How much $ do you spend?

[KS17]

I'm sure this answer will vary, but just trying to get an idea on average. This is our first cruise, we are going on FOS, and since usually meals are one of the biggest expenses on vacation and they are included...how much do you usually spend on a 7 night cruise? I want us to enjoy ourselves but I don't want to be in shock at the end of the cruise. We are a family of 4, two adults and 2 kids.

[Mark_K]

For the two of us our SeaPass total has always been over $1,000 for a 7 day cruise. A fair amount of that is drinks, the rest is mostly shore excursions and tips. Photographs add up if you get a lot of them (and many first time cruisers like to).

[cb at sea]

You can do this without spending a fortune. You don't HAVE to buy photos, excursions, specialty food, alcohol, etc... But---where's the fun in that??? Folks do tend to spend more than they had planned--it think many feel like, "Why not--we're on vacation!" At least, that's how our 1st cruise went--we felt we had to spend continuously! Now, we seldom do excursions (been there, done that) or buy photos, (unless my eyes are actually open in the picture!). We do, however spend a fair amount on alcohol (for drinking, not for bringing home!)

[Mark_K]

You can do this without spending a fortune. You don't HAVE to buy photos, excursions, specialty food, alcohol, etc... But---where's the fun in that??? Folks do tend to spend more than they had planned--it think many feel like, "Why not--we're on vacation!" At least, that's how our 1st cruise went--we felt we had to spend continuously! Now, we seldom do excursions (been there, done that) or buy photos, (unless my eyes are actually open in the picture!). We do, however spend a fair amount on alcohol (for drinking, not for bringing home!)

You forgot the two best ways to save money - bring an iron and do all your own ironing and bring the alcohol you think you will drink with you when you board. :)

[Cheryl H]

We usually book our excursions in advance so they are paid for before the cruise. On board, our bill usually comes to around $300 for my husband and I combined. (not counting tips which we do in cash). The $300 is mostly photos, t-shirts, and a few virgin frozen drinks. If I remember, the photos were usually around $20 each.

 

One hint about the photos, they display them all week. So you can wait to decide which photos you want to buy.

 

Have fun!

[mstyrs]

Hi:d

[ken_nyc]

Mark, we usually everyday look at the photos in the gallery and put them all together and decide the last day which to buy. If you buy as you go you end up wishing that you didn't buy the one from the first formal night instead of buying the ones from the second formal night, just as an example.

[Deno1]

Yeah - we usally have about $1000.00 on our Seapass. Just the first day buying the coke cards takes about 150.00. Pictures, trinkets from the gift shop, etc. You can monitor your purchases from your room on the TV.

 

We buy our excursions weeks before the cruise so they are already paid for.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[NJBill]

I'm sure this answer will vary, but just trying to get an idea on average. This is our first cruise, we are going on FOS, and since usually meals are one of the biggest expenses on vacation and they are included...how much do you usually spend on a 7 night cruise? I want us to enjoy ourselves but I don't want to be in shock at the end of the cruise. We are a family of 4, two adults and 2 kids.

 

2 adults 3 kids here...

 

Bar/Soda $500

Excursions $300-$400

Gifts/Souveniers $200

Tips $375.00

Photos $100

Casino $150

[alcheme]

My wife and I have generally spent an average of about $100/day. We don't usually do a lot of organized excursions, so that would be maybe one excursion, one trip to the spa for DW for something like a mani/pedi or a facial, a few souvenirs, several photos and our bar tab. The bar tab alone can be more than that, if you drink a lot. We tend to have maybe two drinks each and some wine with dinner on a given day.

 

Excursions can vary a lot, depending on how many and which ones you do. You'll be able to look at that before you go and have an idea how much you might spend.

[APDCruiser]

It all depends on what you enjoy. If you like to drink and dont bring your own alcohol then I would expect a fairly higher bill. I have been as low as $50 before. All our excursions were paid in advance and we brought our own alcohol. Not much more to use your sea pass for...unless you like to shop at the stores on the ship and use the spa treatments. With kids you can probably expect to spend a little more.

[reallyitsmema]

Ours was just over $1,000 for a family of three. It did include 3 soda cards, $300 waverunner excursion on Coco Cay, tips for 3, dinner and wine at Chops one night and a bunch of pictures. So all and all, I think we did pretty well. We did keep track of our purchases on the TV each day. Enjoy your cruise:)

[Tartessa]

It depends on what you like to do. Do you drink? Are you going on RC sponsored shore excursions? The tip is about $10 per day per person no matter what their age so that's $280. I would figure $6 -$7 per alcoholic drink unless you like the specialty martinis, wines, etc. The shore excursion prices should be listed in the web site. That's where you can really spend the big bucks.

 

You can arrange your own excursions or just stay at the dock. There is usually plenty of shopping within walking distance. You can skip the alcohol and soda and just drink water (or bring some crystal light like I do). The tips are not mandatory, but once you see the kind of service you get on a cruise, you will want to do it. You can take your own pictures or have a friend take them of your family.

 

So if you tell us what you plan to do for the seven days, we can tell you how much you will spend.

[KS17]

Wait, are you allowed to bring your own alcohol? My husband was asking me if we could and I told him no. :p

 

Do many bring their own onboard, and if so, how?

[reallyitsmema]

No, bringing your own alcohol is against RCI policy as is bringing your own coffee pot or iron. People pack things in their checked luggage and some make it through and others are called to have items removed from their luggage.

[alcheme]

Wait, are you allowed to bring your own alcohol? My husband was asking me if we could and I told him no. :p

 

Do many bring their own onboard, and if so, how?

 

No, you're not allowed to bring your own, but there are a plethora of threads about doing so. It's probably best to search around for one, if you're interested, rather than starting yet another one. :)

[CruiseCrAzieS]

You forgot the two best ways to save money - bring an iron and do all your own ironing and bring the alcohol you think you will drink with you when you board. :)

 

Now you did it Mark, you just had to open up the tequila bottle didn't you!! :p

[obsessedsc]

we pre paid our gratuities and shore excursions a few weeks prior to the cruise. hoping that it helps!

[Mark_K]

Now you did it Mark, you just had to open up the tequila bottle didn't you!! :p

Personally, I've never had a problem bringing alcohol on board - I hide it in my stomach. ;)

[AmyGarner]

DH and I usually keep our tab under $400, including the casino, drinks, some mild shopping, photos, gratuities. We have always been very careful with what we spent. This cruise we are going to splurge a little more. Our plan is to drink a little more, shop a little more, eat in the specialty restaurants, do a spa service or two, etc. We are setting aside about 10 times our normal amount for everything besides our cabin. I hope it will be enough :)

[Gonzo70]

Here's my per/person average for a 7 day:

 

Tips: $80-$100

Alcohol: $70-$100

Speciality Dining: $20

Souvaniers: $50

Casino/Bingo: $150-$200

Spa: $100-$150

Shore Excursions: Average of $100 per port in Caribbean, $200 per port in Alaska.

 

Total: $470-$620 + Shore Excurions.

[Desert Cruizers]

We met a lady and her husband last cruise, while we were both checking our expenses last 2 days of cruise, she speaks up, " darn I was going for $ 2500" On board charges mind you. She had fallen short so last days we knew she had some catching up to do. If it is a 15 day cruise, I can figure $ 400 in hubbies Beer, Photos, tours, purchases = $ 1500. I stay with cokes or Ice Tea.

 

RADIANCE OF THE SEAS, HAWAII OCT 11, 2008

[tomko2]

With tips $250., wine $250, beer $30, few special coffees $25. we usually end up with a bill of around $550.00 for a seven night cruise. On land we spend around $100.00 in taxis and the same in beach chairs for a 4 port cruise. Generally just tote our water bottles from the ship; eat well before we get off and eat well when we return. Have a great time for reasonable money.

EXCEPT this summer we are doing a 12 night Med cruise and are taking a number of excursions. We view these as once in a lifetime opportunities and hope to maximize our enjoyment by taking RCI tours and leaving the worries to them.

:D

[cleob]

We also book are excursions ahead so they are paid for before we cruise. We're also beginning to do some private excursions that are recommended by other CC members as they cost less and are a better value. The biggest expense we have is our drinks. We do not try to get our own alcohol on board. I used to buy soda cards but found that this was a waste. We buy some gifts but usually in port where the prices are better. We have never bought high ticket items in port, ie jewerly.

I would say that on average we put about $400 on our sea pass.

[Jfultz81]

Last cruise, 4 adults we spent around $600 on board including tips, but we only had a few drinks, one picture, tips, no ship excursions, and the liquor seminar (which was a LOT of fun, I highly recommend!) and a few little trinkets and a little in the casino. It really depends on what you plan on doing. We've never used the spa or played bingo and we aren't big drinkers, so it keeps our tab low (unless I find jewelry, my big weakness!).