What are the biggest onboard ripoffs I should avoid?

[OCruisers]

Hi! I've never been on a cruise before and am concerned about staying on budget while on vacation. I know certain things are going to cost me extra onboard, but I'm hoping some cruising vets could list some of the biggest onboard ripoffs that I should not even bother paying for. Wifi? Drinks?

Thanks for your help!

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic and the Wonderful World of Cruising! :)

We've never felt cruise lines were trying to "rip us off" ... but we only buy or do the extra things that are important to us.

LuLu

[wassup4565]

This is a good question. You don't want to spend like a drunken sailor (ahh-harr). But if you are always looking over your shoulder to pinch every penny, you may pass things by and regret them later. Maybe it's like real life, actually. Make the best choices you can at the time on what to spend, and yet try not to be totally self-indulgent.

 

I am the Queen of Cheap. I cruise with both my daughter and my husband. My cheapness needs to be reigned in sometimes, and they each have their own ways. My daughter just gives me the fish eye and says, "Are you telling me you're not willing to fork over the price of a drink to share the enjoyment of this moment with me right now?" Good point.

 

My husband bought me a facial at the spa - I was horrified. He said to me, "Honey, you had a horrible medical treatment on your face a few months ago, and I wanted you to have a time when you would feel good about your face." Good point.

 

I would say about art, don't buy it if you don't love it and will feel happy about looking at it on your wall for a long time. Art is not an investment for us ordinary people (we don't know enough about how art prices happen), and we should not buy it if we don't LOVE it. It probably won't even be worth what you paid for it when you die. It's not a realistic investment unless Picasso or Monet painted it.

[sliderturk99]

My last cruise carnival was really promoting the sale of a brown/green rock...tanzanite??? The CD josh aka big sexy said how it's a rare commodity and the value is increasing year after year yada, yada, yada

 

Walked into a "cruise friendly" shop to check it out and I saw nice pair of earrings and asked how much' the clerk pulled out the calculator and was like its 18k white gold setting with 2 carat total weight plus cruise discount for 1300 (it was something ridiculous) I said thank you and walked out.

 

Not for nothing for that price I might as well buy diamonds which I know for a fact IS worth that much.....my 2 cents.

[Ethel5]

My last cruise carnival was really promoting the sale of a brown/green rock...tanzanite??? The CD josh aka big sexy said how it's a rare commodity and the value is increasing year after year yada, yada, yada

 

Walked into a "cruise friendly" shop to check it out and I saw nice pair of earrings and asked how much' the clerk pulled out the calculator and was like its 18k white gold setting with 2 carat total weight plus cruise discount for 1300 (it was something ridiculous) I said thank you and walked out.

 

Not for nothing for that price I might as well buy diamonds which I know for a fact IS worth that much.....my 2 cents.

 

Don't know what that stone was, but Tanzanite is a blue stone with purple undertones and magenta flashes. A good stone of two carats would be worth well over $1300 and increasing yearly.

[srlafleur]

The photos can actually be a good value, considering you're not paying a sitting fee and can have as many taken as you want with no commitment to buy. If you do want one, you can buy only the best one. No need for a package of wallets and 5x7s just to get the one 8x10 that you want.

 

This is a really good point. I was going to say the photos are a rip off, but now you've got me thinking.

 

Yes, we occasionally buy one formal photo of us as a couple, maybe every few cruises. (I choose the simplest and most elegant backdrops over the fake look-we're-on-a-ship scenery and props) We always bypass the embarkation photo - let's face it, who looks their best then? We skip the cheesy port debarkation photos. We once bought the individual photos that were taken in the dining room because they came out amazingly well for both of us. I doubt we've spent much over $100 -$150 in photos in total, but we have some beautiful professional photos that our kids and grandkids will once day cherish.

Oh, a quick story and cautionary tale:

Make sure to check out if there's a photo giveaway at the end of the cruise. (might be an entry in a booklet or something like that). If there is, make sure you have several pictures taken, whether you intend to buy any or not. I took my mother on a short cruise, the only picture we had taken was the embarkation picture, and, sure enough, we won the large canvas print of any photo our our choice. (I never win anything). I really wish that I had more to choose from, for sure.

[herbanrenewal]

know your budget and enjoy everything that you can afford.

 

"its my vacation and I'll do everything i want no matter the cost" attitudes can get you in serious trouble if your budget doesnt match your appetite for all the goodies available on a cruise.

 

be aware that any time your seapass is needed you have just charged something. It IS your on-board credit card. Treat it that way. those of us who have enjoyed Crusie critic have all read of the first time cruisers who find thousands charged on their card when its time to go home. Cruising is NOT an all-inclusive vacation. there are lots of opportunities to run up the tab. Dont let kids have unlimited access to your credit card (their seapass) unless they understand the rules.

 

just like every day, your budget and your purchases must match, but there are many opportunities to have a wonderful time.

 

There are no rip-offs, just merchandise and selections I may chose not worth it to me.

[luddite]

Nothing on a cruise is a 'rip off'.... it's a matter of choice.

 

 

This.

[LA_CA_GAL]

The refrigerator that comes stocked with sodas and junk.

 

We never even open it, but get charged for stuff that we did not take.

 

Happens all the time for me.

 

And that is truly a "rip off".

[Gloria Mundi]

It appears that you have already started your first cruise with a negative attitude. To go into this EXPECTING to be "ripped off" certainly won't make your cruise better. I remember my first cruise. All I could think of was how excited I was to finally get to experience what a cruise was like. I certainly didn't go into it expecting to be taken advantage of. Why set yourself up like that?

 

<snip>

I certainly don't take a cruise with the attitude that I am going to be ripped off and taken advantage of, and that I need to be on guard every minute. If that is how I felt, I'd just stay home hiding under the bed all the time where no one could ever "rip me off".

 

I think the OP asked a perfectly good question and got some good information about why it might be good to have a lot of pictures taken, saving money by booking your own excursions (yes, I'm aware of the risks and they've been thoroughly discussed elsewhere), and the cost of things in the gift shop that the OP might want to bring from home.

 

Unless you've got an infinite budget, it's good to decide ahead of time that you'll bring your own sunscreen, Dramamine, etc. instead of paying triple in the gift shop, so you can chose to enjoy a spa treatment or a meal in a premium restaurant.

 

Your rip-off is my indulgence, and vice versa.

Edited August 15, 2014 by Gloria Mundi

[Donray]

The pictures are an excellent value for professional portraits. Just call a lot of places and see if they will take a lots of pictures and then show them all to you in 8x11 and then maybe you buy one for $20 dollars or just walk away with a no tank you, thanks for putting in the time and effort but you should give them to me since they are already taken and printed.

[ducklite]

I think pretty much everyone agrees that "art auctions" are a rip-off. Even many cruise lines, who have given those companies the boot and no longer have them on board.

 

Jewelry is very much a buyer beware situation, and generally speaking, you would get a better deal at home.

 

Bingo and gambling are entertainment, and should be seen as such. If you enjoy it and it's in the budget, go for it. Don't spend what you can't afford to lose.

 

If alcohol is in the budget, why not? Same with spa services.

 

Photos are a very individual item. We've bought the package with every photo of us in it on our last two cruises, because there were hundreds of them and it worked out to under $1 a photo. On our last DCL and RCCL cruises we bought no or maybe one photo, as it was a nice family photo and we would have spent the same or more getting them done at a studio someplace.

 

The gift shop in general can be a budget buster. We've bought a couple of things on a couple of cruises, but we generally stay away.

 

That all said and done, some people think spending a dime on a ship is a rip-off. We feel that some additional spending enhances our vacation, and as long as it's in the budget, we spend money on things we'll enjoy.

[uncleg]

Watch your jewelry purchases, mainly when in port, sometimes you are paying to much for inferior jewels. I have family who are jewelers and they can spot a fake or inferior stone quickly, they sometimes carry their eye magnifiers(?) to exam the jewels, its a game to them, some of the clerks get upset when they do this.

[ducklite]

Watch your jewelry purchases, mainly when in port, sometimes you are paying to much for inferior jewels. I have family who are jewelers and they can spot a fake or inferior stone quickly, they sometimes carry their eye magnifiers(?) to exam the jewels, its a game to them, some of the clerks get upset when they do this.

 

If a clerk gets upset it's a red flag that it's time to go elsewhere.

[Ethel5]

If a clerk gets upset it's a red flag that it's time to go elsewhere.

 

My BIL brings a loupe and we nearly get hustled out of the stores!!

[hp_slash]

It all depends on what is important to you and what you're willing to spend on something for the experience of having it on a cruise ship. I keep arguing with my mom that the prices for the spa are exorbitant but she insists on getting a massage every cruise, because it's the height of luxury for her.

 

The ONLY thing I would consider to be a universal rip-off are the essentials found in the commissary area: sunscreen, shaving kits, nail files, etc....the markup for these items is ridiculous, and it takes advantage of the fact that a guest may NEED these items immediately and has NO other place to purchase it. Make sure you comb through the CC threads on things you should bring with you onboard that you probably would never think of, especially first aid kit stuff like bandages, motion sickness medication, and pain relievers. Nothing takes the wind out of your sails like paying more for a blister pack of Advil than you spent on your last cocktail.

[OCruisers]

Nothing on a cruise is a 'rip off'.... it's a matter of choice.

 

toberman .... Like another poster (luddite), totally agree with you! :)

LuLu

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

The drink of the day as soon as you board ..

Edited August 15, 2014 by we're sailing away....

[Capt_BJ]

The drink of the day as soon as you board ..

 

agree ... sort of

 

the drink of the day .. especially at the 'sail away party' is usually served in a souvenir glass that you get to keep :rolleyes:

 

ask for that drink in a REGULAR glass and save several dollars . . .. :D

[SewMuch]

agree ... sort of

 

the drink of the day .. especially at the 'sail away party' is usually served in a souvenir glass that you get to keep :rolleyes:

 

ask for that drink in a REGULAR glass and save several dollars . . .. :D

 

I was going to say exactly the same thing. They know darn well you're not going to lug home a week's worth of souvenir glasses so you're paying extra for nothing.

[tip]

In a day and age where you can plan your own excursions on your Ipad, the biggest ripoff to me are ship priced excursions. I always book my own and it is always cheaper. You usually follow the ship bus in your own private or sometimes shared van and then pass it and get there first. Most local companies also come with nice perks. I think the ship's tours for the most part do a good job. But if you look around once you get there you can often get a much better deal.

 

You took the letters and words right from my fingers on the keypad.;) RUN, don't walk by the shore excursion desk. Most of them are nothing more than overpriced cattle herds. Do a little research on your own. Check out the ports of call threads on these boards and you will not only find a better deal, but you will see more without having 40-50 folks with you on a bus and you also won't be stopping at the tour guide's cousin's gift shop!;)

[ducklite]

You took the letters and words right from my fingers on the keypad.;) RUN, don't walk by the shore excursion desk. Most of them are nothing more than overpriced cattle herds. Do a little research on your own. Check out the ports of call threads on these boards and you will not only find a better deal, but you will see more without having 40-50 folks with you on a bus and you also won't be stopping at the tour guide's cousin's gift shop!;)

 

This depends on the cruise and location. I'm assuming you typically cruise in the Caribbean, and I would agree that most of the Caribbean you don't need a tour for. Same with most of Europe. However there are some countries where a tour is required (Russia would be one) or just smart (visiting wineries in Istria, Croatia--leave the planning and driving to them). Not all ships load 40-50 people onto motor coaches. I've been on some shore excursions with only half a dozen other people where we wouldn't have had the access we received and couldn't DIY it for less money even if we did.

[GUT2407]

Personally I've never been ripped-off on a cruise.

 

I've bought art, watches, soda packages, specialty restaurants, photos and shore tours, but you know what beach and every time the bride and/or I made the decision.

 

On one cruise we left home without a $ in the bank but knew we would still have a great time.

[pris993]

What one would consider a rip off, another would cherish!:)

 

how true.... recall how someone mentioned how much the liked the free laundry... something I never used.

[EdmPair]

I want to detail my thoughts on excursions. If I can get good solid info on the places I want to see in a port and have a choice of tour operators, I consider going outside the ship offerings. HOWEVER, I need to know the city map well and read the local language since I may need to get a cab to get back to the ship in time.

 

If my boat was pulling into Hong Kong, I would NEED the assurance of a ship excursion to know I could talk to the guide in English and get back to the boat on time.

 

For a new cruiser, I suggest starting with the ship excursion for their rather boring security and on later cruises move on.

[Illyria]

I was going to say exactly the same thing. They know darn well you're not going to lug home a week's worth of souvenir glasses so you're paying extra for nothing.

I brought home my two souvenir glasses from Allure, I still use them :rolleyes:

 

Many people mentioned the spa, and granted, a lot of it is in the eye of the beholder. Many spa treatments are relaxing and serve to enhance your vacation, despite being fairly expensive. But some of the stuff is really in the ripoff category - like the extra charge to remove existing nail polish if you go in for a manicure.