How much more cash do you generally budget for when going on a 7 day cruise?

[SilverGS]

How much more cash do you generally budget for when going on a 7 day cruise?

 

Family of 4. 2 boys 14 and 12

 

We don't drink alcohol or gamble. We're going on a 7 day cruise to Bahamas on the Enchantment of the seas from Baltimore on December 17th, 2011. Itinerary is Port Canaveral, Nassau and Cococay Bahamas

 

So far the cost of the cruise + insurance + prepaid gratuities + hotel night stay in Baltimore on the 16th is coming to $3200. This is an oceanview stateroom.

 

Roughly how much more should I budget for? $1000, $2000, $3000?

 

I'm just trying to get a sense of what the veterans spend on their cruises. I know my question is too general and depends on so many factors, so I can't expect an exact answer. I'm just looking for a general number so I am better prepared.

[SadieN]

The old adage of pack half and bring double the money is sound advice.

 

Decide on several things--

 

--Do your kids drink soda? A soda package might be best for them. Ask on the Royal board how much it is now. Can you bring any onboard? Some lines do allow some soda and water to be brought onboard.

 

--What are your plans in port? Shopping, excursions from the pier, lunch.

Have you researched shore excursions? Some are cheap and some are expensive. Some will eat lunch on the ship. DO NOT bring food off the ship, NO sandwiches No fruit, etc.

The exceptions are prepackaged foods like cereal, cereal bars and hard candy. Helps save the ecosystem. We usually bring cereal bars from home and boxed cereal from the ship.

 

--Souvenirs? We like to buy local handmade stuff. The kids get a set dollar amount to spend on whatever they want, $10 - $20. We would buy them a Tshirt.

 

--Do you think you will buy any souvenir pictures? They run about $20per.

 

We find that new ports cost us more than ones we've been to previously.

[kitty9]

It really is difficult to answer because there are so many variables. Some come home without spending a dime and others have final bills in the thousands.

 

First, do you drink soda, bottled water or special coffees? Are you taking ship tours or private ones? Will your kids want to be in the arcade for all hours---that place can rack up huge bills? Will you purchase things on the islands? How about ship photos or other on board purchases?

 

Some budget $100 a day per person, while others budget less.

 

BTW, if your kids have cell phones and text a lot, you might want to keep an eye on that because texts cost $.50 to send and $.05 to receive. That can add up if they text like a lot of teens who can do 400 or more a day.

[serene56]

wow- 3200 for an oceanview for 4 people?

 

--

what are you going to do in the ports?

 

we went to seaworld= 3 people almost 400.

in Nassau we went to the beach located to the right of the ship.

that was 50.00 pp but incuded a 30.00pp meal voucher.

 

In Freeport we stayed on the ship.

 

 

Not much for kids to buy on the ship- we take a 12 pack of pepsi so to save that money on the soda cards-- with 2 kids that would cost over 100 for soda for the week. (just not worth it)

 

Free iced tea/lemonade at the lido deck buffet.

 

A family portriat will cost about 22.00 well worth the cost of getting a family photo with no sitting fees.

 

 

For our cruise in a balcony it was under 2000 total for three people- this was in February.

[Putterdude]

I have looked back over our last couple of cruises and would say without a lot of ship sponsored excursions...about $50 pp per day. That is with a bottle of wine at dinner but no gambling.

[klfrodo]

I usually double what my cruise costs.

If my cruise is $1000, I budget another $1000

If my cruise cost $1500, I budget another $1500.

 

With this method I've never had to ask myself if this is budgeted, is this something I can do, is this something I can afford, wife and I don't have to think about purchases, etc,etc. We just do our thing. If we want something, we buy it. If we want a foo foo drink, we buy it. If wife wants pictures, we buy it. If I want to take an excursion, I take it.