Thread: How much money do you spend on extra stuff?

Just to get an idea for how much I should budget for, I want to know how much cruisers will normally spend on top of the cruise fare (including port fees) and taxes. I don't mean meals in ports, but the things you pay for on the ships (shopping, art auctions, spa, hair salon, or the casino, among other things) and shore excursions if you take any (both by the ship and independent). I have no interest in rental cars, but do care about train, bus, and taxi fares. Airline prices don't matter to me either unless you fly in May out of Columbus, Ohio (CMH). I want to know as much as possible about these expenses (including tipping, of course) when the time finally comes to start looking for a Princess cruise.

Hi I don't spend too much (I am not a scrooge by the way) but I don't use most of the potential onboard services. I have cruised many times so I don't need any more photographs, having been to many of the frequently visited ports I don't do many of the ship's excursions (they are expensive and you can usually go independently at a much lower cost). I will try the specialiity dining resturants. I wouldn't dream of buying "a work of art" onboard or go the spa (get the treatments done before sailing, you'll save a fortune). I do pay the tips suggested in full. I don't drink too much but as I am holiday if I fancy an afternoon cocktail ii's not the end of the world! Internet connection can work out expensive but I'm on holiday so I tend to let the world go by and only occasionally contact the "real world". Obviously the casino is matter of choice you can lose alot or not pay anything, it's your decision. Overall, the amount you spend is totally down to you. I once went on a Silversea cruise (fairly inclusive) and my total onboard spend was $8 (printing out and confirming return flights).

Here is a nifty site for calculating what your tips/service charges wil be so you can plan for this expenditure:
Cruise Tip Calculator - Your automated guide to Cruise Tips

Most cruise lines will automatically charge the tip/service charge to your onboard account on a daily basis.

Our onboard expenses are not very much because we are at the top tier of several cruise line loyalty programs and get lots of onboard perks (free internet minutes, some free laundry and dry cleaning, free specialty coffee in the morning, free cocktail hour in the evening etc)

We are not big gamblers but enjoy having some fun on the slot machines. We budget $20 a day to lose! Any winnings are set aside and when the original $20 is gone we quit for the night. That way we sometimes come out ahead. Our strategy for this is ...play till we double our investment then cash out...or if we don't double it , play till the $20 is gone. We usually play $5 at a time on the penny or nickel slots. Big spenders, eh?!

On formal nights we will pose for pictures in the hopes of getting one good one. Our granddaughter is keeping an album with those pictures, so we accomodate her.

Sometimes we will purchase something from the gift shops or buy a bottle or two of duty free alcohol, but that's about the extent of our onboard spending. We usually have onboard credit to use up and sometimes have to look for things to spend it on. Out of pocket expenses are minimal because of this.

I usually spend 50-100 on pictures, 3-400 on excursions, I stop gambling if I lose 300 ( hasn't happened yet, knock wood), I just go with the tips taken out automatically, and rarely do I eat in a specialty restaurant. I usually figure another 1,000 - 1500 for a one week cruise including souveniers. Oh yeah, this is for 2 people.

Char, consider yourself and Bob very lucky. I can't imagine getting free laundry or Internet.

I definitely will buy souveneirs onboard - I have a rule to buy postcards everywhere I travel for the pictures on them - and dine in the specialty restaurants. Mom will buy wines and play the slot matchines. For a transocean cruise or back to back cruises I will have the ship wash my clothes for a fee. And every time a ship photographer offers to take my picture, I will be quick to say yes. But I don't plan to order pizza delivery to my cabin or use the Internet too much and don't know enough about massages, shore excursions, and drink cards yet. Participation in an art auction is very unlikely, but you never know if a masterpiece is too good to pass up.

On my last Princess to Antarctica 21 total days (quite a lot of Sea days) the shibboard bill (ignoring cruise credit) was 800 for 2.
On my previous Princess 26 day Transpacific + Alaska it was 750 for 2.

We do not Spa , Casino , internet or drink much alcohol, dancing is cheap and you loose weight.

I spend very little on top of the cruise fare with Cunard any shuttle buses are usually free so in most ports we will take the shuttle bus or walk into town (depending on the port) and come back to the ship for lunch.

My main expense would be internet time, but as I am a Diamond member of the Cunard World Club I get 8 hours free. I do sometimes use the dry cleaning service. I get 20% as a Diamond member, but even at full price it's less expensive then getting things dry cleaned before I sail.

Our last cruise a Transatlantic from Miami to Barcelona which was 11 nights. I deposited $540 at the cash desk and had $141.33 returned to me at the end of the cruise. So the total was just under $400 for the cruise. Must have been one of the few people walking of the ship owing no one any money.

The figure covered our gratuities for my wife and myself, $12 each per day, and all out drinks. Drinks were a Pint of Draught beer (maybe a few more) and a soft drink for my wife who cannot drink Alcohol.

We never done shore excursion, and even though we paid a fixed gratuity charge, the cabin stewardess was outstanding and we rewarded her.

Drinks had a surcharge of 15% added on, but were still cheaper than the one port we visited. We rarely use specialist restaurants, don’t gamble, and always if possible return to ship for midday meals. We don’t have photos taken, and very rarely purchase from the shops on board.

As flights come into our cruising, purchasing things to bring back would make our bags overweight.

shopping, - $100
art auctions, $zero
spa, $100
hair salon, $zero
or the casino $20
shore excursions (both by the ship and independent). Depends on where I'm cruising and for how long $150-$750 roughly
train, bus, and taxi fares $30
photos taken by the ship - $100

Originally Posted by Norman

As flights come into our cruising, purchasing things to bring back would make our bags overweight.

Not true, Norman. Post cards, magnets, and t-shirts are very lightweight and those are all I expect to buy onboard. The only way souveneirs alone can put my bag over 50 pounds is if I go where sweatshirts and jeans are needed at every port and also buy heavier items such as a dress for one formal night.