True Cost of Cruises - AUD vs USD

[Cazno2]

Hi Everyone,

 

It has been nearly 4 years since my last cruise and am looking again into hopefully doing another one around the end of the year. 

 

I have a few questions as its been a while and some things may have changed.

 

1/ Is it only P&O and Carnival that charge in AUD once onboard?  Or are there any others now?

2/ For those ships that charge in USD, what is the true cost of a cruise as I guess you can't compare an AUD to USD ship if you have to pay gratuities etc

 

I have previously stayed away from ships who do things in USD as I know that when I see a Carnival cruise price then I know what I am up for if I don't purchase anything extra on the ship.

 

Does someone have some sort of calculation they use to confirm all the other non purchases that they have to pay for with a Australian USD cruise?

[SinbadThePorter]

1/ Also Princess.

 

2/ Royal Caribbean which charges in USD onboard, does not charge gratuities for Australia/NZ cruises.

 

3/ The exchange rate is a killer at the moment. $US1 = $A1.50.

[Chiliburn]

1 hour ago, SinbadThePorter said:

1/ Also Princess.

 

2/ Royal Caribbean which charges in USD onboard, does not charge gratuities for Australia/NZ cruises.

 

3/ The exchange rate is a killer at the moment. $US1 = $A1.50.

I heard a report that RC was only giving as low 56 cents onboard once,if you have Ozzie cash 

Just buy everything before the cruise in $ A and get your card to do the exchange.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Celebrity also charges USD onboard but no gratuities.

 

Other cruise lines like Holland America, Cunard etc have fares in AUD but everything else including added gratuities is in USD. However they often offer the option to prepay the gratuities in AUD and sometimes that can work out a bit cheaper than having them added to your onboard account. Other things like drinks packages, excursions, laundry packages, speciality dining, that can be bought pre-cruise, are usually in USD which makes it messy to budget. One good trick is to work out what your onboard costs are likely to be then watch the exchange rates carefully to decide if it's worth purchasing onboard credit before your cruise. Sometimes that can work out cheaper.

[ceeceeDee]

I'm not being insular, but if they are operating out of Australia their charges should be in Australian currency.

[clairebearinaus]

I recently cruised with Royal Caribbean and my account at the end was $0 because nearly everything had been pre-purchased on their website in AUD.  Any extra spends during the cruise were covered by OBC.  If you plan well there's no need to worry about exchange rates.  Can confirm no gratuities charged, either - that is a separate issue to the currency onboard.

[cruiser3775]

I recently went on a Holland America cruise that charged in US dollars.  I did some research on onboard costs and worked out it was better value for me to take a "have it all" package which covered virtually everything I would have paid for in US dollars at a rip-off rate of exchange.  My final on board costs came to about $25, which was for something I bought at the ship shops on the last day sale.

[MMDown Under]

True cost of cruises - Aust vs US.  We shared a table with a couple of Americans on my last cruise on Carnival Luminosa.  They said they were embarrassed to share what they paid for the cruise versus what Australians paid for the same cruise.  And my cruise was a bargain to Aussies with no single supplement!

I won't consider any cruise charged in US$ from Australia.  I don't have a problem paying in foreign currency in countries overseas, such as UK pound sterling, Norway krona, etc.

[OzKiwiJJ]

2 hours ago, ceeceeDee said:

I'm not being insular, but if they are operating out of Australia their charges should be in Australian currency.

Most cruise lines, no matter where they are operating, are USD onboard and for prebooked things like excursions. Even for Mediterranean cruises, which would have to be one of the biggest cruise regions in the world is USD on most/all ships not Euros. We are one of the only regions in the world to have some ships that operate in AUD. 

 

Most of the cruise lines offer fares in AUD, even some of the luxury lines now.  But things like excursions are still in the onboard currency on many lines. 

[OzKiwiJJ]

2 hours ago, cruiser3775 said:

I recently went on a Holland America cruise that charged in US dollars.  I did some research on onboard costs and worked out it was better value for me to take a "have it all" package which covered virtually everything I would have paid for in US dollars at a rip-off rate of exchange.  My final on board costs came to about $25, which was for something I bought at the ship shops on the last day sale.

We did that too and we ended up with onboard credit left on the last day so I went shopping and bought myself some lovely earrings. 😊 I did buy the laundry package pre-cruise though since it was a 14 night cruise on top of four nights in Auckland. It was very good value.

[JoeyJoeJoe]

Hi Team,

 

I have a quick question about Royal. I know they charge USD on board for drinks and they website seems to indicate on Australian cruises we dont pay the additional 18% auto tip. My question is do they increase the prices on australian cruises to make up the difference? 

For example a cocktail out of Miami is 14USD + 18% aut tip so $16.50 USD. On a Australian cruise is it just 14USD or have they upped the price?

 

Thanks JJJ

[arxcards]

3 minutes ago, JoeyJoeJoe said:

Hi Team,

 

I have a quick question about Royal. I know they charge USD on board for drinks and they website seems to indicate on Australian cruises we dont pay the additional 18% auto tip. My question is do they increase the prices on australian cruises to make up the difference? 

For example a cocktail out of Miami is 14USD + 18% aut tip so $16.50 USD. On a Australian cruise is it just 14USD or have they upped the price?

 

Thanks JJJ

Yes, the menu prices become inclusive, i.e. the 18% is absorbed into a higher menu price.

[Cazno2]

For those drink packages for USD cruises like RC, can someone let me know the rough prices of beverage packages, especially the non alcoholic ones as we don't really drink.  Was looking at a Cruise on Quantum of the Seas so just having a look if it is worth it.

[fairywren]

1 hour ago, JoeyJoeJoe said:

Hi Team,

 

I have a quick question about Royal. I know they charge USD on board for drinks and they website seems to indicate on Australian cruises we dont pay the additional 18% auto tip. My question is do they increase the prices on australian cruises to make up the difference? 

For example a cocktail out of Miami is 14USD + 18% aut tip so $16.50 USD. On a Australian cruise is it just 14USD or have they upped the price?

 

Thanks JJJ

Most cocktails are priced at $US15, no extra grats and are covered in the drink package.

[fairywren]

1 hour ago, Cazno2 said:

For those drink packages for USD cruises like RC, can someone let me know the rough prices of beverage packages, especially the non alcoholic ones as we don't really drink.  Was looking at a Cruise on Quantum of the Seas so just having a look if it is worth it.

At the moment $A113 per day for Deluxe and $A53 for Refreshment, but they are on "sale" and can change day to day.

[Cazno2]

26 minutes ago, fairywren said:

At the moment $A113 per day for Deluxe and $A53 for Refreshment, but they are on "sale" and can change day to day.

Wow that sounds like a lot for a few fizzy drinks per day.

[fairywren]

1 hour ago, Cazno2 said:

Wow that sounds like a lot for a few fizzy drinks per day.

It also covers specialty coffees and teas, fresh squeezed orange juice and smoothies and all the mocktails.

[Cazno2]

32 minutes ago, fairywren said:

It also covers specialty coffees and teas, fresh squeezed orange juice and smoothies and all the mocktails.

Yes but you would have to have a fair few drinks per day.  if on a regular day you have a drink with each meal and maybe another 2 throughout the day, would it be worth it?  I guess it depends what they are charging for these sorts of drinks if you don't have the package. 

 

Does the ship offer any free drinks at all?  I know that Carnival have tea/coffee machines (basic) as well as water, some juices at breakfast and a lemon cordial at all times that are free.

[fairywren]

Similar.

[MMDown Under]

Would it make a difference if you were on a port intensive cruise, where you can drink alcohol in port?

[Cazno2]

11 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

Would it make a difference if you were on a port intensive cruise, where you can drink alcohol in port?

Thats true, if you were off the ship for most of the day that is even less drinks you would be having.  😞  Doesn't sound like the package is worth it for us.

Edited May 23, 2023 by Cazno2

[clairebearinaus]

23 hours ago, Cazno2 said:

Yes but you would have to have a fair few drinks per day.  if on a regular day you have a drink with each meal and maybe another 2 throughout the day, would it be worth it?  I guess it depends what they are charging for these sorts of drinks if you don't have the package. 

 

Does the ship offer any free drinks at all?  I know that Carnival have tea/coffee machines (basic) as well as water, some juices at breakfast and a lemon cordial at all times that are free.

 

Free water, tea, coffee, iced tea and lemonade from drink stations throughout.  A couple of fruit juices (the cheap sugary kind) at breakfast.