First cruise

[peg bundy]

hi this is our first cruise we are a familiy of four going on the grand on the 5th june, just a few things i need help on well the list is huge but ill ask just a few things, can you wear jeans and a shirt for dinner, it is a med cruise what short of money should i take all euros, or a mix, what does all inclusive mean , as i think it might not be all inclusive, ports of call are malaga, barcelona, monte carlo, rome, naples, ajaccio, gilbraltar. I was just wanting to no if you can walk into town at the places or if you get off the ship there is folks around to take you as the ship prices for tours seem very high thanks for all the help i need it ha ha

[Working 2 Cruise]

hi this is our first cruise we are a familiy of four going on the grand on the 5th june, just a few things i need help on well the list is huge but ill ask just a few things, can you wear jeans and a shirt for dinner, it is a med cruise what short of money should i take all euros, or a mix, what does all inclusive mean , as i think it might not be all inclusive, ports of call are malaga, barcelona, monte carlo, rome, naples, ajaccio, gilbraltar. I was just wanting to no if you can walk into town at the places or if you get off the ship there is folks around to take you as the ship prices for tours seem very high thanks for all the help i need it ha ha

 

Sorry! No jeans and T-shirts in the main dining rooms! If you do not wish to wear regular slacks and a shirt (and possibly a suit on formal nights), you may have to eat at the buffet.... Also cruises are not all inclusive. You will have to pay for excursions, alcohol, gambling, spa and at the end of the cruise, you will have to pay tips. As to the euros, I will leave that answer to others...... Have a great cruise!

[CALMOM]

hi this is our first cruise we are a familiy of four going on the grand on the 5th june, just a few things i need help on well the list is huge but ill ask just a few things, can you wear jeans and a shirt for dinner, it is a med cruise what short of money should i take all euros, or a mix, what does all inclusive mean , as i think it might not be all inclusive, ports of call are malaga, barcelona, monte carlo, rome, naples, ajaccio, gilbraltar. I was just wanting to no if you can walk into town at the places or if you get off the ship there is folks around to take you as the ship prices for tours seem very high thanks for all the help i need it ha ha

 

Unfortunately, there's that tricky word "inclusive" :rolleyes:. You will have additional expenses, such as auto-tip, $11/pp or in your case $308 at the end of the cruise on your statement. However, you do have the option of removing those if you want, but that's a whole another story and I personally would never remove the auto-tips.

 

The rest of the ship approx. expenses are up to you and are optional:

Soda Drink Card (all the soda you want) $35

Ultimate Drink Card (all the soda, juices, virgin cocktails & milk shakes $50

Specialty Restaurants $20/pp and up

Spa services

Bingo

Ship Tours

Casino

Excursions

 

Yes, you can walk off the ship and catch a independent vendor, just make sure your careful and more important make sure you make it back to the ship on time, they will leave without you otherwise. The only good reason to do the ship's excursions is that either notify the ship that their running late and sometimes the ship will wait or they will take care of getting you to the next port.

 

You will just love your cruise and I'm sure do many more. Have a great time.

[CALMOM]

Oops! I forgot the expense of Alcohol, that's a biggie:D

[Toto2Kansas]

Actually, Princess does allow jeans in the dining room in the evening on resort casual nights (as long as they aren't freyed or have holes in them) You won't see many in jeans, but they are acceptable. T-shirts, I don't think I would push that one too far. During the day, jeans and T's are fine, but in the evening, you will find most that attend dinner in the dining room will be dressed up a bit more than Jeans and a T-shirt, and many quite a bit more dressed up. If you would rather, there is always the buffet which is totally casual (in other words, any way you would like to dress), and jeans and T's wouldn't be a problem there.

 

Not sure what you are asking about the 'all inclusive', but cruises are not all inclusive at all. Yes, you can get buy with spending very little onboard, as long as you don't drink soda, alcohol, juices (except at breakfast). Don't gamble, shop onboard or buy photos or have any spa treatments. But it would be impossible to compare a cruise on Princess to an all inclusive.

 

As for the Med ports. Some are close and within walking distance to the city, others are not and you will usually have to pay to at least use a shuttle to get from the pier to anywhere worth seeing. One of your ports definitely comes to mind and that is Rome. There is nothing much by the port at all and Rome would be only accessible by train, bus, cab or ship tour or private tour. It is anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour from where your ship will dock.

 

I hope you aren't going on too strict of a budget, as these aren't inexpensive places to visit by any means. In fact, I think they are probably the most expensive places to visit on any cruise we have ever taken. Good Luck, and I hope things work out for you.

[babbymint]

hi this is our first cruise we are a familiy of four going on the grand on the 5th june, just a few things i need help on well the list is huge but ill ask just a few things, can you wear jeans and a shirt for dinner, it is a med cruise what short of money should i take all euros, or a mix, what does all inclusive mean , as i think it might not be all inclusive, ports of call are malaga, barcelona, monte carlo, rome, naples, ajaccio, gilbraltar. I was just wanting to no if you can walk into town at the places or if you get off the ship there is folks around to take you as the ship prices for tours seem very high thanks for all the help i need it ha ha

 

Hi - snap - we are on the same cruise, family of 4 and also cruise virgins! From what I can gather you can wear "smart" jeans on non-formal nights, and there is a variety of attire to be seen.

 

We will be taking a few dollars for room service tips etc, and some euros - although often it works out cheaper to draw some out from a hole in the wall when you arrive in port. I have started to draw up an itinerary - some days we will do the ports on foot and public transport and on a couple we are planning to have a day on the beach. As well as the cost of the trips, I've had a good look at them and to be honest, being stuck on a coach with 30 others, only getting to see the sights through the window and keeping to someone else timetable really does not appeal. If you want to have a copy of what I've done so far, email me on yb434@student.open.ac.uk and I'll send you a copy.

 

All inclusive means all food in dining rooms and food parlours etc is included, as is the kids club, the entertainment and some of the classes etc. Additional expenses are auto-added tips, drinks (except free ones - tea/coffee), excursions, speciality restaurants, spa services etc.

 

Have fun and maybe see ya there!

[katisdale]

Hello PegBundy,

I can see by your post count that you are new to cruise critic. There are two additional boards you need to visit. First is the roll call section, just go a little further down the boards page until you find roll calls, then select Princess, then select your ship. You will be able to find the date your ship is sailing. Click on that link and you can converse with the people you will be traveling with. Some of them will have already set up private tours and may have room for a few more travelers. Second, continue scrolling down the board page and you will find the destination boards. Click on Europe and then the specific cities you will visit. This will give you lots of hints on great things to do and also help you match the excursions you may be interested in with your personal likes and dislikes. Cruise critic is a great resource.

[1 HappyCruiser]

Just about any pair of jeans will work within reason (except formal nights) and although they really don't approve T shirts at dinner, as long as their plane & simple without a lot of writing scrolled across them you'll probably be fine although a polo shirt would be preferable.

[fridaythecat.u.k.]

hi this is our first cruise we are a familiy of four going on the grand on the 5th june, just a few things i need help on ... it is a med cruise what short of money should i take all euros, or a mix

 

I think most of your questions have been answered with the exception of this one, perhaps :D For a med cruise you will need Euros for almost all of the ports you are visiting, there will be very few places that accept dollars.

 

The one exception is Gibraltar which is a British territory, and has the Gibraltan pound as its currency, though many places unofficially accept Euros as payment.

[pilgrim52]

Hi. We did this cruise last June with stops at the same ports. I honestly never saw any jeans in the dining room of an evening but all you need is a pair of trousers and a shirt for most evenings. Remember there are 3 formal nights on this cruise which demands a suit as the minimum. Alternatively you stay casual (miss out on the fun!) and eat in the Horizon Court.

As to the ports: Malaga - you can walk ashore (takes around 20 mins). Nice port to wander around and see many of the highlights on foot. Nice bullring to visit which is free. Best price to buy some duty free drink before you rejon the ship. The shops were in the terminal. Barcelona - It's quite a walk into the centre but I did see a few doing it. Alternatively jump on the shuttle but it costs $5 each way. Probably sharing a taxi may work out cheaper. Again Barcelona is easy to get around on foot with a map but just stick to the main streets. Monte Carlo - Another where you can just wander around at your own pace. We actually docked there which was even better. A good time to be there as the Grand Prix is held that month and there are plenty of remnants to be seen. Civitavecchia - Not a lot here so a trip to Rome is essential. Cheapest way is by train but leave plenty of time to get back to the ship! An organised coach trip is the safe way in my opinion. Naples - Again I would recommend taking a trip here. Ajaccio - Easy to get off and wander around. There is a local beach. Gibraltar - There was a long wait for taxis here but you can walk into the centre in less than 20 mins.

So overall, I would say you can do most of these ports without spending a lot of money. But beware cruise ships are past masters at helping you part with your money! Euros are fine in all the ports but you can use UK pounds in Gibraltar. Sorry this reply is a bit long. Have a great cruise!

[peg bundy]

thanks for all your help i was just wanting to no is the Ultimate Drink Card (all the soda, juices, virgin cocktails & milk shakes $50 is that for the full cruise 14 nts and do i have to buy one for each member of the familiy or just use the one card

[sackman]

thanks for all your help i was just wanting to no is the Ultimate Drink Card (all the soda, juices, virgin cocktails & milk shakes $50 is that for the full cruise 14 nts and do i have to buy one for each member of the familiy or just use the one card

 

Each person will need his/her own card. And that rate might be higher for the longer trip.

 

Curious as to what made you decide on this particular itinerary for your very first cruise.

[fridaythecat.u.k.]

 

Curious as to what made you decide on this particular itinerary for your very first cruise.

 

Curious as to what has prompted you to ask this? I chose the same (though in reverse) for my first cruise :confused:

[sackman]

Curious as to what has prompted you to ask this? I chose the same (though in reverse) for my first cruise :confused:

 

My first cruise was a very basic itinerary. Nothing overly complicated with ports that were unintimidating. A 7 day cruise is a good starting point to know whether or not you will like cruising or not. Now, I don't know where the OP lives (it's not shown), so maybe that would shed some light on the subject. In any event, I would tend to think that a shorter cruise might be a good first choice. However, that's just my opinion, and perhaps she has perfectly good reasons for choosing this, thus my question.

[fcs659]

hi this is our first cruise we are a familiy of four going on the grand on the 5th june, just a few things i need help on well the list is huge but ill ask just a few things, can you wear jeans and a shirt for dinner, it is a med cruise what short of money should i take all euros, or a mix, what does all inclusive mean , as i think it might not be all inclusive, ports of call are malaga, barcelona, monte carlo, rome, naples, ajaccio, gilbraltar. I was just wanting to no if you can walk into town at the places or if you get off the ship there is folks around to take you as the ship prices for tours seem very high thanks for all the help i need it ha ha

 

Jeans may be acceptable, but remember that Europeans tend be be a bit more dressy than Americans. While you will see jeans quite commonly on the streets, they tend to be worn by the young. I saw very few people of any age group in jeans while in Spain this summer, more in Rome two years ago, and they were definitely of the expensive designer jean style. For that matter I rarely saw women in ANY type of slacks, men also were much stylish in their clothing... except perhaps for the trend of older men wearing capri's.. which was a bit disconcerting, to say the least.

 

Also, it may be quite warm when you are there in June.... some sort of khakis will be much more comfortable in that heat. I was in Spain last June in the Basque country and the heat was oppressive - if I had had jeans I would never have worn them.

 

RE: Euros... when you arrive at the airport, you will be able to find ATMs, or change bureaus, and take out a chunk of cash .. which will you will receive in Euros. Just make sure you alert your bank and credit card companies before you go that you will be going overseas so they don't flag the account and shut it down when they start seeing foreign withdrawls without prior notice.

[Toto2Kansas]

Each person will need his/her own card. And that rate might be higher for the longer trip.

 

.

 

The soda and Ultimate cards are based on a per day rate, times the number of days of your cruise. Ultimate card is $9 per day times the number of days of this sailing, plus 15% grautity. The soda card would be $4.25 per day times the number of days plus the 15% grauitity.

[peg bundy]

hi. We did this cruise last june with stops at the same ports. I honestly never saw any jeans in the dining room of an evening but all you need is a pair of trousers and a shirt for most evenings. Remember there are 3 formal nights on this cruise which demands a suit as the minimum. Alternatively you stay casual (miss out on the fun!) and eat in the horizon court.

As to the ports: Malaga - you can walk ashore (takes around 20 mins). Nice port to wander around and see many of the highlights on foot. Nice bullring to visit which is free. Best price to buy some duty free drink before you rejon the ship. The shops were in the terminal. Barcelona - it's quite a walk into the centre but i did see a few doing it. Alternatively jump on the shuttle but it costs $5 each way. Probably sharing a taxi may work out cheaper. Again barcelona is easy to get around on foot with a map but just stick to the main streets. Monte carlo - another where you can just wander around at your own pace. We actually docked there which was even better. A good time to be there as the grand prix is held that month and there are plenty of remnants to be seen. Civitavecchia - not a lot here so a trip to rome is essential. Cheapest way is by train but leave plenty of time to get back to the ship! An organised coach trip is the safe way in my opinion. Naples - again i would recommend taking a trip here. Ajaccio - easy to get off and wander around. There is a local beach. Gibraltar - there was a long wait for taxis here but you can walk into the centre in less than 20 mins.

So overall, i would say you can do most of these ports without spending a lot of money. But beware cruise ships are past masters at helping you part with your money! Euros are fine in all the ports but you can use uk pounds in gibraltar. Sorry this reply is a bit long. Have a great cruise!

thats great cheers for that i do have a suit for the formal nights i think it will be fantastic everyone dressed up

[peg bundy]

curious as to what has prompted you to ask this? I chose the same (though in reverse) for my first cruise :confused:

hi i picked this cruise only because it was in the shop window at a low price never thuoght off a cruise before but when you look into it it sounds amazing just wish it was here

[babbymint]

My first cruise was a very basic itinerary. Nothing overly complicated with ports that were unintimidating. A 7 day cruise is a good starting point to know whether or not you will like cruising or not. Now, I don't know where the OP lives (it's not shown), so maybe that would shed some light on the subject. In any event, I would tend to think that a shorter cruise might be a good first choice. However, that's just my opinion, and perhaps she has perfectly good reasons for choosing this, thus my question.

 

This is my first cruise also - as a Brit having spent many holidays on the continent I dont consider travelling around Europe at all intimidating, just interesting. Also (and I guess this may be the same for many Brits especially those with kids) it leaves from Southampton - just a couple of hours drive away - no messing about in airports and taking 24 hours before you can even start your cruise - a real bonus. As for the length - I always find 7 days too short for a holiday (vacation) goes too quick and this cruise I think was very good value for money.

[knittinggirl]

Be sure to pack some packaged snacks and a water bottle for your excursions ashore. While they're very sticky about what can be brought ashore, I always toss something in my knapsack. After our five going on nine hour shore excursion in Jamaica with no scheduled lunch, I figure it's a must.

 

Since they add new photos to the displays each day, I'd suggest waiting until near the end of your cruise to purchase photos. That way you have the choice of all the shots the photographers have taken. Photos are very expensive, but for a first cruise, go for it!

 

We didn't do a spa treatment until our fourth cruise, and my husband thought I was nuts when I informed him I'd scheduled us for Couples Rasul, but we had fun! Before signing up, I'd suggest asking for a tour of the facility on day one, to see if you like the rooms.

 

We don't spend that much, but we always buy the cruise sponsored excursions. More than once, had the gangplank pulled up behind us. Most notably on the Jamaica tour we mentioned. They will hold the ship for cruise sponsored excursions. On our Canada/New England cruise, we heard our tour guide sending status updates via radio.

[sackman]

This is my first cruise also - as a Brit having spent many holidays on the continent I dont consider travelling around Europe at all intimidating, just interesting. Also (and I guess this may be the same for many Brits especially those with kids) it leaves from Southampton - just a couple of hours drive away - no messing about in airports and taking 24 hours before you can even start your cruise - a real bonus. As for the length - I always find 7 days too short for a holiday (vacation) goes too quick and this cruise I think was very good value for money.

 

Thanks. That makes perfect sense. Enjoy the trip.

[fridaythecat.u.k.]

This is my first cruise also - as a Brit having spent many holidays on the continent I dont consider travelling around Europe at all intimidating, just interesting. Also (and I guess this may be the same for many Brits especially those with kids) it leaves from Southampton - just a couple of hours drive away - no messing about in airports and taking 24 hours before you can even start your cruise - a real bonus. As for the length - I always find 7 days too short for a holiday (vacation) goes too quick and this cruise I think was very good value for money.

 

Completely agree, except for the travelling from Southampton bit as we sailed from Rome :D. We have visited many European cities over the years, so it didn't even cross our minds that the ports may be considered intimidating, but I can understand why some people might have that opinion ;)