All inclusive

[tinker07]

A question for all you cruise experts please, I know several cruise lines do an all inclusive package whereby you pay a set amount per person per night to have all your drinks included, although I do not believe DCL do this does anyone know if this is something they may be bringing in in the future?

 

[lanejudy]

DCL's cruise price includes all non-alcoholic beverages in the MDRs (Main Dining Rooms), the "buffet" restaurant and fast food places, the 24-hr drink station, and most beverages from room service. They do offer a beer package that includes a refillable mug and (I think) discounted refills - but I'm not sure how that works. There are also drink specials for drink of the day and such.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

NM, I see this is more of an all inclusive drink package request. Don't forget you can bring whatever you want on board anyway.

Gratuities are still extra (or tacked on to cruise fare or however you want to call it) as is standard to cruise lines in general.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Gratuities are still extra (or tacked on to cruise fare or however you want to call it) as is standard to cruise lines in general.

Sort of. On DCL the gratuities are extra and optional. While they are added to your onboard account, you can remove them. DCL gratuities only cover your room host, server, asst server, and head server. Bar service has an auto tip of 15% added to every drink (pooled to be divided by drink servers and bartenders).

On many other cruiselines, they have a Hotel Service Charge (instead of (gratuities). And it's fairly difficult to remove these. If you wish to remove them, you need to explain why. And the HSC is generally split among many crew members that aren't covered under the "regular" tipping on cruiselines (behind the scenes people - laundry for example).

Plus, if you remove the HSC, anyone you give cash tips to must turn them in to be pooled and divided anyway, so you are only hurting the people you want to tip.

 

[TDC Nala]

DCL does not sell an all-inclusive beverage package. Coffee, tea, soft drinks are available at no extra charge if you get them in the dining rooms or at the beverage station on the pool deck. If you get soft drinks from the bars or room service, there is a charge.

You can buy wine packages or a beer mug, but you can't get an all-inclusive alcoholic beverage package.

 

[over50visits]

Although many people consider the gratuities extra and optional, it's not fair to think of them that way. Unfortunately, DCL does not pay its servers and room attendants enough, and their salary mostly consists of the "optional" tips. Please consider these as a part of your cruise expense.

So, bottom line, your cruise cost is the sum of your fare paid to DCL and the gratuities on board for the servers and room attendants.

You can cruise without spending another penny, although I believe many spend money (some a lot) other items (drinks, wine packages, souvenirs, shore excursions, photos, spa treatment, bingo, art, ship store items, onboard booking, joining DVC, internet, port upgrades, parking/transportation, porter tips, adult dining...have I missed any?). DCL makes it easy to run up a huge onboard account bill.

There are plenty of opportunities to part with your money, yet you can have a truly magical vacation and part will very little extra dough.

 

[tigerfan2012]

On many other cruiselines, they have a Hotel Service Charge (instead of (gratuities). And it's fairly difficult to remove these. If you wish to remove them, you need to explain why. And the HSC is generally split among many crew members that aren't covered under the "regular" tipping on cruiselines (behind the scenes people - laundry for example).

Who actually does this? I have only sailed Carnival and RCCL and neither of those were any different than DCL.

 

[over50visits]

A question for all you cruise experts please, I know several cruise lines do an all inclusive package whereby you pay a set amount per person per night to have all your drinks included, although I do not believe DCL do this does anyone know if this is something they may be bringing in in the future?

I've not seen any discussion of such a package; the closest they have now is their dinner wine packages, though those are not unlimited.

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

It honestly wasn't my intention to make this a tipping thread, just some people think cruising is similar to ALL INCLUSIVE (which does include gratuities for the most part already.)

 

[PrincessTrisha]

A question for all you cruise experts please, I know several cruise lines do an all inclusive package whereby you pay a set amount per person per night to have all your drinks included, although I do not believe DCL do this does anyone know if this is something they may be bringing in in the future?

I don't think anyone here has heard any rumblings about an all inclusive drink package.

I know that Celebrity, Royal and Carnival are now offering this kind of drink package (Celebrity's had theirs for a while but Royal and Carnival are within the last year or so).

With Disney you can bring alcohol on board (unlimited as long as it's in your carry on); unless they change that rule, I can't really see them offering an all-inclusive alcohol package.

 

[darkwing818]

A question for all you cruise experts please, I know several cruise lines do an all inclusive package whereby you pay a set amount per person per night to have all your drinks included, although I do not believe DCL do this does anyone know if this is something they may be bringing in in the future?

Not sure a "Family First" cruise line would lend it self to be "All Inclusive", like some of the "Higher End" cruise lines (e.g. Silver Seas, Regent 7 Seas). But I could see Disney making Concierge "All Inclusive". Who knows

 

[valbob89]

A few cruise lines offer all inclusives that include not only alcohol but excursions. These lines target market a specific category of cruisers. If this is something you want to consider, a TA would be able to point you to ships that offer this. I don't see Disney offerring this anytime soon, as they try to market to as wide of range of types of people as possble.

 

[PrincessTrisha]

Not sure a "Family First" cruise line would lend it self to be "All Inclusive", like some of the "Higher End" cruise lines (e.g. Silver Seas, Regent 7 Seas). But I could see Disney making Concierge "All Inclusive". Who knows

Then why does a "family first" cruiseline allow you to bring on unlimited, uncontrolled amounts of beer, wine and hard liquor?

 

[darkwing818]

Then why does a "family first" cruiseline allow you to bring on unlimited, uncontrolled amounts of beer, wine and hard liquor?

Apples & Oranges; I think... JMO

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

To my knowledge, they are the only ones that don't confiscate your island purchases too.

This policy has been a major plus for our husbands. It helps to 'justify' the price of the cruise for some. (other cruise lines get you on cheap and try to sell you $12 drinks all day long...)

I agree. No need for a drink package when you can stop on the way.

Besides $55+ per day... (some are more and some have gratuity on top of that, depending on the line) for EVERYONE 21+ has to buy that package... that would be $440 for us on our 4 day or $770 for our 7 day?! That's like a cruise fare!

Who would buy that when you can mix your own margaritas etc? Not saying that we didn't try one or two here and there, but that is NOT worth it when you can stock your own room for a few days...

 

[over50visits]

Who actually does this? I have only sailed Carnival and RCCL and neither of those were any different than DCL.

You're right. Not many...the only one to have the Hotel Service Charge I know of is Holland America. Cunard has a Dining Service Charge.

The Hotel Service Charge is very European. Perhaps that's why HA calls it that.

All other lines, as far as I know, either have no tipping (it is included in the cruise fare), or optional tipping, added (for your convenience!) to your shipboard account (so they can advertise a lower cruise fare even though the tips aren't really optional).

 

[PrincessTrisha]

Who would buy that when you can mix your own margaritas etc? Not saying that we didn't try one or two here and there, but that is NOT worth it when you can stock your own room for a few days...

Because outside alcohol (that you brought on board) cannot be consumed in any lounge or public area accroding to DCL policy.

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Because outside alcohol (that you brought on board) cannot be consumed in any lounge or public area accroding to DCL policy.

Still not worth $500 policy or otherwise.

 

[tigerfan2012]

To my knowledge, they are the only ones that don't confiscate your island purchases too.

So if I buy booze on the 2nd day of Cruise in nassau I can drink it on the ship?

 

[Dug720]

So if I buy booze on the 2nd day of Cruise in nassau I can drink it on the ship?

No offense, but if all you are interested in is how much you can drink, Disney might not be the cruise line for you...