Sail & Sign..What Was Your Balance?

[13point1]

old thread..but interesting to see what people spend...

I normally average $750 on a 7 day cruise.

[cruiseaddict05]

Our friend ended up with his tips and only one smoothie! That is what I call will power... or not living it up!

[bmacri]

The SS total can add up really fast without even thinking about it.

Figure $140 for tipping, another $60 for Supper Club once.
That's $200 already. Throw in one or two excursions, a few drinks, pictures, even pop and water. All of a sudden you are at $500 without blinking an eye.

We became good friends with a couple we met and compared our bills on the last day. Ours was $700. Her's was $12,000!!!!!
She had purchased several pieces of art, a couple of nice pieces of jewelry, played bingo and went to the casino and charged it. They bought all the pictures that were taken of them and bought bottles of wine every night for dinner. One night at a show she bought drinks for everyone sitting in our row of seating. They also did all the expensive excursions like golfing and deep sea fishing. Wow!

[vic/leelee]

Ikay, I have been reading this thread most of the morning, yes most of all of the 12 pages. Here is my situation. We have prepaid our tips, going to reserve and pay for excursions before we sail, bring cash for "extra" tips. Have a digital camera, son has one, and have 3 other cameras for ports. Bringing 2 bottles of champagne for mimosas. Okay here is my question. How much should we put on our S&S??? 2 adults, 1 14 y/o. Planning on a couple of DOD's per person(adults) each day, 2 or 3 photo's, one day of fill the bag laundry, video games for son and some Carnival "souveniers" on the last day (heard they put things on sale then). Any body with ideas??? I have an amount put down on my "budget" but was just wondering if I am close or not.

[BBigfoot613]

[quote name='vic/leelee']Ikay, I have been reading this thread most of the morning, yes most of all of the 12 pages. Here is my situation. We have [COLOR=red]prepaid our tips[/COLOR], going to reserve and [COLOR=red]pay for excursions before[/COLOR] we sail, [COLOR=red]bring cash for "extra" tips[/COLOR]. Have a digital camera, son has one, and have 3 other cameras for ports. Bringing 2 bottles of champagne for mimosas. Okay here is my question. How much should we put on our S&S??? 2 adults, 1 14 y/o. Planning on a couple of DOD's per person(adults) each day, 2 or 3 photo's, one day of fill the bag laundry, video games for son and some Carnival "souveniers" on the last day (heard they put things on sale then). Any body with ideas??? I have an amount put down on my "budget" but was just wondering if I am close or not.[/quote]

Since you have or are prepaying the biggest expenses(unless a couple DOD's turns into a bunch) you probably won't need much. Guessing it's about a week cruise, I'd figure somewhere in the 2-400 range. I found the laundry bag to be a joke....just do it yourself lol. we could have done enough for 3 people for a week for about the same amount they wanted.

[joejo]

2 adults, 7 days and the total was about $500.

Excursions were prepaid so that was all tips, drinks and drinks :)

[ellenmb]

On our 7 day, we had $300.00 each ($200 ($100.00 ea) of which was OBC) on our S and S ($600.00 total..I got 12.00 back in a check and turned around and paid my hub's 8.00 over charge..so nothing on the credit card ..this paid mostly for drinks; bottle of wine at dinner, $70 ea. for tips, some rum cakes for the friends)..also had about 300 each cash for gambling and any buys at port, extra tips for stewards, tips in town etc. etc. Excursions were paid ahead of time.

[SL HomeschoolMom]

This thread promoted me to add up what spent on our sail n sign by category, and I was surprised that it was only about 23% on drinks (that may have something to do with the bottles of rum and vodka that mysteriously appeared in our cabin :) )

8 day Spirit Mexican Rivera
Total for 2 adults, 2 teens (whose limit we sent at $50 when we boarded, and I never thought to increase...too many DODs???) = $1090

Tips = $320 (+ we tipped our waiter more...I think an extra $50...she was awesome! Also extra tips for room service $25 or so, also port porters)
Arcade = $55 for kids
Bingo = $60...we like to sit in the front row for shows, so we get there early, and will sometimes buy a bingo card...won on the fantasy, and paid for the cruise :) otherwise we would never play
Gift shop = $126...t-shirts, luggage for the clothes we bought the kids at the outlet malls in San Diego before the cruise...were trying to get our luggage below 50 lb for one of our puddle jumper flights after the cruise (didn't work, but Aloha Airlines looked the other way, I must have smiled nice or something)
Supper club = $101...2 people + 2 martinis each
Photos = $124...2 underwater cameras (cheaper than Walmart!), 3 photos + some dups for grandparents
Fountain Cafe = $33...hubby and I tried their cappucino once, the rest was my kids
Formalities = $21...candy for kids, hubby
Drinks < $250!...either Miami Vices at pool bar or martinis in lounge/dining room...price varied from $6.50 to $10 for the same martini, depending on where you order it!
Casino (not on sail n sign) = +$250! my hubby spent a couple of hours a night at the blackjack tables, and ended up the cruise $250 ahead the last night

We booked our own shore excursions,
Acapulco, $140 tour with Rosie.
Ziwhat, $20 just went to the beach
Manzanillo, $180 snorkelling

Breaking it down this way makes me realize that even if I cut my drinking in half, I'd only save $60! Good enough reason for me not to even try :D

[fllady61]

Our highest s&s bill was about 1300$. DD frist cruise, did not know about the limit you can put on a kids card. NOW i do. next cruise was about 500, and we had prepaid our tips. 3 day is usually about 340-400 for 3 of us.

Most of the money was spent on Suvioners. jewlery, soda card, gourmet coffee.

[krystalkruzer]

On my first 3 day Bahamas it was $65.Second one it was $96.

[Theresa522]

Well if you count cash (for gambling) plus our on board account, which included: spa treatment, foo foo drinks, bingo, gift shops, etc. 9 night explorer $3800 That is a family of three, however besides dd soda card she didn't spend anything so I guess you can say for two. :eek:

[Theresa522]

[quote name='bmacri']The SS total can add up really fast without even thinking about it.

Figure $140 for tipping, another $60 for Supper Club once.
That's $200 already. Throw in one or two excursions, a few drinks, pictures, even pop and water. All of a sudden you are at $500 without blinking an eye.

We became good friends with a couple we met and compared our bills on the last day. Ours was $700. Her's was $12,000!!!!!
She had purchased several pieces of art, a couple of nice pieces of jewelry, played bingo and went to the casino and charged it. They bought all the pictures that were taken of them and bought bottles of wine every night for dinner. One night at a show she bought drinks for everyone sitting in our row of seating. They also did all the expensive excursions like golfing and deep sea fishing. Wow![/quote]


Holy cow!! I thought my $3800 was a lot :eek:

[Nuttycruisegirl]

My bill for a 7 night cruise was $310...I pre-paid my gratuities and shore excursions before I left home. I didn't spend a dime in the casino. Bought a few things in the gift shop, supper club twice, drinks and 5 pictures. I didn't feel frugal or like I was spending a lot...a happy medium for me.

[disfan13]

We've yet to sail Carnival but our last cruise - 8 days NCL Spirit our bill for 2 was $1300 including tips. MOST of that was specialty restaurants AND liquor ;) And a Spa treatment for me :) 2 excursion...

[cathydev]

7 night mexican riveria cruise for 5....$1200 in fall 2003

7 night eastern caribbean for 5 $1000 march of 2000

I am guessing around 1500 for 12 night Mediterranean cruise coming up next week (6/08) for 6 people. We are doing no carnival excursions, but drinks, some spa treatments, bingo, wine at dinner...it will all add up...

[fllady61]

If my bill was 12000 they would have to give me a job so I could work to pay it off. That is awful.

I don't drink that much maybe 5 drinks the whole cruise, and most of them the first day. So we are learning how to keep it at 100 pp. it is hard to do.

i usually take 800 cash. 100 for each port, and the rest for the casino and tips. 100 for tipping at the end of the cruise.

that leaves me 400 for the casino.

My october 06 cruise went with 900$ paid in full sail and sign and brought 800 home. NOT too shabby.

[teach62]

My frugal mother (child of the Depression) has disembarked with 0 balance and a credit of $80.00. She didn't use all of her OBC. She's amazing; never leaves the ship to boot. Wish I could be as disciplined as her. She also never visits the casino. She has enough $ to take her brood of 10 on an annual cruise!

[DarthGrady]

$98 (including the tips) on my last 7 day on the Glory.

[djwood24]

8 day Miracle 5/25-6/2/08 Wife and I

Drinks $350
Casino even( I know I could not believe it either)
Shopping for gifts $200
Shopping for booze $60
Art Auction $2800
Tips (other than pre-paid) $125
Excursions $262
Memories of my honeymoon....priceless!

[Theresa522]

[quote name='hipquest'][COLOR=darkorchid][SIZE=4][FONT=Verdana]7 days on the Glory came to a little over $3000.00 for DH and me. DH is a spa 'HO!:eek: Shore excursions, supper club, shopping, cocktails and tips. We were there for my sisters wedding and spent quite a bit on other family members. We had so much fun, it was worth every penny:)[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR][/quote]

OMG that is so funny "SPA HO" sounds like my DH. :D

[snoodel]

While on the Glory last year,, our tab was just under $700 for 2 on a 7 night cruise.. The couple sitting and CRYING at the table next to us (waiting to disembark) their tab was OVER $3,500.. Mostly bar tab.
Wife was WAY PISSED<< Husband was not much happier..
Worst part,, they were driving home to Georgia and I would have Hated to be with them in the car for that ride....

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Ours has ranged from ZERO up to 7-8 grand.

Zero when the casino is treating me VERY KINDLY.. and several thousand when they are not AND when we buy ART...

Shooting for ZERO with our cruise today!!!

Tom

[pungo3]

Mine has varied from Zero to $5,000, depending on the ship and length of cruise. Zero was a group cruise where we had prepaid our tips and excursions and had $100 OBC. $5,000 for a 10 day cruise in the Baltics where I was paying for 3 people and tips and excursions were not prepaid. Europe is expensive!

[Peachy~Girl]

On both of our cruises we put down $200 cash at the beginning of the cruise and got checks back for $25 and $28. So u can tell we dont drink much, just had a few ;). Always good getting money back lol :p

[vic/leelee]

[quote name='Peachy~Girl']On both of our cruises we put down $200 cash at the beginning of the cruise and got checks back for $25 and $28. So u can tell we dont drink much, just had a few ;). Always good getting money back lol :p[/quote]

$200 total or per person?? That is where I think I am getting lost. should we or do we have to put 600 for the 3 of us or can we put 300 and check back in a day or so?? We are putting cash down on ours.