Comments on: Going on the Right Cruises For You and Your Travel Budget http://www.bor-scouts.com/going-on-the-right-cruises-for-you-and-your-travel-budget.html The Advanture Vacation Guide Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:24:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: J. L http://www.bor-scouts.com/going-on-the-right-cruises-for-you-and-your-travel-budget.html/comment-page-1#comment-3407 J. L Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:24:20 +0000 http://www.bor-scouts.com/going-on-the-right-cruises-for-you-and-your-travel-budget.html#comment-3407 I cruise quite a bit, usually 2 or 3 times a year and I also watch closely my budget and what I spend. So here's my list of what charges to expect and how to control your spending. Regardless of the cruise line the price of your cruise includes your cabin, all meals including breakfast, lunch dinner, snacks and free room service, free admissions to the disco, all shows and entertainment, and free kids programs, use of all facilities on ship like the pools, hot tubs, gym, and recreation activities. The things that you will have to pay for are: GRATUITIES: They will amount to about $10 to $11.50 per person in your cabin per day, depending upon the cruise line. When you check in at the pier they will set up an on-board charge account for you to cover any and everything you may buy on ship. They will issue you a "cruise card" which will also serve as your room key and pass to get on and off the ship. At the end of the cruise they will add the gratuity to your tab and you can pay with a credit card or cash, your choice. So everything on ship except the casino is cashless; everything you buy goes on your account. ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AND SOFT DRINKS: Coffee, tea (hot and cold), milk, juice, and lemonade and punch will be provided FREE but you must pay for soft drinks and alcoholic beverages and they will add a 15 percent gratuity to each alcoholic drink and soft drink order. Drinks of cruise ships are generally in the range of $7 to $9 including the 15 percent gratuity that is included in each tab. Beer and wine are slightly less, maybe $6 to $7. The cruise line does sell a soft drink card that allow you unlimited soft drinks for the duration of your cruise. These you must buy the first day of the cruise and they generally cost about $6.00 a day for adults; $4.00 a day for kids. The cost of the soft drink card also goes on your on-board tab. But if you want you can take on board with you a six pack of soft drinks and/or bottle water to help cut your costs; take them in your carry-on bags. Also, if you buy drinks ask for them in a plain glass rather than the souvenir glasses because they cost about $1.50 more in the souvenir glass. Also, buy the daily drink special which is generally about $1.00 less than other drinks. PHOTOGRAPHS: Cruise ship employees will take plenty of photographs of you all over the ship, in the dining room, and as you exit the ship in ports. These will cost a lot, like $15 to $25 for most and the cost of them goes on your on-board tab. Take your own photos and ask other passengers to take photos of you rather than buying the ship's photos. Other passengers will always help you with this if you ask; or ask the wait staff also. TOURS/EXCURSIONS: You are not required to book any tours and you can get off and on in the ports as much as you want. But the cruise line will offer a lot of tours and these are NOT included and are expensive. In Cozumel you can get off the ship and shop oir take a taxi to a beach rather than buying a tour. If you are also going to Grand Cayman you can get a taxi to 7-mile beach right on the pier; $4. per person each way. SOUVENIRS: Anything you buy on ship from a gift shop or duty free shop goes on your on board account. Things that you buy on shore you pay cash or credit card for. CASINO: If you plan to gamble on ship you will need cash for that. OTHER: All ships have what they call "specialty" restaurants where there IS a gratuity/service charge of between about $5. and $25. All other food on board is free and its not really necessary to budget for food; you cannot eat all of the FREE FOOD that will be available so skip the specialty places. SPA SERVICES: If you want/need to have your hair done, get a massage or wrap, or any services from the spa, you will have to pay for them. Spa fees start at about $70 to $80 and they go on your on-board tab if you use the spa services. You can use the gym free but the spa stuff cost big bucks. INTERNET SVCS: Ships now have internet cafe and some have WiFi but the there is a fee for internet access and it is very expensive (like about $50 an hour). I always recommend that you skip the high priced internet on ship and wait for port stops where you can usually find an internet cafe where the charges are about $5. to $7 an hour. Just ask the cabin steward and/or your wait staff where the internet is at the port. They know because they use them when they can get off the ship. ROOM SERVICE/MINI-BAR: You cabin will likely have a minibar with soft drinks and munchies; you have to pay for anything you take out of the mini-bar. But the room service (24/7) is always free. However, you should tip the person who brings your order at least a couple dollars, more if you order a full meal for several people. These are the charges that you may have but the only one of these that is pretty much mandatory is the gratuities. All of the others are optional and completely under your control. Whenever I cruise I cruise quite a bit, usually 2 or 3 times a year and I also watch closely my budget and what I spend. So here's my list of what charges to expect and how to control your spending.

Regardless of the cruise line the price of your cruise includes your cabin, all meals including breakfast, lunch dinner, snacks and free room service, free admissions to the disco, all shows and entertainment, and free kids programs, use of all facilities on ship like the pools, hot tubs, gym, and recreation activities. The things that you will have to pay for are:

GRATUITIES: They will amount to about $10 to $11.50 per person in your cabin per day, depending upon the cruise line. When you check in at the pier they will set up an on-board charge account for you to cover any and everything you may buy on ship. They will issue you a "cruise card" which will also serve as your room key and pass to get on and off the ship. At the end of the cruise they will add the gratuity to your tab and you can pay with a credit card or cash, your choice. So everything on ship except the casino is cashless; everything you buy goes on your account.

ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AND SOFT DRINKS: Coffee, tea (hot and cold), milk, juice, and lemonade and punch will be provided FREE but you must pay for soft drinks and alcoholic beverages and they will add a 15 percent gratuity to each alcoholic drink and soft drink order. Drinks of cruise ships are generally in the range of $7 to $9 including the 15 percent gratuity that is included in each tab. Beer and wine are slightly less, maybe $6 to $7. The cruise line does sell a soft drink card that allow you unlimited soft drinks for the duration of your cruise. These you must buy the first day of the cruise and they generally cost about $6.00 a day for adults; $4.00 a day for kids. The cost of the soft drink card also goes on your on-board tab. But if you want you can take on board with you a six pack of soft drinks and/or bottle water to help cut your costs; take them in your carry-on bags. Also, if you buy drinks ask for them in a plain glass rather than the souvenir glasses because they cost about $1.50 more in the souvenir glass. Also, buy the daily drink special which is generally about $1.00 less than other drinks.

PHOTOGRAPHS: Cruise ship employees will take plenty of photographs of you all over the ship, in the dining room, and as you exit the ship in ports. These will cost a lot, like $15 to $25 for most and the cost of them goes on your on-board tab. Take your own photos and ask other passengers to take photos of you rather than buying the ship's photos. Other passengers will always help you with this if you ask; or ask the wait staff also.

TOURS/EXCURSIONS: You are not required to book any tours and you can get off and on in the ports as much as you want. But the cruise line will offer a lot of tours and these are NOT included and are expensive. In Cozumel you can get off the ship and shop oir take a taxi to a beach rather than buying a tour. If you are also going to Grand Cayman you can get a taxi to 7-mile beach right on the pier; $4. per person each way.

SOUVENIRS: Anything you buy on ship from a gift shop or duty free shop goes on your on board account. Things that you buy on shore you pay cash or credit card for.

CASINO: If you plan to gamble on ship you will need cash for that.

OTHER: All ships have what they call "specialty" restaurants where there IS a gratuity/service charge of between about $5. and $25. All other food on board is free and its not really necessary to budget for food; you cannot eat all of the FREE FOOD that will be available so skip the specialty places.

SPA SERVICES: If you want/need to have your hair done, get a massage or wrap, or any services from the spa, you will have to pay for them. Spa fees start at about $70 to $80 and they go on your on-board tab if you use the spa services. You can use the gym free but the spa stuff cost big bucks.

INTERNET SVCS: Ships now have internet cafe and some have WiFi but the there is a fee for internet access and it is very expensive (like about $50 an hour). I always recommend that you skip the high priced internet on ship and wait for port stops where you can usually find an internet cafe where the charges are about $5. to $7 an hour. Just ask the cabin steward and/or your wait staff where the internet is at the port. They know because they use them when they can get off the ship.

ROOM SERVICE/MINI-BAR: You cabin will likely have a minibar with soft drinks and munchies; you have to pay for anything you take out of the mini-bar. But the room service (24/7) is always free. However, you should tip the person who brings your order at least a couple dollars, more if you order a full meal for several people.

These are the charges that you may have but the only one of these that is pretty much mandatory is the gratuities. All of the others are optional and completely under your control. Whenever I cruise

]]> By: inquisitivelass http://www.bor-scouts.com/going-on-the-right-cruises-for-you-and-your-travel-budget.html/comment-page-1#comment-3405 inquisitivelass Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:13:41 +0000 http://www.bor-scouts.com/going-on-the-right-cruises-for-you-and-your-travel-budget.html#comment-3405 London eye = £14.50 per ticket tower of London = £16.00 per ticket River cruise from Westminster to the tower of london = £6.20 single / £7.40 return per ticket Travelcard Zones 1-2 £5.10 per ticket Train cheap day return £13 per ticket / Coach day return £10.80 per ticket London eye = £14.50 per ticket

tower of London = £16.00 per ticket

River cruise from Westminster to the tower of london = £6.20 single / £7.40 return per ticket

Travelcard Zones 1-2 £5.10 per ticket

Train cheap day return £13 per ticket / Coach day return £10.80 per ticket

]]> By: Cupcakeprncs http://www.bor-scouts.com/going-on-the-right-cruises-for-you-and-your-travel-budget.html/comment-page-1#comment-3406 Cupcakeprncs Tue, 02 Feb 2010 08:52:27 +0000 http://www.bor-scouts.com/going-on-the-right-cruises-for-you-and-your-travel-budget.html#comment-3406 I was looking for a vacation package to Italy the other day and I came across this site: http://www.pinpointtravel.com/deals-vacation-europe?ncid=AOLCOMMptrvdynlprim0001 I havent booked or anything, but you might want to check it out. They had good prices for trips to Italy. Hope you get what you want!! I would also looove a honeymoon in Italy, or France! I was looking for a vacation package to Italy the other day and I came across this site:

http://www.pinpointtravel.com/deals-vacation-europe?ncid=AOLCOMMptrvdynlprim0001

I havent booked or anything, but you might want to check it out. They had good prices for trips to Italy.

Hope you get what you want!! I would also looove a honeymoon in Italy, or France!

]]> By: BCP http://www.bor-scouts.com/going-on-the-right-cruises-for-you-and-your-travel-budget.html/comment-page-1#comment-3404 BCP Tue, 02 Feb 2010 03:37:25 +0000 http://www.bor-scouts.com/going-on-the-right-cruises-for-you-and-your-travel-budget.html#comment-3404 this is highly dependent on gas prices, but you might try taking a trip to Helen, GA. It's in the Northwest corner, pretty much no where near an interstate, but it's a town themed after the Bavarian Alps. It kind of has the "Europe" feel to it without being in Europe. You can either go budget friendly or you can go expensive, just depends on what you want to do. The biggest concern I have is the 2.5 year old as far as recommendations, because I know it's hardest to plan a vacation around the little ones. I'm also trying to think "tourist friendly" because though you're okay with mountain cabins, I'd imagine you're not really up for the "mountain experience." If you want a little more "big city" to it, maybe Chattanooga? They have enough to do to stay busy on vacation, and there's some other stuff within an hours drive or so that is kind of nice. this is highly dependent on gas prices, but you might try taking a trip to Helen, GA. It's in the Northwest corner, pretty much no where near an interstate, but it's a town themed after the Bavarian Alps. It kind of has the "Europe" feel to it without being in Europe. You can either go budget friendly or you can go expensive, just depends on what you want to do. The biggest concern I have is the 2.5 year old as far as recommendations, because I know it's hardest to plan a vacation around the little ones. I'm also trying to think "tourist friendly" because though you're okay with mountain cabins, I'd imagine you're not really up for the "mountain experience." If you want a little more "big city" to it, maybe Chattanooga? They have enough to do to stay busy on vacation, and there's some other stuff within an hours drive or so that is kind of nice.

]]> By: sofiaiamlauren http://www.bor-scouts.com/going-on-the-right-cruises-for-you-and-your-travel-budget.html/comment-page-1#comment-3402 sofiaiamlauren Sun, 31 Jan 2010 19:23:57 +0000 http://www.bor-scouts.com/going-on-the-right-cruises-for-you-and-your-travel-budget.html#comment-3402 yes you better go to Sabah and Sarawak ,Malaysia. there are many exotic things you will see culture,people, green earth,hi view if you climb mount Kinabalu and many other ....... yes you better go to Sabah and Sarawak ,Malaysia.
there are many exotic things you will see
culture,people, green earth,hi view if you climb mount Kinabalu
and many other …….

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