How much will I need for xtras?

[PoppyMac]

Ok, got an idea of how much for cruise, how much for airline tickets.

 

But now trying to figure out, how much I really need for a family of 4 for xtras: I figure I might have a drink or two, not a huge drinker. We will mostly drink soda. Im gonna say no more than 5 drinks for each of us for whole cruise if that. No gambling. I want to do family excursions. Havent decided which or where, but an average...say 3 ports, family of 4. I figure all inclusives probably at 2 and something different at 1. (Kids age 4/16) I want to shop. I want to buy rum cakes, or hats, sweatshirts etc. I will probably set a limt per person on souveiners..200 each. I also want to do some spa..a massage, pedicure/mani..for both me and daughter. No internet package needed. I want to get away from that. Misc. eating off of cruise in port, and then there is tipping..seems to me will add a few hundred dollars to money I need.

 

So how much money will I need to spend after cruise/airfare for a family of 4. I dont think I want too much, but seems I will need to spend about 2500 over that cost for these things. Am I close? Or am I way under?

 

what do you budget for extras?

[paul929207]

Drinks are about $5 to $10 each

If any one will drink 3 or more sodas a day, get them a soda sticker. about $5 or 6 per day for unlimited fountain sodas. Otherwise about $2 or $2.50/soda

Excursions probably start at about $30 or $40/person for a half day tour up to $200/person for some full day tours. For some tours children are cheaper (probably just 4yo).

[kitty9]

There's absolutely no way to tell you because there are too many variables. Some people spend zero while others can run a tab upwards of $5000.

 

Tour prices greatly vary in cost, so there's no way to help you there. Plus, there are differences between ship tours and do it yourself tours. Tours start at around $45 per person and can run up to a few hundred.

 

Soda is not free on cruise ships, so if that's all you're going to drink, plan for a lot because sodas can be as much as $2 per drink, plus 15% gratuity. Alcohol also varies in price. They usually start at around $7 and go up from there.

 

There's no way to know what you're going to spend off the ship. Only you will know about that. But remember, you do have a Custom's limit, and if you go over that amount, you'll pay duty.

 

You do know that cruise ships are cashless? You don't use cash for anything on board, except for the casino. You have to give them a credit card when you check in, and then all your shipboard purchases are put on your sign and sail card, which is also your room key.

 

Personally, I never carry a lot of cash for a cruise. It's just not safe, especially when off the ship on the islands. When on the islands, you just need to carry a small amount of cash, and then use credit cards for everything else. Crime in the Caribbean is growing every day and you really don't want to be seen flipping a lot of cash around.

 

As for tips, depending on the cruise line, they can run between $11 to $15 per person, per day. You can pre-pay your tips, or some lines just automatically add the tips to your sign and sail account every day. It's really easy to do either method. If you don't want to go via the pre-pay, you tip in cash on the last day of the cruise. You generally tip your room steward, waiter, assistant waiter and if you have a suite, your butler. Some also tip the head waiter, if he goes beyond and does special things for you. But like I said, tips are per person, even for your kids.

[cb at sea]

Figure you will spend about 1/2 of the cost of your cruise. That's about standard!

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Do a budget 40$ per person per day max

[AlanAllyn]

Ok, got an idea of how much for cruise, how much for airline tickets.

 

But now trying to figure out, how much I really need for a family of 4 for xtras: I figure I might have a drink or two, not a huge drinker. We will mostly drink soda. Im gonna say no more than 5 drinks for each of us for whole cruise if that. No gambling. I want to do family excursions. Havent decided which or where, but an average...say 3 ports, family of 4. I figure all inclusives probably at 2 and something different at 1. (Kids age 4/16) I want to shop. I want to buy rum cakes, or hats, sweatshirts etc. I will probably set a limt per person on souveiners..200 each. I also want to do some spa..a massage, pedicure/mani..for both me and daughter. No internet package needed. I want to get away from that. Misc. eating off of cruise in port, and then there is tipping..seems to me will add a few hundred dollars to money I need.

 

So how much money will I need to spend after cruise/airfare for a family of 4. I dont think I want too much, but seems I will need to spend about 2500 over that cost for these things. Am I close? Or am I way under?

 

what do you budget for extras?

All inclusives are probably not a good deal if you are not drinkers. Assuming you are looking at the Caribbean, there are many beaches in most ports that you can do very inexpensively.

 

You can certainly do it for Less than $2500.

[Lynda59]

I suggest a mani/pedi at home before you leave. Spa prices on the ship are very expensive. Although they do have specials, a massage is about $30-50 more (plus tip) on the ship than at the nicest spa here. There may also be a big push for you to buy their products.

 

Depending on the ship, you may be allowed to bring soft drinks on the ship. I have carried-on either cans or bottles on both NCL and Princess. This not only saves money, but it also controls how many I can drink since I could drink 4 a day.

[Putterdude]

It is pretty hard to say because there are so many things that effect your cost...plus there are 4 of you. I am inclined to suggest that the number would be somewhere about $200 per day, remember the tips alone will be about $43/day for a family of 4

[PoppyMac]

Thank you, you guys gave me some good info, I didnt realize ships were cashless. I will do research on what I want to see in each port and find the best price.

Do you pay with cash in port..or should I bring just a tiny bit of cash more for tipping and a cc? Is a debit/cc card ok or should it only be a cc? I feel silly, not the most seasoned traveler here. :rolleyes:

[1025cruise]

You can pay cash, depending on where you are going. If the Caribbean, they happily take US dollars.

 

I would advise against a credit card. You will be international, so you will be hit with fees.

[TravlGrl]

Since you're first-time cruisers, you might also want to purchase a picture or two or three that are taken on formal nights, upon leaving the ship for port, your welcome photo, or some of the candids...or even the video that they'll shoot during your cruise.

 

We've been on enough cruises now that we only purchase exceptional photos (well, I'm using that word as a stretch), but our first few cruises we purchased 2-3 of those photos on each cruise and WOW do they add up!

 

Figure $9.95 - $19.95 per photo depending on which one.

[crzndeb]

Poppymac,

 

You DON'T have to have a credit card for your account on board. You can set it up with cash, and they will notify you if it starts to get low and you can add more money to it.

 

I normally open my account with a credit card, and pay cash on it towards the end of cruise, depending on my cash flow.

 

Personally, I never use a debit card, but lots of people do and have never had a problem. A bank account can be drained rather quickly if that card number gets compromised.

[kitty9]

Poppy, with debit cards, you have inherent problems. Most debits have a low daily limit, even if you have a lot of money in your checking account. Plus, cruise lines put a hold on your money, and that can tie up your account beyond the end of the cruise.

 

If you decide to put cash in your shipboard account, instead of using a regular credit card, most lines require around $300 per person be put into the account. That's a lot of cash. Personally, I think credit cards are the best because if there is a dispute on charges, the credit card company will fight it for you.

 

Please, don't ever feel silly. You can't ask too many questions, especially for a first timer.

[Jasalth]

Speaking as a mom of a family of 4 I will tell you how I roughly budget at least things vary a lot, and I end up spending a lot less, but it is always good to OVER budget than under budget for vacation! ;)

 

If you all mostly drink soda, don't think about it and get the Soda Cards for the cruise, I don't know what line you are on, but figure about $75 per person which is the high side. Most Soda Cards are less than that depending on your cruise, so that would also include a nice amount for those few other drinks you might throw in.

 

For excursions, before I even LOOK at anything, I generally figure $100 pp per stop just for the excursion. This can vary a lot, our next cruise is 4 stops, and my total excursion cost is going to be under $900. Like was said, all inclusive are probably not the best option if you don't drink. Depending on where, the average seems to be around $50 pp + cab for an all exclusive beach. The real question for something like, with 2 people NOT drinking (your kids) are you and your DH going to consume enough to make that price worth it?

 

And I will echo again, a mani/pedi on the ship for 2.. is going to run you $100 pp. Massages for both of you? Let's just go the cheap way and look at a couples massage running about $400. Get your nails done a day or two before you go (tell your husband to watch the little one since you did all the packing ;)). If you are going to a beach all inclusive like you want to, get the massages there. It will take a cost of $400 down to under $150.

 

There are also your tips (which you can pre-pay into the cost of your cruise which is IMO the easiest!).

 

You will get many thoughts on what to use to pay for stuff and if you should bring cash or not. You can use a debit card for the ship account, but be warned, they will put a hold on the account and put the charges threw. Depending on your bank, this can tie up 100's of dollars for a week after your cruise.

 

If you book excursions threw the cruise line you won't need cash per say, if you book them on your own you WILL. A lot of private company's take cash ONLY as the payment when you get there. If you do plan on making purchases with a Debit/CC on an island, make sure to contact them first. One of my bank's doesn't care, my other bank, if I use their debit card on any island, there is a 10% fee. To avoid these, I generally take a large amount of small bills. I wouldn't take say.. $1000 in cash when you want to go shopping, but taking a small amount knowing if you do see that amazing $300 thing you HAVE to have, you can go back to your room safe and get the money. Also taking smaller amounts and using cash will make you think "Do I need this for more cash than I bought" which has saved me many times!

 

In general though, my "budget" for my upcoming cruise is actually more than the cost of the cruise itself. I don't PLAN on spending $1000 on souvenirs, but having that much budgeted.. means I am that much closer to the deposit for our next cruise :D

[sanibel]

I agree with the previous posters. It is very easy to spend yourself out of your next cruise! And the best advice you've been given is to get a mani/pedi before heading to the ship. Spa prices are ridiculously expensive and you'll be pressured to buy the products. You could be doing something interesting on the ship during that same time!

But then again, some people live and die for the ship spa. Figure out what YOUR priorities are.

Pictures? You'll have a camera, ship pictures are pricey, but then again a professional will pose your whole family.

Excursions in port - what can you realistically manage and enjoy with the various ages?

Bottom line, decide what is most important to you and your family and budget accordingly. (then add several hundred dollars for when you find something you can't resist!)