Review my budget

[tfiga1]

Every week I have been adding money to my shipboard account and am currently at $800 which I think is enough. Is there anything I am missing? A few pieces on information, we do not buy the photos, not drinkers (last time in WDW we each had 1 drink each) and do not really buy souvenirs. Also, we have already paid our tips in advance and plan on taking a bunch of 1's and 5's for room service and porter tips.

$250- 3 sessions of bingo
$100- drinks
$60- Palo brunch
$80- 2 tastings
$100- $50 for each of my 2 children for souvenirs
$50- Misc costs
$25- pin and magnet souvenir for me
$12- float rentals at CC

We have 2 ports, Cozumel and CC. In Cozumel we are going to Mr. Sanchos and paying out of pocket. Does this seem sufficient?

TIA

 

[raceboymom]

Sounds like you've got it covered, but you never know when you are going to see something that you want to do or buy that you weren't expecting. I'd add a few hundred just for unexpected items.

 

[kcashner]

How are you planning to get to the port?
I'm guessing you are on a 7 night cruise based on your stops...and that you are a family of 4 or 5 (not sure with the Palo brunch amount at $60 (3 people) and the comment about $50 to each kid......

Spa? Smoothies for kids? arcade? simulators? fitness classes?

 

[sissy_ib]

If the $60 for Palo does not include a tip a little more for that.

 

[Anonny]

If the $60 for Palo does not include a tip a little more for that.

Perhaps $60 for Palo is two adults. $20 for brunch and $10 tip each. Isn't that appopriate?

 

[Anonny]

If you don't drink, I think you are over-budgeting with $100 for drinks.
Most non-alcoholic drinks are included in the cost of your cruise.

 

[tfiga1]

The $60 for Palo is 2 adults for brunch with tips, the drinks include a couple of smoothies for my oldest son 13, as my youngest 11 does not like them. We are on a 5 day cruise. We are flying into MIA and are planning on paying the $30 cab ride in cash. I do have just over $100 pad in my total, currently the expenses budgeted for are just under $700. I think I should be ok, but just do not want to be short as I try to pay for my entire trip before I leave, it makes the trip that much more enjoyable.

 

[kcashner]

Your budget looks pretty good. I don't think anyone was trying to be critical but rather to try to figure out how you had allocated some things.

Every family is different. My bingo would be zero, but I might enjoy some spa time. On the other hand, one of your family might like the golf simulator or whatever. We each make different choices.

It looks like you have all of yours covered.

 

[Itinkso]

Speaking from very recent experience (Friday morning at 1 a.m.), you may want to factor in an unexpected medical emergency. After hours visits to the Fantasy Medical Center is a minimum $221 fee. One hour into watching Frankenweenie, DD yawned and dislocated her jaw. She couldn't relax her muscles for it to reposition and we were at the Medical Center at 1:10 and the Dr. was on his way. Three repositioning attempts later she was back to normal. Prior to this emergency, we were running at just $200 on our account - $90 in drinks for DD and two meals at Palo with tips and one Mixology class - our souvenirs were on her credit card and my card was on file for our account. When we disembarked, our final account total was $800! So, with two children, you may want to pad your total a little more just to be safe - not necessarily hundreds of dollars but maybe enough to cover a basic emergency visit just in case.

 

[MDTerp]

I just re-read and say you took care if gratuities in advance. Unless you decide to do spa or fitness class, you look good.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I just re-read and say you took care if gratuities in advance. Unless you decide to do spa or fitness class, you look good.

OP said they've paid thier tips in advance.

 

[tfiga1]

Thanks for all the responses. I think I will add $100 more and pray for the best. Also I did not feel anyone was being critical....I absolutely love this board, so much great information and wonderful people. I am sorry if my post came off that I felt I was being criticized. I was just trying to clarify my original post because once I hit the submit button, I remember all the other information I should have included.

 

[tvguy]

Speaking from very recent experience (Friday morning at 1 a.m.), you may want to factor in an unexpected medical emergency. After hours visits to the Fantasy Medical Center is a minimum $221 fee. One hour into watching Frankenweenie, DD yawned and dislocated her jaw. She couldn't relax her muscles for it to reposition and we were at the Medical Center at 1:10 and the Dr. was on his way. Three repositioning attempts later she was back to normal. Prior to this emergency, we were running at just $200 on our account - $90 in drinks for DD and two meals at Palo with tips and one Mixology class - our souvenirs were on her credit card and my card was on file for our account. When we disembarked, our final account total was $800! So, with two children, you may want to pad your total a little more just to be safe - not necessarily hundreds of dollars but maybe enough to cover a basic emergency visit just in case.

Available credit on a credit card is also something to consider, especially if flying. I always tell folks to have an amount equal to the cost of the full fare, one way flight home for everyone in your party available on a credit card in case of a flight issue. Even if you get travel insurance, you would have to pay that fare and have to file a claim when you get home. You could do that with travelers checks or cash, but I wouldn't recommend traveling with that much cash. I'd also add enough for hotel rooms and airport price level meals for a few meals in my reserve.

I don't mean this in a snarky way, but, I am amazed at how little financial breathing room some cruisers have.

 

[tfiga1]

Thanks, we do plan on taking a credit card for extreme emergencies, but after spending so many years paying them off, I do not want to use one if I do not have to. I am just trying to get make sure that my onboard account has a zero balance when I disembark.

 

[sissy_ib]

Available credit on a credit card is also something to consider, especially if flying. I always tell folks to have an amount equal to the cost of the full fare, one way flight home for everyone in your party available on a credit card in case of a flight issue. Even if you get travel insurance, you would have to pay that fare and have to file a claim when you get home. You could do that with travelers checks or cash, but I wouldn't recommend traveling with that much cash. I'd also add enough for hotel rooms and airport price level meals for a few meals in my reserve.

I don't mean this in a snarky way, but, I am amazed at how little financial breathing room some cruisers have.

We always have an empty CC each when we travel. Well, we always have it in general but make sure we carry it when we travel. We don't really consider that part of the budget. We may set a spending limit with little room, but we have at least the credit to get us home or where we need to go in an emergency. When looking at my upcoming trip I've accounted for Palo, excursions, the spa, but not an emergency. That is what the Master Card in the back of my wallet and the Visa in the back of my husband's is for. Oh, and passports of course!

 

[Itinkso]

Thanks, we do plan on taking a credit card for extreme emergencies, but after spending so many years paying them off, I do not want to use one if I do not have to. I am just trying to get make sure that my onboard account has a zero balance when I disembark.

With adding the additional $100, you should be fine! I had prepaid our tips, our independent excursions and Rainforest passes and had $800 in cash and travelers' checks for additional tips and miscellaneous items. DD had to use her CC for souvenirs to receive her employee discount and between the two of us we had a total of four CCs with zero balances and full credit limits so I wasn't worried about the emergency expense. I was just grateful the Dr. didn't have to sedate her. And, I chose to have our account settled on my credit card to receive the 5% kickback from Chase!