Cost to Cruise?

[britdaw]

I have never been on a cruise before so please don't make me feel stupid. LOL my sister wants to surprise her kids with a Disney cruise next summer. But before she books he wanted me to ask you guys how much it really costs to go. I know the cost of the cruise according to the Disney website. However I am wondering if you have to pay to do the activities on the cruise. If she wants to let her kids do things on the boat, is she gonna have to pay extra for that or is it all inclusive aside from souvenirs?

 

[sweetpee_1993]

You aren't stupid and we sure wouldn't want you to feel that way. Nobody was born with DCL expert-level knowledge (although I do wonder about Tammy sometimes...LOL). I'm not 100% sure about the baby nursery but I do know that the kids & teen clubs are part of your cruise fare and not additional cost. Unlike other cruise lines, sodas are included, too. Of course there are some things that will be additional (like adult mixology classes and the like) but it won't be a surprise. There's tons to do without spending extra. Shore excursions, specialty dining beyond the regular dining rooms, alcoholic & specialty beverages, some pre-packaged food/beverage options, gratuities, and souvenirs are the extras that a person could have. Make sure your sister knows that she can carry on liquor to mix her own beverages if she wants to. You aren't supposed to pack that stuff in your checked bags, tho. Hubby & I saved bunches by bringing our own drinky-drink mixers.

 

[RandeB]

Things we paid extra for on the cruise we just took:

Alcoholic beverages*

Photos taken by Disney

Excursion to Atlantis

Scuba gear rental

(Thought about parasailing, but it was cancelled)

Souvenir T Shirt

Tips to various staff

There was a snack bar near the theatre and they charged for snacks there I think.

Also, you have to either park at the port at something like $20 a day or get transportation there somehow. We parked a car at the hotel we stayed the night before the cruise and got a shuttle ride over, think it was $8 a person, parking was free.

*Not sure how many in my party noticed there was a tip included in the charge and were tipping the servers as if there wasn't!

 

[Disneyfalcon]

:lol: Sweetpee!

Cruises are almost all inclusive. The only additional cost she will have to pay is tips, and I guess technically no one can force you to pay those.

After that, what you spend over and above the cruise cost is all optional. As mentioned above, the things people typically spend money on are:

Alcohol
Souvenirs
Pictures
Excursions

You don't have to spend any of that! Sodas are free in the dining rooms and at the drink stations so you'll have plenty to drink. There are some packaged snacks and sodas that cost money from room service, but those are clearly marked and everything else from rooom service is free. Food all over the ship is included. You don't have to spend a dime on excursions. You can stay on the ship or you can walk around and explore on your own.

The nursery does cost money for children under 3, but the other kids activities are all included.

I've had cruises where I've spend several hundred dollars on pictures, souvenirs and excursions, and I've had cruises where my bill at the end of the week was literally $25 (I had prepaid tips).

 

[britdaw]

Thanks for the info, you guys! My sister is really really wanting to go, but being a single mom of two children, she is definitely concerned that she won't be able to afford it. I figured everything except souveniers, alcohol, and things like scuba excursions was included, like most cruises, but wanted to be sure. I just want to gather as much info as possible for her, so she knows how much she'd have to save.

 

[kal1484]

If they want to do snorkeling at Castaway, I highly suggest buying the snorkel and fins and bringing them on. The ones that they have at Castaway don't have the valve at the top to prevent water going into the top of the snorkel. There is nothing worse than swallowing salt water!

I like cruising because once you are on board, you don't have to spend a lot, or any at all to have fun!

 

[ChuckElias]

I've had cruises where I've spend several hundred dollars on pictures, souvenirs and excursions, and I've had cruises where my bill at the end of the week was literally $25 (I had prepaid tips).

As a Platinum Castaway Club member, we get a shipboard credit for every $100 purchase that we make in Mickey's Mates or Treasure Ketch. On our Alaska cruise, we spent $300 (in 3 separate purchases) to get 3 shipboard credits. I was a little embarrassed about how much we'd spent. When I admitted to my sister that we'd spent $300 just in the gift shops, she and her husband said at the same time, "Only $300?"

Just shows you that there is a wide range of what people expect to spend onboard.

 

[Disneyfalcon]

As a Platinum Castaway Club member, we get a shipboard credit for every $100 purchase that we make in Mickey's Mates or Treasure Ketch. On our Alaska cruise, we spent $300 (in 3 separate purchases) to get 3 shipboard credits. I was a little embarrassed about how much we'd spent. When I admitted to my sister that we'd spent $300 just in the gift shops, she and her husband said at the same time, "Only $300?"

Just shows you that there is a wide range of what people expect to spend onboard.

:lol: There is a wide range. Our Alaska bill was definitely our highest but we did a lot do Disney excursions. On our first cruise we bought the most souvenirs, it was way over $300.

 

[bradandsarabr]

Remind your sister to use a great travel agent, like those at Kingdom Konsultants. They offer inboard credits which really help with the cost of the little extras. Disney Visa usually has credits as well.

 

[ChuckElias]

:lol: There is a wide range. Our Alaska bill was definitely our highest but we did a lot do Disney excursions. On our first cruise we bought the most souvenirs, it was way over $300.

I think our Med bill was the largest. But on the Alaska trip, we bought one of the ""-designed shirts for my brother-in-law. $75, marked down to $40 on the last night of the cruise! Such a deal!! :ROFLOL:

 

[Disneyfalcon]

I think our Med bill was the largest. But on the Alaska trip, we bought one of the ""-designed shirts for my brother-in-law. $75, marked down to $40 on the last night of the cruise! Such a deal!! :ROFLOL:

Such a deal!:lol:

 

[patricia27]

The extras we paid for were souveniers from the shop and photos taken by Disney--which we chose to buy. So you could get by with not spending any thing!! Only the tips are extra cost.

 

[Phonedave]

Thanks for the info, you guys! My sister is really really wanting to go, but being a single mom of two children, she is definitely concerned that she won't be able to afford it. I figured everything except souveniers, alcohol, and things like scuba excursions was included, like most cruises, but wanted to be sure. I just want to gather as much info as possible for her, so she knows how much she'd have to save.

Almost all on-board entertainment is also included. Movies, musicals, various classes, etc.

Bingo of course costs money, and so do some of the more adult classes (as Sweetpea said, most of the ones involving alcohol)

Suggested tips are published on-line so she can budget for that (and pre pay if she wants)

-dave

 

[Phonedave]

If they want to do snorkeling at Castaway, I highly suggest buying the snorkel and fins and bringing them on. The ones that they have at Castaway don't have the valve at the top to prevent water going into the top of the snorkel. There is nothing worse than swallowing salt water!

I like cruising because once you are on board, you don't have to spend a lot, or any at all to have fun!

Be aware that they now make you wear a float vest. If you bring your own gear they will loan you a float vest for free. Man I hate float vests.


Also, LOTS of people rent floats and tubes, but almost nobody returns them (there is no deposit). They just leave them on the beach. Once 10:30 - 11:00 AM hits, it is very easy to walk the beach and find floats and tubes just floating around abandoned in the water. Make sure you don't steal one that somone is using or has by a chair, but it is very easy to find ones that nobody is using anymore.

-dave

 

[wdwfan100]

What does a drink cost on a Disney cruise? My mother is going on one and was wondering. I figured someone her would be able to help.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I don't know. We brought our own liquor & plastic tumblers onboard. I'm interested to know, too.

 

[wdwfan100]

I don't know. We brought our own liquor & plastic tumblers onboard. I'm interested to know, too.

Um.......pardon me for asking, but does Disney let you bring your own liquer? I am certain my mother would not mind hauling her bottle of vodka with her.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Um.......pardon me for asking, but does Disney let you bring your own liquer? I am certain my mother would not mind hauling her bottle of vodka with her.

Yep! From what I understand Disney is the only cruise line that allows you to carry on your own liquor/wine/beverages. They don't want you to put any in checked bags but if you can or will carry it, you can. We carried on 2 fifth-size bottles of liquor and 40 or so mini-bottles of rum for a gift exchange we participated in with an online cruise group. They aren't going to pour your wine at dinner or anything but if your mom wants to mix a little something or pour her own its cool. We also brought our own 24 oz insulated tumblers because the cups at the drink stations are kinda small. We'd pour liquor in our tumblers then go to the drink stations to top off with ice and soda. Worked great for us.

Hubby got a kick out of the dads carrying on cases of beer while the wife and kids had fun juggling the luggage. Like I said, if you can carry it..... LOL

 

[ChuckElias]

What does a drink cost on a Disney cruise? My mother is going on one and was wondering. I figured someone her would be able to help.

Depends on the drink, obviously; but the DOD (that's the Drink of the Day) is usually between $4.50 and $6.50, I think. A glass of wine at dinner is pretty comparable to a nice restaurant on land, $9 - $15, depending on the label.

 

[ChuckElias]

They aren't going to pour your wine at dinner or anything

I'm not trying to play "gotcha", but that's actually not true. At dinner, they will gladly pour a bottle of wine that you've brought on board with you; but they will also charge you a "corking fee", which was $15/bottle when we inquired about it.

They actually waived the fee for us when we told them the circumstances, but I don't know how flexible they are normally about that fee.