Need tips to help save money while onboard.

[dharma517]

I really really really don't want a huge bill at the end of the cruise. We are doing a 4 night wonder...just hubby and I and so far this is what I have come up with.

1. No excursions...this is our first cruise...the ship is excursion enough I have no interest in Nassua...CC is enough of an excursion...plus I have done some superb snorkeling in a deserted setting so I don't think that can compare...might rent a bike however.

2. Bringing 2 bottles of wine on board for our room and perhaps carrying it with us to dinner in our wine glass. Will splurge for a bottle purchased while at Palo

3. No photos? Bringing our digital camera.

4. Putting money into our stateroom credit to cover tips prior to cruise and then bringing along international phone cards for exceptional service.

5. Bringing, suntan lotion, hat, and sunglasses.

6. No spa treatments??? lol Well..maybe just one for me...DH isn't interested although the rainforest room isn't too expensive right?

OK...what else. Oh yeah...I LOVE soda and drink about 6 a day at least...so I am going to purchase the soda mug. Am I crazy or is this doable? Any other ideas for me?
Jenn

 

[Miss Eeyore]

To save a bit more, buy a 12 pack of soda to take aboard, and then have free soda in the dining rooms. You have to drink lots and lots of soda to make up for the price, and I found that on another cruise line I hated their fountain mix for Diet Coke, and didn't drink much anyway. Just a thought.

Marilee


Oh...another thought. Order from room service the night before for a "picnic" to take along off ship. Sandwiches, cookies, cheese and crackers, fruit.....all available. Bring a few baggies with you, and you are set.

 

[jel0511]

Those ides sound good, just I don't think you can bring your wine in a glass into the dining room (there is a corkage fee if you bring in an unopened bottle). I'd just have a drink before and have water with dinner. We went on a 4 night, and our bill was only $500 and that included our tips. We were 4 people (well 2 adults and 2 children) so we didn't do much. We did buy a couple of photos, but didn't buy a package, and only bought ones that we really liked. I think we ended up with 3, so that wasn't too bad. We don't drink, so that did help our bill tremendously.

 

[CheapMom]

DRINK ICED TEA OR FRUIT PUNCH OR WATER THROUGH THE DAY- INSTEAD OF PAYING FOR SODAS. IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE IS LOTS TO DO THAT IS FREE. RESEARCH AND CHOOSE YOUR EXCURSIONS WISELY BECAUSE THEY CAN BE VERY EXPENSIVE.
WE ARE NOT DOING ANY. (3 DAY CRUISE)

 

[dharma517]

I didn't even think about ordering from room service the night before.. We don't pay for food or drinks (except alchoholic) on CC right? I heard you could bring a glass of wine from your room with you for dinner...anyone else want to weigh in on that one?
Jenn

 

[Michelemouse]

The only thing I would change in your plan is to budget for at least one of the ship's photos. They really are a great souvenir of the cruise and most come out beautifully.

 

[CRSNDSNY]

For a little bit of a spa treatment, go for the Rainforest. It isn't expensive and you can take advantage of it with as much time as you have to spare. You'll feel spoiled.

Some other tips (some have already been mentioned):

1 - Bring your own alcohol
2 - Put a spending limit on souvenirs.
3 - Be sure you bring plenty of little things like sunscreen, toothpaste, shaving cream, etc. These are expensive to buy onboard if you run out. Trust me, we have run out.
4 - Stock up on free beverages from Deck 9's station and room service. Pack them up to eat while visiting ports instead of buying on the island. Meals can be very expensive on the islands.
5 - You can save money on excursions by booking your own or just paying your own way for a taxi to the nearest beach.
6 - Put your tip money in your account before you leave and/or take care of your tips early on. You will have a euphoric feeling near the end of your trip and be feeling REALLY generous. Not that they don't deserve the extra money, but you may tip more than you normally would because you're feeling really good about everything.

dharma517: I didn't even think about ordering from room service the night before.. We don't pay for food or drinks (except alchoholic) on CC right? I heard you could bring a glass of wine from your room with you for dinner...anyone else want to weigh in on that one?

I'm not sure if you can bring a glass of wine with you to dinner, but one thing I know for sure is you can't walk into a dining room with an already opened bottle of anything. We bought a bottle of champagne prior to dinner one evening and couldn't take it with us OR have a CM take it to our dining room. We had to come back for it later on.

 

[Tera]

Okay, so my understanding is that, YES, you can bring your own alcohol onboard? Is that everything, beer, wine and hard liquor or just wine? I was hoping to bring some raspberry vodka and cranberry juice and mix my own drinks and my DH likes beer. Plus we can bring soda too? Any limits?? That would save us so much money for drinks.

 

[jel0511]

Originally posted by Tera
Okay, so my understanding is that, YES, you can bring your own alcohol onboard? Is that everything, beer, wine and hard liquor or just wine? I was hoping to bring some raspberry vodka and cranberry juice and mix my own drinks and my DH likes beer. Plus we can bring soda too? Any limits?? That would save us so much money for drinks.

No limit, but you have to carry it on board, it can not be in your checked luggage. Also, as stated above, you can not bring any opened container into the dining room, and a glass of wine is considered an open container.

 

[Tera]

jel0511 - Thanks for the clarification. Is there any reason it needs to be in your carry on and not checked in luggage?

 

[jel0511]

I don't know the reason why, it's just the rule. Bad answer I know, it sounds like answer I'd get from my mother when I was 7.

 

[Tera]

Will that information be listed when we get our papers? I'm just thrilled that were allowed to bring it on and I don't have to worry about sneaking it in my luggage

 

[Keggy]

We actually brought a blender on baord with us. We made strawberry daquiris and Margaritas in our room. I never thought of bringing them into the dining room. We mostly were just drinking soda and ice water. We did take some with us to the shows though.

Kelly

 

[jel0511]

Yes, it will be in your documents.

 

[Tera]

cool and thanks!!!

Keggy - Your a woman after my own heart I think as long as I have ice, I'll be good with the mixed drinks. You mentioned that you brought your own drinks to the shows? Did you just use a plastic cup or buy a special Disney type cup? Guess I could order something online ahead of time and bring it with us. The bigger the cup, the less I'll have to go back to my cabin and refill it. Still going to order some of those foo foo drinks

 

[SCOTTOHIOCPA]

We always pack some 1 qt. sandwich bags. When going ashore, we go to the buffet and get some croissants, fruit, etc. to put in these bags. Then we take them with us to the beach. Not only free, but in Freeport the only place to eat didn't look like it would pass any USA health department tests at all.

We are planning to take our own wine, pop and liqour. The CM at DCL said we could bring it as lond as it was in our carryons. Probably not a good idea to pack in checked luggage unless you want all your clothes soaked with wine or beer,etc.

 

[Tera]

Good idea Scottohiopa! I was thinking if I put any liquor in baggies and wrapped in clothes, I'd be okay, but now that I know I'm okay to bring onboard, I'll just put in carryon. Figure that'll give me a extra bag for goodies on our trip home

 

[mrsfuzzmo]

Stay away from BINGO!!! It can be addicting and it is not cheap. I've heard $35.00 pp at a crack. There is plenty of "free" entertainment on board. Though, I love to play bingo on board (I am not really on a budget) and on my last cruise won $500.00 in 1 game and it covered our excursions and tips. But it's no guarantee, so if it's saving money you are looking for,....No bingo!

 

[Cruise04]

You CAN check beverages in your luggage. We did it last July and I have seen many others post that they have done it. The suggestion is though, to pack them inside a ziplock or protect them somehow. I went to the camping section at WalMart and got 3 VERY LARGE ziplock bags. My case of soda fit in one and had plenty of room to wrap it. I put that in the bottom (back) of the suitcase and then put our shoes on top and a few other things that I knew wouldn't get that ruined if something happened. We had no problems.

As far as water - we checked that in our regular luggage as well, we used our clothes for padding and put the water bottles (we took about 20 bottles on) in ziplock bags and then wrapped them in plastic WalMart bags. We had no problems whatsoever.

This would also be the case for alcoholic beverages.

 

[Tera]

Thanks Cruise04! That's what I was thinking about doing, but wasn't sure if that was a no no with the cruise line. I'll wait and see what my paperwork has to say about it and then figure it out.