how much were your "extras" per 7 night cruise?

[flagger]

WOW! You should write a travel book. Did you have any fun?

Yes we had a blast. Spend extra while on a cruise is not necessary in our book.

[PathfinderEss]

We usually spend around $500. for a seven day cruise. Ours is mostly bar tabs, maybe an excursion thrown into the mix. This will be our first trip on Celebrity, but I'm sure their bar drinks are comparable in price to other cruise lines.

[cechase]

Interesting thread! So interesting, that I went back and checked out my Visa statement after our Feb 7 night cruise on Century. The charges were a little over $1,000.00. In addition to that, we prepurchased two bon voyage liquor packages for $100.00 and we prepurchased two excursions one for St. Thomas and one for St. Martin which came to about $140.00.

 

We did not buy art and do not buy the photos. We do enjoy our pre dinner drinks, did a little in the casino, and I obtained cash in the casino to pay our tips in cash. We usually tip the recommended amounts, but in this case tipped our butler almost twice the recommended amount, because he was really great. [Lawrence].

[new_cruiser]

Last year on Summit to Alaska our bill was 321$ we did have on board credits plus refund from Captains Club $50 and The $25 off the Specialty dinner.This was rather unusual for us.DH has learned some tricks to lower our bill and has learned not to start drinking at breakfast.Our highest bill was over $1000.We are going on a 12 night this year,so only time wil tell.

Would you share the "tricks"?

 

We didn't have credits (it was our first Celebrity cruise and we did get a good fare), so our bill for a 7 night was between $500 and 600. Not counting the rather expensive bottle of wine we got for our specialty dinner, our Cova Cafe charges were about equal to our wine and bar charges - we all have our own addictions - too bad they don't have a specialty coffee card like the soda card :).

 

These numbers are apples and oranges to some extent. We paid our tips in cash so they aren't in the total. We arranged our own excursions so they aren't in that number either. Actually we did use one Celebrity Excursion, but it was so unsatisfactory that they took off the charge. The ones we arranged ourselves (with help from advice on the cruise critic boards for the islands) and one where we joined people from our rollcall added up to about $400 (half of that was for one all day sailing trip - very nice with a maximum 6 passengers and a good lunch included - the other days were more economical but still very nice). Best excursion buy was a car rental on St. Martin which we split with another Cruise Critic couple - complete freedom to spend our time as we wished at $14 a head (we negotiated the rental price down).

 

On a 7 day Wind Surf cruise with a friend, my bill was about $300 after a $100 credit. Most of that was for the scuba program plus there was a massage and some wine.

[lakelodge]

Well, since I originated this post, I actually went back and broke down my bill. (1015.00), the tips were included on there, the Olympic was 104.00 including the wine, we had 350.00 in the spa, we had 40 something for internet, and 300.00 or so in the gift shop (100.00 of which was duty free liquor to take home, I wouldn't call that part of the cruise really since we would buy that anyway, for more money, at home). Our bar tab other than the wine at the Olympic was just over 100.00. We saved money by bringing three bottles of champagne which our steward was nice enough to ice down in a bucket and bring glasses, so three nights we had champagne before going up to dinner (late seating). We also brought a bottle of vodka, which we mixed occasionally with the lemonaide in the buffet in our Celebrity insulated mugs purchased at the gift shop. We also only bought one picture, when you cruise two times a year, just how many pictures of you and your spouse do you need? (especially the ones on formal night or sitting at the dinner table). We do try to buy at least one denoting the port or the ship.

I'll tell you a great FREE souvenier-- take your sign and sail card and buy some magnetic backing (Wal Mart photo dept--1.00) and make a refrigerator magnet. We have loads of them on our fridge at the lake, (we also have used the room key card at hotels where there is a nice picture of the hotel on it).

Hope these money saving tips help-- I can honestly say we had a wonderful time and did not "pinch pennies" in the slightest bit.

PS If I had it to do all over again, I would not have lost 400.00 in the casino! LOL, and also the shore ex to the Crystal Palace in Nassau was a complete waste of money, neither of these were in the $1015.00 final bill. Martha

[phdiva]

We budget $100 per person per day for ALL incidental expenses (shore excursions or expenses, tips, spa treatments, whatever) purchased on or off the ship. We don't actually SPEND $100 each per day, but that's about what it works out to be when all is said and done.

[mahdnc]

I remember that our shipboard account on our first Celebrity cruise was $600 on the Century back in 1996.

 

On our last 10 night trip on the Horizon for our family of 4 last month, our account at the end ballooned to $2800. $800 from the infirmary to treat my wife's ziplining wound (2 visits per day for 7 days--all of which we should get reimbursed for from our insurance), $650 in tips (remember this was for 4 people for 10 days and we had a butler), $500 for the casino (we--actually she--lost half of it), $300 for shore ex, $300 at the spa, $100 at the gift shops, and $50 for beverages.

[EGG]

Our shipboard account for our 12 night Baltic cruise was $15.

Here were our extras -

 

Tips

Shared 2 day private tour of St. Petersberg - $300

All other ports we did on our own - Celebrity provides a free shuttle bus to the heart of each city (Oslo (walk), Stockholm, Helsinki, Tallin, Copenhagen). So in each city we paid entrance fees for a few museums. Avg. cost for the other 5 cities was about $15 per person for a total of $150.

 

So what did we buy for $15? Bottled water to take off the ship and some inexpensive souveneirs for our daughter. Since we had 4 days pre cruise and 3 days after cruise I had no room in my suitcase to buy extras.

 

There are so many free things to do on the ship during the 3 at sea days it amazes me how people can spend so much money. Fitness center, whirlpool, pool, afternoon entertainment, port lectures, other lectures (health, fitness, specialty), bridge, a good book - the ship has a nice library, jigsaw puzzle,

dance lessons, art lectures, relax on a deck chair and veg out with an afternoon nap to recouperate from all that touring.

 

I enjoyed every minute of the cruise, as I am sure those who spent thousands of dollars more than us did.

[joramrose]

Hey, I am usually a solo cruiser.

I don't drink much, I don't visit the casino and I usually prepay shore excursions or arrange for private tours before I go.

 

Plus I book next cruise on board to get shipboard credit and I am a stockholder and get some cabin credit that way -- and I still come out owing a chunk of money!

 

I get vouchers for all my tips, and I do have wine at dinner (but one bottle usually lasts me three or four days). I do get carried away and bid at the art auction, and I usually have to buy batteries, extra film, CDs whatever at the photo shop.

 

And then there are the sales in the shops and I load up for Christmas and birthday presents.

 

So there goes my credit and a bunch of cash besides.

 

On my just ended cruise, my billfold came up missing just before I boarded the ship, so I had to "draw" funds at the casino for going ashore. For 16 days I had a bill of about $900 -- but on this one, I had no cabin credit.

 

But I budget all that in when I plan the cruise. I don't begrudge a penny that I spend, except this last time the $2 for the bottle of water in the room. After I found out I was paying for it, I filled the pitcher with tap water. Next they will put a meter on the shower faucet!

 

love

joan

[canderson]

Shore excursion prices for a round of golf in the Caribbean with clubs starts at over $200. That will certainly add to the bill in a hurry. Then again, where else can you play "Pebble Beach on Drugs' (Mahogany Run, St. Thomas)?

 

We tend to run up about $250 in wine bills, $20 in bar bills, one shot for my wife at the spa of one form or another for about $100, $80 in golf simulator/lesson time, possible $60 for specialty restaurant, and another $400~$500 for excursions. Winds up coming to about $1000.

[idssms]

My bill is predicated on how much I charge in the casino at $2,000 a pop for the maximum daily cash advance.

 

Not a bad deal. Free cash advance shows as a credit card purchase with no service fees.

 

Plus if you have a Credit Card that provides you air mileage you get that bonus too.

 

idssms

[gene624]

I cheat! I always take a bottle of gin in my luggage so do not spend as much on drinks. I do buy a couple though at dinner. Not a wine lover, so don't do that and can't imagine paying for a spa treatment.

Last cruise (just back on Constellation) spent 147 on extras,

[pickettj1970]

On the Century last week, our bill for booze and spa treatments was 460 bucks. If you throw in excursions (non-Celebrity private deals) it was about 850 or so.

 

When I walked by people's doors on the last night, I saw bills that were pages and pages long! I can't imagine how much those were! Ours was 1/2 a page.

 

BTW, I smuggled 4 bottles of wine on board and 2 bottles of liquor, so that kept the costs down.

[Tatka]

It really depends on itinerary!

 

In Europe we had around $2000 in addition to cruise and airfare... Every tour was around $100+ pp...

 

During our Caribbean Cruises it's around $200 - 300. We don't spend much on drinks.

[AFT_LOVER]

so right off the bat $250 is gone for tips, then another $100 for DH's polo's off the sale table twice in 2 weeks & I get a few very nice zip up sweatshirts. We bring our own booze, so we have no bar bill other than 1 martini apiece for the "party" for that night. I am ready for bed after it too.......

 

Excursions we buy in advance of the cruise & we pocket the money from the casino in $200 incrediments which casino budget is $20 PP PD. We have added to the pocket while there which is nice.

 

We are not shoppers other than a magnet for the fridge from all the new countries we visit. Folks who visit us are intrigued with them. We state we are ROUND THE WORLD cruisers, never visting the same port twice, unless friends live there.

 

So "X" get the 2006 schedule out already as no TA's net, or Scandanavia/Russia cruise yet.

[mikiew]

On the Xpedition, it was just $100 for some t-shirts, but that is all inclusive.

 

 

Normally it is no more than $700 for two weeks.............but we bring our own wine, and do not patronize the bars too much.

 

We did two weeks on the Royal Clipper, and our bill was only $300.

[mikiew]

I don't count tips as we give them directly to the person, and do not put it on our tab.

[AFT_LOVER]

was $48 last Sept. This was the Concierge Class robe I bought as a surprise for my husband from the Housekeepinging Manger who stuffed it into my new tote (gift). Now December's Mexican Riv was expensive as we bought excursions onboard, polo shirts that were a great sail including TA stuff in the stack on the table at 50% off+. Christmas we wanted to give extra for the families that we heard stories about from our waiter & steward. And AMEX giving double miles on our DL SM card, we did over $1000......... YIKES! But that was our present to us also.

 

We cash out our shipboard credits by day 3 & tip in cash in Thank You notes to each person who made our cruise. The rest is for fun to do whatever we didn't plan, and that was all free onboard during a 6 day cruise back to NYC from Vigo Spain.

[newmexicoNita]

We usually end up with a bill around $500 or $600. this includes a bottle of wine per night, our gratuities and some casino play. Other than that we don't spend too much; a few other drinks, yes, we too usually have booze in our room, we spend a few $$ in the gift shop, maybe a polo for DH and a piece of costume jewelry for me:

 

breakdown: wine about $25.00 per night: $175.00

tips: $150.00

misc drinks: $100.00

Casino $100.00

Gift shop $25.00 to $100 $ 25.00

 

total: $500 to $575.00

[joramrose]

I got off the Summit last Thursday (after an abbreviated six-day cruise in Alasja) with the ship owing ME $79.50

 

Of course, you have to realize I had a $400 credit, $100 for shareholder and $300 for that missing day.

 

Still, that included all tips also for the week before, a couple of excursions, a bottle of wine at dinner and a few other scattered drinks.

 

Don't ask about the previous week when I bought a piece of art, took a far more expensive excursion and ordered a case of premium wine sent home from the onboard auction.

 

Actually,as a solo cruiser (like Teedee and Lois) I usually average $350 to $500 a week, including tips and an occasional excursion. I don't bingo or do casinos, don't drink much, never buy pictures (except for "art"), usually arrange my own excursions, etc.

 

love

joan

[waterrats]

On our first cruise it was in the neighborhood of $750 for the extras and something like an additional $150 for tips.

 

This past cruise on Caribbean Princess, our bill was $1300 for 9 days. This cruise was extended two days because of Hurricane Jeanne. This includes $180 in tips, a massage for DW, a dive excursion for myself, a snorkel excursion for both of us, shopping on the ship, and lots of drinks including a few bottle of wine, champagne, and also some fru-fru drinks for my DW.

 

This year we plan on ordering a bottle or two of liquor to the room to help curb our bar bill. We didn't care about the bill when we were on the ship, we absolutely had a fabulous time on our cruise we are doing it again this year.

[CaptData]

It various as I go on longer cruises by myself and shorter cruises with family (I pay for everything). For three people $2000.00 (honeymoon for my son). By myself about 600-1000 depending on spa and room service. I do not drink much and gamble less.

[SunnyMary]

We just sailed the Horizon to Bermuda for seven days. We have been there before, so didn't do any excursions. We bring cash for the casino and tips. The only other item on our bill other than drinks was a $25.00 photo. We have had photos on previous cruises. We don't do spas, etc., and go as frugally as we can, so we have MORE FUN ON MORE CRUISES!!! My splurge is a couple of drinks per day, something I don't do at home. We left the ship with only $100 in charges, and that included the photo. (I must say that is the cheapest the two of us have ever gotten away with. But after cruising a few times, who needs more T-shirts or souvenirs?) I'm planning our next cruise already!

[newmexicoNita]

We just sailed the Horizon to Bermuda for seven days. We have been there before, so didn't do any excursions. We bring cash for the casino and tips. The only other item on our bill other than drinks was a $25.00 photo. We have had photos on previous cruises. We don't do spas, etc., and go as frugally as we can, so we have MORE FUN ON MORE CRUISES!!! My splurge is a couple of drinks per day, something I don't do at home. We left the ship with only $100 in charges, and that included the photo. (I must say that is the cheapest the two of us have ever gotten away with. But after cruising a few times, who needs more T-shirts or souvenirs?) I'm planning our next cruise already!

agree about T shirts etc. We do usually buy a golf shirt for DH, but no more gifts for eveyone we know, as for photos hardly ever anymore. My thing is a few bucks here and there in the casino plus wine for dinner.