Anyone else feeling nickeled and dimed to death?

[Sea Hag]

I positively welcome the "nickel and diming!" All these extra charges for all those extra things I don't need, don't want, and don't buy mean a lower cost cruise for me. Bad attitude? Probably yes, but that's how I see it. :)

[bethaniesmom]

i guess we mostly do the free stuff (except shore excursions, but those have always cost extra). really, our only on board expenses are one or two pictures, maybe a spa special, and our bar bill. we rarely pay for soda, drink tea, water ( I refill the original bottle I bring on board), lemonade. i think we have done specialty restaurants maybe four or five times (my husband likes those), but I absolutely enjoy assigned seating in the main dining room (something kind of special in your waiter knowing your name and food preferences by day two, especially since my daughter is a vegetarian and I do not care much for condiments).

 

Beverly

[talosian]

I don't want higher initial prices and "all inclusive" because then I'm paying for other passengers spa, soft drinks, etc.

 

We don' drink alcohol, play bingo or do the spa trips. As suggested, we take our camera, take a couple of hundred digital shots and put up an album online to share.

 

Occasional specialty restaurant - - yes, but usually the included food is more than sufficient for us. Keep the designer coffees and we're happy with the included liquids.

 

If we want, we refill one water bottle (brought onboard with us) each and go on shore and walk around (healthy and burns calories).

 

The only time we went over the top was our last cruise and it was to Alaska; shore excursions came to well over US$1,500, but it was a considered choice and we did it willingly.

 

So if you don't want to be nickle and dined to death; like the bumper sticker says, "JUST SAY NO (Thanks)".

[velotaco]

Not me - I prefer paying less and not having to pay for things I don't want. I don't drink soda, bring my own bottled water (can't even remember when it was free), get all the included ice cream I want at meals, don't use spa services, don't need a high-priced hamburger, can live without fresh squeezed OJ, etc., and am very happy not to have to pay for everyone else to have these things included.

 

To an extent. I don't expect the booze, bottled water or soda to be free, but I have never been on a cruise that charged extra for hamburgers, OJ or icecream. That would drive me nuts. Going ala carte, for me, whould cheapen the whole experiance.

[EGG]

Get used to it. Your government will soon be doing the same thing to you with taxes.

 

Seriously, I prefer the lower price "a la carte" cruise. Then I can purchase the additional things I want.

[MrsPete]

I think it's more like this: The cruise lines are offering us MANY more opportunities to spend money. Silver jewelry specials as you go into the buffet for lunch, temporary tattoos, tee-shirts by the pool . . . I mean, who actually says, "I can't wait to go on a cruise so I can get my teeth whitened?" And they're offering "upgrades": Specialty restaurants, Johnny Rockets, fancier coffees.

 

But you're not FORCED to buy any of these things. You can still cruise and enjoy yourself without falling prey to all the nickle and diming.

[Mrs.C05]

Not me - I prefer paying less and not having to pay for things I don't want. I don't drink soda, bring my own bottled water (can't even remember when it was free), get all the included ice cream I want at meals, don't use spa services, don't need a high-priced hamburger, can live without fresh squeezed OJ, etc., and am very happy not to have to pay for everyone else to have these things included.

 

 

Exactly, I'd rather pay the lower fee than have to pay for everything even if I don't use it, ie: bottled water (tap is fine with me), OJ (I only drink it in the morning when it's free), coffee (don't care for it), dessert (get it at dinner time when it's free), massages (get them on sale or not at all).

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

look the cruise is cheap 100$ per day so they try to get you to buy stough {TRY TRY }

[mrpayroll]

Practice saying "no thank you" about a week before you cruise. Makes the cruise a lot more enjoyable....

[CanWeGoYet?]

I don't opt for bingo, casino, did not buy any professional pictures last cruise but I would have if any had turned out great. The exercise classes I payed for were in line with what I pay for dance classes at home, so I did not mind paying extra for these. I was happy to have the opportunity to get some exercise while at sea - I did the machines too but having the competitive gene I work a lot harder if trying to keep up with the teachers or others in the class. It was about the same price as a cocktail, I feel like I get a lot more good out of an exercise class.

 

Have many pictures from the cruise I took with my son and my parents, those pictures we bought of us all together are worth their weight in gold after losing my Mom. Yes we have some from our own cameras as well, but the ones taken on that cruise by the photographers were fantastic. We did not buy packages of photos though - just one and then made copies at home. They came out perfectly - took them to kinkos & copied them glossy on photographer type paper. Since I would not have bought all the pictures we did if I had to buy packages of each one - don't feel like I cut into their business by buying one of many & then making copies off the ship.

[sharks48]

Re all the annoying announcements and loud-speaker "hawking": If you cruise on Celebrity or HAL, you won't hear any of this. And, on HAL, you can bring on board as much wine as you want!

[startraveler]

IMO, cruise lines are charging fees because they know people will pay for them, particularly if there's a demand for the product. Why have an ice cream bar? Because people don't want the stuff served at the buffet restaurants.

 

It was an eye-opener for me when on one cruise at one restaurant when I asked for water they asked me whether or not I want bottled... tap was fine, don't need to pay the extra expense (considering that bottled water is sometimes nothing more than bottled public water, anyway.)

 

But there are cruise lines where stuff is free, if you look for it. Disney (which is pricey, and appeals to people with kids) has free soda - because, IMO, that's what most kids drink and there would be a riot if you were "trapped" on a DCL cruise ship and had to pay for a soda (unlike the parks, where you can always wait until you leave to get a soda.) RCI, I think, as I don't drink the stuff, had free coffee at the Seattle's Best.

[hazeleyez3]

IMO, cruise lines are charging fees because they know people will pay for them, particularly if there's a demand for the product. Why have an ice cream bar? Because people don't want the stuff served at the buffet restaurants.

 

It was an eye-opener for me when on one cruise at one restaurant when I asked for water they asked me whether or not I want bottled... tap was fine, don't need to pay the extra expense (considering that bottled water is sometimes nothing more than bottled public water, anyway.)

 

But there are cruise lines where stuff is free, if you look for it. Disney (which is pricey, and appeals to people with kids) has free soda - because, IMO, that's what most kids drink and there would be a riot if you were "trapped" on a DCL cruise ship and had to pay for a soda (unlike the parks, where you can always wait until you leave to get a soda.) RCI, I think, as I don't drink the stuff, had free coffee at the Seattle's Best.

 

 

Your standard coffee on Royal is free. If you want a specialty coffee such as a Latte you will be charged a fee.

[lovemylab]

I don't expect the booze, bottled water or soda to be free, but I have never been on a cruise that charged extra for hamburgers, OJ or icecream. That would drive me nuts. Going ala carte, for me, whould cheapen the whole experiance.

 

There is no extra charge for hamburgers in the windjammer. It is only if you go to Johnny Rockets.

 

OJ was included with breakfast on the cruises I have been on. I am not sure if there was a charge for it later in the day as I prefer water and lemonade.

 

Frozen yogurt is available in the Windjammer and also near the pool deck on Voyager class ships. Sure it isn't ice cream but it serves the same purpose. Ice cream was also available with lunch and dinner in the dining room. The only ice cream I saw with a fee was the Ben & Jerry's in the Royal Promenade. I would be willing to bet that those lines that offer free ice cream are not serving Ben & Jerry's.

 

Just wanted to provide some clarification to your post as someone new to cruising could easily read your statement and make an assumption that all hamburgers, OJ and ice cream is an extra charge when this is not the case.

[Jantoo]

Okay, okay -- I'm fine with paying for drinks or spa treatments -- BUT, ICE CREAM -- say it ain't so, please?!? I'm taking my very first cruise on NCL Spirit next week. I'll drink tap water and iced tea but pay for ice cream. That's simply wrong, wrong, wrong LOL!!!:(

[hazeleyez3]

Okay, okay -- I'm fine with paying for drinks or spa treatments -- BUT, ICE CREAM -- say it ain't so, please?!? I'm taking my very first cruise on NCL Spirit next week. I'll drink tap water and iced tea but pay for ice cream. That's simply wrong, wrong, wrong LOL!!!:(

 

There was no charge on my NCL cruises. Actually, there has been free ice cream/frozen yogurt on all of my cruises. Maybe not 24/7 but there are still times you can get it.

[Desilin]

I sort of hope RCL charges for ice cream--it will help with my weight loss plan.

 

:D had to giggle at this. Should be thinking the same thing but eh I'm on vacation what the heck lol

[simplelife]

Admittedly, there are more charges now, but they are for things that were not even available on our earlier cruises - specialty restaurants, premium ice cream and coffee, etc Many people are quite happy without the extras and see no reason they should pay a higher fare because of them.

 

Cruise lines want to keep fares low to attract more passengers, and at the same time want to please those who want a more upscale experience. At the same time, they recognize the economic benefit of convincing people that there is something even better for "just a few dollars more" - It's easy to get pulled in to this ploy.

 

It would be helpful if lines published more clearly what the various upcharges are so travelllers could plan their budget more accurately. In the meantime, if you don't want upcharges, practice saying "no, thank you."

[Fisherlady48]

It would be helpful if lines published more clearly what the various upcharges are so travelllers could plan their budget more accurately. In the meantime, if you don't want upcharges, practice saying "no, thank you."

 

I so agree that the cruise lines should be more clear in what costs extra. And I am all about those words your parents taught you to say as a child.

 

No Thank you. It works everytime.:cool:

 

Happy Crusin everyone.

 

K