Need a little help with tips!

[kcashner]

Do you use Disney Visa? If not, anyone planning 2 Disney trips should...but it's only a good deal if you pay it off each month. OK, convert all your rewards to the reward card and use that to pay off your guest services account.

Is it possible to get the same hotel (or one that has the shuttle service) on Priceline? There are sites that list the hotels and star levels in a given area...and there really aren't many hotels near the terminal. People have reported really great price deals. There is a thread on "everything you need to know for the MR.

Yeah, I fed myself thru school by selling plasma...it only takes about an hour twice a week and you can get about $200 a month!

I don't think anyone is bashing on you here...just trying to find ways to not stiff the servers!

 

[Miz Diz]

Skip Palo - it is $20/person and the service is so great, you would want to leave a tip there as well.

Previous poster mentioned Disney Visa. Do consider this. I think they sometimes offer $ for signing up. You also get 6 months 0 interest on Disney vacations, so this would count for the cruise. And you can charge your regular expenses and get % back - just make sure to pay off each month.


If money is really tight - consider NOT shipping your sunscreen. You can buy it on board and though more expensive than buying locally, probably not more when you factor in the shipping cost.

I agree on not doing the FE, as well.

 

[NancyIL]

I hope your flight home is 7 a.m. on the day AFTER the cruise ends! You will NOT make a flight that early the same day.

 

[NHdisneylover]

It seems you have gotten good advice.

As other have stated, you can (and in your situation should) use OBC towards tips. That $25 will help you.

I also agree with bowing out of the FE. It can be a lot of fun, but it can also be a hassle and the costs DO add up. You will have a blast on vacation without adding that in. I seriously would never do that if I were on such a tight budget as you are, even if i had the $$ for tips, which you are currently lacking.

As others have said, not tipping means you are basically making those people work for free--they receive virtually no other salary (I think it is rumored to be about $50 per MONTH). Given the choice between paying someone who is working hard for you the salary you have more or less agreed to by taking the cruise in the first place (the tip information is hardly a secret) or participating in an exchange of fun little "extras" for yourself and others on a luxury vacation--I would think the choice would be obvious and easy.

We have taken several cruises where the ONLY expense we have the entire week is tips. Many before FE was even an idea (I think Deb started them on the first Panama Canal crossing). We have enjoyed each and every one of those. You will have fun with no extras or perks at all.

 

[NancyIL]

Since you are on a tight budget, I don't suppose you bought trip insurance, did you? I won't cruise without it, but lots of people take their chances.

 

[kcashner]

There might be a drug store within walking distance of your hotel to get the sunscreen. Maybe more costly than at home but cheaper than shipping it.

 

[sas_mk]

We just stayed at the Best Western of Long Beach when we went on the MR cruise last month. The hotel was great... but the best part is that they have a free shuttle from LGB and a free shuttle to the Port. That could save you some $$ or save you from a 2 hour ride on a public transport bus.

Check out the price for a room and see if the hotel rate is any cheaper than the hotel you already have booked.

Also, as someone else mentioned, I hope your flight home is on Monday -- because if it is on Sunday, there is no way you would be able to make it.

Good luck scraping together the few extra $$ for tips!!

 

[Stinkerbe11]

I can see how tips could be a shock, especially for those who don't read their documentation closely and realize it after they arrive At least you are prepared and want to do the right thing!

I am thinking that tip-skipping or short-tipping must be a problem because DCL mentions it online and in the paper documents. We even received a separate piece of paper at cruise check-in detailing suggested tip amounts.

A great way to save on tips (for next time) is to rebook onboard and name a travel agent. We received 300.00 in onboard credit and that really helped out a lot!

 

[NancyIL]

I can see how tips could be a shock, especially for those who don't read their documentation closely and realize it after they arrive At least you are prepared and want to do the right thing!

I am thinking that tip-skipping or short-tipping must be a problem because DCL mentions it online and in the paper documents. We even received a separate piece of paper at cruise check-in detailing suggested tip amounts.

A great way to save on tips (for next time) is to rebook onboard and name a travel agent. We received 300.00 in onboard credit and that really helped out a lot!

If the OP is going to have to cut corners to pay the recommended tips, then she won't have the funds to rebook onboard.

 

[simbasmom2]

I would pack little bottles of sunscreen. I have bought (actually got them free with a coupon) little 2 oz bottles of sunscreen bottles from CVS. I also, have transferred sunscreen into little containers and carried them on with me. I agree with the no FE, just enjoy everything else. Good luck!

 

[Minnie Monellen]

There might be a drug store within walking distance of your hotel to get the sunscreen. Maybe more costly than at home but cheaper than shipping it.

Also, I purchased a travel size bottle of suntan lotion at Ulta (chain store - cosmetics/perfumes).

Definitely bow out of the FE. Even if people in your group have already made/bought a gift for you, there's usually someone last minute who wants to join the FE group and can take your place.

As many others have posted in similar threads, would you plan on going out to dinner at a restaurant and not have enough money for the tip?

Good luck with your planning and have a wonderful cruise!

 

[paul436]

We prepaid our tips

How do you pre-pay the tips?

 

[kcashner]

How do you pre-pay the tips?

You phone DCL or your travel agent (if you used one) with your credit card number.

 

[jilljill]

* We are flying into LGB, not LAX, it was only $400 round trip for the 2 of us Yeah, we were excited. It would be about $33 from the airport to our hotel. The hotel provides a shuttle to (possibly from) the port. Though, on the way back we have to use a taxi since our flight leaves at 7am!
SO I did figure out a way to cut down our spending for transport: use the bus. It's about $5 for both of us to just take public transit from the airport to hotel. Though, it takes an extra 2 hours.

I hope your flight home is 7 a.m. on the day AFTER the cruise ends! You will NOT make a flight that early the same day.

We just stayed at the Best Western of Long Beach when we went on the MR cruise last month. The hotel was great... but the best part is that they have a free shuttle from LGB and a free shuttle to the Port. That could save you some $$ or save you from a 2 hour ride on a public transport bus.

Check out the price for a room and see if the hotel rate is any cheaper than the hotel you already have booked.

Also, as someone else mentioned, I hope your flight home is on Monday -- because if it is on Sunday, there is no way you would be able to make it.

Good luck scraping together the few extra $$ for tips!!

It's been said but needs to be repeated - I certainly hope your 7am flight home is for the day AFTER your cruise returns and NOT the day the ship returns to LA. If you did book your flight for 7am on the day the ship returns there is absolutely no way you will be able to make your flight home.

 

[NancyIL]

It's been said but needs to be repeated - I certainly hope your 7am flight home is for the day AFTER your cruise returns and NOT the day the ship returns to LA. If you did book your flight for 7am on the day the ship returns there is absolutely no way you will be able to make your flight home.

Not only would the OP not make the flight, but Delta will charge $150 per ticket to change the flight - unless there is a big enough schedule change.

 

[4butlers]

A couple ways our family saves up extra spending money or extra "cushion" cash is to put all our extra change into a big jar. Clean out your car, clean under your sofa cushions....A year's worth of change almost pays our tips for a family of 4. I know you don't have a year to save, but it could put a dent in your expenses? We also recycle all our pop cans/bottles and put that money into our change jar. Is there anything you can sell on Craigslist or Ebay?
And I agree with PPs, go to Target and get a couple of tubes of travel size sunscreen instead of shipping it. Do whatever you can to make sure your severs get at least their recommended tips. They deserve it!

 

[MTmomma]

I guess I am not understanding how you would cruise cutting your budget this closely. Tipping is no hidden secret. For my last cruise, I spent MONTHS with lunches of ramen, just to build in what I considered "enough" extra in my budget to not have to use a credit card for anything. In this case, I think rather than ask someone to work for free, cut everything possible, and even use the credit card to make it right for the hardworking CMs. A cruise is a luxury, and unfortunately, being unemployed, there would not have been a good enough deal for me to blow the money on a vacation. Just my opinion on this though.

 

[Stinkerbe11]

A great and quick way to get some extra cash is by selling your old jewelry. I recently cleaned out my jewelry boxes and mailed in necklaces, rings, earrings etc...and ended up with 1,400.00 I had no idea that stuff I considered "junk" was worth even close to that much...just a suggestion, hope it helps

 

[Amunet]

Okay okay, all of you, breathe a sigh of relief! Lol yes, the 7am is for monday We did this so that we could be back in Utah so DH can go to work (so he wouldn't get in trouble for missing a day). We fly in the day before and fly out the day after

As for the FE, the items I am MAKING and already have the things to make it, it's a unique talent of mine

For those of you concerned about my tight budget: It's really not horribly tight. Thank you for the concerns though! The reason for this thread was if I didn't have enough 'fun money' (of which, I would take the extra $68 out of), in time for the cruise.
I will be finding this out sometime this month
I like to plan ahead, so this thread is to prepare me in case we don't get the extra money ^_^

So all of your ideas to help me make it, is really helping me! Thank you

A great and quick way to get some extra cash is by selling your old jewelry. I recently cleaned out my jewelry boxes and mailed in necklaces, rings, earrings etc...and ended up with 1,400.00 I had no idea that stuff I considered "junk" was worth even close to that much...just a suggestion, hope it helps

Did you do that with the gold mail in thing? I do have jewelry that I wish to sell but they have rubies and diamonds on them, as well as a nice watch. I'd love to sell these, but I wouldn't have the slightest idea of where.

 

[extechie rbd/wdt]

Okay okay, all of you, breathe a sigh of relief! Lol yes, the 7am is for monday We did this so that we could be back in Utah so DH can go to work (so he wouldn't get in trouble for missing a day). We fly in the day before and fly out the day after

As for the FE, the items I am MAKING and already have the things to make it, it's a unique talent of mine

For those of you concerned about my tight budget: It's really not horribly tight. Thank you for the concerns though! The reason for this thread was if I didn't have enough 'fun money' (of which, I would take the extra $68 out of), in time for the cruise.
I will be finding this out sometime this month
I like to plan ahead, so this thread is to prepare me in case we don't get the extra money ^_^

So all of your ideas to help me make it, is really helping me! Thank you

I think the key thing here is to be as explicit in your situation and your intentions as possible when asking a question like that.
It saves the speculation as to your intentions and abilities.

I'm glad to hear you will be able to pay the full suggested tip amount's (subject to the great service you will no doubt receive!) and this has just been a misunderstanding about "should you pay the suggested amount and why" rather than "I can't pay the suggested amount"!
Probably would have been easier to have asked how to cut down on cost's and any helpful cost saving tip's though! lol!

Have a great cruise!

Ex Techie