What? I didn't know that was included!

I haven't cruised in a few years now. Besides the buffets and dinner, what are some of the things that are totally free and included in your cruise that could be over looked by a newbie? Also tipping. Who, what and how much?

I haven't cruised in a few years now. Besides the buffets and dinner, what are some of the things that are totally free and included in your cruise that could be over looked by a newbie? Also tipping. Who, what and how much?

Depending on the ship, there a few other food venues that are included. If you've booked one of the ships that has the 2.0 upgrades, you'll have Guy's Burgers and the Blue Iguana Cantina. Also, many people forget to look for the Fish & Chips station. It's a good idea to look at the deck plans to see what other food venues are available on the ship you're considering. Same goes for other amenities, such as a water slide, Serenity Area, etc. As for tipping, you don't really have to worry about that. Carnival has auto-tipping in place, and it is $11.50 per person per day, and is charged to your Sign & Sail account. The auto-tipping covers pretty much everyone that would receive a tip, except bar staff. A 15% gratuity is added to your bar bill. Of course, you can always tip extra to those that you feel went above and beyond their normal duties for you. That would include your cabin steward, your waiter, and anyone else that you feel deserves an extra tip. How much extra is up to you.

Room service, you should tip $1-2 for a small order and adjust if you are ordering a lot.

Gratuities will increase to $12 pp/per day.

After you board the ship go back and forth on lido to see what they have. Also see if they have a fish and chips one deck above.

Here are a few more.... Tea time, sauna and steam room, taste bar, multiple items in the MDR.

How about hot cocoa on the Dream? I know I could always order it in the MDR (Glory and Conquest) but was wondering if they had it out in the buffet area.

How about hot cocoa on the Dream? I know I could always order it in the MDR (Glory and Conquest) but was wondering if they had it out in the buffet area.

It is available 24/7 right next to coffee machines

In addition to multiple food outlets and everything else mentioned....

for entertainment: comedy shows, productions shows in the main lounge, numerous individual acts during the evening, trivia games, lido decks games, dance instructions, even towel folding exhibitions!, ice carvings exhibitions....

check your Fun Times every day for all the activities to try.

One great (and sad moment) I read about here years ago was someone talking about a young couple they had met about 5 days into their cruise that had questioned them about their ability to eat in the MDR each night. The unknowing couple wanted to know how the other couple could possibly afford it! They had no idea the MDR was included in their cruise! :eek:

I haven't cruised in a few years now. Besides the buffets and dinner, what are some of the things that are totally free and included in your cruise that could be over looked by a newbie? Also tipping. Who, what and how much?

What ship will you be sailing? This will help in directing you to different things that are included.

Regarding the tips, they will be increased to 12.00 per person per day very soon, I know I am paying that for my cruise in 3 weeks. You can either prepay or they will automatically be charged to your S&S card during your cruise. They will distribute the tips accordingly. People you should tip, not included in the auto tip: Room service delivery people (couple bucks a tray), porters when you drop off your bags at the terminal (couple bucks per bag), if you would like to tip extra to bartenders, waiters, room steward, etc., would be totally up to you in the amounts and if you wish to do at all.

You can go to guest services and get a free deck of playing cards.

One great (and sad moment) I read about here years ago was someone talking about a young couple they had met about 5 days into their cruise that had questioned them about their ability to eat in the MDR each night. The unknowing couple wanted to know how the other couple could possibly afford it! They had no idea the MDR was included in their cruise! :eek:

How incredibly sad that is! I can't imagine how they must of felt after knowing that.

One great (and sad moment) I read about here years ago was someone talking about a young couple they had met about 5 days into their cruise that had questioned them about their ability to eat in the MDR each night. The unknowing couple wanted to know how the other couple could possibly afford it! They had no idea the MDR was included in their cruise! :eek:

How incredibly sad that is! I can't imagine how they must of felt after knowing that.

My SIL and BIL are going ona 40th anniversary cruise next year. She was asking me about food venues and what's included. They cruised years ago and didn't realize that pretty much everything is included. They ate at the buffet all week. She was afraid to try any were else because they thought they'd be charged.

Thank goodness for cruise critic! I learned so much here before we cruised. I would have been lost.

The unknowing couple wanted to know how the other couple could possibly afford it! They had no idea the MDR was included in their cruise!

That has to be common...similar thing happened to me when I was cruising. I was at the pool relaxing and chatting with a single mom that was sailing with her 14 yr old son, and she said she couldn't wait to get off the ship she was starving and sick of the salad on the lido deck and couldn't eat another burger if her life depended on it. I asked her if she was picky and didn't like the MDR food and she had no idea what I was talking about. It was brunch time, so I scooped her up and we went to brunch, this was like day 4 or 5!! She had no idea the MDR existed!!!

all the "free" self soft serve icecream too. we got spoiled on that and when we took our kids on another line for a short cruise we were disappointed because we had to pay royally for any ice cream you wanted (like $5 bucks a scoop) or pay for the pizza too. it was ridiculous when we got so spoiled on Carnival.

Along the same lines as the mdr comments, I met an older lady at the lido aft bar late night one cruise and she was complaining about how the only thing to eat on the ship at that hour was pizza - she said she was 'tired of that damn pizza'

I casually said 'well, there's always room service' and made a few suggestions. She indignantly looked at me and said 'I ain't paying for THAT!!!'

Of course I informed her it was free but to tip a few bucks for service... She was shocked and has no idea... And pretty quickly left, to go order room service. :)

This was day 6 iirc!

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Pizza pirate! If your ship has one of those, try the prosciutto. Yum, yum!

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Nightly turn-down service is free, as is the daily newsletter and chocolates that accompany such.

The people not knowing about MDR thing must be more common than I thought because we had almost the same thing happen on one of our cruises .Two ladies were asking how much it would cost for them to go to the main dining room for supper . At first I thought maybe they meant the steakhouse but they thought the only place they could eat was the buffet ! I also told them about room service but I am not sure if they actually believed me. Thay said they were on a cruise paid for by their employer and they weren't sure if what he had paid for included those things !

Depending on the ship, there a few other food venues that are included. If you've booked one of the ships that has the 2.0 upgrades, you'll have Guy's Burgers and the Blue Iguana Cantina. Also, many people forget to look for the Fish & Chips station. It's a good idea to look at the deck plans to see what other food venues are available on the ship you're considering. Same goes for other amenities, such as a water slide, Serenity Area, etc. As for tipping, you don't really have to worry about that. Carnival has auto-tipping in place, and it is $11.50 per person per day, and is charged to your Sign & Sail account. The auto-tipping covers pretty much everyone that would receive a tip, except bar staff. A 15% gratuity is added to your bar bill. Of course, you can always tip extra to those that you feel went above and beyond their normal duties for you. That would include your cabin steward, your waiter, and anyone else that you feel deserves an extra tip. How much extra is up to you.

Love Fish and Chips!

In addition to multiple food outlets and everything else mentioned....

 

for entertainment: comedy shows, productions shows in the main lounge, numerous individual acts during the evening, trivia games, lido decks games, dance instructions, even towel folding exhibitions!, ice carvings exhibitions....

 

check your Fun Times every day for all the activities to try.

 

One great (and sad moment) I read about here years ago was someone talking about a young couple they had met about 5 days into their cruise that had questioned them about their ability to eat in the MDR each night. The unknowing couple wanted to know how the other couple could possibly afford it! They had no idea the MDR was included in their cruise! :eek:

My sister and I took two ladies with us on their first cruise and at dinner the first night oy one friend asked what the prices were on the menu and how do you pay in the dinning room I told her it was included and she said I budgeted for meals so she ended up having a few extra DOD's!

In the MDR alot of people don't know that an adult can order off the kids menu. I laugh everytime when I see the looks on peoples faces when I order a banana split and they say I didn't see that.

Room Service - lots of people don't realize it's included for no additional charge.

Ordering multiples in the dining room.

The Pasta Bar at lunch on Dream class.