newish to big cruising- couple of simple questions

[LANDIX]

Hi there - I have sailed many time on cross channel ferries , small cruises on the Nile , Galapagos & the Aranui for two weeks but NEVER with the big guys :-) So what exactly does the term ' onboard spend ' mean ?

 

Also how can I find the price of shore excursions so I can see if I can afford a specific cruise .

Thanks

[Essiesmom]

Onboard spending is what you choose to buy on board that is not included in your cruise fare. Specialty restaurants, beverages that are not free, souvenirs, pictures, etc. Unfortunately, most websites do not show the price of the excursions unless you are booked and logged into your account. EM

[elainemasey61]

I'm thinking onboard spend means additional money for spa, photos, specialty restaurants etc. A lot of cruise sites have tour options posted to give you an idea of what there is to do. Maybe if no price posted you could make a dummy reservation.

 

 

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[Grandma Dazzles]

You might get better information by selecting one or more cruise line/ship and posting on their particular board. That way people could comment what is included on that particular ship, plus give you excursion information.

[cb at sea]

That's right...once you book your cruise, you will have access to the excursion prices and descriptions. You will have to go thru the booking process to see the available times and prices, tho...do everything except PAY for the excursion...and all the info will pop up. I don't know why cruise lines make it so difficult to compare prices!

 

That said, a guidebook on your ports may show you that the things you want to see/do are totally doable WITHOUT an excursion at all!

[Sixtytwo]

I don't think I would let the price of excursions determine whether or not I took a cruise! We have done only a very few ship sponsored excursions, opting to either not do an "excursion" and just walk around, or making arrangements with locals in the port to take us. We have never come back from a cruise regretting not having done excursions. The ship is an excursion in itself and just visiting the ports and seeing the local culture works for us.

 

I hope you find a cruise you will enjoy and not spend to much worry time on excursion options! :D

[maryann ns]

You do not need to take ship's excursions. You will find in many places you can tour on your own and in others you can take private excursions. These cost less, especially if you meet up with others going on your cruise (in the Roll Call section here on Cruise Critic) so that the cost is spread out over more people.

 

As for on board spending: none of it is compulsary. If you want to have a drink though you will pay. If you book certain cruises at certain times you can be given an onboard credit which would help cover these expenses.

 

Our last cruise (Azamara) we drank the included wine, had a few beers and went to the specialty restaurant. Our onboard credit covered it all.

[LANDIX]

Thank you every one - I am rather surprised that onboard food & drinks can cost extra - I thought it was all included , swimming as well . Otherwise what is the point of a cruise hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

. When I went on the Aranui 3 everything including excursions was paid for up-front. 2 weeks for 2,000 € in a dorm was absolutely wonderful .

[Grandma Dazzles]

Thank you every one - I am rather surprised that onboard food & drinks can cost extra - I thought it was all included , swimming as well . Otherwise what is the point of a cruise hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

. When I went on the Aranui 3 everything including excursions was paid for up-front. 2 weeks for 2,000 € in a dorm was absolutely wonderful .

 

Not familiar with Aranul. However, on major cruise lines, such as Celebrity, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, NCcZl, Princess, etc. you do not have to pay extra for food and drink, other than alcoholic drinks and soda/pop. There are, however, specialty restaurants that you may use and pay extra for should you wish. There are lots of options included with your fare such as buffets, main dining room for sit down service, etc.

 

As an example, some people may choose a specialty restaurant and pay extra if they wish a special night out for a birthday or anniversary. However, you don't have to do this.

 

Not aware of any up charges for swimming, unless you are talking about a spa service of some kind. Regular pools are open and included.

 

It would help if you told us which cruise line you are considering.

L

[LANDIX]

I am thinking about the HA Nieuw Amsterdam trip from Vancouver to Alaska in late September .

 

Food is quite important to me as I live in France :-) Also I will be travelling solo.

 

 

The Aranui is a cargo/cruise ship that does a two week round trip from Tahiti to the Marquesan Islands . The most fabulous thing I have ever done .

[Texas Tillie]

I am thinking about the HA Nieuw Amsterdam trip from Vancouver to Alaska in late September .

 

Food is quite important to me as I live in France :-) Also I will be travelling solo.

 

 

The Aranui is a cargo/cruise ship that does a two week round trip from Tahiti to the Marquesan Islands . The most fabulous thing I have ever done .

 

If food is important to you, none of the "mass market" lines will probably be acceptable. All are spending less and less every year on their food budget. Even the pay extra specialty restaurants aren't what they used to be. If food is that important, look at Oceania or one of the true luxury lines.

[SadieN]

Excursion prices are pretty much the same across board, comparing apples to apples.

 

Some ships have special areas that cost more-Princess Sanctuary, Carnival Thalassotherapy pool (a type of hot tub) in the spa area. Some lines (NCL, RCI) have special areas for some cabins.

Read the various boards for info.

[LANDIX]

Thanks again - I cannot afford luxury & it seems a shame if the cruise lines have gone downmarket . Its strange but all three of the small cruise boats I have been on had great food & were not at all expensive .

[John Bull]

Don't bawl me out, folks, I'm keeping it simple.;)

 

As others have said, your cruise ticket includes your meals, snacks, most entertainments, tea & coffee, sometimes sodas, etc.

Anything else you buy on the ship - drinks or drink packages, speciality restaurants, spa services, photos, ship's shore excursions and tips for the crew you don't pay as you go - you sign for these things (you get a copy) and they're charged to your "on-board account". Just like a bank account or a credit card account. Then at the end of the cruise the total gets charged to your credit card (or you can use cash, but you have to load your on-board account with cash at the start).

 

"On board spend" advertised by a cruise line or travel agent is money that they load into your on-board account, like a promotional discount. So if they offer "$200 on-board spend" they put that into your on-board account as a credit, so you end up paying $200 less for those extras.

Beware - read the small-print. When cruise lines quote prices it's always "per person", usually sharing a cabin. So a £1000 cruise is $1000 each. But when they quote discounts like "free on-board spend" it's usually per cabin. So if you see $200 on-board spend, it's probably $100 each. :rolleyes:

 

Cruise line excursions are usually over-priced. Depending which ports you visit, you can usually do your own thing, using local buses, trams, trains, taxis, ferries. And some places you can just walk to the sights or the shops or the beach.

Or you can fix up independent tours using local tour operators. For two people that's usually expensive, but if you share with others on your ship it works out a lot cheaper (and better) than ship's tours. When you've booked a cruise, come back and ask about RollCalls - forums where folk on the same cruise can arrange tour-shares.

So research the ports - the ship's excursions will give you an idea of what there is to see or do, and you can check out the ports-of-call forums here on Cruise Critic.

 

Are you an ex-pat Brit? Or French?

You might find a Brit cruise line like P&O or Thomson, or a French cruise line like CDF Croisieres de France, easier for a first cruise.

 

JB :)

 

PS Texas Tillie has got more expensive tastes than me - I won't be taking her out to dinner ;).

I find the included food very acceptable. No, usually not as good as it used to be & certainly not as good as in the days of liners like the Queen Mary or the Normandie. but better than 3-star hotels & perfectly acceptable. Cruising nowadays is for ordinary folk like me, and I'd rather take two cruises on a mass-market ship than one on a more expensive ship.

Edited December 31, 2016 by John Bull

[Grandma Dazzles]

Thanks again - I cannot afford luxury & it seems a shame if the cruise lines have gone downmarket . Its strange but all three of the small cruise boats I have been on had great food & were not at all expensive .[/quote

 

As you are considering Holland America cruiseline would suggest asking more specific questions on that board. You are looking at traveling with over 2,000 passengers which will be a totally different experience than what you have done in the past.

 

I agree with other posters that one of the smaller luxury lines might be better for you, especially if food is such high priority.

 

Also, keep in mind that you will be paying a solo price, which is substantially higher than the regular price which is often based on dual occupancy I travel solo and would advise you to compare a regular cabin at the solo price with a "solo" cabin. Some ships have them, but price can be higher than paying the solo supplement.

[zigdilcru]

I am thinking about the HA Nieuw Amsterdam trip from Vancouver to Alaska in late September .

 

Food is quite important to me as I live in France :-) Also I will be travelling solo.

 

 

The Aranui is a cargo/cruise ship that does a two week round trip from Tahiti to the Marquesan Islands . The most fabulous thing I have ever done .

 

Did this same trip on the Nieuw Amsterdam this past May. The food in the main dining room was very good and the sights in Alaska can't be beat. The only thing you should be aware of traveling solo is you pay for two, as far as I know there are no single cabins. Don't miss Alaska, it's really spectacular as is Vancouver. Linda

[Marseydotes]

HAL meals are g neurally good. You should be fairly happy. The specialty restaurants offer a somewhat better fare, and I think are worth a splurge.

 

Do be aware, though, that in Alaska, there are some ports where you can "Do It Yourself" or "DIY". Others, though, to be truly awesome, need an excursion. I would have hated to miss our big one when we took a helicopter our to stand on a glacier. It was spectacular. It poroably cost about $450, if I remember correctly.

 

The majority of cruise ship excursions cost between $75 and $200. I prefer to arrange my own private excursions with locals, but that does take a bit of research on your part. It is often cheaper and more often can be personalized to your needs.

 

Don't miss Alaska!

[GottaKnowWhen]

Hi there - I have sailed many time on cross channel ferries , small cruises on the Nile , Galapagos & the Aranui for two weeks but NEVER with the big guys :-) So what exactly does the term ' onboard spend ' mean ?

 

Also how can I find the price of shore excursions so I can see if I can afford a specific cruise .

Thanks

 

As far as I know, cruise lines do not conduct shore excursions. Rather, they contract with local providers to establish the excursion itineraries, bring the buses, provide the guides and drivers, etc. From my casual observation, I think that most cruise lines in a given port offer pretty much the same excursions for pretty much the same price using pretty much the same on-shore vendors under contract.

 

And in every port, it seems that the cruise lines will try to provide a range of low, medium, and high priced excursions with low, medium, or high exertion, short, medium or long time, etc. In short, there is quite a variety to choose from. Nothing is free, but nothing is mandatory. You makes your choices and pays your money. As others have suggested, choose your itineraries first, then look at excursions. If they all seem too high, then consider directly contracting with those same (or other) onshore providers.

 

Stan

Edited January 1, 2017 by GottaKnowWhen

[zoncom]

One cruisers opinion here. Over 50 cruises. I did HAL once. Food was not good. I too dearly love Oceania but its almost Luxury and priced as such. But as a solo sort of foodie my go to line is Celebrity,considered Premium but mainstream priced.Known for its food .I see Solstice is doing Alaska.Look her up here; photos and reviews. Look up American cruise books by Fodors, Frommers, Lonely Planet and Berlitz. Most have websites too. Some points to remember are alcohol, ship excursions are ships biggest profit centers and solo cruisers pay 50-100% extra. An Inside on Celebrity is your best cruise buy. Buy early too.

[NancyW12]

Solo cruiser here- done Royal Caribbean, MSC in Europe, and going out on NCL later this month.

 

You have to rethink your mind in a different way- get a quote on a cruise that looks interesting for 1 person. Sometimes they make you buy both beds in a cabin, sometimes you get a discount. Let's say your total price comes up to $400 on a 4 night cruise. rather than get caught up in "not all inclusive", change your thinking to "100 a day covers my hotel room, my transportation to the next destination, hotel provided food if I want it, a pool, and a safe place to be at night as a solo traveler." And that's an excellent deal. From there you can add on options that suit you- cocktails, spa services, excursions, etc. Also, ship excursions are not always necessary. I took public transportation from the ship in Athens to the Acropolis and was up at the site before the tour company from the boat even got there. My independent version cost $100 less than the boat tour.

[diane.in.ny]

OP: I have also sailed on the Aranui 3 and loved it. And have also sailed on the 'big guys' and love that too.

 

But you can't compare the Aranui 3 to the 'big guys.' They are like apples and oranges.

 

With the Aranui 3, all excursions are included plus specialty meals off the ship and wine with meals. Nothing like that on the non-luxury big guys. You'll pay daily tips (automatically charged to your account), for alcohol, for soft drinks, for excursions, and the list goes on.

 

For Alaska, which you mentioned, there are other options such as Explor Cruises. I don't know anything about their pricing but based on my small-ship experience, you might find included more of the things you are used to.

 

I did two cruises with the company when it was under another name ages ago and we were very pleased. In general, the ship itself is very basic (like the Aranui 3) and the pax were more on the older side.

[Floridiana]

I am thinking about the HA Nieuw Amsterdam trip from Vancouver to Alaska in late September .

 

Food is quite important to me as I live in France :-) Also I will be travelling solo.

 

 

The Aranui is a cargo/cruise ship that does a two week round trip from Tahiti to the Marquesan Islands . The most fabulous thing I have ever done .

 

We went on the Aranui 2 and 3, fabulous!

The food on HAL ships is good, a bit bland, but certainly edible.

We do a mixture of excursions arranged by the cruise line and arranged privately. You find information on the Alaska and on the HAL forum here on cc.

Important to know:

Cruise lines for the US market advertise their prices without the daily service fee. It adds up to the fare!

[mamasylvia]

Just a heads up that the excursions on Alaska cruises are EXPENSIVE. We did Eastern Caribbean on RCI 3 years ago and most of the excursions were in the $50-100 range. We are booked on Norwegian Pearl next May so I can look at the excursions for Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, and Victoria BC. As of today, excursions booked through the cruise line run from $59-599. The less expensive tours are in Victoria or very short; the $599 ones include dogsledding/flightseeing and a private Hummer tour. And when you get into the tours that take you out into the wild, the prices are mostly in the $200+ range. Just for comparison, my son is doing "Mendenhall Glacier and Whale Quest" (5 hours, $199) and the "Grizzly Falls Ziplining Expedition" (4 hours, $189), DH and I are doing "White Pass Railway and Yukon Expedition" (8 hours, $249 pp), and all 4 of us are doing "Misty Fjords and Wilderness Explorer" (4.5 hours, $219 pp). Most of these are not trips you could do on your own by walking around town. Yes, you can save some $$$ by not going through the cruise line, but they are still pricier than you may encounter elsewhere. Obviously the expense isn't stopping us, we're regarding this as a once-in-a-lifetime family vacation. But your post made it sound like finances were an issue so I thought you should know what to expect.

[ducklite]

National Geographic/Lindblad ships that visit Alaska have solo rooms. They book up fast. Pretty much everything except spa and some high end alcohol is included, and the food is supposed to be really good.

 

 

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[LANDIX]

Thank you again everybody for your help . This board is fantastic .

Just another query - I do not drink alcohol & do not walk too well . So if i just stay on the ship & go ashore to toddle around in town ,would I be able to see any wildlife & great scenery from the ship . I have been to Iceland & Patagonia on land many years ago & wondered just how different Alaska would be ?

 

Thank you again

 

wendy