I need a little help with cruise questions!?
Okay Im trying to plan a cruise and save up money for it over the year. I want to surprise my husband with it for Christmas. I have never been on a cruise but have got some help information from family that has. So far I have looked into the carnival cruises and found one I like for next summer.
I want to know the difference between interior and ocean view rooms. I mean I realize that the ocean view you get a view… but other than that?
I know I will have to pay the ship fees for the room but what else will I need to pay for on the ship? I know we wont buy like tshirts and that stuff on the ship.
What is a general rate of a tip for a four day cruise?
How do I find a hotel close to the port we are leaving on. We are leaving from Los Angeles it says. We are driving there since we are in Arizona and not too far.
What else am I missing. I know anything you do off the ship you pay out of pocket.
How much are soda’s and alcoholic drinks? Like an average.
I have been on a lot of cruises and for many we drive to the cruise port. Rather than trying to stay right at the port find a place in route from where you live in Arizona that is about 2 hours drive from the port and stay there for the night. It will be cheaper and you can still get to the port before noon. You can usually board the ship about noon and there is parking at the pier; here’s a link for that port: http://www.sanpedro.com/spcom/crusshp2.htm
Or, there is a link on this web site to help you find a hotel near the pier.
The inside and outside, and the balcony cabins, are usually the same size. The square footage may be listed on the web site for Carnival. The difference between the inside and outside cabins is mostly location on the ship, but the cabins have the same things, beds, TV, phone, bathroom, vanity, and usually a mini-refrig.
When you pay your cruise fare all taxes and port charges are included in that fare. All cabins are sold based on double occupancy; at least two persons per cabin. Any fare you see will be for each person in that type cabin (there are 4 basic types of cabin: inside, outside, balcony, and suite). Once you get on the ship everything is cashless. If you book tours through the ship before the cruise the charges will go on a credit card. If you book tours after you are on the ship the charges will go on your on-board tab.
Regardless of the cruise line the price of your cruise includes your cabin, all meals (including breakfast, lunch dinner, snacks and free room service); free admissions to all shows and entertainment; and free use of all facilities on ship like the pools, hot tubs, gym, and recreation activities, except spa services. The things that you will have to pay for are:
GRATUITIES: They will amount to about $10 to $11.50 per person in your cabin per day; depending on the cruise line. This gratuity covers your room steward, your waiter and assistant waiter, and the Matre D. When you check in at the pier they will set up an on-board charge account for you to cover any and everything you may buy on ship. They will issue you a “cruise card” which will also serve as your room key and pass to get on and off the ship. At the end of the cruise they will add the gratuity to your tab and you can pay with a credit card or cash, your choice. So everything on ship except the casino is cashless; everything you buy goes on your account.
ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AND SOFT DRINKS: Coffee, tea, milk, juice, and lemonade and punch will be provided FREE but you must pay for soft drinks and alcoholic beverages and they will add a 15 percent gratuity to each alcoholic drink and soft drink order. Drinks of cruise ships are generally in the range of $7 to $9 including the 15 percent gratuity that is included in each tab. Beer and wine are slightly less, maybe $6 to $7. The cruise line does sell a soft drink card that allow you unlimited soft drinks for the duration of your cruise. These you must buy the first day of the cruise and they generally cost about $6.00 a day for adults; $4.00 a day for kids. The cost of the soft drink card also goes on your on-board tab.
PHOTOGRAPHS: Cruise ship employees will take plenty of photographs of you all over the ship, in the dining room, and as you exit the ship in ports. These will cost a lot, like $15 to $25 for most and the cost of them goes on your on-board tab.
TOURS/EXCURSIONS: You are not required to book any tours and you can get off and on in the ports as much as you want. But the cruise line will offer a lot of tours and these are NOT included and are expensive.
SOUVENIRS: Anything you buy on ship from a gift shop or duty free shop goes on your on board account. Things that you buy on shore you pay cash or credit card for.
CASINO: If you plan to gamble on ship you will need cash for that.
OTHER: All ships have what they call “specialty” restaurants where there IS a gratuity/service charge of between $10 and $20. All other food on board is free and its not really necessary to budget for food; you cannot eat all of the FREE FOOD that will be available (so why pay to go eat).
SPA SERVICES: If you want/need to have your hair done, get a massage or wrap, or any services from the spa, you will have to pay for them. Spa fees start at about $70 to $80 and they go on your on-board tab if you use the spa services. You can use the gym free but the spa stuff cost big bucks.
INTERNET SVCS: Ships now have internet cafe and some have WiFi but the there is a fee for internet access and it is very expensive (like about $50 an hour). I always recommend that you skip the high priced internet on ship and wait for port stops where you can usually find an internet cafe where the charges are about $5. to $7 an hour. Just ask the cabin steward and/or your wait staff where the internet is at the port. They know because they use them when they can get off the ship.
ROOM SERVICE/MINI-BAR: You cabin will likely have a mi
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