new cruiser questions

[lou2003k]

soo.... i cruise on june 14th from southampton to italian med for 14 nights.

 

few questions...

 

tips? we have pre paid our gratatuities but wondered if people normally take small bills to tip room service etc? if so from the uk which currency? as its pretty hard to get small denominations in dollars etc?

 

euros? so we wondered how many euros we should roughly take for 2 of us for the days where we are off the ships for lunch etc and any other purchases? just a rough idea would be great?

 

room service? is this included in your all inclusive service so no extra cost?

 

we havent taken a drinks package as we dont drink alchol much at all but what soft drinks or any drinks ca you have without a soft drinks package?

 

any other tips much appreciated :-)

[cruisead]

Small bills to tip for room service is a good idea. You can use Euros or US dollars.

 

There's no way to tell you how much money to take as it's a very individual thing. Personally, I take very little cash as we prefer to use credit cards for most things.

 

If you're cruising Royal Caribbean, they charge for room service after 12 midnight until 5am.

 

No soft drinks are included. What you get for free is tap water, some coffee and tea, milk, fruit juices in the MDR and buffet. If you order juice in any bar or lounge, you'll be charged.

[cb at sea]

If you're sailing from Europe, then local currency will be fine for tips and such.... Larger US bills (if you get some) can be broken down on the ship into smaller denominations.

 

The suggested tips cover your cabin attendant, waiter, ass't waiter and head waiter. Bartenders are tipped 15% and that's added to your tab for any drink you purchase. Room service tips are NOT included in the suggested tips.

 

If you buy a drink package of any kind (be it soda, or alcohol....) the tip is added to the cost of the package.

 

You won't need much cash for the ship...unless you plan to gamble!...and how much you bring for incidentals on shore, that's hard to determine! Cabs/buses and such will want cash. Most everything else is fine with a credit card.

Edited May 21, 2014 by cb at sea

[frawnsay]

soo.... i cruise on june 14th from southampton to italian med for 14 nights.

 

few questions...

 

tips? we have pre paid our gratatuities but wondered if people normally take small bills to tip room service etc? if so from the uk which currency? as its pretty hard to get small denominations in dollars etc?

 

In response to currency, from previous European travels (not cruising, however), I would say tips for beyond your pre-paid gratuities could be in any currency used throughout your trip. Dollars, euros, etc. would work. We've paid in pounds or euros for tips, but sometimes were in a crunch and had to use US dollars. Bigger question, is someone going to *refuse* a cash tip? Probably not. ;)

 

euros? so we wondered how many euros we should roughly take for 2 of us for the days where we are off the ships for lunch etc and any other purchases? just a rough idea would be great?

 

In regards to lunch, it depends on what your dining preference will be. I will use euros as they will be used through most Med ports. Also, I'll give your estimates based on just one person dining.

 

Just a snack of a grab-and-go sandwich and drink from a street vendor could be around 5-10 euros. For a sit-down terrace lunch special lasting 30 minutes to an hour, you could have a 2-course meal (meal + choice of app/dessert on a pre-set menu) and drink for 12-15 euros. If you're wanting a sit-down, leisurely meal lasting an hour or more, the sky's the limit with a meal ranging for 15 euros to anywhere! As I stated earlier, it's your choice as to how you chose to dine.

 

room service? is this included in your all inclusive service so no extra cost?

 

already answered for RCI in previous post

 

we havent taken a drinks package as we dont drink alchol much at all but what soft drinks or any drinks ca you have without a soft drinks package?

 

I'm a diet coke-aholic! With RCI, we purchased a soda package. Believe me, they will LOSE money on me! You can pay as you go for soda or purchase from any variety of packages that include soda (like, just the soda package, or a non-alcoholic package to include a variety of teas, coffees, waters, etc.)

 

any other tips much appreciated :-)

 

When planning your port time, be aware of travel into your destination city. Some ports are an hour from major tourist sites.

 

Also, a European estimate of walk time is different for an American. I have found in the past that I should usually double the estimate. For example, if I'm told or read that "a quick 10-minute walk" will occur, I know that my pace is probably more like 20 minutes. I'm in good shape, but I like to be on vacation even when I'm walking, you know? :p

 

Happy travels! Honestly, I'm a little jealous of your cruise!