How much extra $$$ is it gonna cost us ??

[Soccer Princess]

How much EXTRA $$ we will be spending on top of the cruise price ? I know tips but other than that will we need a lot more money ?

[Werner Weiss]

Tips are essentially mandatory -- that's how the hard-working people who take such good care of you get paid. (In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if most passengers tip more than the recommended amounts.)

Beyond that, it's up to you. Nobody forces you to buy wine with dinner, other alcohol, specialty drinks, pop outside of meals, professional photos, spa services, shore excursions, equipment rentals on Castaway Cay, bingo cards, arcade cards, hair braiding, room service tips, merchandise from the ship's shops or merchandise on shore.

You could easily spend thousands of dollars extra -- or nothing at all.

[Soccer Princess]

How much extra does everyone else usually spend?

[BethC1952]

We (two adults who don't drink a lot) spent a little over $260 (not including tips--we tipped above the recommended amount for everyone) last year on our four-night cruise. That included two refillable mugs (we did save a lot of money that way because we drink a lot of soda), a few souvenirs on the ship (two adult-sized T-shirts, one Christmas ornament, a pen and some other things), two alcoholic beverages at the sail away party, the wine tasting, snorkeling at Castaway Cay, the postcards we bought on the ship and on Castaway Cay and one picture from Shutters (we're just not very photogenic!). In addition to that we spent about $30.00 in Nassau (I bought a sundress for me and a matching one for my granddaughter, a refrigerator magnet and some postcards, and a set of Bahamian stamps and coins for DGD for her collection). We didn't go to Palo or use any of the spa services (that's just not us!). We had a wonderful time, and don't feel that we deprived ourselves of anything.

Of course, it's possible to spend a whole lot more money and still have a good time!

Beth

[lespaul55]

Since it sounds like you want specifics, here' s what we, a group of 10, charged to our KTTW and a general idea of what it was for.

WARNING: your mileage may vary!!!

We spent [drumroll please!] $2300 for 10 people. This included

tips at the requested amount [over $700 for us]

all the portraits we wanted, 4 6x8, 4 8x10 [note we avoided all character encounters, we just weren't into that]

arcade cards [over 10, at least]

smoothies [over 10, I think those were consumed with the arcade cards!]

premium wine package

alcoholic beverages [5, I think]

wine tasting for 2

spa treatments [3] awesome!

2 spa lotions/gels

Palo brunch for 4

Palo dinner for 5

2 T-shirts

Kayaks, paddle boats and banana boat rides on Castaway Cay

That's what was on our rooms. We spent $300 cash on the islands, mostly on taxis. We spent $630 for a whole day boat charter for 12 on St. Maarten.

Wow, we spent more than I had thought. Better print this out!

Leslie

[Jobro2]

We spend just about $1,000 on our trip last June..it included our tips (over the recommended amount), 1 brunch for 2 adults, over $200 in photos at Shutters, about 4 drinks per day, 2 smoothies for kids a day, maybe a soda or too also, souveniers for each of us and floats, snorkeling equipment for all of us at Castaway. I originally budgeted $1200, so we kept on track pretty well. It adds up fast!

[Mjasp]

Our family of 4 spent $980. That is NOT including tips and NOT including any excursions or money spent on the islands. That is just shipboard expenses.

[BeanoC]

Our tab last year was $988.00 on board. That's for a family of 4 on the 7-day Magic.

We didn't do any Disney excursions, we went everywhere on our own, so all those expenses were additional cash expenditures over and above our tab.

Ours was very much like Jobro2:

Lots of pics from Shutters, souveniers, gear on CC, drinks for mom and dad.
It indeed does add up fast! I am looking forward to having a $200 on board credit this year - I feel like I have a 'head start'! :)



'Beano'