Cruise budget categories

[rentayenta]

Is an attempt to present an educated and thorough assessment of what my Fantasy DC may cost I need a little help. Please. I've ran the idea by DH but he's a bottom line sorta fella and wants a dollar amount.

I can figure the obvious costs like:

• the cruise
• flights to MCO
• tips but how much per person per day?
• excursions?
• parking?
• kenneling our pups

I'm sure there are a load of categories I'm missing.

 

[kcashner]

Suggested tips--$12 per guest per day + baggage porters, room service, and any extra for Remy/Palo. The $12 per guest per day comes to $84 for a week, so I round up to $100 in my calculations.

Parking--At the terminal, $15 per day, so $120 on a 7 night cruise 7 nights = 8 days. Good alternative is Park and Cruise. If you book on line in advance it is $6.99 per day, and they have had 3 specials in 2011 when it was $4.99. They operate a free shuttle to the terminal.

Adult dining? Palo = $20 per guest, Remy = $75 per guest
Photos? Save money, carry your own camera!
shopping? The sky is the limit
bingo--expensive, skip it
spa? the spa on the ship is double what the services are in my community
alcohol/specialty coffee/smoothies

 

[glindamood]

This is what I got from my budget (we are heading on cruise #14 in the fall) and it is pretty accurate - I usually come out just about right.

• Tips are $12.00 per night per person
• Excursions - some include meals and some do not and tips
• Travel meals
• How are you getting to port from the airport
• How are you getting back to the airport
• Are you travelling a day early (highly recommend that) so you will have hotel expense and further meal expense.
• Alcoholic beverages on the ship
• Palo/Remy if you are going plus additional tip if you choose
• Souvenirs
• Luggage fees
• If you are taking the DCL bus - tip for the driver
• Pictures on the ship - I would be the most unphotogenic person EVER but there are lots of people that spend quite a bit of money on them
• Airport parking at your home airport

 

[Jessica_of_FL]

Is an attempt to present an educated and thorough assessment of what my Fantasy DC may cost I need a little help. Please. I've ran the idea by DH but he's a bottom line sorta fella and wants a dollar amount.

I can figure the obvious costs like:

• the cruise
• flights to MCO
• tips but how much per person per day?
• excursions?
• parking?
• kenneling our pups

I'm sure there are a load of categories I'm missing.

Haven't cruised yet but I can add a few cruise splurges!

• drinks (alcohol, smoothies, etc.)
• dinner at Palo or Remy
• spa treatments
• bingo

 

[kcashner]

OK, I'm ugly. I don't tip the driver on the DCL bus unless he renders some special service. I've already paid to have my body and my luggage transported; usually the luggage goes on a truck so he isn't lifting cases. If all he does is to drive my body, no tip. If he does lift cases, etc. then I tip.

OP said she was driving...asked about parking, but also asked about flights. ???

If flying in and driving to the terminal, look at a one way car rental rather than paying to rent and park while you cruise.

 

[aymekae]

I am a numbers girl, so I broke out my expenses much like I would my personal finances... by fixed expenses and discretionary expenses to come up with a range that was "bare bones" and one that was more realistic. My only suggestion is to NOT include a line for "pre-cruise expenses" such as a new bathing suit. If your "bottom line" DH is anything like mine, these would not be approved.

Fixed
Cost of cruise
Flight/luggage/transportation to/from airport (home and away)
Hotel if staying night before/after
Gratuities

Discretionary
DCL Port Adventures
Other port excursions, including transportation/meals if necessary
Speciality drinks
Palo/Remy
Spa/Rainforest Room pass
Bingo**

As a comparison, my Fixed expenses for 2 adults, 7 night cruise (inside cabin), coming from the West coast and staying the night before, came to about $2,850. The range for Discretionary ranged from $100-$1,000, and then we decided what was a priority and what was not. So for my "bottom line" DH, I gave him a range of $3,000 to $4,000.

**Bingo was not something I had planned on, and yet by the end of the cruise it was one of our largest onboard expenses! DH really enjoyed playing, so we hit EVERY session. To be fair, we did receive a $500 OBC from signing up for DVC, so he felt like he had some play money. Next time, there will be a strictly adhered to budget.

 

[rentayenta]

Suggested tips--$12 per guest per day + baggage porters, room service, and any extra for Remy/Palo. The $12 per guest per day comes to $84 for a week, so I round up to $100 in my calculations.

Parking--At the terminal, $15 per day, so $120 on a 7 night cruise 7 nights = 8 days. Good alternative is Park and Cruise. If you book on line in advance it is $6.99 per day, and they have had 3 specials in 2011 when it was $4.99. They operate a free shuttle to the terminal.

Adult dining? Palo = $20 per guest, Remy = $75 per guest
Photos? Save money, carry your own camera!
shopping? The sky is the limit
bingo--expensive, skip it
spa? the spa on the ship is double what the services are in my community
alcohol/specialty coffee/smoothies

I like the $100 per person idea for tips. Makes it easier. Shopping. Luckily for DH I'm not a huge shopper for myself but for the kids I'm a sucker. Bingo, sounds fun if I was tipsy.

This is what I got from my budget (we are heading on cruise #14 in the fall) and it is pretty accurate - I usually come out just about right.

• Tips are $12.00 per night per person
• Excursions - some include meals and some do not and tips
• Travel meals
• How are you getting to port from the airport
• How are you getting back to the airport
• Are you travelling a day early (highly recommend that) so you will have hotel expense and further meal expense.
• Alcoholic beverages on the ship
• Palo/Remy if you are going plus additional tip if you choose
• Souvenirs
• Luggage fees
• If you are taking the DCL bus - tip for the driver
• Pictures on the ship - I would be the most unphotogenic person EVER but there are lots of people that spend quite a bit of money on them
• Airport parking at your home airport

Thank you for the tip info. Would I tip for 8 days if it's a 7 night cruise? For 7 nights, that's $420 not including anything for exceptional service and eating at Palo or Remy or room service.

Ooooo....what about room service, is that an extra charge?

Airport parking, exactly. How could I forget souvenirs?

The ship charges for luggage? What are their limitations? I'm used to having a washer dryer when staying DVC so having to pack so much extra could get spendy.

We'll need a hotel for the night before. So we'll also need transportation from MCO to the hotel. We could use our DVC but I'd like to stay close to the port. Is that a good idea?

Haven't cruised yet but I can add a few cruise splurges!

• drinks (alcohol, smoothies, etc.)
• dinner at Palo or Remy
• spa treatments
• bingo

Duh! Booze. And Palo or Remy? I think we'd do one for sure. Spa, good. This is very helpful.

OK, I'm ugly. I don't tip the driver on the DCL bus unless he renders some special service. I've already paid to have my body and my luggage transported; usually the luggage goes on a truck so he isn't lifting cases. If all he does is to drive my body, no tip. If he does lift cases, etc. then I tip.

OP said she was driving...asked about parking, but also asked about flights. ???

If flying in and driving to the terminal, look at a one way car rental rather than paying to rent and park while you cruise.

You're right! We don't need parking. But we do need a way to the port.

 

[rentayenta]

I am a numbers girl, so I broke out my expenses much like I would my personal finances... by fixed expenses and discretionary expenses to come up with a range that was "bare bones" and one that was more realistic. My only suggestion is to NOT include a line for "pre-cruise expenses" such as a new bathing suit. If your "bottom line" DH is anything like mine, these would not be approved.

Fixed
Cost of cruise
Flight/luggage/transportation to/from airport (home and away)
Hotel if staying night before/after
Gratuities

Discretionary
DCL Port Adventures
Other port excursions, including transportation/meals if necessary
Speciality drinks
Palo/Remy
Spa/Rainforest Room pass
Bingo**

As a comparison, my Fixed expenses for 2 adults, 7 night cruise (inside cabin), coming from the West coast and staying the night before, came to about $2,850. The range for Discretionary ranged from $100-$1,000, and then we decided what was a priority and what was not. So for my "bottom line" DH, I gave him a range of $3,000 to $4,000.

**Bingo was not something I had planned on, and yet by the end of the cruise it was one of our largest onboard expenses! DH really enjoyed playing, so we hit EVERY session. To be fair, we did receive a $500 OBC from signing up for DVC, so he felt like he had some play money. Next time, there will be a strictly adhered to budget.

This is terrific! I like the idea of fixed and then variable spending because there really are quite a few variables. I always aim high and negotiate from there. What's the Rainforest pass?

 

[VKtravel]

I need the numbers so I know how many pennies to put in the DCL piggy bank! This was a first cruise for the family so i kept tabs on everything!

Here is my breakdown from our 5-Day Dream Cruise we did this past July:

1100.00 - Roundtrip airfare for 4 from TX to Melbourne (saved 500.00 flying into MLB rather than Orlando)
323.00 - Hotel and Shuttle Pre cruise at the Cocoa Beach Courtyard Marriott (Fly, Snooze, Cruise package for 2 adults, 2 kids)
49.00 - Airport parking at home base
240.00 - Prepaid gratuities
368.00 - Travel insurance through Travelex
230.00 - Dog kennel
200.00 - Bag fees roundtrip (we didn't fly on Southwest so we had to pay)
100.00 - Cruise gift baskets for the DDs
430.00 - Passports - two new for the DDs and 2 renewals for us (peace of mind)
150.00 - Pics from Shutters
40.00 - Palo brunch for me and DH

And then whatever you want to pay for excursions! We had the most memorable vacation ever! The DDs are STILL talking about it DAILY!! Can't wait to go back! Hope it helps!

 

[rentayenta]

I need the numbers so I know how many pennies to put in the DCL piggy bank! This was a first cruise for the family so i kept tabs on everything!

Here is my breakdown from our 5-Day Dream Cruise we did this past July:

1100.00 - Roundtrip airfare for 4 from TX to Melbourne (saved 500.00 flying into MLB rather than Orlando)
323.00 - Hotel and Shuttle Pre cruise at the Cocoa Beach Courtyard Marriott (Fly, Snooze, Cruise package for 2 adults, 2 kids)
49.00 - Airport parking at home base
240.00 - Prepaid gratuities
368.00 - Travel insurance through Travelex
230.00 - Dog kennel
200.00 - Bag fees roundtrip (we didn't fly on Southwest so we had to pay)
100.00 - Cruise gift baskets for the DDs
430.00 - Passports - two new for the DDs and 2 renewals for us (peace of mind)
150.00 - Pics from Shutters
40.00 - Palo brunch for me and DH

And then whatever you want to pay for excursions! We had the most memorable vacation ever! The DDs are STILL talking about it DAILY!! Can't wait to go back! Hope it helps!

Glad you had such a great trip! Are you planning another cruise?

Awesome! Thank you!! Passports for the kids, hadn't even thought of that. Of course they'll need them. Okay, so airline bag fees, not ship bag fees?

Do they do a Photopass type thing on cruises?





I am writing all of this down. Big

 

[VKtravel]

Glad you had such a great trip! Are you planning another cruise?

Awesome! Thank you!! Passports for the kids, hadn't even thought of that. Of course they'll need them. Okay, so airline bag fees, not ship bag fees?

Do they do a Photopass type thing on cruises?


I am writing all of this down. Big

YES!! We are planning on another one for 2013! I did a dumb thing and didn't rebook while on board so I missed out on the discount I would have received . But we are still trying to pin down our date along with other family members. DDs don't want to do anything but the Fantasy so I guess it's the Caribbean for us! I'm okay with that .

I didn't ship bags because it would have cost more money to ship. When your luggage gets weighty, so do the costs. We couldn't carry on our bags because they were too big but that would have been the ideal situation.

They don't have a photopass like WDW. You will see the photographers roaming taking pics of everyone on the ship. The pics will be located in Shutters and you can purchase individuals or purchase a CD with all of your family's photos if you were in a lot of them. The CD is great if you are in a lot of photos but not worth it if your kids are like mine and were too busy doing stuff to want to stop and take a picture for Mommy! I believe the CD was either 230.00 or 250.00 if my memory serves correctly.

 

[miztressuz]

If you don't want big bags DCL has self serve laundry. $2 for a load wash or dry and $1 for laundry products (i brought the purex 3 in 1 sheets, seemed to work fine) I spent about 6 bucks but that was just for 2 people (2 washers and got both loads into 1 dryer). But even if I spent $20 it would have been cheaper than if I had to pay to check an extra bag both ways.

The cost for the Photo CD changes depending on the number of nights. But 8x10's were $20 and the small ones (gosh I can't remember the size) were $10. You can buy a package if you know you want so many prints and it will save some money, think like $150 - 200 I believe for a package. I think the latest prices are in the FAQ sticky.

Souvenirs were priced about the same as WDW I thought.

The one thing to consider with excursions and the like is the per person - I always look and go "Oh $50 not bad" until you remember that it multiplies.... and then multiplies by the number of ports you decide to do. And I think that's where some of the sticker shock at the end of the cruise is for some people. The nice part is I believe DCL has all the prices on the web now so you can get some rough estimates.
Also keep in mind when estimating excursion money is meal money - if you pick an all day excursion with no meal included, are you going to make it all day without food? Now hubby and I usually take some prepacked granola bars with us and we're good until we get back to the ship.... but are kids really going to be satisfied with that? Only you know your family on that one, but just something to think about when looking at excursions.

We also did a whiskey tasting which was $15 per person. They do wine, champagne and mixology type tastings as well for $15 - 20 per person. So if you like that kind of stuff might want to budget for a few of those.

There is the Spa which I found the prices there to be similar to the WDW spa prices - but I think they have the pricing up on the web now so you can decide how reasonable it is. (for my neck of the woods the pricing is not too far off some of the nice spas, regions vary though)

Room Service is included, just remember tip money - they are not part of the pool the $12 pp/pd covers. I think some have said there are a few things on the room service menu that do have a small charge but it is just a few. Large percentage of it is totally included.

And if you want to compare DCL per day tipping suggestion versus other cruise line standard surcharges, the tipping calculator is very helpful http://cruisetip.tpkeller.com/ (I found this from the FAQ sticky, based on my own research it is up to date)

Everyone here seemed to cover everything, I can't think of anything else we spent money on (travel meals, parking, tips for luggage handlers at port, drinks, bingo, tasting, souvenirs, laundry, excursion, pictures... ) oh yeah, the deposit money for the next cruise! rebook on board, you can always cancel before the penalty period and get the deposit money back if you need to. it's worth it for the perks if you liked DCL.

 

[aymekae]

oh yeah, the deposit money for the next cruise! rebook on board, you can always cancel before the penalty period and get the deposit money back if you need to. it's worth it for the perks if you liked DCL.

Oh yes, can't forget the future cruise deposit! And if it hasn't been mentioned yet, it saves 10% off the future cruise price, you will get an OBC, and you only put 10% down instead of the usual 20%. You can also change your dates afterwards, just make sure to do so before (and double check on this) 90 days before the sail date.

And I can't believe I haven't mentioned the single most expensive thing we purchased while on board... Disney Vacation Club! The deposit (for 160 pts at Aulani) was almost $3,000.

 

[EnchantedTikiGal]

Does anyone happen to have a spreadsheet they use for their cruise budget? I'm gonna just use a blank, but would be so cool if some excel whiz had made a nice one! lol

 

[kcashner]

Ooooo....what about room service, is that an extra charge?

Airport parking, exactly. How could I forget souvenirs?

The ship charges for luggage? What are their limitations? I'm used to having a washer dryer when staying DVC so having to pack so much extra could get spendy.

We'll need a hotel for the night before. So we'll also need transportation from MCO to the hotel. We could use our DVC but I'd like to stay close to the port. Is that a good idea?

Room service is not an extra charge unless you order charged items--alcohol, sodas, boxed snacks...otherwise just a tip to the delivery guy.

The ship does not charge for luggage, but your airline might. You can do laundry on the ship. $2 for wash, $2 for dry, $1 for product (or bring your own--Purex 3 in 1 works well and packs easily).

Hotel--many options. Is your goal to save money? We do a 2.5* on Priceline for $29-39 bid (add $8-10 for taxes/fees). At this level, all hotels have a complimentary shuttle to/from MCO and complimentary breakfast. This keeps open all your transportation options.

Other choices--Hyatt MCO--right in the airport. very convenient.
Wyngate MCO offers a cruise transportation package. Hotel + breakfast + round trip cruise transportation was $210 for 2, $270 for 5 on the day we needed. For 2, that's "just OK," but for 5 it is a real bargain.

DCL transfers are $35 per person each way.

 

[DLW8]

You questioned room service

The majority of the food is free (soda and prepackaged snacks are an extra fee) but don't forget singles to tip the delivery of the room service!

Small expense (but plan to have small bills/change) is the stamps at the Post Office on Castaway Cay. They don't take your KTTW for the stamps and its cash only (and they prefer the small bills/change). Just beware...it will take several WEEKS for your postcards/mail to arrive at its destination mailbox.

 

[rentayenta]

As far as hotels, while it would be cheaper, read free, to stay DVC, I want to be close to the port. I've got a good friend who works for Hilton who gets Hilton and Marriott discounts and is very liberal with that perk.


I'd be interested in a spreadsheet too if anyone has one.


The tip category alone has doubled in size. Great info.