completely avoid onboard charges

[doublebzz]

Rather than pursuing all these contrived methods for bringing booze aboard, I have a better idea: Why not sit home in your rocking chair, put on some soothing music, think about the gentle waves breaking onto the ships' hull while polishing off a bottle of scotch? Probably a lot cheaper and you don't have to dress for dinner.

[ASIWISH]

Rather than pursuing all these contrived methods for bringing booze aboard, I have a better idea: Why not sit home in your rocking chair, put on some soothing music, think about the gentle waves breaking onto the ships' hull while polishing off a bottle of scotch? Probably a lot cheaper and you don't have to dress for dinner.

 

That's funny! After watching the videos, I did have to laugh at the thought of buying several bottles of mouthwash, emptying them, cleaning them, filling them with booze... only to have to explain to Security why you have two 64oz bottles of mouthwash on a three day cruise!!!

 

and, you saved what $30... while spending $3000 on a 7-day cruise? Maybe it's for the sport of thinking you got away with something!

 

Bringing your own wine, I understand... sometimes, people just want to have what they want, and if the ship doesn't carry it, why not bring it... right?

[doublebzz]

That's funny! After watching the videos, I did have to laugh at the thought of buying several bottles of mouthwash, emptying them, cleaning them, filling them with booze... only to have to explain to Security why you have two 64oz bottles of mouthwash on a three day cruise!!!

 

and, you saved what $30... while spending $3000 on a 7-day cruise? Maybe it's for the sport of thinking you got away with something!

 

Bringing your own wine, I understand... sometimes, people just want to have what they want, and if the ship doesn't carry it, why not bring it... right?

 

You are absolutely right. Actually, Crest Pro-Health over ice with a sprig of mint makes a delightful summer drink on your verandah.

[kazu]

You are absolutely right. Actually, Crest Pro-Health over ice with a sprig of mint makes a delightful summer drink on your verandah.

 

HAL's onboard policy for bringing wine, soda & water is very generous. I won't drink Crest Pro Health ;) I'll brush my teeth with it. If I want liquor for my cabin or to have a drink while we listen to the Adagio strings we will happily order HAl's:D

[mrbucky]

Johnjohnmik1

Cool Cruiser

 

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We did it last year on Princess,totally by accident.We were on two seven days cruises and with our onboard credit and the fact that our internet and drycleaning was free,they stopped us from disembarking as they owed us money.

 

 

 

Mik...............and you call me cheap!!

[RMLincoln]

Different people cruise for different reasons. We go to relax.

 

We drink very little or not at all; we love the food and service in the MDR and the shows and especially listening to the wonderful live music! Sometimes we purchase a ship shore excursion, but not always becasue we enjoy the vacant ship on port days too. I've done a helicopter to the glacier in Alaska, Mayan ruins tours and we did the America's Cup Yatch Racing in St. Maarten recently, and several snorkeling trips but most of the shore excursions I think are not worth the money when we can enjoy the luxury of the ship's facilities. It's a great time to do the ship's art tour for example.

 

We usually buy a souvenier photo and or a CD of our trip, maybe a trinket or a coffee mug from the ship's shop, I love regenerating the memories long after we've disembarked.

 

The spa services seem like a racket to me but I have purchased the T-spa full cruise pass on a 21 day Amsterdam cruise and loved it!! It was a surprise to my husband but he didn't object, he was glad I found something I really enjoyed.

 

I guess we are value cruisers and an inside cabin is sufficient or maybe an ocean view if it's not much more money; I actually like the darkness but also have liked a Cat C ocean view just off the Promenade deck- either way is good for me. Maybe someday we'll get a balcony to enjoy but until then I'm just absolutely thrilled just to be on the SHIP!!!

 

And we do give extra tips for the wonderful service we receive, we're not really trying to be dirt cheap just not as interested in many of the things they are selling on board.

 

Isn't this the great thing about cruising - something for everybody, all styles, all objectives, all budgets.

[kalliekae]

We don't drink or gamble.

We don't buy anything onboard.

Easy to do if it's the Caribbean or Alaska.

For Europe or other far-flung destinations, we would have shore tours as our expense.

 

On our last Caribbean cruise, we bought nothing in the shops and we don't gamble. We did not do any excursions either. It was a first for us, but we weren't too interested in the Caribbean so it was strictly a relaxation cruise for us. However, on all our other cruises, we always have shopping charges, a PG dinner and some drinks on board to pay for at the end. I think it's easy to not have a large bill to pay at the end of a cruise if one really wants to be frugal. That's the beauty of cruising....do as much as you want or as little as you want.

[Tripper10]

I'm curious to find out how many, if any, of you have ever had only the hotel service charges on your onboard account at the end of a cruise.

 

Couple times $0.00 charges. Normally under $100

[esther e]

Internet package, Pinnacle, wine, pre-dinner drinks in the Ocean Bar, post-dinner brandy in Explorer's, Coke and beer with lunch, bottled water throughout the day and laundry.

We don't gamble or buy in the shops, other than something small. If we do a tour, we pre-buy it on line. For a 7-day cruise I think it's about $500 more or less (mostly more!).

 

Lately we haven't done many excursions or even gotten off the ship. Basically, it's R&R now for my husband.

 

Edited because I'm laughing at my post. I never drink at home, other than a glass of wine at a restaurant, but seeing what I manage to pour down my throat while on a ship is very funny!

[ASIWISH]

 

Edited because I'm laughing at my post. I never drink at home, other than a glass of wine at a restaurant, but seeing what I manage to pour down my throat while on a ship is very funny!

 

Funny!:)

[tdk1938]

I'm curious to find out how many, if any, of you have ever had only the hotel service charges on your onboard account at the end of a cruise.

 

We're very closed to spend only the hotel service charges if my DW didn't buy the worthless photos from the ship. We didn't drink alcohol and soda at home or on the ship. We can afford it but don't like them. It was only five days cruise and we did the laundry when we got to the hotel (stayed in Miami for 3 days post cruise). We did not eat at the specialty restaurant. We took land tours and bought some stuff (rum cakes from Cayman Island) at the ports that we visited. But wee tipped the crew members generously though because they earned it. :)

[mountainmare]

Actually we probably have had zero charges after the hotel service charge on a Carribean cruise. We take our own Diet Pepsi and wine for the balcony, in hot weather don't feel like drinking at dinner, do our own DIY in ports.

Now on the TA---that was when we had wine with dinner, specialty dining and spa stuff.

 

The zero charge trips are port intensive when our costs are off the ship and when we get back on we just want to hang out on our balcony. Its not that hard to do.

[mrsltg]

We'll come close to zero on this cruise. We have prebooked our Pinnacle reservations and our clamshell shade on HMC. We have $200 in OBC from our future cruise credit and our HAL credit card rewards - this credit will cover the hotel service charge. We're bringing wine on board and lately I prefer my wine in the mid afternoon as opposed to in the evening (basically, I won't be consuming with meals). We're bringing a couple dozen diet cokes on board, and, yes, scofflaws that we are, DH will be bringing some rum that the ship doesn't carry. We're not doing any ship excursions, I'm not a big spa fan, we don't gamble (I'd rather spend my money on a sure thing - shoes!), etc. We will pose for pictures and buy some if we love them, but other than a few random drinks here and there, we're not going to be spending much. I can see how people spend nothing besides tips. I'll report back on how it goes!