Spending little $ once you board

[TraSee]

After having to postpone our Sept cruise due to hurricanes hitting our home...we live between Orlando and Daytona Beach...we are finally getting to sail in December. This will be our second 7 day cruise and we are VERY excited BUT we will be on a strict budget due to out of pocket money needed for hurricane repairs. I was wondering what was the LEAST anyone has spent once they boarded the ship...and if anyone had any money saving tricks they wanted to share.

THANKS...I love these boards!
Tracy

 

[lrodptl]

We don't drink which was a big savings. We also only ate at 1 restaurant 1 night so guest services advised us to tip accordingly. This was by choice because we felt the restaurants were overrated and we ordered room service with our small kids. We did have a Cat 3 which allowed us to order off restaurant menus. We also took our laptop and downloaded all our pictures from our camera so we paid for no pictures.

 

[TraSee]

Taking the laptop for downloading is a great idea! One year I had my video camera and took video of our pictures at Shutters...the ones we didn't want.. it made for a big laugh when we shared it with our family and friends!

 

[Mary Anne]

To be honest, after tips you really don't need to spend any money.

We spent for the 4 of us:

a photo package $100 or so
I ordered my Christmas Cards $39.00
My son needed an extra bathing suit $20.00
I think we had about $30 in drinks
and played one game of bingo $35 the final

I think you could easily get away with spending very little.

 

[JJsmama]

We were on the 4 night. I felt like we were spending very little and our tab was still close to $500.

I was quesy the whole time and only had one drink the whole cruise. Dh had a few.

$90 photos
$90 spa
$35 snorkel for half the family
$175 tips
about $100 in small various charges (drinks, smoothies, gifts for kids, room service tips)

Next time I would not do the Spa and take more pictures with my own camera.

 

[Sarahsal]

On our first cruise, other than tips we only bought 1 drink (non-alcoholic), 1 picture, a few postcards and a mug. We went on one excursion, less than $50. Now on our second cruise.....let's just say it wasn't nearly as economical.

 

[SuzPasq]

Onboard, last year we spent about $75. My husband had a drink with dinner a few nights, we bought two pictures, put $20 on our arcade card and that was it! We do our own day trips when we dock, and in St. Maarten spent about $25 last year for the ferry, beach chairs, and drinks on the beach.

 

[TammiMcMan]

Tracy, have you considered maybe taking a 4 night cruise instead? I don't know what your budget is, or what you enjoy doing, but even with being thrify, miscellaneous expenses are going to add up on a 7 night cruise.

 

[MarcyIn Florida]

Originally posted by TraSee
I was wondering what was the LEAST anyone has spent once they boarded the ship...and if anyone had any money saving tricks they wanted to share.

On the 9/27 Magic (5 day), we spent $490 onboard (not including the $300 onboard credit) and about $50 on shore. Most of the onboard charges were Palo's and tips.

Tricks? We don't really drink alcohol and we don't buy much "stuff" -- one souvenir for each of us. This cruise, we didn't buy any pictures -- we liked our digitals more than any of the professional pictures.

We weren't really looking to save money, but it just happened that way.

 

[tvguy]

Other than tips, I could see going and not spending a dime. I MIGHT get time then to do all the free things on the ship that I didn't find time to do.
For the record we spent $1100 for 4 on an Eastern. $700 of that was shore excursions, $200 tips, $200 on photos, alcohol and souveniers

 

[TraSee]

Thanks for all of the great tips! TammiMcMan...we did consider the 4 day but we had paid for our 7 day which was scheduled right between hurricanes for us. We couldn't get any money back and decided that we deserved the 7 day after being slammed by those storms! We originally were going on the western, but by going on the eastern we should be able to cut costs because we have been to the islands before. At this point, we are trying to have the best vacation, most rest, and most fun for the least amount of money. (We aren't asking for much are we?!!!)

In the past our weaknesses have been Bingo and massages. I think we'll just have to cut the Bingo sessions down and limit or cut out the massages. I know there are so many free things the ship offers that we have never taken advantage of. AND I think I will be content sitting on my verandah for a week!

 

[SuzPasq]

We weren't really looking to save money, but it just happened that way.>

Same here. There's so much to do that doesn't cost anything, and since I don't drink at all and dh is not much of a drinker, alcohol is not an issue. The year we went to Palo's for dinner we spent an additional $50, but even then we spent under $200 for the 7nts.

 

[aprilgail2]

Originally posted by lrodptl
We don't drink which was a big savings. We also only ate at 1 restaurant 1 night so guest services advised us to tip accordingly. This was by choice because we felt the restaurants were overrated and we ordered room service with our small kids. We did have a Cat 3 which allowed us to order off restaurant menus. We also took our laptop and downloaded all our pictures from our camera so we paid for no pictures.

Wow, I can't believe guest services told you that...I am under the impression that you should tip the full amount even when not at dinner every night....

 

[disneygatorfan]

on my 7 day last december I spent less than $100.. bought a photo, did a island tour, and did a day in the rain forest room, plus a few odds and ends souviners, and did the palo high tea..

as long as you stay clear of the drinks, and don't hit the spa or big excursions.. you can spend next to nothing on board.

 

[ashtravel]

Our last trip on the Magic , our bill came to $97 . We bought a few sodas by the pool, maybe 2 pictures, and bought some stuff for the kids in the gift shop. We don't drink and I did all my spa stuff before we cruised (pedicure, facial). I have alway prided myself in how cheap we really are. We do our own excursions and alway have a blast. I don't think you have to spend too much money while on board to have a great time. We always give the full amount for tips because we believe they deserved them since they work so hard. We also bring a few sodas for the room when we order room service.

 

[eek40]

Originally posted by aprilgail2
Wow, I can't believe guest services told you that...I am under the impression that you should tip the full amount even when not at dinner every night....

I know my situation was a bit different, but when we were on our cruise last Nov, we did not enter the dinning rooms at all, my nephew was very ill for all but 24 hrs of the cruise, I called guest services and asked them this very question. Because I didnt want to stiff the servers just because we were ill. But they told me that I shouldnt tip since we were unable to enjoy the dinning rooms, I did tip the room service people that I knew by a first name basis at the end of the trip

 

[TraSee]

We have been on many DCL cruises and I have never tipped for nights not in the dining room. On our 7 day, we usually eat at least one night at Palo's and one night dinner on our own. We tip at those places so double tipping would really cut into our budget. Woudn't that seem right? I hope so!

 

[confal1]

I will tell you my tip for having a shipboard credit when you get there. Print out the order form for gifts from the DCL website, put in your CF# and cabin # and let people give you shipboard credits in increments of $25.00 for an early Christmas present. We have $375.00 waiting for us between my Dad ( who gives cash at Christmas time anyway) and my sister, and the girls at work. If you do not celebrate Christmas you can try it for an early birthday present. I find that people would rather give something that you can use and will be happy with :thewave:

 

[Sarahsal]

It never occurred to me to deduct for the nights at Palo etc.-of course since we tip more than the recommended amount it really isn't an issue. Is it common to multiply by the number of nights at dinner rather than the number of nights on the ship?

 

[Pixie Mom 3]

How to spend as little $$$ as possible
trust me we never have lots of $$$

- dont buy drinks...
- take your own camera with LOTS of film and of course take lots of pic's(you can develop them when you have the $$)
- dont even look at the photos they take you will be tempted to buy and if you have been taking lots of your own there WIIL be ones you can blow up for cheep(wal-mart)
- have your kids save their allowence for shopping.
- if you must purchase things make sure they will be of lasting value like a shirt a size larger for the kids
- bring your own large blow up ring for CC and snorkle quipment. they will lend you the lifejacket for free
- spa services get the least expencive package or skip alltogether
- limit your shore excursions do as much on your own that does not cost $$/ or take advantage of the ship when everyone else is off.
- make sure your to deactivate your kids cards!!!!!
- take your own pic's with the charcters... and have someone take pic's of the formal pics they take..

Relax have fun dont worry about money... just plan ahead and you will be fine.....

Have fun