Extra Costs?

[dobball23]

I'm a Disney Cruise Line veteran who is thinking about booking a Royal Caribbean cruise to try it out, and to extend a vacation prior to a cruise on the Disney Wish this summer.

The total price I'm being shown for a 3-night cruise in August is $901.42 for two adults. What extra costs can I expect on the ship? I will not purchase the following (we don't on Disney):

• Specialty dining
• Souvenirs
• Alcohol
• Spa treatments
• Shore excursions (we would get off at Coco Cay, but ideally wouldn't need to book anything at a cost)

Some things we utilize that might be an extra charge?

• Soda/non-alcoholic drinks
• Non-specialty meals
• Gym (fitness area, not spa)

 

[hdrolfe]

I'm a Disney Cruise Line veteran who is thinking about booking a Royal Caribbean cruise to try it out, and to extend a vacation prior to a cruise on the Disney Wish this summer.

The total price I'm being shown for a 3-night cruise in August is $901.42 for two adults. What extra costs can I expect on the ship? I will not purchase the following (we don't on Disney):

• Specialty dining
• Souvenirs
• Alcohol
• Spa treatments
• Shore excursions (we would get off at Coco Cay, but ideally wouldn't need to book anything at a cost)

Some things we utilize that might be an extra charge?

• Soda/non-alcoholic drinks
• Non-specialty meals
• Gym (fitness area, not spa)

Soda/non-alcoholic drinks would be extra from your list. You can buy a package for those items or pay as you go. The packages are often on sale and pretty reasonable. I believe if you plan to have 4 or more per day you'd break even on the package vs paying out of pocket. You can't share the packages so would each need to buy one if you plan to both partake. Free drinks include regular tea/coffee, flavoured water, lemonade & iced tea as well as juice (from concentrate, not the fresh squeezed stuff) at breakfast. I think if you want to participate in certain gym activities (the classes I believe) there may be a cost, but to just use the gym equipment it's included.

Depending on the ship, there will be options for included meals. MDR of course and the buffet, but there is also a pizza place and a cafe promenade for sandwiches and desserts. Some ships have more options, depends on the one you are looking at.

Coco Cay has options you can pay for but plenty to do that is free.

 

[dobball23]

Soda/non-alcoholic drinks would be extra from your list. You can buy a package for those items or pay as you go. The packages are often on sale and pretty reasonable. I believe if you plan to have 4 or more per day you'd break even on the package vs paying out of pocket. You can't share the packages so would each need to buy one if you plan to both partake. Free drinks include regular tea/coffee, flavoured water, lemonade & iced tea as well as juice (from concentrate, not the fresh squeezed stuff) at breakfast. I think if you want to participate in certain gym activities (the classes I believe) there may be a cost, but to just use the gym equipment it's included.

Depending on the ship, there will be options for included meals. MDR of course and the buffet, but there is also a pizza place and a cafe promenade for sandwiches and desserts. Some ships have more options, depends on the one you are looking at.

Coco Cay has options you can pay for but plenty to do that is free.

Thank you for the insight. It sounds like -- since we're pretty flexible and just happy to be on the cruise -- we can do it with minimal extra cost on top of the $901 (I haven't factored in tips yet) and still have fun.

 

[anitag888]

If you are not a drinker, the soda-only package is very reasonable (I just saw a listing for $8.99/day/person) but the full alcohol package was pretty expensive last time I checked at $61/day/person. I'm holding out to see if it becomes more affordable, at this price one would basically have to dring about 6 alcoholic beverages each day to break even. We last sailed on the Symphony and never even bothered with specialty dining, we did just fine with the MDR, and I think we may go that route again when we sail in May.

 

[NicoleLarson]

If you are not a drinker, the soda-only package is very reasonable (I just saw a listing for $8.99/day/person) but the full alcohol package was pretty expensive last time I checked at $61/day/person. I'm holding out to see if it becomes more affordable, at this price one would basically have to dring about 6 alcoholic beverages each day to break even. We last sailed on the Symphony and never even bothered with specialty dining, we did just fine with the MDR, and I think we may go that route again when we sail in May.

May be a dumb question but does everyone have to buy a drink package or can just 1 person buy the deluxe and then 1 person buy the soda and 2 not buy anything? How about milk, is that included in any of the packages?

 

[starvenger]

May be a dumb question but does everyone have to buy a drink package or can just 1 person buy the deluxe and then 1 person buy the soda and 2 not buy anything? How about milk, is that included in any of the packages?

Technically speaking, every adult in the cabin must buy the drink package if you wish to purchase one.

But there's enough anecdotal evidence out there that says that if you speak with customer service and provide a good excuse for the other adults ("They don't drink" is probably sufficient) they can get away with the non-alcoholic package.

Milk should be complimentary.

 

[anitag888]

Not a dumb question at all. As a general rule, if one person in the cabin is over 21 and is purchasing the deluxe package, all adults over 21 are expected to, and those under 21 are expected to get the soda package, however, if you have a reason for someone in your group to not have the alcohol package, you can call customer service for an accommodation. For example, my adult daughter cannot drink alcohol because of the medications she's on, so we can usually do 2 packages with alcohol and 1 soda. Milk is actually an included beverage, so it's available to you at no extra charge. The stipulations exist to prevent 1 person from purchasing the alcohol package and just sharing it with everyone in the cabin, and I know most cruise lines do it that way. I looked this morning, and the deluxe package actually is MORE expensive today than it was when I checked it recently, it's up to $65.99/person/day. I don't even drink soda, I might actually just go with the included beverages, and if I want an alcoholic beverage or two, just pay them as one-off.

 

[sam_gordon]

Technically speaking, every adult in the cabin must buy the drink package if you wish to purchase one.

But there's enough anecdotal evidence out there that says that if you speak with customer service and provide a good excuse for the other adults ("They don't drink" is probably sufficient) they can get away with the non-alcoholic package.

Milk should be complimentary.

Just to clarify a couple points...
1) All adults will need to purchase SOME drink package if one does the alcohol package.
2) You can't order this online, you'll need to call Royal and let them know (again, say the others don't drink).

 

[NicoleLarson]

Technically speaking, every adult in the cabin must buy the drink package if you wish to purchase one.

But there's enough anecdotal evidence out there that says that if you speak with customer service and provide a good excuse for the other adults ("They don't drink" is probably sufficient) they can get away with the non-alcoholic package.

Milk should be complimentary.

Not a dumb question at all. As a general rule, if one person in the cabin is over 21 and is purchasing the deluxe package, all adults over 21 are expected to, and those under 21 are expected to get the soda package, however, if you have a reason for someone in your group to not have the alcohol package, you can call customer service for an accommodation. For example, my adult daughter cannot drink alcohol because of the medications she's on, so we can usually do 2 packages with alcohol and 1 soda. Milk is actually an included beverage, so it's available to you at no extra charge. The stipulations exist to prevent 1 person from purchasing the alcohol package and just sharing it with everyone in the cabin, and I know most cruise lines do it that way. I looked this morning, and the deluxe package actually is MORE expensive today than it was when I checked it recently, it's up to $65.99/person/day. I don't even drink soda, I might actually just go with the included beverages, and if I want an alcoholic beverage or two, just pay them as one-off.

Just to clarify a couple points...
1) All adults will need to purchase SOME drink package if one does the alcohol package.
2) You can't order this online, you'll need to call Royal and let them know (again, say the others don't drink).

All great advice and explanation, thank you!!!!