Spending money ?

[Wadadli Sails]

On my last 7-day cruise I did all Carnival shore excursions, played bingo and the slot machines, did some shopping on board and my bill was just under $400. I didn't buy any drinks on board and didn't use the spa. I was lucky to pay off half of my bill from my casino winnings.

[farler05]

Our sign & sail bill for our last cruise, a 5 day cruise, was over $900. BUT this included excursions, which we had prebooked & prepaid. We snorkled with the stingrays on HMC, $78 (don't recommend) & went SNUBA diving in Grand Turk, $178 (highly recommend). We were very conscious of how many drinks we had & how much it would add up to. We also put money on our S&S for the casino. Thank goodness DH held me back on the pictures. I am a sucker for those. We probably spent $100-$150 on pictures, which just sit in an album, so we won't buy as many this time.

 

We didn't play bingo or go to the Spa, I can get a better masssage for half the price here at home. I did a little bit of shopping in the $10 store, a few things for our house/pet sitters. I skip anything with the Carnival logo on it. It's all cheesy IMHO.

 

I think you can definitely cruise for 5 days on $700, especially if you're not drinkers, don't go for expensive excursions & maintain control on the pictures.

[rob6465]

Ok, i'm a little confused. I have some people in the $800 range and others in the $1,500 range. I guess each person has a way of spending money. My wife and I don't drink beer, so take beer out. I drink about 1 mixed drink a day(diabetic),which gets me ripped as it is. Besides my drinks my wife only drinks water, which we'll bring our own and heard the water on the ship is good. Pictures ? Hopefully someone will be nice enough to take a picture of us with my digital camera, but i'll buy the boarding picture.

We hope to go to Sunset resort and chill there on the Jamaica port, so heard that is $40-50 per person, not bad. Even if we hit 1 excursion each on the other 2 ports, it won't be the expensive ones. We really booked the cruise to swim, eat and relax. Also, the way we shop back home, I think we'll be okay. My sister purchased the same exact camera as I did(Sony handycam) for $499 and i shopped around and found it for $299.

I've always said it, we spend our money on eating more than clubbing as our friends do. I'm glad we don't drink as we eat....then we would be in trouble. We'll make sure to take another credit card....just in case.

[rob6465]

no.....the credit limit is more but we were just hoping to keep it at under $700-800.

[rob6465]

I know people that have gone on cruises and spent $2500+ and others that have spent less.I guess you have to be careful(smart) and know what is best for you. Some people like to go to Dunn's falls and buy the $35 dvd and some people don't. Some individuals like to not go on excursions and spend $500-1000 in the casino. That's the beauty of choice, we all have it.

[crazycruzer68]

Find someone, and you won't have a problem, to take a few pictures of you and your wife, for what you pay for them it's not the best quality. We like to buy the photos they take as you enter the ports, to me those are good keepsakes and the crowd moves so quickly it's hard to get your own, usually $7 or $8.

 

Don't do bingo, big rip off and very expensive.

 

Grand Cayman is a very safe place to go off and explore by yourself, look up Capt. Marvin's for the swim with Stingray tour, we did this with them last year and was very, very happy!:)

 

Haven't did it yet but I hear good things about Paradise Beach in Coz., we are going to do this in OCt. and don't plan on using the cruise line.

 

Jamica is the stop I would recommend doing the cruise line excursion, beautiful place but not the place I would go without a tour guide. Sorry if I am giving a bad impression of Jamica but we didn't have the best of days there.

 

Your money will go with alcohol and pictures, sounds like the alcohol won't take yours, just watch the photos!

 

Have fun and report back how you did on your final bill.

[In2why]

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 ?

 

 

I think of prepaying as something different than actual tipping. If you get terrible service how would you take the tip away? I have seen many reviews where someone in the "suggested" serving rotation was horrid.

[In2why]

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...

 

 

This is why I love these boards. I never heard of funship dollars until reading this. :)

[Dihead]

on our first cruise, our bill was approximately $550 for the two of us. SO is a beer drinker, and he would have 3 or 4 a night, and i would have a pina colada or two a night, we purchased a couple pictures (not the formal ones), gambled in the casino a little, special coffees, couple bottles of wine at dinner, after dinner shots, and bought a few things in the gift shop.. we did one excursion but it wasn't through the cruise line.. so it is possible to have a bill under $700..

 

At the end of the cruise, we felt like we didn't really skimp on anything, or have too strict of a budget.

[cheerioandsalut]

On another thread, someone suggested taking 50 one-dollar bills for tipping. I couldn't think what we'd be tipping for. We just got back today from our first cruise, and now I understand this tipping business! LOL

 

We were encouraged to tip by many people I never would have imagined tipping. Carnival arranged for a shuttle bus to take us from Orlando airport to Port Canaveral. At the end of the 45-minute bus ride, a passenger came around asking for tips for the driver. Alrighty...

 

When in Nassau, we took a horse-drawn carriage tour (the guide first wanted $60 for the three of us, then, seeing our uncertainty, he dropped it to $30). During the tour, the guide stopped the carriage, a guy came running over and offered to take our photo using our own camera. We said that'd be great. He took two photos, then explained that tipping was how he made his living. Alrighty....

 

We went on the 4 x 4 jeep expedition in St. Martin (through Carnival). At the end of the expedition, the tour guide told us that the minimum wage is very low and that he counts on tips. Alrighty...

 

It didn't add up to a lot, but it was surprising for us.

 

As first-time cruisers, we did the jaw-drop when we got our bill on the final day. For my dh, dd (age 11) and I, it came to $1500!! I still haven't looked through it with a fine-tooth comb.

• I know there was a $114 tux rental for the formal nights.
  
• We treated our dd to a $50 teen spa package.
  
• We spent $411 for the three of us to do the jeep expedition in St. Martin (fun!) and Coral World in St. Thomas (place seemed rundown, was interesting but not terrific).
  
• My dh spent $20 at the slots and I spent $40 (we each won $50, so that was great!)
  
• We went nuts trying out all sorts of different alcoholic drinks.
  
• We didn't buy any photos (dh refused to pose for them because he knew I'd have a hard time not buying them).
  
• Gratuities were $210 (3 people x 7-night cruise).
  
• We spent less than $50 in the gift shop.
  
• My dd got a hot chocolate (or two) each day from Creams (on the Glory), which was $2.50, I think.

Gosh, I don't know how the bill got that high, but it did!

 

Have fun on your cruise!

[ladybug97]

Rob6465 -- Congrats on your first cruise and I know you said you are planning the second one already but when you get home from this one, you will immediately want to go back! Have a great trip and not to worry with the budget~ It is possible and very doable. It all depends on what you want to do and how you want to do it. I have been on the same cruise as you will be going and all of the places are great! Grand Cayman and Cozumel are places that don't require much $$$. You are able to walk or take a cab in Cozumel (depending on which port you dock in) and a cab will be around $7 to $10 and once in town you can walk on the sand or shop around. Grand Cayman is pretty much the same only much more walkable. It's a very small island and easy to get around. Be sure to go to the township of Hell and get a souviner! :D Jamaica is a neat place too. The waters are beautiful and it's a place to do consider swimming too? Do treat yourself to a few pina's or soda's. If you did want unlimited, as someone else mentioned, the drink card is a great value! You will be so busy with eating, lounging and in ports that the time will fly! If possible, especially at these ports, avoid Carnival excursions, which can sometimes be pricey. They are easy-to-do on your own ports! Have a great trip and hope the board has been helpful!

[viciouslysh]

You can definitley get out for under $700 IMO. We bought a lot of drinks, gambled a lot and bought lots of pictures and spent just a little more than that. If Sunset Beach is open, then its $40 pp to get in. Includes food and drinks. We didn't spend any more than that except the cab ride which was about $10 roundtrip. Kids are $20 to get in.

[Wennfred]

I know people that have gone on cruises and spent $2500+ and others that have spent less.I guess you have to be careful(smart) and know what is best for you. Some people like to go to Dunn's falls and buy the $35 dvd and some people don't. Some individuals like to not go on excursions and spend $500-1000 in the casino. That's the beauty of choice, we all have it.

 

You can view your expensive on the Cabins T.V. set. So I recommend you go over your Sail and Sign account every night. Also save each white receipts, those are the ones you sign. I have seen extra charges for drinks I did not buy from lounges I never been too. So you can compare those receipts with the ones on the T.V.

 

 

Fred

[Wennfred]

Don't do bingo, big rip off and very expensive.

 

We used to spend like 100.00 on bingo alone and never won a single game so we no longer play.

 

 

Fred

[Wennfred]

I think of prepaying as something different than actual tipping. If you get terrible service how would you take the tip away? I have seen many reviews where someone in the "suggested" serving rotation was horrid.

 

You can always go to the pursers desk and adjust your tipping there.

 

 

Fred

[Wennfred]

As first-time cruisers, we did the jaw-drop when we got our bill on the final day. For my dh, dd (age 11) and I, it came to $1500!! I still haven't looked through it with a fine-tooth comb.

 

Thats exactly what I said, First time Cruisers allow yourselves 1500.00 :D

 

 

Fred

[Wennfred]

Rob6465 -- Congrats on your first cruise and I know you said you are planning the second one already but when you get home from this one, you will immediately want to go back! Have a great trip and not to worry with the budget~ It is possible and very doable. It all depends on what you want to do and how you want to do it. I have been on the same cruise as you will be going and all of the places are great! Grand Cayman and Cozumel are places that don't require much $$$. You are able to walk or take a cab in Cozumel (depending on which port you dock in) and a cab will be around $7 to $10 and once in town you can walk on the sand or shop around. Grand Cayman is pretty much the same only much more walkable. It's a very small island and easy to get around. Be sure to go to the township of Hell and get a souviner! :D Jamaica is a neat place too. The waters are beautiful and it's a place to do consider swimming too? Do treat yourself to a few pina's or soda's. If you did want unlimited, as someone else mentioned, the drink card is a great value! You will be so busy with eating, lounging and in ports that the time will fly! If possible, especially at these ports, avoid Carnival excursions, which can sometimes be pricey. They are easy-to-do on your own ports! Have a great trip and hope the board has been helpful!

 

What? please change the color of that font, I couldn't read it.

 

thanks

 

 

Fred

[dianajh73]

Thankfully we've never gone over $700, although sometimes it's close when excursions are involved. We're leaving in 2 weeks, but this is our 8th cruise together and we don't buy more than 2 pictures and drink very little. Also bringing on soda & some rum and doing excursions on our own. We're planning on a S&S bill around $400 (cash for casino)

 

Advice about pictures I haven't seen yet (as these are part of the high cost for first time cruisers) - WAIT!! until the last day to buy pictures!!! They will all still be available. The embarkation pics are not always the best. Look at them all, but if you group them in a place you can find them, then you can come back and buy your favorite. If you buy them throughout the week it is easy to get carried away because they get better! There are LOTS of opportunities for pics, just don't buy them all!

 

HAVE FUN!!!

DJ

[ShedQueen77]

Advice about pictures I haven't seen yet (as these are part of the high cost for first time cruisers) - WAIT!! until the last day to buy pictures!!! They will all still be available. The embarkation pics are not always the best. Look at them all, but if you group them in a place you can find them, then you can come back and buy your favorite. If you buy them throughout the week it is easy to get carried away because they get better! There are LOTS of opportunities for pics, just don't buy them all!

 

HAVE FUN!!!

DJ

 

I'm sorry to hijack this thread, but I've been wanting to ask this question and the opportunity just came up! :)

 

I've seen a lot of people suggest "grouping your pictures" and waiting to buy them until the end but I have to say I don't understand that at all! Where do you go to purchase and preview the pictures and how do you group them or have them grouped?

 

Thank you for any help you can offer. I'm still learning! :D

[Peto]

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

 

 

Yes, you will be fine

[KC_fn]

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

 

My budget was only $500 for 2 people, and we had money left over. I should say that we don't drink, gamble, or visit the spa. We also don't book excursions; on port days, we go ashore, wander around, eat lunch, and come back aboard to enjoy a crowd-free afternoon on the ship. Saves us alot of money too.

 

It's easy to keep an eye on your on-board spending, so that you don't get a nasty surprise at the end of the week. Go to Guest Relations, and they'll be happy to print out your account for you. I do this almost every day, just to make sure I'm staying on track, and also to check for mistakes, which have been known to happen.

 

Remember that there are a ton of fun things to do, both on and off the ship, that cost little or no money. Find them, and enjoy them! :)

[dianajh73]

I'm sorry to hijack this thread, but I've been wanting to ask this question and the opportunity just came up! :)

 

I've seen a lot of people suggest "grouping your pictures" and waiting to buy them until the end but I have to say I don't understand that at all! Where do you go to purchase and preview the pictures and how do you group them or have them grouped?

 

Thank you for any help you can offer. I'm still learning! :D

 

IME

 

Every ship has a Photo Gallery where they display the MULTITUDE of pictures they take - Embarkation, Ports, On Deck, Formal Dinner, Meet the Captain, Formal on staircase, Formal in front of variety of backdrops, Pirate at the dinner table - etc... etc... You get the idea :)

 

They have wall panels (think of 3 way mirror) that open up so that on the first evening (depending on hours of operation) you may see one or two panels opened up with all pics of boarding. As the week goes on more panels open and pictures are added. Always grouped by time and location (signs say for instance Early Seating Formal Night) In my experience on 12 cruises they usually leave all the pics in the same spots throughout the week, just opening more panels. If you find pics of yourself that you like, just pick them all out and put them all in one spot so you have 4 or 5 behind the most recent picture. Courteous and good idea to move them to a low spot out of the way, but keep the top picture the same subject as those around it so it doesn't stick out. Even if they condense panels and move things the pics will still be grouped by the top pic. At the same time toss the ones that are really bad or just not good & then on the last day make your purchase. Just make sure not to wait too long if you want a reprint or copies made (strict deadline on last day). If they have identifying # on the back you can make note of that just in case.

 

Can save a lot of money. Of course if there is one that you KNOW you would be REALLY upset to miss out on, then just buy it in the first place :) ESPECIALLY if you have a group photo because as soon as someone buys the pic you have to rely on them to get copies or give you the ID# in time to get re-prints.

 

YMMV, but I haven't had any trouble finding pics later this way.

HAVE FUN,

DJ

[truecruiser]

if you aren't going on shore excursions, don't drink, and don't plan to shop or gamble, yes, it can be done.

 

someone mentioned buying funship dollars and applying them to your account. well, if you don't want to do that, but do want to add more $ you cld always just add cash that you saved pre-cruise to your S&S acct (along w/ the CC).

 

just go to the purser's desk after boarding and tell them you want to add cash in addition to your credit card on file. i'm sure they will be happy to do this, and they will provide you w/ a receipt. it'll show on your bill as a cah credit. that is the way it worked when i applied some funship dollars in feb. i cldn't think of any reason in the world why they also wldn't take cold hard cash and apply it in exactly the same manner.

[ShedQueen77]

IME

 

Every ship has a Photo Gallery where they display the MULTITUDE of pictures they take - Embarkation, Ports, On Deck, Formal Dinner, Meet the Captain, Formal on staircase, Formal in front of variety of backdrops, Pirate at the dinner table - etc... etc... You get the idea :)

 

They have wall panels (think of 3 way mirror) that open up so that on the first evening (depending on hours of operation) you may see one or two panels opened up with all pics of boarding. As the week goes on more panels open and pictures are added. Always grouped by time and location (signs say for instance Early Seating Formal Night) In my experience on 12 cruises they usually leave all the pics in the same spots throughout the week, just opening more panels. If you find pics of yourself that you like, just pick them all out and put them all in one spot so you have 4 or 5 behind the most recent picture. Courteous and good idea to move them to a low spot out of the way, but keep the top picture the same subject as those around it so it doesn't stick out. Even if they condense panels and move things the pics will still be grouped by the top pic. At the same time toss the ones that are really bad or just not good & then on the last day make your purchase. Just make sure not to wait too long if you want a reprint or copies made (strict deadline on last day). If they have identifying # on the back you can make note of that just in case.

 

Can save a lot of money. Of course if there is one that you KNOW you would be REALLY upset to miss out on, then just buy it in the first place :) ESPECIALLY if you have a group photo because as soon as someone buys the pic you have to rely on them to get copies or give you the ID# in time to get re-prints.

 

YMMV, but I haven't had any trouble finding pics later this way.

HAVE FUN,

DJ

 

Thank you very much for such a nice explanation! :)