How much should I budget per day on board? The same as in the park?

[HLester3]

I was trying to figure my savings goal before our trip. We were just at WDW in April and I tried to budget about $300 per day to cover food and purchases (the character meals ate a lot of this up). Should I budget about the same, except a large chunk of our other budget was food. I don't have any idea how much money I need to have on the ship. I am only planning on buying souveniers at the ports, nothing expensive.

 

[LAMPSKIES]

We are a party of 4, myself DW and 2 DDs 15 and 13 and on all 4 sailings it came to almost exactly 300.00 per day billed to our stateroom!!!

 

[GenieDana]

First budget your tips. You can get an idea here for what you need to budget, depending on your itinerary (3, 4, 7, 10, 14 days) and the size of your party (children count just like adults).

see http://members.aol.com/CruiseTip/

Then, decide what extras on-board you want:

Some of the answers are here ( http://www.allearsnet.com/cruise/mdcg.pdf
) for the following:

Spa: depends
Booze: Up to you
Professional Pictures: Up to you (see above for pricing)
Bingo: Sky's the limit
Palo Brunch, High Tea, Dinner: (see above for pricing)
On Board Gift Shop: Up to you

On-shore
Excursions - $$$

Basically, you could cruise for only the price of the cruise (you could do the parks for only admission too). Depends on what you plan to do (and spend).

The links above can get you started on YOUR cruise budget.

 

[goofymama]

on our 7-day. we spent appx. $2000 on board. That does not include anything spent in the ports (although that was probably less than $200 for us). But it really depends on what you are planning on doing. You don't have to pay for food, so your biggest expenses will be excursions, spa, tips and alcohol.

 

[JJsmama]

Really? Other than tips, we spent only a couple hundred $ the whole cruise. It doesn't have to be that much. A few drinks (we took some with us,) 1 spa treament, Palo dinner, a gift for each kid in the shop....In fact, the things I paid extra for: Palo and the Spa, I was not particularly impressed with and will probably skip next time. (I'll buy a Rainforest room pass instead.)

We also paid for snorkel rentals on CC. However, since we're going to CC twice on our next cruise and could snorkel at our other ports, I think I will buy some masks and snorkels of our own and take them with us. The kids can use theirs in the pool here too.

If you plan ahead, you don't have to spend that much onboard. If you want to spend a lot, there is plenty of opportunity.

 

[the kabuki]

First budget your tips. You can get an idea here for what you need to budget, depending on your itinerary (3, 4, 7, 10, 14 days) and the size of your party (children count just like adults).

see http://members.aol.com/CruiseTip/

Then, decide what extras on-board you want:

Some of the answers are here ( http://www.allearsnet.com/cruise/mdcg.pdf
) for the following:

Spa: depends
Booze: Up to you
Professional Pictures: Up to you (see above for pricing)
Bingo: Sky's the limit
Palo Brunch, High Tea, Dinner: (see above for pricing)
On Board Gift Shop: Up to you

On-shore
Excursions - $$$

Basically, you could cruise for only the price of the cruise (you could do the parks for only admission too). Depends on what you plan to do (and spend).

The links above can get you started on YOUR cruise budget.

Thanks for those!!!

 

[232271]

on our 7-day. we spent appx. $2000 on board. That does not include anything spent in the ports (although that was probably less than $200 for us). But it really depends on what you are planning on doing. You don't have to pay for food, so your biggest expenses will be excursions, spa, tips and alcohol.

holy smokes ! I have way underestimated what I thought we would need!! better go sell a kidney!

 

[tecdavidt]

I would have to agree with the $2000 but that was when all 6 of us went. That does not include what we bought in the ports. Now with just three of us, our daughter is 12, it runs about $1200. I noticed that we don't buy as much in the gift shops or in Shutter's as we did on the first two cruise. It just depends on your excursions, spa treatments, photos and beverage consumption. Happy Cruising Kathy

 

[msnmom]

We spent way too much in Shutters, but could not help ourselves.. All of the pictures came out absolutely beautiful.. we have no regrets and beautiful memories...

 

[HLester3]

Thanks for all of the imput. I have to say that I am a little surprised also at the cost. I guess if you add in the shore excursions, then I can see it a little more. How much of that cost is for the spa?
Thanks.

 

[aprilgail2]

This time our bill was cheaper than last time..this time it was just around 1,000. But that didn't include tips, so it was just over 350 more for tips. We did our own excursions, nothing through Disney and we only had one bottle of wine. Rest was spa, Palo, stores and shutters I think....Plus another 130 for the Radisson the night before, rental car fee, parking etc....so it was over $2,000 more on top of the cruise price.

 

[tecdavidt]

If I do the Spa it is around $100 and that is all. The last cruise I skipped the spa. I do know others on the board are Spa junkies. I would be afraid of their Spa charges. Kathy

 

[Jillpie]

We just did our first cruise on the Wonder. If you like buying the usual stuff...mugs, tshirts, magnets, pins, they're all there. I spent WAY too much money from the gift shops, but I really couldn't help myself , it was so tempting being my first cruise. I loved it all, especially the clothes...and I'm wearing them all now. So I brought 200.00 a day (family of five) and spent most of my money in the shops (they knew me well) and Shutters. Every last penny of that was spent, but I don't regret any of it. Just bring enough for the stuff that you like.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

$300 a day sounds about right.

Jillpie, I see you got that Magic cruise booked!! Me too and can't wait!!

 

[cockermom]

Trying to budget for our cruise spending is something I've been struggling with, too. Our cruise in January will be our first, and my budget includes things like excursions, Palo, massages, photos at Shutters, tips, internet useage, etc. As far as "spending money," I've figured in $75/person/day for extra beverages, food off the ship, souveniers.... Hope that will be enough, but whatever it is, it is. I'll be equipped with a pad, pen, and handy calculator to be sure I keep track of my expenditures (and my inclination to shop till I drop!).

 

[232271]

Hope that will be enough, but whatever it is, it is. I'll be equipped with a pad, pen, and handy calculator to be sure I keep track of my expenditures [/i]).

too funny!!you sound like my husband!!

 

[westjones]

I am hoping to have enough reward points on my Disney Visa to pay for our tips, and other than that, we will give the girls each $25 (est. $50) to spend in the gift shop and I spend about $25 for a photo album. Then we buy a couple of family pictures and maybe Christmas cards (est. $100 for shutters). We will usually get a couple of drinks each (est. $50). So for us, on our 4 night, we will spend about $300 extra plus the approximately $200 in tips, so that would be around $500 for a 4 night.

When we go on the 7 night, we do excursions, so we spend a lot more. I would just sit down and estimate what you think you will spend, and then add in some extra for unexpected expenses.

DJ