This cruise is nickel and diming me to DEATH!

[4merlurker]

Lurker, it is sad that you haven't even gone on your first cruise and you are already worked up over these petty things. Relax, realize that even if you take advantage of all the extra things available to you on the cruise, you still aren't talking about alot of money. I have been on a few cruises now, I have been to Chops and Portofino over a dozen times, my wife enjoys the gym and the spa, we went to JR's once, and I don't regret a penny we have spent. We had great times and great memories, and the little things just don't matter. Get over it, it is the way it is, and enjoy your trip---it won't matter at all 10 years from now when you are looking back at the pictures remembering what a wonderfull time you had.

 

Maybe it's not alot of money to you but we are a family of 5....no matter where we go on vacation it adds up big time! LOL

 

If you read some of these posts you would see that I am not the one getting worked up over petty things. :rolleyes:

[4merlurker]

to 4merlurker: can I ask you what was included in the price of your cruise when you booked that you are now finding is not included? The JR policy of charging money started close to 1.5 ago now. I beleive way before you booked your cruise. As for soda, thats always been excluded, spa charges have always been excluded, as have classes in the gym. I'm just wondering what was, or what you thought might have been included, but are now disappointed to find out that they are not included? this isn't meant as being critical, perhaps i'm just missing something?

 

mad: i completely agree with you. no other cruise lines offer things such as ice skating and mini golf and rock wall. JR and B&J isnt on other cruise lines. i like your thought that maybe RCI has more extra charges only because they offer more "extras" than other cruise lines.

 

I booked my cruise on August 25, 2004....at that time there was NO CHARGE for JR's (atleast on the EOS), Rock climing was included(as per some posts today it is not anymore), and you were allowed to purchase and consume alcohol in your cabin.

 

CUT & PASTED FROM RCI'S WEBSITE: EXPLORER OF THE SEAS

Ship Highlights

Ice-skating rink

Rock-climbing wall

In-line skating

Royal Promenade (open 24 hours)

Johnny Rockets® '50s-style restaurant

Portofino Italian Restaurant

Themed bars and lounges

Casino RoyaleSM

Golf simulators

9-hole miniature golf course

Adventure Ocean® youth facilities

ShipShape® Day Spa and Fitness Center

Full-size basketball court

IT DOES NOT SAY THERE IS AN EXTRA CHARGE, IT DOES NOT SAY THERE ISNT AN EXTRA CHARGE. Some are obvious like the casino or bars but to someone who has never cruised before why would we think there is a charge for golf sim if their isnt one for BB or minigolf??

sorry for my ignorance

[4merlurker]

When looking at a brochure or a Web site for any service (hotel, amusement park, etc.), I don't expect EVERYTHING to be included unless there is a notice in bright flashing red in a 48pt font that says "EVERYTHING is included!" Even at the chinese buffet down the street from work that has a flashing neon sign that says: "EVERYTHING is included" if you want an extra fortune cookie, you pay 15 cents.

 

There are more things on a cruise that they do not charge extra for that surprise me (Adventure Ocean, rock climbing, skate rental, extra entre in the dining room, etc.) than those things that they do charge for.

 

Part of the charges are to bring in money, but others are, at least in part, to discourage waste and/or manage a "limited resource". When JR was free, I saw a few abuses and I'm certain RCCI saw a lot more.

 

Actually after 10pm you do have to pay for Adventure Ocean. ;)

[jstducky]

This is my own personal opinion, but I think that regardless of whether or not you are a newbie or a veteran, that anytime you're going to go anywhere, or put down a lot of money for anything, that you fully do some research as to what your money covers and doesn't cover, where you're going, what you're doing, what you're paying for. Ask questions. Don't be afraid. People are always asking questions on these boards about how much soda cards are, how they work, how much spa treatments are, are they worth it, how much speciality dining is, what the menu is.

 

I would think that if you were putting thousands of dollars down on a cruise, that you would investigate what all is included in the cruise fare. I know that I fully research the cruise lines websites, I ask questions, I read reviews, I look through brochures. I listen to people's responses to my questions, but I try to verify through my own investigation as well. I don't take other people's words as being 100% true.

 

For instance, I would never book a trip to Walt Disney World without first investigating what type of room I was getting for the price I was paying, where my hotel was in comparison to the parks, how I would get from one park to another, etc. Heck, unless I asked and investigated, how do I even know that the price I'm paying even includes admission into all 5 of the parks? Even if I read other people's reviews of how great this was or that was, wouldn't you still make sure you got this and that for free? I mean I wouldn't book a WDW vacation and automatically assume that I got meals for free, that I could meet the characters for free, that I could go to the waterparks for free, that I could go to Pleasure Island at Downtown Disney for free. I mean this is stuff you have to ask about.

 

Therefore, how could you book a cruise an assume everything is included in the price you paid? Do I think that brochures and ads can be misleading, or course, its advertising and they are trying to entice you buy showing you what you could get. But I never assumed it was all free. This kind of advertising happens with evey product out on the market, not just cruising.

 

I agree that perhaps people could be more sensitive to newbies and answer questions on these boards and perhaps talk more about pricing, etc. I admit that I am a veteran who is guilty of saying oh go eat at the speciality restuarant without perhaps including the fact that it costs $20. But I will also tell you that before my first RCI cruise last year, I asked numerous questions about how much it costs and how to make reservations and if it was worth it.

 

I just think that its important that you take the response you see on these boards with a grain of salt and just do your own research as well.

 

Just my $0.02

[Radio]

As the OP I understand the "reasoning" for the extra charges I just don't like them.:rolleyes: I know that everything you NEED is included in your cost and that anything you WANT is extra....

 

I just keep reading more and more posts about RCI charging for things now that originally were included when I booked. I just don't want to be surprised, that's all.

 

As a newbie cruiser (without any loyalty discount coupons :rolleyes: ) I rely on these boards for up to date info and I appreciate "most" of your responses.

 

thanks.

 

My response....Go with a Cruise Line that includes all of the things you want......

 

Are there any ?

 

Respectfully.....

 

Radio

;) ;)

[4merlurker]

:) I'm tired.

[jstducky]

Lurker:

 

No one is saying that you're ignorant.

 

I thought my post stated that in March and April 2004, that JR already had a charge on some ships as it was being tested. When the tests worked then the charge went fleetwide. At the time RCI released numerous press releases stating that they were going to go fleetwide with the charge. Perhaps when you booked in August they weren't charging it on EOS yet. I don't know. I'm just tellinig you what I know that they already started charging on some ships back in March and April.

 

Additionally, I agree that according to the list you have posted that, that it doesnt state that there is or isn't a charge for any of these things. But like you said, its obvious that some things like casino's have a charge. I mean no one lets you play in the casino for free. So if you beleive reading that list that some things will have a charge, then what makes you think that the rest of the stuff will or won't have a charge? Wouldn't the smart thing to do be to ask about this kind of stuff? Perhaps before you decided to put down all this money for a cruise? I mean wouldn't you do the research to find out what there was a charge for and what there wans't a charge for?

 

I understand getting upset about things where a charge was implemented after you had booked and paid for your cruise, such as perhaps JR since you said there wasnt a charge when you booked, but things such as the golf sim and the spa and the casino, those things have always had charges. You cant really get upset about things that you could have found out about beforehand.

 

And I'm not saying this applies to you since you already stated that you were just questioning the charges, that you weren't the one getting all worked up about it.. but for everyone else who thinks that RCI is horrible for charging for these extras, if it makes people this upset, then choose a different cruise line that doesn't charge for these kinds of extras. I mean you have until 75 days prior to sailing to receive a 100% refund on the money you've paid.

 

As stated before by others, these are all optional extras. You can choose not to do them and still have a great time. Even tips are optional if you want to go that far.

 

Just one person's opinion

[Erie Dave]

Maybe things do add up for a family of 5, but that was your choice. Things will cost you more, but then again, you pay a lot less in taxes, so there you go!!LOL

[WeLuvVacation]

Go to Sandals where it is "all inclusive" and see how much you are going to pay, for thier cheapest room.

 

Now go to RCCL and see how much thier cheapest room is for the same number of days. (At the same time of the year.)

 

Now add a REASONABLE amount extra for each day of you RCCL stay for the "extras".

 

See which is cheaper.

 

I'll bet RCCL is a lot cheaper if you are honest.

 

And yes I am aware that the Sandals rooms are a lot bigger than the RCCL rooms.

[Dachshund Dad]

I'm SO the champagne taste, beer budget cruiser!

 

If the cruise line didn't charge a la carte for some things, they'd have to cease to offer those services and amenities altogether, or raise everyone's ticket price just so some people might feel as though they'd be getting something for "free," as with the pricey "all-inclusive" lines.

 

To turn the cliche "you get what you pay for" around: YOU pay for what you get. If you want that spa treatment, champagne or caviar, or even that simulated golf experience, YOU pay for it. Why should the non-drinking, fish-egg-hating non-golfers among us share the cost?

As I mentioned, there are always the "all-inclusive" cruise lines.

 

I would hope that the many frills and luxuries offered on "mainstream" cruiselines would remain (or increase!), but it just seems fair that only those who use them should pay for them.

 

I know there are limits--when will they start charging to use the pool?

Which raises an interesting question probably on the boards already, but just in case:

 

What SHOULD be included and what shouldn't?

[MrsPete]

Therefore, how could you book a cruise an assume everything is included in the price you paid? Do I think that brochures and ads can be misleading, or course, its advertising and they are trying to entice you buy showing you what you could get. But I never assumed it was all free. This kind of advertising happens with evey product out on the market, not just cruising.

I think this happens fairly often because of the PERVASIVE MYTH that cruising is an all-inclusive vacation. When I started looking into my first cruise, I believed that it was a matter of paying the ticket price and that was it. I'd heard it a hundred times: "Oh, yeah, cruises are expensive, but that's because you're paying everything in one price." Of course, long before I booked, I had figured out that this simply wasn't true -- I think the original poster has done the same. But until you start researching for yourself, how can you know?

 

However, with the exception of tips, all the "charge items" are non-essential (even alcohol).

[jwlane]

CUT & PASTED FROM RCI'S WEBSITE:

 

What is included in the price of my cruisetour?

 

The price of your cruise vacation includes ship accommodation, ocean transportation, most meals, some beverages and most entertainment aboard the ship. All prices are quoted in U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted, on a per-person basis and based on double occupancy of the stateroom. In addition to the above, the price of your cruisetour includes all transportation (e.g. by motorcoach, rail, or otherwise) as indicated in the itinerary and transfers, all sightseeing as indicated in the itinerary, as well as hotel accommodations (based on double occupancy, single occupancy available for an extra charge).

 

The cruise/cruisetour vacation price does not include: air transportation (except as noted), transfers (except as noted), optional shore and land excursions, meals and accommodations ashore (except as noted), certain beverages, casino gambling, photographs, gratuities, telephone calls, specialty restaurants onboard certain vessels, purchases from the ship stores, or items of a personal nature such as medical services, laundry, massages, spa treatments, hair styling or manicures. Some of these items may be purchased separately. Food and beverages are not included on Alaska Cruisetours. On the Canadian Rockies Cruisetours, food is included as noted in the cruisetour itinerary. For cruisetours that include air travel, airfare is included in the package.

[cruzeluvr]

I read the first post in this thread and had to laugh. The OP has not even taken their first cruise - and already is complaining (about being nickeled and dimed).

Lurker - I give you credit for asking the question, because the unexpected costs can add up. However, perhaps you should have investigated this a bit more thoroughly before booking the cruise. I see that you are just over 90 days away from the cruise - it's not too late to cancel if the additional costs will be too much for your budget.

YMMV

[Shanafan]

Funny that you should mention that. (I agree, btw) I don't get people who complain about the quality of the pizza on board - I would NEVER eat pizza on a cruise. I'M SPECIAL. I'M ON MY SPECIAL VACATION. GIVE ME SPECIAL THINGS. :)

 

Carol

 

Carol........after a long day of being in the sun all day and drinking all night...(ok......truth be told.....all day, too)..nothing sounds better on my way back to the room than a piece of pizza. I have to eat something.......or I wake with that awful fit in my stomach. On the Jewel sometimes it was the only thing still serving food by the time we went to bed. :D

[babyjmomma]

Amen to that Lisa!! Everytime we got back on the Explorer (both cruises) after a day in port..or after a few hours by the pool...whatever--we stopped and get some pizza...and maybe a cookie. I don't know where they get it...but I don't think Carol has ever had it. And you are right Lisa, after the clubs and casinos kicked us out..the promenade was the only thing serving grub...

[sgttami]

Boy oh boy.....

 

Our initial cruise price 14 months ago was $1369 a person...D1 balcony...(Alaska) Serenade from Vanocuver

 

Airfare: $ 1360 for 2...we did get first clas upgrades for going from Newark non stop but our coming home is a nightmare...leave vancouver at noon, get to newark at midnight, stop in Houston...no first class (yet!!)

 

Pre cruise hotel: Westin Grand...$289 a night...(pre paid)

 

Limo to and from airport....$300 plus tip

 

We have already spent $4700 and haven't left home yet... we will then add.....the Vancouver pre night expenses, drinks, casino on the ship, tips, excursions, specialty restaurants (at least once at Chops), souveniers, taxis, hotel tips,,etc...and I'm sure a lot more I forgot...we are figuring that this trip will cost about $8,000 before we are done...and that is a conservative estimate...for 8 days...

 

It does sound scary $$$ wise but it's probably going to be a one time trip...

 

Just for the record, I am going to keep tabs on what the whole trip cost...

[MszKitty]

When I started cruising in 1983 there were no "extras". BUT...that also meant there were no choices either. We ate in the dining room or the buffet or room service....Period. There were no alternative dining venues like Johnny Rockets, or Chops, or Portofinos. They didn't even have the late night pizza. ( However, I will say that they had the midnight buffet every night with one night being the "Gala" buffet.)

 

If you wanted coffee, you drank their regular coffee. If you wanted ice cream, you ate what they served in the dining room or buffet. There were no speciality coffees, or ice cream, or sushi.

 

And ya know what? We had just as good a time and more than enough to eat and drink without all those extras.

 

And the price of cruises hasn't gone up much in 25 years. I, for one, am glad they charge for all those extras. I didn't need them back in the 80's and I don't need them now.

[abridalmaven]

I tell after 6 cruises I know how to keep expenses down. On our 14 day cruise I think our tab was $1200 and that included a few tours which we usually prebook and prepay, but not this time.

 

 

But think about this, when you go to Disney ( which I do quite often) how much do they get you for each day beyond admission? A pretty penny, I can attest! :eek: Then add in rooms travel costs and so on.

[WeLuvVacation]

The fares have not come down since they implemented the charge for Johnny Rockets. In fact the fares have gone up immensely. I don't know when or were you are sailing but I have not seen a cruise for $700 in a long time.

 

RCCL VOS 9/23 9 days to Caribbean fare inside cabin $ 699.00 PP + tax & port charges leaving from Port liberty, Bayonne, NJ.

Less than $ 100.00 per day not bad. Where you gonna go for that price and get all your meals, entertainment and 4 different ports.

[Dachshund Dad]

Guess it's those vague areas like "most" meals and "some" beverages that are causing problems, huh?

[Dachshund Dad]

What does "ship accommodation" include?

Lounge chair fees? Towel fees?

Soap extra? Fresh sheets?

 

Regurgitating RCCI's policy adds as little in answers as it does to interest in this discussion.

[TahoeBob]

The fares have not come down since they implemented the charge for Johnny Rockets. In fact the fares have gone up immensely. I don't know when or were you are sailing but I have not seen a cruise for $700 in a long time.

 

I was on the Vision of the seas on December 19-26 2004, when I booked it was $540.00 PP inside room deck 2, I am looking at a cruise for next December and there many in the $500.00 to $600.00 range for a inside.

[TahoeBob]

Boy oh boy.....

 

Our initial cruise price 14 months ago was $1369 a person...D1 balcony...(Alaska) Serenade from Vanocuver

 

 

my initial cruise 8 Months ago $540.00 pp inside deck 2 Vision of the seas Mexico

 

 

Airfare: $ 1360 for 2...we did get first clas upgrades for going from Newark non stop but our coming home is a nightmare...leave vancouver at noon, get to newark at midnight, stop in Houston...no first class (yet!!)

 

 

airfair for 2 Sacramento to LA on South west $220.00

 

Pre cruise hotel: Westin Grand...$289 a night...(pre paid)

 

 

pre cruise hotel in San Pedro $50.00 on priceline

 

 

Limo to and from airport....$300 plus tip

 

 

cab to and from airport $80.00

 

tips $150.00

 

$1000.00 we spent on stuff in Mexico

 

 

We have already spent $4700 and haven't left home yet... we will then add.....the Vancouver pre night expenses, drinks, casino on the ship, tips, excursions, specialty restaurants (at least once at Chops), souveniers, taxis, hotel tips,,etc...and I'm sure a lot more I forgot...we are figuring that this trip will cost about $8,000 before we are done...and that is a conservative estimate...for 8 days...

 

It does sound scary $$$ wise but it's probably going to be a one time trip...

 

Just for the record, I am going to keep tabs on what the whole trip cost...

 

the only reason I posted my costs next to sgttami's costs is just to show that a cruise does not have to be very costly, What I like about the pricing structure is that everyone gets to choose what they want to spend there money on. It looks to me that sgttami has made choices on how to spend there vacation money that I would not have made, but that is what great about this type of vacation everyone gets to do it there own way..

 

Bob

 

Only about 460 days till my next cruise

[MadCnty]

My response....Go with a Cruise Line that includes all of the things you want......

 

Are there any ?

 

Respectfully.....

 

Radio

;) ;)

I think Starboard's all inclusive, but look at the price difference...

[MadCnty]

Guess it's those vague areas like "most" meals and "some" beverages that are causing problems, huh?

If you "look" at the RCI website and brochures... It states clearly what is included, and what is not... Unless of course they change "policy"...:rolleyes: