With all the "nickel & dime" talk, is it possible to spend $0?

[Snowrose]

The last time we were on NCL the only cost we at the end was our DSC and about $100 for alcoholic drinks. If we'd passed on the drinks, we only would have had the expected DSC.

 

ETA, we had prepaid our excursions. But of course you don't have to go on excursions, either. You can just walk around the ports or stay on the ship.

Edited July 29, 2015 by Snowrose

[jmele999]

Wow - we budget $150-$200/day for DW and I (including excursions). OBC helps, but we usually have $1,100 tab at the end of a seven days cruise. To each his own!

 

we also have the same tab at the end of a cruise, but OBC covers most of it.

[sparks1093]

I'll preface by stating I've been on 11 Disney cruises & 1 Royal Caribbean.

 

Hubby & I are seriously looking at jumping on the Getaway in September kinda last minute. I was thinking we'd grab the semi-free (:p) UBP to offset our usual carrying booze onboard w/Disney. I would prepay the DSC/gratuities.

 

I read so much about all the upcharge things. We aren't big foodies. We don't gamble. I can't imagine I'd do much shopping onboard. May buy a picture or 2 to mark the occasion. Generally our expenses come from what we spend in ports. All that said, would it be realistic to think we wouldn't spend a whole boat-load of $$ onboard?

 

I read a thread once on a different website among Disney cruise fans asking what's the lowest onboard balance everyone had closed out at. How about NCL? All you regulars out there, do you end a cruise with a low onboard balance??? Is it realistic to think we could do a whole week cruise as described without a ton of bleeding from our wallets in onboard "nickel & dime-ing"?

 

Thanks muchly.

 

When we went on the Gem our friend put $152 on her onboard account. Excursions and service charges were pre-paid. She received something like a $45 refund at the end of 7 days. I think she would have the same result even today.

[4774Papa]

I'll preface by stating I've been on 11 Disney cruises & 1 Royal Caribbean.

 

Hubby & I are seriously looking at jumping on the Getaway in September kinda last minute. I was thinking we'd grab the semi-free (:p) UBP to offset our usual carrying booze onboard w/Disney. I would prepay the DSC/gratuities.

 

I read so much about all the upcharge things. We aren't big foodies. We don't gamble. I can't imagine I'd do much shopping onboard. May buy a picture or 2 to mark the occasion. Generally our expenses come from what we spend in ports. All that said, would it be realistic to think we wouldn't spend a whole boat-load of $$ onboard?

 

I read a thread once on a different website among Disney cruise fans asking what's the lowest onboard balance everyone had closed out at. How about NCL? All you regulars out there, do you end a cruise with a low onboard balance??? Is it realistic to think we could do a whole week cruise as described without a ton of bleeding from our wallets in onboard "nickel & dime-ing"?

 

Thanks muchly.

We don't buy the drinks packages, but did book a couple of cruises with the drinks packages provided free.

We do take some ship's excursions and usually buy our own alcohol.

For a two week cruise, we might spend $400 on alcohol, mostly wine.

We might buy a T-shirt if they are on sale, but rarely buy anything. Still, remember, you are on a cruise and want to have fun.

 

Tips, avoid the high pressure to buy expensive spa packages.

[fstuff1]

I'll preface by stating I've been on 11 Disney cruises & 1 Royal Caribbean.

 

Hubby & I are seriously looking at jumping on the Getaway in September kinda last minute. I was thinking we'd grab the semi-free (:p) UBP to offset our usual carrying booze onboard w/Disney. I would prepay the DSC/gratuities.

 

I read so much about all the upcharge things. We aren't big foodies. We don't gamble. I can't imagine I'd do much shopping onboard. May buy a picture or 2 to mark the occasion. Generally our expenses come from what we spend in ports. All that said, would it be realistic to think we wouldn't spend a whole boat-load of $$ onboard?

 

I read a thread once on a different website among Disney cruise fans asking what's the lowest onboard balance everyone had closed out at. How about NCL? All you regulars out there, do you end a cruise with a low onboard balance??? Is it realistic to think we could do a whole week cruise as described without a ton of bleeding from our wallets in onboard "nickel & dime-ing"?

 

Thanks muchly.

 

$0 cruise- Here's how...

 

if you're a Caesar's casino 7star member, it can literally be $0.

7stars get a completely free cruise once a year. Caesar's pays port fees/taxes AND the $13.50/day cabin gratuity. plus you get a casino drink card.

 

next best:

CAS 'free' cruise (either by land casino or ncl themselves).

just pay the port fees/taxes which is ~$325/person for a 7day cruise. you get a casino drink card.

book during the august promo of NCL paying the $13.50/day gratuity.

 

3rd best:

basically, any cruise booked during the August promo of NCL paying the $13.50/day gratuity means you can have a $0 bill when your cruise is over w/o tricking yourself into believing pre-paying the $13.50/day charge means $0.

 

 

now is this reasonable?

I say no.

- Caesar's 7stars gamble at least $500,000/yr through video poker machines to get that status. not many people do that.

- a 'free' CAS cruise means you still have to gamble a significant amount of $ at a casino (land or ncl's) to earn it.

- plus there's shore excursions. it's much easier going with an excursion than doing it yourself. you're on vacation. save the hassle

Edited July 29, 2015 by fstuff1

[Barb Nahoumi]

I'll preface by stating I've been on 11 Disney cruises & 1 Royal Caribbean.

 

Hubby & I are seriously looking at jumping on the Getaway in September kinda last minute. I was thinking we'd grab the semi-free (:p) UBP to offset our usual carrying booze onboard w/Disney. I would prepay the DSC/gratuities.

 

I read so much about all the upcharge things. We aren't big foodies. We don't gamble. I can't imagine I'd do much shopping onboard. May buy a picture or 2 to mark the occasion. Generally our expenses come from what we spend in ports. All that said, would it be realistic to think we wouldn't spend a whole boat-load of $$ onboard?

 

I read a thread once on a different website among Disney cruise fans asking what's the lowest onboard balance everyone had closed out at. How about NCL? All you regulars out there, do you end a cruise with a low onboard balance??? Is it realistic to think we could do a whole week cruise as described without a ton of bleeding from our wallets in onboard "nickel & dime-ing"?

 

Thanks muchly.

 

We were able to keep our bill low after our June Bermuda cruise. First of all we prepaid our DSC, so it did not appear at the end. . We don't drink much or gamble, so not much to charge there. I did purchase a few things in the gift shop, but the extra OBC we had, covered most of it. Being in Bermuda, we got around on our own, with no ship excursion charges.

 

We ate in the MDR each night, no Specialty Restaurant charges. Because our cabin steward "went the extra mile," we gave him a cash tip.

 

After paying off our low final balance at the Guest Services desk the night before, we left the ship with a 0 balance.

[skittl1321]

This post is the perfect example of the exact demo that NCL no longer wants on there fleet. They want DINKS and millennials.

 

They want those who SPEND. And there campaigning for it aggressively.

 

I don't understand your classification of these demographics. I'm a millenial and a DINK. We have high income. Every cruise I keep my bill as close to $0 as I can. I don't gamble, drink, use the spa, buy photographs or shop on board. I don't buy ship excursions. The ship is a means to get me to ports; I expect food, entertainment, and a bed.

 

I'm both of those things you said- and they likely don't want me.

 

Regardless of age, they want spenders. Every business does. We certainly spend on some things (see Xpedition), but not all those little extras. To me, that is mostly just junk. And, they seem to want families. They don't seem to cater to the DINK market really. If they did, it seems like areas like the Haven would be child free.

 

But, NCL's marketing strategy does prevent people like me from sailing. I've now booked and canceled 3 cruises with them. I'm just not convinced the experience will be all that good and keep going with other things. I really want to try NCL- but their fares are getting higher and less is included than it used to be. I guess I missed my window.

[cadien]

This post is the perfect example of the exact demo that NCL no longer wants on there fleet. They want DINKS and millennials.

 

They want those who SPEND. And there campaigning for it aggressively.

 

I don't understand your classification of these demographics. I'm a millennial and a DINK. We have high income. Every cruise I keep my bill as close to $0 as I can. I don't gamble, drink, use the spa, buy photographs or shop on board. I don't buy ship excursions. The ship is a means to get me to ports; I expect food, entertainment, and a bed.

 

I'm both of those things you said- and they likely don't want me.

 

Regardless of age, they want spenders. Every business does. We certainly spend on some things (see Xpedition), but not all those little extras. To me, that is mostly just junk. And, they seem to want families. They don't seem to cater to the DINK market really. If they did, it seems like areas like the Haven would be child free.

 

And speaking as another Millennial family who cruised recently, almost everything we spent on board was kid-related. We would have spent far less if he wasn't along.