Is there docking fees?

[DisMama5]

we are new to DCL and new to a cruise overall. I started another thread on time frames but I have a separate question regarding extra fees outside of the price...

Someone mentioned to me that cruises have docking fees everytime we dock at a port, is this true on DCL??

I don't see much of any fees outside of the overall price listed other than excursion if we choose and alcohol... Is there anything else we should be aware of?

What are the docking fees?

We are planning 7 nights Caribbean on the fantasy. Not positive on eastern or western yet but most likely western.....

Thanks in advance all

 

[MUN]

Any docking fees are included in the cruise price. You will not be charged extra for docking fees or to get on and off of the ship.

MUN

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Any docking fees are included in the cruise price. You will not be charged extra for docking fees or to get on and off of the ship.

MUN

Agree fees are added at the time of booking,they estimate them occasionally you get a refund. Note sometimes there is a port shuttle to the city and that may have a charge. Other costs you need to plan for is tips.

 

[DisMama5]

Thank you all! So very helpful

That's another question I had, we aren't really interested in excursions at ports, mostly just spending time at a beach near each port, would we just take a taxi in this case? Which obviously would be an extra fee of course. Or is there a just beach day excursion for each port regardless, offered by the ship?

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Thank you all! So very helpful

That's another question I had, we aren't really interested in excursions at ports, mostly just spending time at a beach near each port, would we just take a taxi in this case? Which obviously would be an extra fee of course. Or is there a just beach day excursion for each port regardless, offered by the ship?

Depends where your going but yes you do not have to take there trips you can walk get a taxi etc just be back in time. Some ports have beach trips organised.

 

[DisMama5]

Great! Thanks thanks thanks!

 

[MUN]

Thank you all! So very helpful

That's another question I had, we aren't really interested in excursions at ports, mostly just spending time at a beach near each port, would we just take a taxi in this case? Which obviously would be an extra fee of course. Or is there a just beach day excursion for each port regardless, offered by the ship?

To give you an idea of beach trip costs, we were on the Fantasy Eastern Caribbean cruise 2 weeks ago and we took taxis to Orient Bay beach in St. Martin and Magens Bay in St. Thomas. At each location, taxi costs were $8 per person each way. So for our family of 5 that worked out to $80 roundtrip per beach visit. Magens Bays charged $4 per person for beach entry, but they had plenty of shade and picnic tables to hang out on; therefore, we didn't rent lounge chairs. At Orient Bay we hung out at a "beach club" that charged $7 per person for lounge chairs and umbrellas, but you got a free drink with that. We also had lunch at both beach trips.

At Cozumel 2 years ago on a Western Caribbean cruise, we took a cab to a beach club. The cab ride was about $25 total each way and the club charged $3 per person for chairs & umbrellas. All in we spent about $115 for our beach trip. At Grand Cayman we took a public bus (think van) for about $2 per person each way to a beach club on 7 Mile Beach. Including chair/umbrella rental, drinks, food and bus fare we spent about $80 for our beach trip.

Obviously, you can spend more and in some cases, beaches are within walking distance, so you can spend less. We live in the Midwest and good beaches are hard to come by, so for us we enjoy heading to the beach on our Caribbean cruises.

MUN

 

[DisMama5]

To give you an idea of beach trip costs, we were on the Fantasy Eastern Caribbean cruise 2 weeks ago and we took taxis to Orient Bay beach in St. Martin and Magens Bay in St. Thomas. At each location, taxi costs were $8 per person each way. So for our family of 5 that worked out to $80 roundtrip per beach visit. Magens Bays charged $4 per person for beach entry, but they had plenty of shade and picnic tables to hang out on; therefore, we didn't rent lounge chairs. At Orient Bay we hung out at a "beach club" that charged $7 per person for lounge chairs and umbrellas, but you got a free drink with that. We also had lunch at both beach trips.

At Cozumel 2 years ago on a Western Caribbean cruise, we took a cab to a beach club. The cab ride was about $25 total each way and the club charged $3 per person for chairs & umbrellas. All in we spent about $115 for our beach trip. At Grand Cayman we took a public bus (think van) for about $2 per person each way to a beach club on 7 Mile Beach. Including chair/umbrella rental, drinks, food and bus fare we spent about $80 for our beach trip.

Obviously, you can spend more and in some cases, beaches are within walking distance, so you can spend less. We live in the Midwest and good beaches are hard to come by, so for us we enjoy heading to the beach on our Caribbean cruises.

MUN

Oh this is awesome info! Thanks, we are looking to mostly to do beaches so this helps fully! Not sure on good/safe beaches to consider so very helpful with this info and names thanks

 

[MUN]

Oh this is awesome info! Thanks, we are looking to mostly to do beaches so this helps fully! Not sure on good/safe beaches to consider so very helpful with this info and names thanks

All the beaches we visited were great and we felt very safe. St. Martin is a bit dumpy (lots of trash on the road) when you get off of the beach, but we felt very safe. Economically, St. Martin is not as wealthy as St. Thomas, the Caymans, or Bahamas, but it doesn't have the poverty of Jamaica or Haiti.

MUN

 

[DisMama5]

All the beaches we visited were great and we felt very safe. St. Martin is a bit dumpy (lots of trash on the road) when you get off of the beach, but we felt very safe. Economically, St. Martin is not as wealthy as St. Thomas, the Caymans, or Bahamas, but it doesn't have the poverty of Jamaica or Haiti.

MUN

Perfect! I think we are leaning towards the western Caribbean with Cozumel, cayman and Jamaica as the ports but I'm keeping an open mind to eastern as well!

 

[DisMama5]

Random thought, doesn't apply to this thread but is the fantasy always usual western Caribbean ship or do they swap the dream and fantasy every few years? We are waiting for 2017 dates to come out

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Random thought, doesn't apply to this thread but is the fantasy always usual western Caribbean ship or do they swap the dream and fantasy every few years? We are waiting for 2017 dates to come out

Fantasy does the 7 nights East and West . Dream 3/4 Bahamas so the crews know there own set up.

 

[DisMama5]

I should add we are leaning towards August/sept also. Maybe October as a 3rd runner up.

 

[DisMama5]

Fantasy does the 7 nights East and West . Dream 3/4 Bahamas so the crews know there own set up.

Oh okay so fantasy always does this route and the ships aren't swapped at all. Sorry for the excessive questions all, just so new to this but enjoying the feed back to fill in the blanks!!

 

[HookedOnDCL1]

In regards to extra fees, don't forget gratuities. They are automatically added to your onboard account for the recommended amounts. You can adjust this up or down if you like, but if you do nothing, the recommended amount is added. More info is here: https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/planning-center/my-cruise-plans/faqs/onboard-services/gratuities/
Also, those prices are per person in your party.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Agree fees are added at the time of booking,they estimate them occasionally you get a refund. Note sometimes there is a port shuttle to the city and that may have a charge. Other costs you need to plan for is tips.

In regards to extra fees, don't forget gratuities. They are automatically added to your onboard account for the recommended amounts. You can adjust this up or down if you like, but if you do nothing, the recommended amount is added. More info is here: https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/planning-center/my-cruise-plans/faqs/onboard-services/gratuities/
Also, those prices are per person in your party.

Yep.

 

[DisMama5]

Hmm really confused from the link there about tips. So if I added it up is that nightly per guest? It says "per guest per cruise... If I add up the 3 servers.. (Not counting the room hostess) that's about $60 a night for a 7 night cruise.. So that's about another $450 unless I'm reading this wrong? Or how exactly does this work.

Do you have to do sit down dinners every night?

Are there no fast casual options instead?

How many times do you have servers.. Just for dinner?

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Hmm really confused from the link there about tips. So if I added it up is that nightly per guest? It says "per guest per cruise... If I add up the 3 servers.. (Not counting the room hostess) that's about $60 a night for a 7 night cruise.. So that's about another $450 unless I'm reading this wrong? Or how exactly does this work.

Do you have to do sit down dinners every night?

Are there no fast casual options instead?

How many times do you have servers.. Just for dinner?

http://cruisetip.tpkeller.com/

It is based on the number of nights but actually covers all the service, it is per person, per night. Whilst it says per night, and you gave a fixed time for your dinner, it covers breakfast and lunch as well for open sittings or the Buffett.

Do you have to do sit down dinners every night? You do not gave to but you will miss out big time it's a nightlight of the cruise and there are themes and shows in some.

Are there no fast casual options instead?There are fast food outlets on pool deck intended for a fill up during the day often closed at dinner time, but Cabanas the Buffett is open for casual dinner some nights, I would encourage you to go to the MDRs.

How many times do you have servers.. Just for dinner?
Your allocated servers maybe yes but they will also serve at breakfast and lunch, you may see them.

 

[lanejudy]

Gratuities are suggested at $12 per passenger per night. That $12 is broken down as $4 for the stateroom host, $4 for your server, $3 for the assistant server and $1 for the head server. This are the only "standard" tips and will be automatically charged to your onboard account; you can increase or decrease the amounts if you so choose by going to Guest Services. For a 7-night cruise, tips are $84 for each passenger ($168 for you as a couple).

Some tips will be automatically added to your charge slip that you sign, and again charged to your onboard account. 15% for drinks (bar and/or alcohol served anywhere) and 18% for spa services. Room service will accept cash tips.

Your MDR serving team (head server, server, assistant server) are assigned to you and will rotate with you to each MDR throughout the cruise. Technically they only serve you dinner each night, but they also work the MDRs, buffet and counter service locations for breakfast and lunch where you don't tip. Therefore, your "dinner" tips count towards all meals.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[DisMama5]

Okay so what I gather:

Do the rotational dinners in MDR because it's a big part of the cruise, so we will definitely do so

Still confused- poster above you said for example $168 per couple.. Is that nightly??.... Yikes I guess I wasn't thinking to expect hundreds and hundreds in tips I didn't realize this factor. Alcohol won't be a big thing for us. Maybe a few here and there. We won't be doing much extra things besides like BBB and probably use room service here and there. So my main concern is knowing what to tip and how much to tip overall for our dining I guess.