Unexpected Expenses

[SRF]

Which line?  What exclusions?

 

[brillohead]

14 hours ago, oskarNZ said:

Thank you so much - this is exactly the kind of info I was after.

Happy to help... I know that some of the Royal ships in Asia have extra charges for things, but that seems to be because it's "the Asian way" (the way things are run in Asia, not meaning to sound racist with that comment!). 

 

 

14 hours ago, oskarNZ said:

Out of interest, regarding the specialty restaurants, can I please ask if most sit-down restaurants on Royal Caribbean charge a one-off fee (eg. pay $30 and order what you want from the menu) or do most have a la carte menus with individual prices per item?  

As SRF has already said, MOST of the specialty restaurants are "pay your fee and go eat dinner".  Some of the ships now have a Playmakers Sports Bar that has per-item pricing, and a few ships have Johnny Rockets where you pay per-item (but most Johnny Rockets are a one price covers everything but milkshakes).  

For the normal sit-down restaurants like Chops, Giovanni's/Jamie's Italian, 150 CP, etc., the vast majority of the menu is all included in the "admission" price.  

And Royal includes tap water at every meal -- you have to specifically ask for bottled water which costs extra. 

Happy to answer any other questions you or anyone else may have about Royal -- I've cruised on Carnival, Holland American, Celebrity, and Princess through the years, but I tried Royal in 2013 and have kept returning.  To me, it's the right balance between price and sophistication -- it's not the cheapest and it's not the most expensive, and it's not trashy/slutty and it's not posh/snooty.  

[brillohead]

One other thing I forgot to mention on Royal is ice cream.  

There is soft-serve available on the pool deck for free.  There is also hand-dipped ice cream and sherbet available for dessert at lunch and dinner for no charge.  But there is also an "ice cream store" where you will be charged for the "specialty" ice cream. 

Honestly, I'm a fatso with a huge sweet tooth, and I've never felt the need to go buy ice cream on a Royal ship. 

I even had one week that I stayed in the "Ben and Jerry's Sweet" (it's a Promenade View room above the ice cream shop that comes with some free perks to make up for the fact that your window view is two cow butts from the display above the shop). 

 

Part of those perks was two free ice creams from the shop every day of the cruise... even with free "specialty" ice cream available to me, and me being a bit of an ice cream addict, I never went to the ice cream store -- I gave all the coupons to my son and he shared them with his newfound buddies on the ship.  

I pretty much feel this way about ALL of the extras on Royal Caribbean.  I eat very well, and I'm entertained very well, with the options that are included in the cruise fare.  I have eaten in some specialty restaurants, but that was because I was a guest of someone else at the time.  Once was a wedding reception in Chops, once was friends treating me to dinner for my birthday in Chops, and once was a friend treating me to the Hibachi experience in Izumi because he wanted to go and wanted company.  

I enjoyed my meals in Chops and Izumi, but I would have also enjoyed my meal in the MDR if I hadn't gone to the specialty restaurant.  I have never felt like I was "stuck in steerage" like on the Titanic.  The meals in the MDR are way fancier than anything I would be eating at home, plus I don't have to cook it or wash the dishes!  

 

The special Suite Lounge and Suite Sun Deck (and Suite Restaurant, for the few ships that have them) have never made me feel like I was missing out on anything, either -- I have access to 97% of the ship, and that 3% I don't have access to has never caused me a bit of angst.  I always have an amazing time sleeping in my cheap little stateroom and hanging out on the pool deck and going to some of the shows or hanging out in a bar or dancing my butt off in the nightclub.

[oskarNZ]

7 hours ago, SRF said:

 

It depends.

 

The steak house (Chops) and the Italian (Giovannis) are fixed price.  You get one entree, and as many of the other courses as you want.  There is an exception in Chops that Maine Lobster is extra.  And they also have a Seafood Tower that is extra.

 

The Asian restaurant (Izumi) is typically ala carte.

 

If you buy a dining package (we typically get the 3 dinner one), for Izumi, they give a certain amount of credit against your bill.  We have never managed to eat enough to hit that limit.

 

For water, on RCI, they serve tap water in the MDR, unless you ask for bottled.  And if you want bottled, they will charge.  If you have any of the packages, it will not cost extra.

 

Again, if you want NO extra charges, look into the luxury lines.  They include everything.

Thanks for that info about the restaurants - very good to know.

 

I have looked at luxury lines on a few occasions and thinking about it, I have actually been on a luxury ship/boat if you include river cruises down the Yangtze.  But at the end of the day, they mostly look a bit too sleepy for my family.

 

 We really enjoyed our Celebrity cruises. And because we’d prepaid most extras when they were on sale, or had them included in the fare (ie drinks, wifi and gratuities), these cruises did feel all-inclusive to the most part.  Loved that. 

But, at the end of the day, unfortunately Celebrity just doesn’t have quite enough activities going on onboard to keep us loyal.  Because of this, I’m not convinced a shift towards a more premium line is the direction we need to move.  

 

[brillohead]

Check out Cruise Compasses for various ships -- that will give you an idea of what activities are included and which ones cost extra.

[oskarNZ]

1 hour ago, brillohead said:

Happy to answer any other questions you or anyone else may have about Royal -- I've cruised on Carnival, Holland American, Celebrity, and Princess through the years, but I tried Royal in 2013 and have kept returning.  To me, it's the right balance between price and sophistication -- it's not the cheapest and it's not the most expensive, and it's not trashy/slutty and it's not posh/snooty.  

 

 

Thanks Brillohead for all your great answers - they have really helped.  

 

We are trying to find that balance that you describe, so you have convinced me more than ever to try Royal Caribbean.  We are trying Carnival at the end of the year on a cruise to New Caledonia.  I’d been put off Carnival years ago when I first started cruising as it looked like the Bachelor and Bachelorette’s party line, but it looks much more family friendly now, so I’m really looking forward to it.  Just a bit nervous about the amount of people who will be onboard since it’s a holiday cruise.

But, we’ll see how it goes and after that I think we’ll give Royal Caribbean a try.  

 

Like you, we don’t need really flash to be happy. More money doesn’t always equate to more memorable.  Probably our all time favourite travel experience in the last few years was staying in a rustic cabin in the Costa Rican jungle listening to the animals through our mesh windows (which also served as our air conditioning).  On the flip side, we once got upgraded on our wedding anniversary to one of Auckland’s most expensive hotel suites (costs about $3000 a night).  We had a butler, marble bathrooms and more space than we’d ever need, and as lovely as it was, I’d take that rustic cabin any day.  

 

Lastly, your story about the ice cream ‘sweet’ is hilarious.  I never would have known that such a ‘suite’ existed.  

[brillohead]

11 minutes ago, oskarNZ said:

Lastly, your story about the ice cream ‘sweet’ is hilarious.  I never would have known that such a ‘suite’ existed.  

It only exists on the Freedom class of ships, Interior Promenade View room #6305.  

It's priced the same as all other Promenade View rooms, and you wouldn't know it's "special" if you didn't know it was special.  Many people just have it booked and find out it's different when they walk up to the door -- it has a plaque naming it the Ben & Jerry's Sweet.  

Inside, it's full of cow decor!  Figurines, pillows, wall art, etc.  

You also typically get an extra Seapass card that gives you access to the Suite Lounge with the evening drinks and appetizers as if you paid for an actual Suite, in addition to the free ice cream every day.  
 

 

[oskarNZ]

5 minutes ago, brillohead said:

Inside, it's full of cow decor!  Figurines, pillows, wall art, etc

 

Oh my goodness - that’s brilliant. I’d love to try that room if for no other reason than the quirky decor.  It’s travel experiences like that that one remembers and laughs about for years after.  

[JimCroce]

On 8/6/2019 at 9:50 PM, Shmoo here said:

I never thought cruises were all-inclusive.  The "extras" have always had an extra cost on my cruises.  

 

A cruise isn't an all-inclusive vacation, but it can be a great deal because of what is included in the cruise fare - generally, all meals, snacks, entertainment, games, activities and most sports and fitness activities come in the bundle. Of course, there are many extras you can spend money on, and these can certainly add up at sea, just as they do when you stay at a shore side resort. Things that aren't included in the basic cruise fare are airfare, shore excursions, alcoholic beverages, spa treatments, souvenirs and casino games.

 

 

[OzKiwiJJ]

9 hours ago, oskarNZ said:

 

 

 We are trying Carnival at the end of the year on a cruise to New Caledonia.  ...  Just a bit nervous about the amount of people who will be onboard since it’s a holiday cruise.

 

No need to be nervous, you and your family will have a great time on Carnival.

 

We normally cruise Princess and Celebrity but did a last minute Carnival cruise a couple of years ago as it was the only one that fitted our dates. Despite being outside school holidays the ship was full. Although we mostly kept to the adults-only Serenity area, we saw enough of the kids around the ship at various times to see that Carnival did a great job of keeping them entertained. In general the food was very good and there was a wide range of evening entertainment.

[oskarNZ]

4 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

No need to be nervous, you and your family will have a great time on Carnival.

 

We normally cruise Princess and Celebrity but did a last minute Carnival cruise a couple of years ago as it was the only one that fitted our dates. Despite being outside school holidays the ship was full. Although we mostly kept to the adults-only Serenity area, we saw enough of the kids around the ship at various times to see that Carnival did a great job of keeping them entertained. In general the food was very good and there was a wide range of evening entertainment.

Thanks.  That’s really good to know.  😁

A new cruise line and all new ports for us, so I’m really excited.  

[oskarNZ]

3 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

 

We normally cruise Princess and Celebrity...

Out of interest, activity wise, how would you compare Princess and Celebrity?  

[Luckiestmanonearth]

On 8/6/2019 at 8:14 PM, oskarNZ said:

 

The other day, I was looking at a big NCL ship in Alaska thinking how much my husband and son would like the go-carts. But after researching a bit further I noticed that these, along with various other activities onboard (such as the laser tag) come at an extra cost.  

I found it quite off-putting to be honest. 

 

 

Maybe I am of the minority and call me naive but I would also assumed this type of onboard activity would/should be free

 

i mean really, are they now going to charge for the mini golf too ?

[OzKiwiJJ]

4 hours ago, oskarNZ said:

Thanks.  That’s really good to know.  😁

A new cruise line and all new ports for us, so I’m really excited.  

The New Caledonian ports are lovely. In Noumea go round to Lemon Bay and Anse Vata, it's much nicer round there, the is a great aquarium, and some good restaurants.

[oskarNZ]

20 minutes ago, Luckiestmanonearth said:

 

Maybe I am of the minority and call me naive but I would also assumed this type of onboard activity would/should be free

 

i mean really, are they now going to charge for the mini golf too ?

So pleased I’m not the only one.

 

These activities take up such a massive amount of prime real estate onboard when, let’s face it, the passenger-to-space ratio on new ships is already becoming less and less generous. It just seems a bit annoying to me that you then need to pay extra for them.  

 

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, oskarNZ said:

Out of interest, activity wise, how would you compare Princess and Celebrity?  

We tend not to do much in the way of activities on cruises so I'm not the best person to ask that question. Our idea of cruise heaven is a quiet and comfortable spot overlooking the ocean where we can sit and read and watch the ocean go by. And in the evening we'll be in the bar that has the best music, preferably jazz. 😊

[dogs4fun]

15 hours ago, brillohead said:

I pretty much feel this way about ALL of the extras on Royal Caribbean.  I eat very well, and I'm entertained very well, with the options that are included in the cruise fare.  I have eaten in some specialty restaurants, but that was because I was a guest of someone else at the time.  Once was a wedding reception in Chops, once was friends treating me to dinner for my birthday in Chops, and once was a friend treating me to the Hibachi experience in Izumi because he wanted to go and wanted company.  

I enjoyed my meals in Chops and Izumi, but I would have also enjoyed my meal in the MDR if I hadn't gone to the specialty restaurant.  I have never felt like I was "stuck in steerage" like on the Titanic.  The meals in the MDR are way fancier than anything I would be eating at home, plus I don't have to cook it or wash the dishes!  

 

The special Suite Lounge and Suite Sun Deck (and Suite Restaurant, for the few ships that have them) have never made me feel like I was missing out on anything, either -- I have access to 97% of the ship, and that 3% I don't have access to has never caused me a bit of angst.  I always have an amazing time sleeping in my cheap little stateroom and hanging out on the pool deck and going to some of the shows or hanging out in a bar or dancing my butt off in the nightclub.

Love your attitude! 

[oskarNZ]

5 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

The New Caledonian ports are lovely. In Noumea go round to Lemon Bay and Anse Vata, it's much nicer round there, the is a great aquarium, and some good restaurants.

Thanks OzKiwiJJ.  Noumea is the only one of the four I’m not fully decided on.  I think we’ll probably just end up on that hop on hop off bus exploring areas like the ones you suggested.  

[OzKiwiJJ]

There are some interesting shops at Anse Vata, including a souvenir shop that actually has some decent quality stuff, not just junk. There also used to be a very good coffee shop near the roundabout with free WiFi. There is a short cut between Anse Vata and Lemon Bay near the aquarium which comes out by the restaurants. 

[oskarNZ]

1 minute ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

There are some interesting shops at Anse Vata, including a souvenir shop that actually has some decent quality stuff, not just junk. There also used to be a very good coffee shop near the roundabout with free WiFi. There is a short cut between Anse Vata and Lemon Bay near the aquarium which comes out by the restaurants. 

Thanks! Good to know.  

[ducklite]

1 hour ago, Luckiestmanonearth said:

 

Maybe I am of the minority and call me naive but I would also assumed this type of onboard activity would/should be free

 

i mean really, are they now going to charge for the mini golf too ?

As soon as they go looking for a new revenue stream, probably.

 

I envision the mass market lines eventually charging for almost everything.  I'm really surprised they haven't started to charge a cover charge on the hottest nightclub, or the best locations on the private island.

 

In the future I seem them implementing a reservation fee in order to reserve the best seats for the shows and the pool loungers.  Put money on it that you'll see it happen in the next five years or so.  It would take care of the lounger situation, as they would be reserved by the ship with the reservation being "sold" so the pool area doesn't look like the remains of a flea market every morning.  There would be no reason to leave books and flip flops on chairs. 

 

People would simply go to the service desk and reserve the chairs of their choice, or maybe they are reserved at the time of booking (for an extra fee) with the "best" locations being allocated to suites and then next best to balconies, and so forth.  It would incentivize spending more money on the room to begin with. 

 

Are you aware of the new trend of sobriety with Millennials?  This will have quite and impact on the bottom line of cruise ships, as alcohol sales are a major revenue stream.  The reality is that the current fares aren't sustainable, and continued competitive pressure will force base fares to stay low.  The cruise lines will need to continue to find ways to pry money from the hands of their customers, and continually adding fees to their offerings will be one of those ways.  I see new "packages" being offered which give access to things like the slide, mini-golf, go carts, rock walls, flow riders, and similar.  The options will be do none of them, pay ala carte, or buy a $200 pp package for access, with possibly a $400 pp package for front of the line access.  

 

Maybe I'm onto something... 

Edited August 10, 2019 by ducklite

[brillohead]

13 minutes ago, ducklite said:

As soon as they go looking for a new revenue stream, probably.

 

I envision the mass market lines eventually charging for almost everything.  I'm really surprised they haven't started to charge a cover charge on the hottest nightclub, or the best locations on the private island.

 

In the future I seem them implementing a reservation fee in order to reserve the best seats for the shows and the pool loungers.  Put money on it that you'll see it happen in the next five years or so.  It would take care of the lounger situation, as they would be reserved by the ship with the reservation being "sold" so the pool area doesn't look like the remains of a flea market every morning.  There would be no reason to leave books and flip flops on chairs. 

 

People would simply go to the service desk and reserve the chairs of their choice, or maybe they are reserved at the time of booking (for an extra fee) with the "best" locations being allocated to suites and then next best to balconies, and so forth.  It would incentivize spending more money on the room to begin with. 

 

Maybe I'm onto something... 

One of the beaches on Labadee (one of Royal Caribbean's private stops) is solely for suite guests.  They're still doing construction on the other private stop, Coco Cay, but it's supposed to have some sort of "exclusive beach club" area as well when it's finished.

And Royal started a new program called The Key this year that is getting very mixed reviews, as the implementation has not been consistent from one ship to the next.  For $20-$30 per person per day (and you have to buy it for the whole week, and for everyone in the stateroom, so a family of four would spend $560 on a weeklong cruise), you get priority seating at the shows, private time at certain activities, embarkation lunch at a specialty restaurant, priority embarkation line, internet access, and a premium breakfast and skip-the-lines debarkation. 

[ducklite]

1 minute ago, brillohead said:

One of the beaches on Labadee (one of Royal Caribbean's private stops) is solely for suite guests.  They're still doing construction on the other private stop, Coco Cay, but it's supposed to have some sort of "exclusive beach club" area as well when it's finished.

And Royal started a new program called The Key this year that is getting very mixed reviews, as the implementation has not been consistent from one ship to the next.  For $20-$30 per person per day (and you have to buy it for the whole week, and for everyone in the stateroom, so a family of four would spend $560 on a weeklong cruise), you get priority seating at the shows, private time at certain activities, embarkation lunch at a specialty restaurant, priority embarkation line, internet access, and a premium breakfast and skip-the-lines debarkation. 

I expect this will expand to other activities as well as to other cruise lines.  I hear the howls already beginning about how unfair it is.  Life is all about choices, and if someone finds something "unfair" they are welcome to use their freedom and choose a different way to spend their vacation dollars.  

[brillohead]

1 minute ago, ducklite said:

I expect this will expand to other activities as well as to other cruise lines.  I hear the howls already beginning about how unfair it is.  Life is all about choices, and if someone finds something "unfair" they are welcome to use their freedom and choose a different way to spend their vacation dollars.  

Like I said farther up-thread, all of it doesn't bother me at all, because all the standard areas and activities are still open to the "steerage" passengers.  I don't mind eating in the buffet or one of the other casual eateries on embarkation day, I don't need someone to save me a seat for the shows, I don't need an hour where only me and other Key people can ride the zipline, and I don't need someone to escort me off the ship at the end of the cruise.  I also typically share an internet bundle with other people, so I get internet for under $7/day.  If someone wants to spend several hundred dollars for those perks, let 'em -- just not worth it to me. 

Same for the "suite" beach areas on the private islands... there are still plenty of loungers on all the other beaches, and plenty of water to swim in the ocean, so having a "segregated" area for people who spent thousands and thousands more dollars than I did doesn't put my nose out of joint at all.  

Now, when it gets to the point that you have to pay a daily fee to be able to access any of the pools and hot tubs or to get into the MDR on the ships... that's going too far!  

[ducklite]

19 minutes ago, brillohead said:

Like I said farther up-thread, all of it doesn't bother me at all, because all the standard areas and activities are still open to the "steerage" passengers.  I don't mind eating in the buffet or one of the other casual eateries on embarkation day, I don't need someone to save me a seat for the shows, I don't need an hour where only me and other Key people can ride the zipline, and I don't need someone to escort me off the ship at the end of the cruise.  I also typically share an internet bundle with other people, so I get internet for under $7/day.  If someone wants to spend several hundred dollars for those perks, let 'em -- just not worth it to me. 

Same for the "suite" beach areas on the private islands... there are still plenty of loungers on all the other beaches, and plenty of water to swim in the ocean, so having a "segregated" area for people who spent thousands and thousands more dollars than I did doesn't put my nose out of joint at all.  

Now, when it gets to the point that you have to pay a daily fee to be able to access any of the pools and hot tubs or to get into the MDR on the ships... that's going too far!  

I see the MDR as becoming an ala carte restaurant and the buffets being the only included food on some lines.  

 

I also see new builds with several pools where there will be a very small pool designated as "free" and the rest either for the use of suite passengers or for a fee.  

 

I am seeing many ships now restricting the WiFi plans to a single or maybe two devices, and that is a revenue source they can continue to increase as people become more and more desperate to stay connected.

 

The (using your word) "steerage" passengers are the ones that the cruise lines will be working harder and harder to pry more revenue out of, because the fares they are paying do not create a sustainable business model. 

 

I wouldn't be surprised if they eventually go the route of many time shares for all but suite level cabins--a midweek trash and towel swap out and no other housekeeping.  If someone wants additional housekeeping, they'll be charged for it.  They could probably decrease the number of cabin stewards by 30-40 on a 3000 passenger ship.  That's more space that could be used for passenger cabins, and less crew members they need to feed and spend the money on legal documentation and airfare for.

 

 

Edited August 10, 2019 by ducklite