, but it's a much newer ship than the RCCI ships I've been on, so I'm sure it has that option.

[uppitycats]

Alaska has been a hard sell for me. I want it, she wants nothing to do with it! What's the best time of year to go?

 

The peak time for Alaska travel is June. Our first trip was around June 21 -- when the days were longest. We arrived in Fairbanks (we did a land tour first) at 3:30 in the morning and it was like it was 9:30 on a summer night in the midwest (I see you're in Indiana..we're in Wisconsin) --

 

so light enough to see the town, see people driving around, see all sorts of things that you would never expect to see at 3:30 in the morning!! And of course it only got lighter as the morning wore on (hotels and motels have black curtains or panels on the window to darken the room!) And then stays light well into the night: nothing like sitting on the deck with a cold beverage, at 11:30 at night...still light enough to enjoy the scenery passing by!

 

It was warm, with HUGE flowers and vegetable gardens in nearly every yard. Vegetables grow HUGE with that much daylight..at least the surface veggies do!

 

What objections does your future wife have about Alaska? If you voice them here on the Alaska board, many of them will likely be addressed, and her concerns ended!

[chadci]

What objections does your future wife have about Alaska? If you voice them here on the Alaska board, many of them will likely be addressed, and her concerns ended!

 

Sounds beautiful!

 

She hates all things cold.. snow, ice, slush. She grew up on the gulf coast and has only been "up north ;)) for 5 years or so. She is adjusting but has had no interest in going to Alaska. I want to sit on my balchony and spot animals, listen to the ice crack and groan, maybe a whale will cruise by... I dunno, sounds amazing to me. Amazing to her is building a sand castle next to a pier.

[BananaAnna]

I didn't notice trip insurance on your list of expenses. Granted, it's optional, but a lot of us (me included) think it's important. There are many variations available and you can choose based on your needs. For instance, DH and I go heavy on the 'medical evacuation' coverage; with 5 kids a policy that allows you to cancel because a dependent required urgent medical care (appendicitis, etc) that you'd need to stay home for might be worth looking at. Just my opinion, but I think a cruise would be an excellent honeymoon! You pretty much can get on a ship, unpack once, and each morning wake up in a different country!

[Nebr.cruiser]

You can have an amazing cruise without breaking the bank or feel like you're missing out.

Do the things that are most important to you and don't try to do everything--simply relaxing together on the ship or on a beach, especially on your honeymoon, is what memories are made of.

 

I don't know if anyone else has mentioned photos. Ship photos are very expensive but sometimes worth it, especially for a great portrait of the two of you on formal nights. Pick out a few of your favorities, but be careful, it's easy to spend a couple of hundred just on photos.

 

To me, $500 pp would be more than enough, but we neither drink nor gamble, and I don't count tips as spending money; to me, tips are a part of the basic cruise price.

 

Are you taking ship excursions? To how many ports? Independent tours are usually a lot less expensive, but, especially for a first-timer, are a little more intimidating .

 

The two excursions you mentioned are quite expensive; if the $500 pp you mentioned has to cover them, as well as drinks and other incidentals, you might be a little low.

 

If ship excursions don't run, your money will be refunded. Most independent tours we take are not paid for until after the tour; sometimes they are pre-paid but are with well-known companies that promise refunds if you can't take the tour.

 

Have a great honeymoon and don't feel you have to spend the moon to have a lovely cruise.

[uppitycats]

Sounds beautiful!

 

She hates all things cold.. snow, ice, slush. She grew up on the gulf coast and has only been "up north ;)) for 5 years or so. She is adjusting but has had no interest in going to Alaska. I want to sit on my balchony and spot animals, listen to the ice crack and groan, maybe a whale will cruise by... I dunno, sounds amazing to me. Amazing to her is building a sand castle next to a pier.

 

Well, so long as you go to Alaska sometime between mid-May and the end of August, the only place you'd encounter ice (or snow, slush) would be if you took an excursion to walk on a glacier. And of course she can avoid that! :)

 

Now, from the ship you'll SEE glaciers, and snow and ice on the mountains, but won't have to be in it! :) Temperatures during the day in Alaska, especially in June and early August, are in the 70's and higher, with lots and lots of bright sun. It's pretty easy to get a sun tan (or burn!) with the sun available so much. Although we don't "do" shorts, many folks were in shorts (with a sweater and rain poncho in their backpacks), heading off on excursions.

 

Yes, it really is amazing to whale watch, see sea lions, bald eagles, eat really fresh salmon, see moose, see the glaciers (and if you're lucky, see and hear them "calve" -- break off huge chunks..

 

Some travel agents (and some cruise lines) offer DVD's of their Alaska tours. Maybe you can get one of them and show her what she'd be missing! :)

[sparky-elpaso]

We went on an Alaskan cruise tour a couple of years ago and the scenery is breathtaking. Feel free to check out my pics on Flickr. Click on the Alaska set on the left side and then click on slideshow in the upper left hand corner.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sparky46/

[sweet pickles]

We went on an Alaskan cruise tour a couple of years ago and the scenery is breathtaking. Feel free to check out my pics on Flickr. Click on the Alaska set on the left side and then click on slideshow in the upper left hand corner.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sparky46/

 

I did so enjoy your pictures you really saw it all from eagles to bears and everything in between . Thank you for sharing...What camera did you use?

[Fredr]

hello,

 

Alaska is a very special place, full of interesting things to see and do. Maybe it is about time your beach comber sees a little of the world and especially a part of the USA as spectacular and interesting as Alaska. Alaska is full of very nice people, fun to talk to.

[sparky-elpaso]

I did so enjoy your pictures you really saw it all from eagles to bears and everything in between . Thank you for sharing...What camera did you use?

 

Thanks. I have a Sony DSC-H7. 9 mp - 15 x zoom. We had really good luck with the wildlife - especially since some of them were taken through the window of a bus at Denali. And with scenery like that it's almost impossible to take a bad photo.

[chadci]

Thanks for sharing the Alaska pictures, it SHOULD help with the sell!

 

I'll take a look at trip insurance as well, sounds like it should be strongly considered and you're right. With 5 kids all kinds of stuff happens all the time.

 

Hope everyone that celebrates the day today has a wonderful meal and a relaxing afternoon... evening etc. We don't do anything until the Friday after, her family is out of town and my mom had minor surgery this week.. so I put down underlayment getting ready for new flooring. Time for a nap!

[Rina155]

Alaska was the last place I ever wanted to cruise to, but this last September I did. My parents requested this trip for their 65th anniversary so off the family went, me along. I am a beach, warm, sun person.

 

I was absolutely amazed and LOVED Alaska. I thought I would never say that! Even in September and taking a lot of warm clothes, I never wore anything heavier than a fleece and jeans. I would go back to Alaska in a heart beat.

 

Nancy

[Murrah Miss]

Sounds beautiful!

 

She hates all things cold.. snow, ice, slush. She grew up on the gulf coast and has only been "up north ;)) for 5 years or so. She is adjusting but has had no interest in going to Alaska. I want to sit on my balchony and spot animals, listen to the ice crack and groan, maybe a whale will cruise by... I dunno, sounds amazing to me. Amazing to her is building a sand castle next to a pier.

 

 

I'm a souther girl, also. We traveled to Alaska in July '08 and it was a FABULOUS trip! Your wife won't encounter any kind of 'winter-like' experience except the fabulous scenery from the ship. Please...see a travel agent for a DVD of the trips available. it was a sensational trip! You MUST go!!:)

[chadci]

I've also seen it suggested to notify them that it's our honeymoon. What do they (RCI) Do? I thought about purchasing the honeymoon package but it's just streamers and a just married sign on our door. Not sure that it's worth the extra bucks...