Advice needed - lost job

[2newcruzers]

I am hoping to get some help from experienced cruising people. Husband and I decided to book our very first cruise - Diamond Princess on 27 March to celebrate our 60th birthdays. We are now into the non cancellation period and on Friday my husband was told that the company he works for is in receivership and all employees have been put off. Not sure if there will be any money left to pay owed holiday pay etc. I am trying to work out if we can still afford to go on this cruise. Have checked our travel insurance and we are not covered through them for cancellation of this type. All expenses are paid for (I think) including flights home and hotel. Only trouble I am having is the money we would spend on board and tours etc. I can cancel the tours we have booked and we dont need to buy photos (we can do our own). If we dont buy any alcahol (maybe 1 drink to celebrate birthday) that would save some money. Is there any other expenses I need to think of? This is turning into a nightmare - we wont have any pay for the 3 weeks we are away as his holiday pay is not going to be paid and unemployment benefits dont get paid when overseas. Please - if I have forgeotten any expenses, let me know.

[SadieN]

It can be done with no additional expense.

We've done cruises where we've spent almost nothing onboard and only food onshore.

 

Going by US standards--

We do pay gratuities. Are those already paid?

Do not order room service as a tip is usually expected.

 

At embark and debark it is customary to tip the porters. At embark unless you carryon it kind of hard to avoid. At debark just avoid them ;)

 

Have you accounted for transportation between house/airport/hotel/port?

Edited March 15, 2015 by SadieN

[2newcruzers]

It can be done with no additional expense.

We've done cruises where we've spent almost nothing onboard and only food onshore.

 

Going by US standards--

We do pay gratuities. Are those already paid?

Do not order room service as a tip is usually expected.

 

At embark and debark it is customary to tip the porters. At embark unless you carryon it kind of hard to avoid. At debark just avoid them ;)

 

Have you accounted for transportation between house/airport/hotel/port?

 

Transport to and from airport is ok, can ask friends for help but would need to get from airport to wharf in Sydney & reverse Singapore - can take the train that shouldn't cost much. In Australia we dont tip porters, do we have to in Singapore? I think we dont pay gratuites as ship is leaving from Australia and we dont have tipping here.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Sorry about your misfortune. :(

 

I think Diamond may still be operating under US currency for your cruise. If so, you will need to allow for $11.50 per person per day for gratuities which will be charge to your shipboard account. You should check this on the Princess website. Also check your original booking in case these gratuities were included in your fare.

 

I hesitate to say this but you can go to Guest Services and ask for the daily gratuities to be removed. Personally I would not recommend this as it is unfair to the staff but in your exceptional circumstances, and if it means the difference between cruising and not cruising thus losing all the money you have already paid then it maybe something you just have to do. If you can afford it try to give your cabin steward and dinner waiters a small tip at the end of your cruise

 

If you like decent coffee you might like to get a coffee card or two, not sure what they are in USD but they were $35 in AUD on Sun Princess.

 

Other than that, and if you don't buy any drinks, you shouldn't need any more money.

 

You can take two bottles of wine on board but are restricted to drinking it in your cabin otherwise you will be charged a fee. You can also bring bottled water and soft drinks, but no other alcohol. Buy them in large packs and just stick luggage labels on them. Hand them in with your luggage and they will be delivered to your cabin.

 

You do not need to tip luggage handlers in Australia or Singapore.

Edited March 15, 2015 by OzKiwiJJ

[dorisis]

Very sorry to hear the bad news. But your trip is paid for and you can go without incurring much more expense. I hope you will do so. Things may seem brighter after the cruise. ENJOY!

[2newcruzers]

Sorry about your misfortune. :(

 

I think Diamond may still be operating under US currency for your cruise. If so, you will need to allow for $11.50 per person per day for gratuities which will be charge to your shipboard account. You should check this on the Princess website. Also check your original booking in case these gratuities were included in your fare.

 

I hesitate to say this but you can go to Guest Services and ask for the daily gratuities to be removed. Personally I would not recommend this as it is unfair to the staff but in your exceptional circumstances, and if it means the difference between cruising and not cruising thus losing all the money you have already paid then it maybe something you just have to do. If you can afford it try to give your cabin steward and dinner waiters a small tip at the end of your cruise

 

If you like decent coffee you might like to get a coffee card or two, not sure what they are in USD but they were $35 in AUD on Sun Princess.

 

Other than that, and if you don't buy any drinks, you shouldn't need any more money.

 

You can take two bottles of wine on board but are restricted to drinking it in your cabin otherwise you will be charged a fee. You can also bring bottled water and soft drinks, but no other alcohol. Buy them in large packs and just stick luggage labels on them. Hand them in with your luggage and they will be delivered to your cabin.

 

You do not need to tip luggage handlers in Australia or Singapore.

 

Thankyou, that is good advice about the wine. I can get a couple of cheaper bottles from the liquorstore in Sydney. Also can get some coke cans. Is the water on the ship ok to drink? I'm not sure definitely about the gratuities, I will have to check with TA tomorrow. Is the $11.50 Aus or US$ I dont know how I can manage if we have to pay them. It will be even worse if it is US$ now that the aussie is dropping.

[2newcruzers]

Very sorry to hear the bad news. But your trip is paid for and you can go without incurring much more expense. I hope you will do so. Things may seem brighter after the cruise. ENJOY!

 

Thank you for your kind thought - I am trying to keep positive. We have been so looking forward to this - its strange how you think your life is going ok and then something comes along to wreck all your plans.

[SadieN]

Look at your paperwork or call your TA or Princess to find out about the gratuities.

[BullDawg91]

Keep in mind that the gratuities, if they are due, are a part of the salary of the people who will serve you. I'd certainly skip the wine and Cokes to try to make the gratuities.

[Nebr.cruiser]

We don't spend much extra on board and we have a great time. Our expenses on the ship are gratuities (US based), which we never remove, internet time, which we can get along without and maybe a photo or two, ditto. Since we don't drink, that's an easy savings. We often have OBC left at the end of the cruise.

 

We do spend on excursions sometimes, but almost always private tours which are cheaper (and usually better), and in many ports we do things on our own. If we are at an exotic port or one we haven't been to before that isn't easily done on our own, this is where we spend money.

 

You can avoid expenses like souvenirs, specialty restaurants, bingo, etc. without impacting your cruise much.

 

Since your cruise is basically all paid for, remember that you will be saving some money just by not being at home and buying groceries, gas, etc. Of course many home expenses are fixed and occur anyway, but some aren't.

 

Good luck with making it through this tough time. I hope you are able to go on the cruise and enjoy it.

Edited March 15, 2015 by Nebr.cruiser

[celebrity]

Keep in mind that the gratuities, if they are due, are a part of the salary of the people who will serve you. I'd certainly skip the wine and Cokes to try to make the gratuities.

 

I so agree with this.

OP: I am so sorry life handed you this curve ball. Skip bringing soda onboard, drink tne tap water..it really is fine. Having sailed 20 times I know it is potable. Please do not shaft the staff that will go above and beyond to make your cruise memorable. I believe in Karma.

All the best to you. Enjoy every minute and deal with the employment situation when you return.

[Velvetwater]

I also wanted to add an idea to get some extra money.

 

Sell unwanted things on ebay with a 3/4/7 day listing so you get the money in time.

 

I have always done this for a bit of extra cash when I was temping.

 

 

I am sure you will have a lovely cruise regardless.

[cb at sea]

Yes...the ship's water is fine to drink...after all, the ice, food and beverages are made with the same water!!!

[griffy116]

Check on gratuities. These are a must-pay for us, as it is shorting someone else on their pay. Even without losing a job, we've always looked at the fact that we won't be buying groceries, won't be using the car, so no gasoline charges. Heating and/or a/c charges will be less because we can turn those (plus water) off while gone (although we just adjust the temps), and a few more expenses that we would normally incur at home that don't exist on a ship. We don't play Bingo and if it's a Caribbean cruise, we don't usually book excursions. We have far too many photos already and they are overpriced. Photos you take on your own instead of a stiff formal setting are the ones we enjoy seeing when we return home anyway. We stopped buying the photos several years ago. We seldom have a drink, and we find the coffee on the ships perfectly fine. The water is very good too. We usually carry a few sodas and bottled waters (which we mostly use when heading off the ship to a beach or to have handy), along with a couple of bottles of wine. We put these in a carry-on. Since the money is already spent and you can't get it back, my opinion is that you will be miserable at home thinking about all that money spent that you can't get back and right now, it will do you good to get away and relax and recharge. Instead of sitting home trying to scrimp and save, you will be having beautiful meals, gorgeous sunrises and sunsets, tranquil time to enjoy being together at the same cost of staying home. I hope you decide to carry on with your plans. We've gone through some rough times and been in the same spot. It's hard not to worry, but it will work in the end. Best of luck and good wishes sent your way. :)

[SparkleBee]

you can certainly enjoy the cruise w/o incurring too many other expenses. I'm sorry about the stress, sounds like the vacation is just what you need!

[notentirelynormal]

I think Diamond may still be operating under US currency for your cruise. If so, you will need to allow for $11.50 per person per day for gratuities which will be charge to your shipboard account. You should check this on the Princess website. Also check your original booking in case these gratuities were included in your fare.

 

I hesitate to say this but you can go to Guest Services and ask for the daily gratuities to be removed. Personally I would not recommend this as it is unfair to the staff but in your exceptional circumstances, and if it means the difference between cruising and not cruising thus losing all the money you have already paid then it maybe something you just have to do. If you can afford it try to give your cabin steward and dinner waiters a small tip at the end of your cruise

 

If you like decent coffee you might like to get a coffee card or two, not sure what they are in USD but they were $35 in AUD on Sun Princess.

 

Other than that, and if you don't buy any drinks, you shouldn't need any more money.

 

 

Personally I would not spend the $70 on coffee cards rather than paying the workers their money. On a 10 day cruise the tip would come to $230. Not spending the $70 towards coffee cards but towards the tips brings that amount down to $160. I think you can live without special coffee for a bit and be fair to the workers. It's not like the coffee is that bad. This money is the crew wages. Think how you feel about losing your wages and then how fair it is to them to lose theirs.

 

To the OP - sorry for the job loss. From personal experience I know that losing your job at that age is demoralizing and you are likely to a difficult time finding another job depending on your field. Good luck and good hunting when you get back. Please enjoy your cruise. That will help to keep you in a happy place while you contemplate your next move - sort of a reset button.

Edited March 15, 2015 by notentirelynormal

[diplomats]

Situation is a bummer, really sorry about the pickle you are in. You might consider seeing if your TA would pitch in some OBC to help the situation along. Our online TA always "surprises" us with a small but useful bit of OBC on each cruise we book with them. Bottom line, whatever it takes don't loose the money and GO.

[wwcruisers]

OP -- I am so sorry to hear about your personal change of circumstance. :( Really hope you can still manage to go on your cruise.

 

As others have said, there are many things that you can live without, on the cruise. Regarding your birthday(s) -- who knows -- maybe the ship will surprise you with a bottle of bubbly, or a cake (if you've let them know what you are celebrating). Please do avoid the temptation to withdraw your gratuities. If I could not afford to tip the folks who work so hard to make my cruise special, I simply would not cruise. That being said, there are absolutely many ways to save $$ on a cruise. Some things you can easily pass on: up-sell restaurants and coffee bars, ship's photo's, gambling, alcohol, internet packages, the spa, the shops, art auctions, etc.

 

You mentioned having to cancel your pre-booked shore excursions. Remember to check over on this forum's Ports-of-Call boards, to get some good DIY ideas, for port explorations. :cool:

[donaldsc]

I have done cruises where not counting the daily tip and any excursions I took, my total bill for my wife and I was $10. You do not have to take excursions - you can stay on the ship and relax or walk around town. If at all possible, you should leave the tips on because the crew depends upon those tips for their salaries.

 

DON

[DonnaK]

Outside of gratuities (which may be part of the cruisefare in Australia, and not an added expense), you can have a wonderful cruise without spending any money. Just drink the included beverages, eat in the complementary restaurant (no specialty dining), no souvenirs, just walk around the port instead of taking a costly excursion, don't use the internet, etc. It is possible - we are a family of 4 and have minimal added expenses when we cruise (it helps that we do not drink alcohol or gamble)

[ger_77]

Did you purchase trip cancellation / interruption insurance? If so, you should check your policy to see if it includes loss of employment. If it does, claim your insurance, and book another cruise when you will feel more like relaxing, as I can only imagine how much anxiety there could be for both of you on this one.

 

Please let us know what you decide.

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

[Lerin]

It's not hard to save on a cruise. We've gotten a refund on the last night before!

Everything that costs extra is clearly labeled as such. Just avoid those things and you are fine. Have a good trip.

[BlueRiband]

The OP has already stated, "Have checked our travel insurance and we are not covered through them for cancellation of this type." So with 12 days out it's either sail and try to keep expenses down, or cancel and not incur any more expenses but lose the entire fare.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I can empathize as I've worked in a field where layoffs are very common.

 

For our last three cruises (two week ones), we probably spent less from embarkation day to disembarkation for the three of us than some couples do on a two-week cruise. We don't remove the auto-grats so I'm not including that.

 

As with most of our cruises, we rarely do excursions. I research each port (there's guidebooks available for every part of the world you can travel to -- and the libraries here have books one can borrow. If I find a book I like, I might decide to buy it on Amazon or a local book store -- we have an used book store nearby. I also google each port and can find many tourism sites). For just about any port, you don't have to go on an excursion at all (I've only heard about Panama City where it's required in order to get off the ship).

 

Do a little planning and you can tour any port -- if the main part isn't near the port, you might be able to take a bus or taxi. You don't have to stay in the ports for the whole time or even get off the ship in each port. Some people will even return to the ship for lunch and then return for more port time if they wish.

 

On board, the entertainment is free. Water is free. Regular coffee is free. You can bring on soda or other nonalcoholic drinks if you wish and save money there without going crazy (I don't care for coke so I take Mountain Dew). Here I can buy a six pack of 16 or 24-oz bottles of Dew for four dollars or less...and since it's not in cans, I can recap and plop a bottle into the cabin fridge.

 

Sometimes my hubby will decide to buy some photos taken by the ship's photographers, but we haven't posed for a "formal portrait" since my first cruise (no sitting fee but hubby doesn't like to wait for our turn so we skip it). If you can find fellow passengers or crew members who can take a moment to take a photo or two of you on the spot, you're fine.

 

Skip the casino and bingo and there's more money you haven't spent. You can get away without paying for meals by skipping the specialty restaurants. Princess will usually give a birthday person or anniversary couple a little cake for free so see if you can sign up for that (and then when you're back on land and get another job, you can merge that celebration with one for the new job).

[sail7seas]

Keep in mind that the gratuities, if they are due, are a part of the salary of the people who will serve you. I'd certainly skip the wine and Cokes to try to make the gratuities.

 

OP, I'm very sorry for the circumstances of your DH's employment but agree with those who point out the gratuities on the ships are a considerable part of the crew's pay. As someone who has just lost their paycheck, you certainly can understand they can't afford to not get their pay. When we travel, we have to expect certain expenses and tipping on Princess cruises is expected. Perhaps you can find a way to satisfy that responsibility? Maybe your TA will find a way to offer a bit of OBC? Why should crew be punished?

Vacations are optional.

 

I sincerely send best wishes that when you return, your DH will very quickly find a new position.