Whats Included?

[FerrellDisneyAddicts]

We are planning a Disney Cruise and are having a difficult time understanding what all is included with the price. Food Beverages snacks etc... Any and all help would be great.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We are planning a Disney Cruise and are having a difficult time understanding what all is included with the price. Food Beverages snacks etc... Any and all help would be great.

Basically, your meals (except for adult dining - Palo/Remy), non-alcoholic drinks at meals, entertainment, twice a day room cleaning are all included.

Here's a list of things that have an extra cost (compiled over the years):
WHAT COSTS EXTRA?
1. Gratuities
2. Parking/transportation
3. Port porters
4. Room upgrades
5. Extra Wave Phone rental
6 Cellular phone calls (will be billed later to your phone bill)
7. Ship to shore calls from your room phone
8. Welcome aboard packages (flowers, candy, etc waiting in your cabin)
9. Duty Free Alcohol and cigarettes purchased during cruise
10. Alcoholic drinks at the bars and from roving servers poolside and in theatre
11. Tastings and Mixology
12. Wine by the glass/wine packages
13. Additional tip (over the 15%) for bar servers
14. Tips for room service
15. Soft drinks and candy/snacks from room service/theatre snack bar
16. Specialty coffees
17. Bottled water (sparkling or still)
18. Candy and ice cream from Vanellope’s on the Dream
19. Smoothies from the bar in Senses Spa on the Dream
20. Upcharge food items at the adult clubs
21. Adult dining (Palo, Remy)
22. Shore excursions (including cabanas and rentals at CC)
23. Tip for Castaway Cay cabana host (you’ll need cash for this one)
24. Stamps from Post Office at Castaway Cay
25. Excursion tips
26. Spa treatments (plus 18% gratuity)
27. Bingo
28. Sports simulator
29. Photos (individual and packages)
30. Internet
31. Art
32. Purchases from the stores: clothing, sundries, jewelry, souvenirs, cameras, etc.
33. Pins sold at trading pin sessions
34. Cigars (Meridian bar)
35. Hair Braiding
36. Laundry room and send-out laundry and dry cleaning
37. Onboard booking for future cruises
38. Disney Vacation Club membership (you can purchase on board)
39. Adventures by Disney (you can purchase on board)
40. Medical care
41. Nursery (for under 3’s)
42. Kid’s club magic bands (if you want to keep them, you lose the deposit)
43. Meeting room rental
44. Onboard or Castaway Cay wedding/vow renewal (currently $3000/$4000)
45. Tuxedo rentals
46. Duties at customs at end of cruise if you've made a LOT of purchases abroad
47. Fuel supplement charge if the price of oil is above a certain level (never happened yet, that I know of)
48. Fish Extender program gifts (if you participate)

 

[wide awake]

Everything you need for a great vacation other than tips and excursions...and depending on your cruise excursions may not be necessary. Have fun.

 

[Aanna]

I was surprised at the "mandatory" per-person, per-day tipping added to one's on-board charges. That is an un-escapeable charge that is not part of the stated price, and can add up. I was a little shocked to find that I needed to budget nearly $800 more for our WBTA because of the tips.

Everything else you can decide to "add" at your discretion, but the tips are an automatic minimum.

(Not arguing that the staff deserves them -- of course they do! Just saying that the numbers added up and surprised me: it made a big difference in my budgeting).

 

[Trera]

Some of shmoos list is included with concierge level rooms such as unlimited canned sodas for your room and bottled water, snacks, popcorn, specialty coffee machine, alchohol drinks upon boarding and before both dinner services and additional wifi.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I was surprised at the "mandatory" per-person, per-day tipping added to one's on-board charges. That is an un-escapeable charge that is not part of the stated price, and can add up. I was a little shocked to find that I needed to budget nearly $800 more for our WBTA because of the tips.

Everything else you can decide to "add" at your discretion, but the tips are an automatic minimum.

(Not arguing that the staff deserves them -- of course they do! Just saying that the numbers added up and surprised me: it made a big difference in my budgeting).

Unlike other cruise lines, where the daily service charge is difficult to remove, gratuities on DCL are still at your discretion. If you don't want them automatically added to your onboard account, all you have to do is go to Guest Services and have them removed. No problem.

They are "suggested gratuities". The auto charge is just a service, but doesn't have to happen.

 

[Aanna]

Unlike other cruise lines, where the daily service charge is difficult to remove, gratuities on DCL are still at your discretion. If you don't want them automatically added to your onboard account, all you have to do is go to Guest Services and have them removed. No problem.

They are "suggested gratuities". The auto charge is just a service, but doesn't have to happen.

Ugh. But if you know that those people live on those gratuities... It's set up in such a way that, while you *can* remove those, it's pretty clear that you're ripping the staff off if you don't pay it.

 

[zebsterama]

Basically, your meals (except for adult dining - Palo/Remy), non-alcoholic drinks at meals, entertainment, twice a day room cleaning are all included.

Here's a list of things that have an extra cost (compiled over the years):
WHAT COSTS EXTRA?
1. Parking/transportation
2. Port porters
3. Room upgrades (usually at port, sometimes GS)
4. Extra Wave Phone rental
5. Cellular phone calls (will be billed later to your phone bill)
6. Ship to shore calls from your room phone
7. Welcome aboard packages (flowers, candy, etc waiting in your cabin)
8. Alcohol and cigarettes for delivery at end of voyage
9. Alcoholic drinks at the bars and from roving servers (welcome aboard)
10. Tastings and Mixology
11. Wine by the glass or wine packages at meals
12. Additional tip (over the automatic) for bar servers
13. Tips for room service
14. Soft drinks and candy/snacks from room service or bar
15. Specialty coffee
16. Bottled water (sparkling or still)
17. Candy and snacks/popcorn outside theater
18. Candy and ice cream from Vanelope’s on the Dream
19. Smoothies from the bar in Senses Spa on the Dream
20. Upcharge food items at the adult clubs
21. Adult dining (Palo, Remy)
22. Shore excursions (including cabanas and rentals at CC)
23. Tip for Castaway Cay cabana host (you’ll need cash for this one)
24. Stamps from Post Office at Castaway Cay
25. Excursion tips
26. Spa treatments
27. Required gratuity added to spa services
28. Bingo
29. Sports simulator
30. Photos (individual and packages)
31. Internet
32. Art
33. Purchases from the stores: clothing, sundries, jewelry, souvenirs, etc.
34. Cameras from photo shop
35. Pins sold at trading pin sessions
36. Cigars (Meridian bar)
37. Arcade
38. Hair Braiding
39. Laundry room and send-out laundry and dry cleaning
40. Onboard booking for future cruises
41. Disney Vacation Club membership (you can purchase on board)
42. Adventures by Disney (you can purchase on board)
43. Medical care
44. Nursery (for under 3’s)
45. Kids’s club magic bands (if you want to keep them, you lose the deposit)
46. Meeting room rental
47. Onboard or Castaway Cay wedding (currently $3000/$4000)
48. Vow renewal ceremony
49. Tuxedo rentals
50. Duties at customs at end of cruise if you've made a LOT of purchases abroad
51. Fuel supplement charge if the price of oil is above a certain level(never happened yet, that I know of)
52. Fish Extender program gifts (if you participate)

Great list - thanks!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Ugh. But if you know that those people live on those gratuities... It's set up in such a way that, while you *can* remove those, it's pretty clear that you're ripping the staff off if you don't pay it.

How is it "pretty clear"?

 

[Aanna]

Edit: I see what you objected to in my initial post, Princess Shmoo. I probably should not have used the terms "mandatory" and "un-escapeable," or have used them in a much more qualified way. These are fees that automatically appear on one's bill and that I would not feel it is appropriate to ask to have removed. [end edit]

Admittedly, this is secondhand information, but the impression I have gotten on these boards is that a lot of the staff is paid a very low wage with the expectation that it will be made up with tips. This discussion, for instance:

http://www.disboards.com/threads/jobs-with-dcl.3529986/#post-56173723

Again, that post isn't necessarily a reliable, primary-source, but after one has seen this sort of post often enough, one tends to believe it. I worked enough summers at cheap family diners where my hourly wage was half of minimum wage because the state expected the rest to be "made up" by tips, and it was very hard work for a low paycheck and a handful of quarters. Disney definitely is not the second-rate places that I worked, and I sincerely hope the case is not the same on the ships, but that experience colored my view of how "optional" gratuities can be on the receiving end.

I just think that folks should know that this is going to be added to their bill: how they handle it is up to them, but I would feel awful if I discovered an $800 charge on my bill and was left with the choice of refusing it and feeling terribly guilty or paying it and wiping out my budget. Forewarned is forearmed.

Or four-armed LOL

 

[DMDaisy31]

Basically, your meals (except for adult dining - Palo/Remy), non-alcoholic drinks at meals, entertainment, twice a day room cleaning are all included.

Here's a list of things that have an extra cost (compiled over the years):
WHAT COSTS EXTRA?
1. Parking/transportation
2. Port porters
3. Room upgrades (usually at port, sometimes GS)
4. Extra Wave Phone rental
5. Cellular phone calls (will be billed later to your phone bill)
6. Ship to shore calls from your room phone
7. Welcome aboard packages (flowers, candy, etc waiting in your cabin)
8. Alcohol and cigarettes for delivery at end of voyage
9. Alcoholic drinks at the bars and from roving servers (welcome aboard)
10. Tastings and Mixology
11. Wine by the glass or wine packages at meals
12. Additional tip (over the automatic) for bar servers
13. Tips for room service
14. Soft drinks and candy/snacks from room service or bar
15. Specialty coffee
16. Bottled water (sparkling or still)
17. Candy and snacks/popcorn outside theater
18. Candy and ice cream from Vanelope’s on the Dream
19. Smoothies from the bar in Senses Spa on the Dream
20. Upcharge food items at the adult clubs
21. Adult dining (Palo, Remy)
22. Shore excursions (including cabanas and rentals at CC)
23. Tip for Castaway Cay cabana host (you’ll need cash for this one)
24. Stamps from Post Office at Castaway Cay
25. Excursion tips
26. Spa treatments
27. Required gratuity added to spa services
28. Bingo
29. Sports simulator
30. Photos (individual and packages)
31. Internet
32. Art
33. Purchases from the stores: clothing, sundries, jewelry, souvenirs, etc.
34. Cameras from photo shop
35. Pins sold at trading pin sessions
36. Cigars (Meridian bar)
37. Arcade
38. Hair Braiding
39. Laundry room and send-out laundry and dry cleaning
40. Onboard booking for future cruises
41. Disney Vacation Club membership (you can purchase on board)
42. Adventures by Disney (you can purchase on board)
43. Medical care
44. Nursery (for under 3’s)
45. Kids’s club magic bands (if you want to keep them, you lose the deposit)
46. Meeting room rental
47. Onboard or Castaway Cay wedding (currently $3000/$4000)
48. Vow renewal ceremony
49. Tuxedo rentals
50. Duties at customs at end of cruise if you've made a LOT of purchases abroad
51. Fuel supplement charge if the price of oil is above a certain level(never happened yet, that I know of)
52. Fish Extender program gifts (if you participate)

How many wave phones per cabin? First timer. And tell me more about what wave phones are...

 

[arlopop]

Edit: I see what you objected to in my initial post, Princess Shmoo. I probably should not have used the terms "mandatory" and "un-escapeable," or have used them in a much more qualified way. These are fees that automatically appear on one's bill and that I would not feel it is appropriate to ask to have removed. [end edit]

Admittedly, this is secondhand information, but the impression I have gotten on these boards is that a lot of the staff is paid a very low wage with the expectation that it will be made up with tips. This discussion, for instance:

http://www.disboards.com/threads/jobs-with-dcl.3529986/#post-56173723

Again, that post isn't necessarily a reliable, primary-source, but after one has seen this sort of post often enough, one tends to believe it. I worked enough summers at cheap family diners where my hourly wage was half of minimum wage because the state expected the rest to be "made up" by tips, and it was very hard work for a low paycheck and a handful of quarters. Disney definitely is not the second-rate places that I worked, and I sincerely hope the case is not the same on the ships, but that experience colored my view of how "optional" gratuities can be on the receiving end.

I just think that folks should know that this is going to be added to their bill: how they handle it is up to them, but I would feel awful if I discovered an $800 charge on my bill and was left with the choice of refusing it and feeling terribly guilty or paying it and wiping out my budget. Forewarned is forearmed.

Or four-armed LOL

It's not uncommon in the cruise industry (or any hospitality field) for the front line people to depend on tips for a good portion of their income. That said, you can remove the tips, or modify them up or down depending upon your sense of how good the service is. It is no more out of line than tipping your server in a restaurant or a maid in a hotel or a cab driver. You tip based on the success of the server.
These boards certainly help in knowing it's expected as are numerous other resources (heck there are online calculators that figure the standard tip on DCL based on cruise length and party size,) so it's difficult for me to imagine someone would be shocked by it. To be honest, it would on me if I failed to realize that some kind of tipping was expected along the way, and like all the other charges that go into a vacation I would want an idea beforehand what I should expect (just as the OP of this thread did.)

 

[PrincessShmoo]

How many wave phones per cabin? First timer. And tell me more about what wave phones are...

Wave phones are old-style cell phones that you can call up others in your party (room) while onboard. Each room gets 2, but you can get extras (while they last) at Guest Services for a small charge.

 

[arlopop]

How many wave phones per cabin? First timer. And tell me more about what wave phones are...

There are two per cabin - basically portable phones to communicate with one another. We still use them but to be honest, the navigator app (DCL download) is better for us. We just use our own devices and text through it.

 

[CM Dad]

9. Alcoholic drinks at the bars and from roving servers (welcome aboard)

There are some times when alcoholic drinks are free. DVC member meetings and DVC sales presentations include a free drink (pre-made so you don't get to choose your drink). If your cruise has a formal night, there are servers walking around with a small selection of free drinks, and once you get to Gold Castaway Club level, the reception for Gold and Platinum includes some free drinks and assorted appetizers (and Mickey Rice Krispy treats at the end). Once you get to Platinum, you can choose a bottle of sparkling wine or I think a fruit plate, and you get one free meal at Palo's for everyone in your stateroom.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Edit: I see what you objected to in my initial post, Princess Shmoo. I probably should not have used the terms "mandatory" and "un-escapeable," or have used them in a much more qualified way. These are fees that automatically appear on one's bill and that I would not feel it is appropriate to ask to have removed. [end edit]

Admittedly, this is secondhand information, but the impression I have gotten on these boards is that a lot of the staff is paid a very low wage with the expectation that it will be made up with tips. This discussion, for instance:

http://www.disboards.com/threads/jobs-with-dcl.3529986/#post-56173723

Again, that post isn't necessarily a reliable, primary-source, but after one has seen this sort of post often enough, one tends to believe it. I worked enough summers at cheap family diners where my hourly wage was half of minimum wage because the state expected the rest to be "made up" by tips, and it was very hard work for a low paycheck and a handful of quarters. Disney definitely is not the second-rate places that I worked, and I sincerely hope the case is not the same on the ships, but that experience colored my view of how "optional" gratuities can be on the receiving end.

I just think that folks should know that this is going to be added to their bill: how they handle it is up to them, but I would feel awful if I discovered an $800 charge on my bill and was left with the choice of refusing it and feeling terribly guilty or paying it and wiping out my budget. Forewarned is forearmed.

Or four-armed LOL

Well the concept of tipping on cruise ships harkens back to the original ocean crossings. Back then, tips were handed out at the end to those service people who made a person's trip more enjoyable.

It's progressed to the point now that most cruise lines have a Service Charge that's really the old-time gratuity concept, but charged whether you want to tip or not. And, from what I've garnered, use those a incentives to hire people ("you're guaranteed XX dollars in payment) but the base pay is pretty minimal.

Personally, I still feel that gratuities/tips should be tied to the service you get. While there's only been one instance that we removed someones tips (don't ask), we've always just gone with the suggested tips as part of the cruise cost. On occasion we've tipped extra.

 

[Aanna]

To be honest, it would on me if I failed to realize that some kind of tipping was expected along the way, and like all the other charges that go into a vacation I would want an idea beforehand what I should expect (just as the OP of this thread did.)

While there's only been one instance that we removed someones tips (don't ask), we've always just gone with the suggested tips as part of the cruise cost. On occasion we've tipped extra.

I agree with you both completely. This is exactly why I think it's important to add these gratuities to any list of, "What is included in the cruise fare/what else should I expect to budget for?"

 

[PrincessShmoo]

This is exactly why I think it's important to add these gratuities to any list of, "What is included in the cruise fare/what else should I expect to budget for?"

Ah, I get it. I added it to my master list.

 

[over50visits]

Here is this list I have compiled over recent years, with input from many great posters...

DCL Cruise Expenses (other than cruise fare and gratuities)

1. Alcoholic drinks at the bars and from roving servers (welcome aboard)
2. Wine by the glass or wine packages at meals
3. Spa treatments
4. Shore excursions (including cabanas and rentals at CC)
5. Purchases from the stores: clothing, sundries, jewelry, souvenirs, etc.
6. Adult dining (Palo, Remy)
7. Bottled water
8. Photos (individual and packages)
9. Onboard booking for future cruises
10. Disney Vacation Club membership (you can purchase on board)
11. Art (thank goodness those "auctions" are gone, but you can still purchase art)
12. Candy and snacks outside theater
13. Tips for room service
14. Internet
15. Room upgrades (usually at port, sometimes GS)
16. Bingo
17. Parking/transportation
18. Port porters
19. Alcohol and cigarettes for delivery at end of voyage
20. Welcome aboard packages (flowers, candy, etc waiting in your cabin)
21. Adventures by Disney (you can purchase on board)
22. Cameras from photo shop
23. Cellular phone calls (although it will be billed later to your phone bill)
24. Medical care
25. Cigars (Meridian bar)
26. Arcade
27. Hair Braiding
28. Nursery care for children under 3
29. Tastings and Mixology
30. Excursion tips
31. Soft drinks from room service or bar
32. Specialty coffee
33. Meeting room rental
34. Onboard or Castaway Cay wedding (currently $3000/$4000)
35. Vow renewal ceremony
36. Sports simulator
37. Laundry room and send-out laundry and dry cleaning
38. Tuxedo rentals
39. Room service sodas and candy (these have a charge)
40. Additional tip (over the automatic) for bar servers
41. Required gratuity added to spa services
42. Pins sold at trading pin sessions
43. Extra wave phone rental
44. Duties at customs at end of cruise if you've made a LOT of purchases abroad
45. Ship to shore calls from your room phone
46. Fuel supplement charge if the price of oil is above a certain level
47. Popcorn at theater
48. Fish Extender program gifts
49. Kids’s club magic bands (if you want to keep them, you lose the deposit)
50. Stamps from Post Office at Castaway Cay
51. Tip for Castaway Cay cabana host (you’ll need cash for this one)
52. Sparkling or still water with your meal
53. Upcharge food items at the adult clubs
54. Candy and ice cream from Vanellope’s on the Dream
55. Smoothies from the bar in Senses Spa on the Dream

 

[PlanoNana]

Although not required we think the easiest way to handle the gratuities is to prepay them with your reservation. That gets them out of the way and helps include them in your budget. But on our upcoming cruise (as in past ones), we fully expect to provide additional gratuities to our servers and housekeeping staff because we're sure we will get exceptional service.