Spending money ?

[rob6465]

My wife and I will be on our first cruise on 9/16(conquest) and we won't have much money to spend. We are both NOT drinkers(beer) and i can honestly say that maybe i'll drink 1 pina colada a day. We don't plan on going on a whole lot of excursions, probably sunset beach in jamaica and 1 excursion in Caymans and don't know about Cozumel. We're afraid that our bill at the end will be more than we expected.

 

My wife only drinks water and i'm a pina colada/soda drinker. We're hoping to use a credit card which has a credit line of about $700. Will that be enough ? We booked a balcony cabin for our first one.Thanks

[fllady61]

My wife and I will be on our first cruise on 9/16(conquest) and we won't have much money to spend. We are both NOT drinkers(beer) and i can honestly say that maybe i'll drink 1 pina colada a day. We don't plan on going on a whole lot of excursions, probably sunset beach in jamaica and 1 excursion in Caymans and don't know about Cozumel. We're afraid that our bill at the end will be more than we expected.

 

My wife only drinks water and i'm a pina colada/soda drinker. We're hoping to use a credit card which has a credit line of about $700. Will that be enough ? We booked a balcony cabin for our first one.Thanks

 

 

 

First off, 140 will come off the top of the 700 for gratuity unless you prepaid them. If you drink a lot of soda, you can get a soda card for about 44$ in which you can drink all you want. Exchursions are from 40 - 140 pp depending on what you do. some are even more. A beach trip is about 45 pp through carnival. Depending on what you do no the ship, depends on how much you will spend. We spent just under 300 our first cruise which was 4 days. Our second cruise, my DD's first, we spend nearly 1300. But we won over 1800 int he casino, so we were able to pay it off before we left the ship all but the last 200.

 

We average 100$ per port. sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less. We seldom do exchursions. Planning on taking one in St. Thomas unless we find a beach within walking distance. We want to do Paradise point there though and that is 18$ pp just to get up there.

 

I have not been to your ports of call. So I can not tell you about them.

 

Water, is 250 a bottle. You may want to consider taking a case of water on board. YES, you can do that. I am taking a 12 pk of sodas, but they are in my suitcase, so i don't have to carry them. Get you a small cooler on wheels, and put your water in there to take on board. Tip your room steward at the first of the week a little and tell him if he keeps you cooler full of ice, he will get more at the end of the week. Average an extra 20 for special services.

 

If you use electric shavers, take an extenison cord to plug it in, and anything else that may need to be plugged in. I have a nebulizer, walkie talkies, camera, video camera. So I have to take an extension cord. They recommend that you take a nightlight air freshner for your room also with an extra outlet. The rooms get really dark. And due to navagation purposes curtians must be kept closed at night.

 

If I can give you any other tips, please feel free to ask.

[rob6465]

You provided alot of good info, thanks so much. I'm already saving for the second cruise we haven't booked yet.

[tomsmom]

If you know you will have a few pina coladas you may want to consider buying some brink coupons. They are just under $20 for 4 of them. This way you prepay you drinks and know how much you are spending.

 

We bought a few books for our cruise next week. You don't save a lot of money but it is a way of prepaying.

 

And of course as the last poster said - if your wife is a water drinker or soda by all means carry some with you on board. You can also bring a water bottle and will it on board - the water on board is very good!!

[Pegs222]

Why don't you prepay your gratuities and book your excursions online? That way you will know just what you have to spend for the rest of your cruise.

 

Have a wonderful cruise

[firefly333]

You can just do the ports on your own to save lots of $$$. To me thats where the money adds up. We got off the ship and walked around for a while and reviewed the choices of excursions offered at that time. That way we knew the weather and if we were in the mood to go somewhere. If its pouring rain you might not want to do a excursion, but if you prebook you are stuck.

 

Also, do most of your drinking in the ports, you will get more for your money.

 

Lots of ways to save money. We used internet cafes in the ports for an hours time rather than the very expensive time in the internet cafe on the ship. $3 rather than $30.

 

$700 would more than pay for us for a week. We used most of our money for shopping and we usually do 1 or 2 last minute excursions.

[serene56]

I agree with the drink coupons-- you buy them now at least 7 days before your cruise. You cannot buy them onboard.

 

4 coupons for 19.95 and will be good for pina colada without a soverneir cup.

 

--

I also agree with looking at the port of calls board- swimming with stingrays with the cruiselines will cost over 50 bucks pp and privatly will only costs bout 35.00. You can save a considerable amount of money doing excursions on your own.

 

-

We leave tomorrow- Tips will costs me 120 for the both of us- 10.00 pp per day (this should not be skimped on-- and should be factored in as a price of your cruise)

 

I cant see my sign and sail bill being much higher. last cruise we spent under 300 (with tips, excursions, 2 towels. and a few odd and ends sosuverneirs)

 

A cruise can be all inclusive-- it depends on how much you want to spend.

[THERUDYS]

Something not mentioned before is to check your balance everyday on the cabin tv. It will give you an idea of how your spending is going. Take an envelope and put all receipts in it to verify your charges are correct. If you do this everyday, you won't have a big surprise at the end of the cruise. If you find a mistake take care of it that day. If you wait til the end of the cruise you'll have to wait in a long line at the pursers desk with every body else Also, if you know you will be cruising again, you should be less likely to buy everything in sight. After all, you'll be back next time so you can pace yourself.

[Perrys100]

We take eight hundred dollars each and we always always come home with 800 between the two of us. So between 350 and 400 each spending money is plenty. Buy..and do pretty much whatever you want. You can do the spa and blow 200 or get a massage on a beach for 25 either way do it!

 

Have a glass of wine...order a beer at dinner....

 

We always have a clear creidt card for an emergency!

[serene56]

Regarding the water: Water on the ship is fine to drink- take an empty water bottle and refill it at the lido buffet area.

Each Water purchase is closer to 4 bucks then the above price of 2.50

 

You are also allowed a reasonable amount of non alcoholic beverages to carry onboard. we take a 12 pack of pepsi to drink in the room and drink the free ice tea, lemonade and fruit punch

[cantwaittosail]

u can also buy the funship dollars.. that way you have credit on your account ahead of time ,, so your tips are paid in advance and you have some money for the supper club or spa or drinks...

[rob6465]

How do we add the tips ahead of our trip? Don't we have to give carnival a credit card when we arrive and that's when the tips are added ?

[mohendry]

I have heard but can't remember the exact details or dates that Sunset Beach was going to be closed for several weeks or months. I know that I wanted to go there in late Dec. 2007 and it will not be open then. You might check this out so that you will not be disappointed when you arrive.

[serene56]

How do we add the tips ahead of our trip? Don't we have to give carnival a credit card when we arrive and that's when the tips are added ?

 

 

call the agent and have it paid with your final payment. Or you can always call and place cabin credit == which will prepay some stuff you want/need once onboard

[Wennfred]

 

My wife only drinks water and i'm a pina colada/soda drinker. We're hoping to use a credit card which has a credit line of about $700. Will that be enough ? We booked a balcony cabin for our first one.Thanks

 

It won't be enough, I have seen 700.00 in charges by day 4. First you have to remember that the Tips are already 140.00 right from the start leaving you 560.00. One pina colada per day for 7 days totals around 40.00 and 1 bucket of beer per day for 7 days will total around 100.00, so thats another 140.00 gone from the 560.00 total. Now down to 420.00, formal portraits for first time cruisers run around 200.00. Now we are down to 220.00, Supper Club $30pp now down to 160.00 and I havent even included all of the other things like Spa, Bingo, Casino, Laundry, internet service, specialty coffee and desserts, gift shop items and toiletries like sun block and things you forgot to bring from home etc.

 

For first time cruisers I always recommend at least 1500.00 in their credit card account.

 

 

Fred

[Wennfred]

Has anyone been in the elevator and have seen a couple go over their bill with a look like this :eek:

 

 

Fred

[serene56]

Has anyone been in the elevator and have seen a couple go over their bill with a look like this :eek:

 

 

Fred

 

 

Fred--- you ARE priceless.. and yes i did... Very glad it wasnt me.

I do have to agree with you with first timers and those picture purchases.

 

I love watching new cruisers.:D they are better then any reality show out there

[Wennfred]

Wendy and I never miss it, On every cruise while in the Elevator LOL... "This just isn't right:eek: " Poor new cruisers. They are in for a surprise.

 

By the way, Wendy and her freakin Formal Portraits, we are now down to like 78.00 a cruise. Thank god !!!

 

Fred

[amarie319]

If you are careful you won't spend that much. Our first cruise was a 5 day last year and our bill came to $400 dollars. My husband is a beer drinker and each beer is about $5 with tax and tip. He drank about 5 or 6 a night, we bought 1 8x10 picture and several 5x7's. I'm not a drinker so I drank the ice tea and water. I did have 1 drink in the coconut shell at $6.25 just for keepsake! We brought about $800 in travelers checks for spending money off the ship and casino and came home with $400.

[*Mach*]

I have heard but can't remember the exact details or dates that Sunset Beach was going to be closed for several weeks or months. I know that I wanted to go there in late Dec. 2007 and it will not be open then. You might check this out so that you will not be disappointed when you arrive.

 

Sunset Beach will be closed for resort vacations but still be open, to a limited degree, during the renovation. The dates of closure are September 4 through October 6.

 

Since the OP is fairly much a non-drinker I think that a day at Doctor's Cave Bay would be a better choice. If I recall correctly, admission is about five bucks, the cab ride should be around four bucks/person. Drinks and whatnot are available for purchase. Overall, a day at one of the best beaches in Jamaica for eighteen bucks ain't half bad!

[crusinmama06]

It won't be enough, I have seen 700.00 in charges by day 4. First you have to remember that the Tips are already 140.00 right from the start leaving you 560.00. One pina colada per day for 7 days totals around 40.00 and 1 bucket of beer per day for 7 days will total around 100.00, so thats another 140.00 gone from the 560.00 total. Now down to 420.00, formal portraits for first time cruisers run around 200.00. Now we are down to 220.00, Supper Club $30pp now down to 160.00 and I havent even included all of the other things like Spa, Bingo, Casino, Laundry, internet service, specialty coffee and desserts, gift shop items and toiletries like sun block and things you forgot to bring from home etc.

 

For first time cruisers I always recommend at least 1500.00 in their credit card account.

 

 

Fred

 

I wouldn't say that...go with my MIL or SIL...both walked away with bills LESS THAN $100 :rolleyes: Can you say "cheap" lol

 

Heck I spent $300 in pictures :eek:

 

To the OP - I can say it IS possible to come away with less than a $700 bill. If you don't drink. If you don't go crazy at the casino. If you don't buy lots of pictures ($19.97 each). Prepay and prebook your excursions ahead of time. Prepay your tips ahead of time if possible. And no shopping onboard.

 

I drink iced tea, which is free. I don't drink alcohol (that much...lol) so I didn't have that expense.

 

I paid for all of my excursions in advanced. I took cash for the souvenirs off the ship.

 

So the only charges I had were pictures, tips, cash for the casino and my shopping onboard. I didn't go to the spa or play bingo.

[dan40]

First off, 140 will come off the top of the 700 for gratuity unless you prepaid them. If you drink a lot of soda, you can get a soda card for about 44$ in which you can drink all you want. Exchursions are from 40 - 140 pp depending on what you do. some are even more. A beach trip is about 45 pp through carnival. Depending on what you do no the ship, depends on how much you will spend. We spent just under 300 our first cruise which was 4 days. Our second cruise, my DD's first, we spend nearly 1300. But we won over 1800 int he casino, so we were able to pay it off before we left the ship all but the last 200.

 

We average 100$ per port. sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less. We seldom do exchursions. Planning on taking one in St. Thomas unless we find a beach within walking distance. We want to do Paradise point there though and that is 18$ pp just to get up there.

 

I have not been to your ports of call. So I can not tell you about them.

 

Water, is 250 a bottle. You may want to consider taking a case of water on board. YES, you can do that. I am taking a 12 pk of sodas, but they are in my suitcase, so i don't have to carry them. Get you a small cooler on wheels, and put your water in there to take on board. Tip your room steward at the first of the week a little and tell him if he keeps you cooler full of ice, he will get more at the end of the week. Average an extra 20 for special services.

 

If you use electric shavers, take an extenison cord to plug it in, and anything else that may need to be plugged in. I have a nebulizer, walkie talkies, camera, video camera. So I have to take an extension cord. They recommend that you take a nightlight air freshner for your room also with an extra outlet. The rooms get really dark. And due to navagation purposes curtians must be kept closed at night.

 

If I can give you any other tips, please feel free to ask.

 

Fllady61,

I feel I've caused you a problem on another thread. Only cabins whose windows or portholes that face toward the front of the ship have to close curtains at night. From the side or astern a ship is lit up like a Christmas tree and room lights don't matter. When seen from directly ahead, a ship is dark except for nav lights, all of which mean something to other ships.

 

OP,

$700? Tight but possible. For GC excursion, go to port of call board and look to book a local instead of Carnival [Natureway, Cap. Marvin for StingRay City{do not miss that}]. Locals much cheaper, less crowded, more personal. Jamica, I wouldn't even get off the ship.

 

Dan

[dan40]

Has anyone been in the elevator and have seen a couple go over their bill with a look like this :eek:

 

 

Fred

 

Walking down the hall on the final nite I saw one that would not fit under the door. It had to be 2 inches thick. Bet there was some sticker shock with that one.:eek::mad::confused:

 

Dan

[fllady61]

All said and done, if you have a budget, you can cruise on that budget.

 

We have 700 this time cash for the casino/souvioners. and I am allowing 300 on the s&s card.

 

If you don't drink, then you can do it. I have 2 drinks a during the week. I save my drinking for the free booze during past guest party, and captains cocktail party.

 

I have seen a person who drinks a lot put 300 on their card in one night.

 

Our average photo charge per cruise is 160$ on the 7 day cruise last year. but it was my DD frist cruise. On her second cruise, photos cost maybe 80$. We mainly get the ones with us coming off the ship in the ports, and one formal if any.

 

so it is all what you can afford to spend. Keep track. when you get to close to the end of your amount, you know it is time o start doing things that don't cost money.

[fllady61]

Fllady61,

I feel I've caused you a problem on another thread. Only cabins whose windows or portholes that face toward the front of the ship have to close curtains at night. From the side or astern a ship is lit up like a Christmas tree and room lights don't matter. When seen from directly ahead, a ship is dark except for nav lights, all of which mean something to other ships.

 

OP,

$700? Tight but possible. For GC excursion, go to port of call board and look to book a local instead of Carnival [Natureway, Cap. Marvin for StingRay City{do not miss that}]. Locals much cheaper, less crowded, more personal. Jamica, I wouldn't even get off the ship.

 

Dan

 

 

I don't know. We were not in the front of the ship last year, and everytime I would open the drapes to the balcony, leave the room and come back, they would be closed. I would open them again, go get a snack, come back, and they were closed. go figure.

 

 

Is Jamica even having ships come in now? It did get pretty well banged up during Dean. I know Costa Maya is closed indef. I am sure Grand Cayman is about the same as jamica. I don't know. have not heard much about them since the storm.