Buying on Board vs Reserving in advance

Hello!! We're sailing on Grandeur to Bermuda in August for our first ever cruise .Planning is starting to get a bit overwhelming with all the information that is out there! We have around $350 to use in OBC and I'm curious on what I should reserve ahead of time vs what I should wait to purchase on board. I know that we're going to reserve most of our shore excursions via the cruise line because I'm more comfortable with the convenience factor with this being our first cruise (all but the beach transfers--I figure we can manage the local transportation for that!). But, should we wait until we're on the ship to schedule or should we do it now? And is it better to buy the drink packages once we're on board? Specialty restaurants?? Any insight from those who have been through this would be much appreciated!!!

Thanks

I think that OBC can only be used once you are onboard the ship and not for anything purchased in advance.

I realize that--which is part of the reason I'm trying to figure out what, if anything, I should reserve in advance.... Thanks.

I realize that--which is part of the reason I'm trying to figure out what, if anything, I should reserve in advance.... Thanks.

My suggestion would be to wait to book your dining and drink packages once on board.

I would book your shore excursions from home (especially the popular ones), pay for them prior to leaving, and if you have to cancel once on board (which you can do up to 24 hours), your money will be refunded to your SeaPass card.

I would wait to purchase your drinks packages once on board and use the credit for that. Buy your excursions now as they go fast and the one you want may not be available when you board and try to get it. The popular ones snorkeling sell fast and unless you go straight to the shore ex desk you may be sorry gecause it is already sold out or the time you want is not available.

Daily auto tips for 2 will take care of around $200 of the $350. That leaves $150. If you plan on going to any of the alternate dining options along with buying anything on board you will use up the rest of the $150 fairly easily.

I would definately book your excursions ahead of time.

So that just leaves you with what you want to do with any beverage package you might want to buy. I prefer to pay for the beverage package in advance so I can go right to a bar and get a drink when I get on board rather than stand in line to pay and get the sticker but that is what I choice to do.

Having $350 in OBC is a good problem to have.

I would book dining onboard and shore excursions now because you run the risk of the more popular ones selling out.

Daily auto tips for 2 will take care of around $200 of the $350. That leaves $150. If you plan on going to any of the alternate dining options along with buying anything on board you will use up the rest of the $150 fairly easily.

If the OP has MTD, then gratuities are included in final payment.

I would wait to purchase your drinks packages once on board and use the credit for that. Buy your excursions now as they go fast and the one you want may not be available when you board and try to get it. The popular ones snorkeling sell fast and unless you go straight to the shore ex desk you may be sorry gecause it is already sold out or the time you want is not available.

Drinks yes

Shore tours book in advance, or at worst as soon as you board.

And if you have fixed seating dining that'll chew through some OBC as Grats.

Thanks for all the responses!! This helped immensely!! We did pay for our tips in advance so I don't have to worry about those. Bottom line: Pay for our excursions now and we can wait for our drink packages and dining reservations when we get there.

Is there ever a worry of the restaurants selling out?

Thanks for all the responses!! This helped immensely!! We did pay for our tips in advance so I don't have to worry about those. Bottom line: Pay for our excursions now and we can wait for our drink packages and dining reservations when we get there.

 

Is there ever a worry of the restaurants selling out?

Depends on the night. You're best bet is to make reservations on embarkation day for the nights that you want.

Formal nights for your cruise will be Day 2 and Day 6.

It depends on how important it is for you to get a certain date and time for your dinners in specialty restaurants. We wanted a certain time since it was our anniversary, so that we booked ahead.

I would also book any shore excursions that you can't live without doing. I mean, if it doesn't matter, you can wait until you board, but if it's really something you want to do, grab it while you can. Also in making that decision, look to see in the shore ex brochure how many times it is offered at that port. Labadee offers jet skiing all day, but some other excursions are only offered once that day because of time constraints.

We're getting the pop package early so we don't have to wait, but are going to look when we get on so we can see if there are any deals on the packages that include liquor. I have heard that they sometimes run a special BOGO 50% off and that is the only way we would buy one. Probably. :)

If you want to tip someone xtra using the WOW envelopes (like your steward?), how much more $ did you put in the envelope? $20? $40?

Once you board check regarding specialty dining if they are giving deals; they often do. You may get a discount on second person on embarkation day and they also often give discounts if you book three nights. :)

Happy Sailing :D

I go against the grain and book dining ahead, even with OBC, if it is a port intensive cruise or one with evening returns to the ship. I realize this may be dumb, as they often offer onboard specials for dining, but most of our OBC will be used for tips. And frankly I want to do certain restaurants certain nights because I know I may not feel like going on late days returning to the ship. Plus, CT is at 6:00 pm, which only works certain nights of our itinerary. Finally, booking dining ahead gets me a 20% plus additional OBC for 3 or more restaurants. And I have been on cruises (not many) where the dining sells out on certain nights.

Now, if I could care less which nights I eat where, book onboard.

Thanks for all the responses!! This helped immensely!! We did pay for our tips in advance so I don't have to worry about those. Bottom line: Pay for our excursions now and we can wait for our drink packages and dining reservations when we get there.

 

Is there ever a worry of the restaurants selling out?

A specific night may, howver even that seems rare,but never not been able to get in at all

Tipping extra and amount can be what you feel the person deserves. We have MTD this cruise so have paid the gratuities at final payment, however we have always tipped our room steward, waiter & assistant waiter $20. Only once did we lower that amount for our room steward on one cruise.

We have the same delemma on Allure next fall, $400 to spend and at first I was concerned with having to book most everything (specialty and entertainment) ahead of time. But then reality and math struck me.

$180 Gratuities

$150 royal replenishment

$ 55 royal refreshment

$140 Internet

We can book excursions and restaurants with no concern of how to use up the OBC:)

1st word problems for sure.