Poll: What would you pay extra for?

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

Not one of the choices is worth extra money to me. There MIGHT be something I would pay extra for on a cruise ship, but I can't think what it would be--perhaps priority tender tickets at Grand Cayman.

 

Maybe I would pay for a captain's tour of the bridge...depends on the price. Another thing might be if there were a small extra charge to be on a restricted side of the ship on which all balconies had no smoking. Maybe, though, the smokers should pay extra to be a side of the ship with balconies on which they can smoke. (Gosh, I hope this statement doesn't start a war.:eek:)

[Happy ks]

I chose the toiletry option, but only if I could pre-order some decent stuff, not the stuff supplied by most hotels.

 

Everything else, it's all included, nothing is "free".

[slothandle]

Actually, I prefer that I have choices for the "better" things. I also don't mind paying for any gaming, drinks, and even extra tipping. And, I agree that nothing is actually free.

[houstontx]

No children.

 

Now THAT, I would pay extra for :)

[CruisenLexie]

Not only would I not pay extra for any of those items but if the cruise lines want to go down that road maybe I will go down another road for traveling. I realize this was just a question by a member but if the cruise lines are reading this why would we tell them we would be willing to pay extra for things we already receive when we pay for the cruise. Some of those items listed like the chair by the pool, if I had to pay extra for that I would not be happy.

[cruiserbryce]

Not only would I not pay extra for any of those items but if the cruise lines want to go down that road maybe I will go down another road for traveling.

 

too funny...cruises are still by far the best value for travel...you may have to pay a few bucks here and there but for the most part if you dont drink they include just about everything you need to enjoy a 7 day vacation, and at a great price

[CruisenLexie]

Cruising is a convenience. There are many things to see in this country and the rest of the world that do not involve cruise ships. Depending on what cabins you stay in when you cruise it can be a very reasonable vacation. We are in a veranda cabin and the starting price for our next two cruises was over $200 a person a day and that does not include air. So it costs us over $400 a day for 2. We can surely vacation elsewhere for under $400 a day. With the economy the way it is and travel being down our price has dropped considerably and is now a much better deal. So while it CAN be a less expensive way to travel it is not automatically the cheapest vacation in town. Nor can a cruise take you everywhere there is to go so they do have limitations.

 

I love cruising for the convenience and that is the number 1 reason why I cruise and as long as I feel it is reasonable I will cruise. As of now I have no complaints and I am ecstatically counting down to my next departure...48 days to go :D

[bigez]

If the cruise lines make inroads on charging for all of these extras after they've been 'included in the price of the cruise' for all these years, it will make much less sense to take a cruise. A cruiser would eventually be paying for transportation, 3 basic meals, and a cabin.

 

What's next, charging to walk the deck during daytime hours? Charging to have your picture taken with a crew member? A fee for the daily schedule? Getting dinged for a table by the window? An extra fee for more than one suitcase or one that's over 50 pounds? A surcharge on wheeled assistance devices like walkers, wheelchairs or scooters?

 

It's a sad commentary on the times.

 

But then again, no one HAS to take a cruise. Sadly, the cruise industry may eventually end up sinking itself if it continues in this direction.

Edited January 12, 2009 by bigez

[GlendaleCruiser]

None of the above.

[dwjoe]

None of the above.

 

I'm not opposed to the notion of paying for onboard extras, just none of those appeal to me.

[RoofingPrincess]

There should be an option for "None of the above"

None of those things are important enough to me to pay for them.

I don't sit by the pool

I don't want to sit in the front row for a show

I've never ordered room service

I've never wanted a table for two in the MDR

I'm in no hurry to get off the ship at the end of the cruise

I think I can count on one hand the number of times I've ordered multiple entrees or desserts at dinner (and could live without them)

I don't think they could postpone disembarkation to a late enough point that it would be worth paying for

I bring my own toiletries, don't want to take potluck with what a hotel or cruise ship decides to offer

[RoofingPrincess]

No children.

Now THAT, I would pay extra for :)

Ooh, I hadn't thought of that. Me too.

I don't have anything against kids in general, I have one of my own; but the option of having a vacation without someone else's little darlings has a great appeal.

[happy cruzer]

None of the above. I do not enjoy paying extra for anything.

 

I really resent charges that concern space. Like a charge to be in an adult area.

[Grayce]

I'd pay extra for a garanteed table for 2. That's about the only thing on the list that I really care about. I am already a pretty cheap cruiser. I don't do Bingo, art auctions or specialty restaurants. Some things are just getting priced out of my price range. Cost of pictures is outrageous now.

 

All-day lounge chair rental by the pool- I don't sit by the pool

Reserved front row seats in the show lounge- I don't watch all the shows but don't care where I sit as long as I'm not sitting behind a post.

Priority room service delivery- room service has always been pretty quick anyways. I don't need it at warp speed.

Priority disembarkation on port days- Who wants to rush on vacation. I have always gotten off the ship in plenty of time.

Multiple entrees or desserts at dinner- If they started charging for this I'd probably stop cruising. I often get two appetizers.

Late disembarkation on the last day of the cruise-no

In-room toiletry products- no

[mahalogirl]

One of the reasons we decided to try a cruise this year was because it included "everything". Well, after booking our trip, I found that there are some pretty important add-ons. For instance, the only free drinks are coffee, water, milk and hot tea. You can buy a "kids" card with 20 coupons for 20 alcohol-free drinks for $60, and if you want alcohol, you can buy an X1 card for $13.95 per person, per day, and all adults in the same cabin must buy one (apparently they're afraid someone might share). Also, the X1 card can only be used during lunch and dinner hours, so if I want anything but wine or beer, I must pay for it, and if I want anything between lunch and dinner, again, I must pay for it. I am allowed to bring up to 5 bottles of wine on board, but I have to pay $10 each for a "corkage fee", despite the fact that I will be keeping and using them in my cabin. So, up to this point, I am already paying about $500 for what an all-inclusive resort would have as part of a basic package. We haven't been on the cruise yet, so I don't know how it compares to an all-inclusive resort vacation, but so far I'm not thrilled with the pricing policies on this cruise.:(

[InitialD]

One thing I'd gladly pay for is late disembarkation on the last day of the cruise. I know they have to have time to get the rooms ready for the next passengers, but the though of an extra hour or so of sleep ahead of an 11+ hour drive sounds mighty good! Imagine - sleeping in an extra 2 hours, getting off the ship with no crowds.

[FLACRUISER99]

none of the above

ditto

[ancldaca]

"None of the above" because the poll didn't allow multiple answers.

 

The late check-out is interesting.

 

Also, as a tea drinker, I would gladly rent a cruiseline-approved water kettle so that I don't have to call room service 4 times a day (I've noted this on comment cards and even suggested that the rental fee be a type of tip that would go to the room service staff). I know the lines put them in cabins when on the other side of the pond but get rid of them when the ships move back here (or are here altogether).

[DocJohnB]

Actually,

 

None of the above.

[IPA region 30 member]

I kind of like what was mentioned earlier, get what you pay for, as in like the old days (back to the future.). There was first class, then the lower classes down to stearage. But those were the days when it was more for transporation then it was for a vacation. However, I kind of like the idea of getting what you pay for...

[G'ma]

I don't care about any of the things on the list.

 

What I'd pay more for is an adults-only cruise....nobody under 18, please....

 

Well, I can wish.

[gizmo]

None of the above.

[punkmuse]

OMG! why havent cruiselines thought about pool chair rental on a sea day before???

 

its both a really great idea and a really horrible idea.

i can see people getting really upset about it but as someone who has never spent anytime at the pool on a sea day becuase i refuse to get up at five am to be a chair hog and i refuse to move someones stuff i wouldnt mind the actually CHANCE to get a chair.

[Caribbean Sunsets]

My choice would be none of the above, too.

[petesweet]

none of them are really things that I would want enough to pay extra for. I suppose since there are nights when I enjoy extra items in the DR I would possible pay a little for that if the option of having it was not included

 

That's all I would consider paying extra for; and since it has not come to that, I don't stress over it.

 

The rest? Don't use; not interested.:)