Extra Costs

[sunflower47]

Getting ready for our first cruise-everything is paid for including excursions & DSC and now I am trying to think of what could be the extras that we will get billed for at the end of the cruise on our on board account. (This is only for the ship, not including expenses in the ports).

 

 

Alcohol - either UBP or SAS card?

Bingo - What is the cost of this and the odds?

Deal or No Deal-$19.95 a card? How do you play?

Souvenirs onboard - (Possibly something small)

Spa - probably not

Photos - maybe one or two

Casino -Do you use cash or SAS card?

Tips - extra for staff & bartenders if you feel they deserve it? Or no?

FCC - $250 for another cruise with $100 OBC for current cruise

 

Am I missing anything?

[mizLORInj]

Our extra costs come in for drinks (drink pkgs are not worthwhile for us) and a couple photos. Maybe a souvenir or two. Upcharge restaurant which we sometimes do (not often). For our cabin steward and wait staff, we extra tip with cash.

 

have fun!!!

Edited October 7, 2014 by mizlorinj

[realcindylouwho]

It sounds like you have done lots of research and are well informed!

 

Yes, we find a bartender that we like and then make certain to use them throughout the cruise. We do throw in an extra tip per drink ordered. This has been beneficial to us as we find our service to be fast, our drinks strong and some drinks "gifted" by the bartender. We also bring along a box of Thank You cards and handwrite our thanks to the crew memebers who have gone above what we would consider just doing their job and include a cash tip.We aren't big drinkers so the UBD would not benefit us.

 

I can't add my opionion to the bingo, Deal or No Deal, Spa, photos, souveniors, casino as we spend very little money on these activities.

 

We do purchase the FCC on each cruise. They will add $250 to your charges and then subtract $100 as well. Any way you do the math, it will cost you $150 at the end of the day/week.

 

Enjoy your first cruise! May you have a wonderful time on the sea and have the opportunity to cruise many, MANY additional times.

[Tricialy]

Casino -Do you use cash or SAS card?

Tips - extra for staff & bartenders if you feel they deserve it? Or no?

FCC - $250 for another cruise with $100 OBC for current cruise

 

Am I missing anything?

 

Cash in the casino, I don't think you can use your card (or at least you can't on the ships we've been on)

 

We tip our steward and have tipped waiters at times, they seem to really appreciate getting cash - you could add it to your on-board account.

 

We were hooked after our first cruise - hopefully you are too - so the FCC might be a given.

 

Happy Cruising!

Edited October 7, 2014 by Tricialy

[cb at sea]

Anything you purchase onboard MUST go on yourSAS card.....a ship is a "cashless" society...everything is charged to your room. You may, of course, use cash to pay off your bill at the end of the cruise! The exception is the casino...bring the cash you're willing to lose!!!

 

They add 15% to the bar bill, and for most drinks, that's ample, IMO....If we frequent one particular bar, we will extend an additional tip on the last evening of the cruise.

Edited October 7, 2014 by cb at sea

[McDebbie]

DH always gets one of those t-shirt/hat combo's, I think they are $20? Could be $25 by now. But he likes them and they have held up well.

 

Only other thing I can think of is the internet package. We normally get a nominal package to check on our parents but if you don't need to check in you can disregard that and just get online at the ports.

[zookiebird]

Haven't been on NCL for quite a while. Do they have a prepaid auto-gratuity program? On HAL, for instance, its $11.50 per person per day.

[NMLady]

Haven't been on NCL for quite a while. Do they have a prepaid auto-gratuity program? On HAL, for instance, its $11.50 per person per day.

 

Yes, you can prepay the auto-"gratuity" for NCL. IIRC it's $12 per person per day. It's called DSC: Daily Service Charge. We pre-pay ours with final payment

for the cruise so it doesn't take up daily lines on our shipboard account billing.

[punkincc]

Haven't been on NCL for quite a while. Do they have a prepaid auto-gratuity program? On HAL, for instance, its $11.50 per person per day.

 

*Edited, since NMlady beat me to the answer about the DSC*

We always budget for a few of the the various "Tastings", martini, wine, beer, Mojito, etc. They are usually about $15 to $20 per person and a lot of fun.

Edited October 7, 2014 by punkincc

[sunflower47]

To update the list with some of the replies:

 

Alcohol - UBP or SAS card (15% already added to drinks)

Bingo - SAS card - $29 to $60 ??

Deal or No Deal-$19.95 a card - SAS card

Souvenirs onboard -T-shirt & hat combo $20 or $25 for McDebbie's DH

Spa

Photos

Casino - Cash

Tips - Up to the individual - can be added to on-board account

FCC - $250 for another cruise with $100 OBC for current cruise

 

Upcharge restaurants individual or UDP

Internet .75/minute (packages available)

Tastings (wine, beer, martini's, mojitos) $15-$20/per person

Edited October 7, 2014 by sunflower47

[Hermiones parents]

Tips for your excursion guides and for the porters on the dock

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[Kiki cat]

Hi, we have only gone on a Thomson Cruise where everything is included though we did tip the cabin steward and our waiter and wine waiter. We would normally give hotel staff 20 Euros for 2 weeks on a hotel holiday.

So 2 questions:

Why is it written in dollars and not euros when it is a European cruise?

Why do the service charges cost so much as the figure seems to be £98 each for 2 weeks which is a horrendous amount and then more if you tip in cash as well?

Our Australian relatives didn't tip at all when we were in Venice and they said they don't tip in Perth Australia.:D

[CasinoCruzGirl]

Hi, we have only gone on a Thomson Cruise where everything is included though we did tip the cabin steward and our waiter and wine waiter. We would normally give hotel staff 20 Euros for 2 weeks on a hotel holiday.

So 2 questions:

Why is it written in dollars and not euros when it is a European cruise?

Why do the service charges cost so much as the figure seems to be £98 each for 2 weeks which is a horrendous amount and then more if you tip in cash as well?

Our Australian relatives didn't tip at all when we were in Venice and they said they don't tip in Perth Australia.:D

 

 

Read all the posts about tipping there are thousands

[blindrid]

Hi, we have only gone on a Thomson Cruise where everything is included though we did tip the cabin steward and our waiter and wine waiter. We would normally give hotel staff 20 Euros for 2 weeks on a hotel holiday.

So 2 questions:

Why is it written in dollars and not euros when it is a European cruise?

Why do the service charges cost so much as the figure seems to be £98 each for 2 weeks which is a horrendous amount and then more if you tip in cash as well?

Our Australian relatives didn't tip at all when we were in Venice and they said they don't tip in Perth Australia.:D

 

Thus the employes got shorted.that and one tipping in cash over and beyond is optional.

 

It ain't that hard.

Edited October 9, 2014 by blindrid

[AAAAmerican]

 

 

Dear sunflower47,

 

One I saw is not showing too.

 

Water/Soda Pop.

 

Aboard ships it is a great revenue source too.

 

Here in NJ if your close enough we have No TAX nor Deposits on Water.

 

On Soda pop Sales Tax only.

 

Be aware of the Tap water aboard ships with a very High Sodium content.

Maam!

 

 

May your first voyage on a cruise ship be well without many swells and have blue skys and calm seas too !

 

GOD Speed.

 

A few years ago the avg first cruiser family spent USD $ 18,000.00 +. Yes all the chochkees etc...

:eek:

 

 

 

Getting ready for our first cruise-everything is paid for including excursions & DSC and now I am trying to think of what could be the extras that we will get billed for at the end of the cruise on our on board account. (This is only for the ship, not including expenses in the ports).

 

 

Alcohol - either UBP or SAS card?

Bingo - What is the cost of this and the odds?

Deal or No Deal-$19.95 a card? How do you play?

Souvenirs onboard - (Possibly something small)

Spa - probably not

Photos - maybe one or two

Casino -Do you use cash or SAS card?

Tips - extra for staff & bartenders if you feel they deserve it? Or no?

FCC - $250 for another cruise with $100 OBC for current cruise

 

Am I missing anything?

[NMLady]

Hi, we have only gone on a Thomson Cruise where everything is included though we did tip the cabin steward and our waiter and wine waiter. We would normally give hotel staff 20 Euros for 2 weeks on a hotel holiday.

So 2 questions:

Why is it written in dollars and not euros when it is a European cruise?

Why do the service charges cost so much as the figure seems to be £98 each for 2 weeks which is a horrendous amount and then more if you tip in cash as well?

Our Australian relatives didn't tip at all when we were in Venice and they said they don't tip in Perth Australia.:D

 

It is written in dollars, not Euros even though European cruise because it is basically a US ship so shipboard charges are all in dollars.

 

Thomson probably pays their cabin stewards and waiters a decent wage so that basic service charges are included in the fare. However, in US restaurants, hotels, and onboard US ships waiters and stewards are paid very minimally so they so depend on the income from the service charge to supplement their meagre income. Other countries might pay their servers a better wage so tips aren't necessary or required.