The Hidden Costs Of Cruising
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 มี.ค. 2016
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Hey cruisers, I’m Sheri with cruise tips TV. Hidden costs of cruise vacations (or any vacation for that matter) is a popular topic right now, so we’re going to review a few ways that those “little extras” can creep up on you. We don’t necessarily think the cruiselines are being “sneaky” with these charges, and some of them aren’t even related to the cruise itself, but newer cruisers may not be prepared for them because they may have heard that cruises are “all inclusive”.
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I've overdosed on nearly ALL of your videos I'm going on the carnival ensenada cruise in March...please share anything else or helpful you think i should know about that particular cruise...IT'S MY 1ST CRUISE
THANK YOUUUUUUUU FOR YOUR TIME
Are you going on the Imagination or Inspiration? I suggest you visit La Bufadora or the wine country in Ensenada, and if you're going to Catalina Island, rent a golf cart for the day. The new Alchemy Bar is awesome, go to the Martini tastings! Also, have a Guy's burger, they are complimentary- and an awesome thing to do right when you board on embarkation day!
CruiseTipsTV Yes....we are...on March 5th it's nearly overwhelming the plethora of information I'm processing as it relates to this trip...and i want to parasail on our own but not have the boat leave us
Booked a hotel the night before our cruise. It includes parking for the duration of our cruise and shuttle to our ship.
I wasn't, but some people are fooled on embarkation day about the drinks being brought around on trays. First time cruisers sometimes assume these are free... until presented with the bill.
We just came back from a Carnival cruise and it was great. They have a free beverage station in the pool area with ice, water, lemonade and ice tea! I would refill our sipper cups throughout the day. They really don't want you to get dehydrated. Our steward gave us that tip.
That's a good way of looking at it- dehydration prevention stations ;-)
The water at the buffet water fountain is nice and cold. Be sure to fill a clean dining room cup then transfer it to your reusable water bottle.
+Amelia Knight excellent tip!
I brought a reusable cup with lid and straw from home to fill with ice and water in buffet dining area😁
*You shouldn't cut tips* ,cruise employees do not have a hourly salary, they depend on tips.
Went to the comments to find if anyone else had hidden costs tips and all I see are comments about her speaking style! Shame on you haters! Sherry thank you so much for all your cruising tips!! Keep on keeping on!
Thank you Melissa. Certain videos seem to attract a lot of people who don’t “know” us like our community does and strangers can be really mean! We appreciate you.
Great tips! We are leaving for our 1st cruise next week and this is super helpful.
After I pay gratuities I will not go out of my way to tip and it's not about being ignorant, just like workers depend on tips many of us just depend on years of saving just enough for a once in a lifetime cruise or a very rare one after finally being able to afford one.
I totally enjoy your tips. Can you do one on the best airfare? Thanks again such a lovely camera presence.
I love your videos. They're so helpful.
I am so glad that you show us all of the hidden cost and prices. So great to know!
I'm glad it helped.
Great video, Thanks for sharing,
Uber Lyft is cheaper to the port. Also stay the night before a cruise.
Best cruise ever was a Holland America with 1100 passengers, but 800 were all from an evangelical group -- they didn't go in the formal dining room, the spa or the bars, it was luxurious to have the whole ship to ourselves! Also, they let you bring your own wine so that saved a ton.
I always pack a water bottle of my own .... and fill up with ice and water in the dining room (or iced tea - yum).
Thank You for the tips great video
Tips caught us off guard on our first cruise too. Excursions is something we never thought about either. After a shakedown in St. Lucia, where I gave in on our Carnival water bottle cups instead of money, I go with the cruise line tours in areas I'm unfamiliar with. Then there's the temptations of shopping, bingo, gambling, spa, art auctions, and specialty dining... We develop our own flow, but as first time cruisers, they've got us!
+thejokerspeaks Wait, what happened in St. Lucia???
So true, all the bells and whistles can really sicker a first timer.
+CruiseTipsTV First off, 4 of us were invited to join a private shuttle tour in the port area, and were told us not to talk to anyone on the way to the shuttle. When we switched to an officially licensed driver, who was cheaper, we got yelled at. Not a big deal, but a little ridiculous.
We stopped at an overview with private vendors. This guy, who didn't have a booth, stuck a necklace around my neck from behind. He had an intense cold look, and could read you like Hannibal. Not to exaggerate, but You know, good intuition but twisted. After sizing me up, he repeated not to take the necklace off, pay him what was fair. "No, Don't take that off!" The people around him backed away a bit. I stared back at him, thinking, "No way am I handing you money." He then said, "Give me your water bottle and we'll call it even." So I did.
+thejokerspeaks Okay that is NUTS and really scary/creepy! Why on EARTH would he want your water bottle? You never know what you're going to get in some of these ports. I'd still love to visit St Lucia. Is it great?
+CruiseTipsTV Yeah it was uncomfortable to say the least. St. Lucia usually falls under the top 8 ports in the Caribbean for crime. I also met some wonderful people there as well, happy high school kids dancing. Scenic wise it's pretty. If we go back, I want to see the Pitons.
Or... just book a Premium Cruise Line where everything is inclusive (except merchandise on the onboard stores) rather than choosing a "budget cruise" but everything include soft drink makes you spend more money for it.
Viking Cruise Line for example, there is "all in one packages" where you can get a wifi onboard for free (actually it wasn't free but it's included on the initial price), eat at any restaurant including speciality restaurant at anytime (not just main buffet, 3 meals a day) and every single ship facilities like Lounges, Spa's, Theater, ect. without any additional costs because everything is inclusive.
There also 6-10k per couple u paying for it plus some which ever way you wrap it !I'm a cruise travel agent on 10 years
A close friend who cruises religiously told me that you should expect to pay in added expenses what the cruise cost itself. So on a 1500.00 cruise you should budget 1500.00 in added expenses.
She also said it's actually better to use a travel agent than trying to set up the cruise and airfare yourself.
I'm planning on trying to get a cruise on Royal Carribean's new "Symphony of the Sea" for next spring. This will be my first cruise EVER so any advice would definitely help.
Wow! $20 for a photo! I'm surprised that anyone pays that price considering most people have a Smart Phone that includes a good quality camera. Take 10 pictures with a 'selfie stick + iPhone' and save $200.
These are great tips.
Also on Carnival if you decide to buy a drink card it can save you a lot of money.
One easy way to reduce shuttle costs from the airport is to use Uber or Lyft. I checked the cost of Lyft from Tampa International to the Carnival port (9-10 miles) for $10-$15! I believe Lyft even offers new users a $50 credit to use on a ride. Not sure if they still do, but that would make a free shuttle for many cruisers using it for the first time.
I just checked, and they still do offer the promotion!
+Random Thoughts that's quite a deal!! Thank u!
Random Thoughts Lyft does still have that promotion but the $50 credit is spread out over 10 rides so you actually get $5 off your first 10 rides. Hope this helps!
thank you for sharing
Our pleasure.
Great information
Thank you!
On Princess you can pre-order water to your room. We ordered 36 bottles of water for $20. Works out great since there is a fridge in the room. Sounds expensive, but it is not compared to $2-$4 for bottles of water as you need them.
it is better to get a hotel by the port the night before and they let you park there for a week and shuttle you back and forth..at least at port canaveral.
Just returned from Princess cruise to Alaska. Learned fast about the secrets 'on board' credits. They do not tell you how to keep track of your credits - machines are available at the customer service area to print your statement. There are refundable and non- refundable. The non-refundable are those from promotions. When travelling as a couple the statements are separate. You must spend the non refundable. They don't tell you about eating in the buffet vs specific dining room. If you eat in buffet you don't pay for some drinks. Bottles of water are $2.50 each. You cannot bring the water on board. Of course you will spend the money at the entertainment areas etc. We kept away and ended up with a reasonable refund coming. Oh to see a doctor is $95 up front.
about water- i bring an empty water bottle and fill it at the water station - or at the restaurant ask them to fill it up or just ask for cups of water for your bottle. works for me.
If you have a drinks package you can get two small bottled waters every time you go past a bar so when your returning to your room we will pick up the two waters and keep then in the fridge they soon add up saves us buying water plus you can take a few on excursions in port in your back pack with sunscreen and insect repellant and hand sanitizer shit could do a vid on what to take in your back pack on port days .
+bee17167 On Which cruiseline? Umm share this tip on today’s livestreams
For my wife, it's the specialty coffees. Also some cruise lines have specialty dessert cafes, donuts, cookies, candies...etc. These all usually have signs with cost.
+tcsnewlyfe good one! Does your wife ever buy a specialty coffee punchcard to save money?
+CruiseTipsTV No. You know, we never buy any drink cards. We don't drink soda and alcohol is a one drink a day treat. So coffee is a treat as well. I bring a travel cup on and fill it with water and ice all day. Drinks are not a hidden cost for us. We do carry on water.
We took our first cruise to Alaska in 2014, and your videos were a life saver to us. I booked everything myself through NCL and paid the gratuities up front, it was just easier for us that way.I did spend a lot on photos, but my husband and I never get pictures of us together on trips. One of the staff on NCL told me about the discounts you can get by waiting the day before your last day to buy your photos.Keep up the great videos.
+survivorbarbi thank you so much for the great comments. I wasn't aware of the last day discounts in the photo gallery? Is this a secret tip that you have to ask about!? Thanks for sharing your experiences.hope you loved Alaska as much as we did!!!
With Carnival you can pay your gratuities up front. I've been on several cruises and I LWAYS factor that in and pay them upfront. I love these videos though. We are going on a cruise in August and I am definitely going to use several of the tips I have gotten from binge watching these videos.
Royal Caribbean dinged me the gratuity up front, which I think is nice. No sudden cost at the end I wasn't expecting.... hopefully.
Good tips. My travel agent told me about all of these "hidden cost".
+Sean Monts Nice! We're always glad to hear that.
We use the hotel transportation which is included with your stay for a nominal fee to the cruise and to the airport. One of the least know tips is u can Google "Cruise Hotels" and see that they offer this transportation and also parking. This is a great deal because parking is a fraction of what u pay at cruise parking lot. And yes, the unexpected "gratuities" can wreck your budget, but while you are booking, pay for them before hand, and have smooth sailing without having these fees added and you can't disembark until your bill is settled
for our coming cruse in a couple months its 16 or 31 for the bus from airport to ship.....depending on airport....
If you don't drink alcohol, gamble, use specialty restaurants, take shore excursions, buy anything at a gift shop on board, and only drink the water on the ship you will end up only paying gratuities. But no fun
I bring a couple of water bottle with built in filter, that way when I use the water fountain on the ship my water is filtered.
Hi. Nice video. Just so you know, you can adjust the tip amounts at checkout and give what you see fit, not what they tell you to give.
Yes, true! And hopefully, we're adding to the tip amount ;-)
Rachael Adler
Not on all cruise lines. Some you have to adjust before the last day as they submit the charges right away on the last day.
hello cherry I am a big fan love you tips I have question about - should I buy insurance from the cruise line?thanx
I hate the hotel charges / gratuities fees. Its just a way to make the cruises look cheaper than they are and I would much rather they just included these fees in the actual cruise cost.
Dee Cee you’re right about how gratuities work. Other than that, you’re wrong. At least for Carnival. If you prepay your gratuities but don’t like the service your received, you can go to guest services and inquire about it
I always tip over the standard gratuity. If you know anything about how the standard gratuity is broken down? It’s literally pennies. The average staff works about 16hrs per day, on a 6-18mth contract. Last time I checked? We all are blessed not to have to work like that to support our families. Most staff are from countries that are impoverished. So no, I’ve no problem paying the standard plus adding extra. But some others may feel the need to scrutinize it.
velval1000 ..I think is very unfair to cut the gratuity, the cruise employees do not have an hourly salary, they depend on tips.
TRUE ... just don't wait until the night before the end of the cruise!
Great videos, but I must add, tips are NOT mandatory, you can opt out if you like by filling a form, tip less or tip more if that is what you want. You could choose to tip your favorite waiter, or bar tender, etc. one on one basis.
Thank you for watching?? THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME WATCH!!
A couple of hidden costs: travel insurance. We always get it, and have used it! Our daughter-in-law got a kidney infection on board and had to go to the hospital in Cozumel to make sure it wasn't a kidney stone before they let her back on the ship. We had a friend whose husband died unexpectedly right before their cruise, and the lost money just added insult to her grief. It's optional, but I count it. Also, you'll end up spending more than you think you will almost everywhere. Our rule of thumb is that on a less expensive cruise (under $500) we budget three times the cruise cost, and on more expensive cruises, we expect to pay twice the cruise cost.
Excellent advice.
Good advice for cheap/chintzy cruises (2500-3000 people). We prefer (and pay more) for small ocean cruise ships(900 or less people) or river cruises(less than 130 people). Pay more, but get a LOT more i.e. free wifi, gratuity included, premium beverages, fridge replenished daily along with bottled water. No headaches.
We're going on a cruise next month. Our flights, transfer, all food and drink and all tips are included. Literally the only thing to pay for is excursions, photos and speciality restaurants.
+louisaL1980 sounds like you chose well! Have a lovely voyage!!
Just some notes I’m trying to keep as I listen! Charges even when all inclusive. If you drive to port to leave, prepare to pay for car rental $16 per day. WiFi package on ship or find out when off ship. Tips $12 per person per drinks? Not sure I got that .... Check your own bottle water, save a lot! Carnival doesn’t allow you to do this. Every photo taken through their photo program, cost like $30 approx. look into plans ahead. I think I need to go back over and listen again! Lol
Most cruises in australia will have tips included in the price of the fare of the cruise
Seems very pro the cruise lines. A lot of costs are a real rip off. As a soon to be first time cruiser, I'm already angry about the gratuities, internet, water policy, photography etc. They should just add it to the cost of cruise and save the bad feelings from the plus plusses rather than poke you in the eye with the extra charge stick.
This is a very great and informative video. I will be going on my first Cruise in March of next year. I was wondering if you have a video about Tender Boats
+Timothy Foster congrats on planning your first cruise. We don't yet have a video on tender boats but I love your idea and we will add it to our production list!
+Timothy Foster be sure to watch for your requested video on tendering, which will be released tomorrow night (Tuesday).
We hope it answers your questions!
+Timothy Foster Here is some info about tendering. We hope this helps:
th-cam.com/video/9HZi4fVJJEw/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for the wifi tip
Just booked a royal Caribbean Cruise and was shocked to realise that the gratuities amount to 26% of the cruise price ($750 for a family of 4 on a transatlantic cruise). Add taxes and fees (another 23%) and the cruise comes in at 50% more than the advertised fee before discretionary expenses.
Jacque Dreyer wait gratuities were $750?!!
Wow!!!
I'm on the fence about cruising. Definitely stay INFORMED and ahead of the GAME with the strict MATH involved in hidden costs. Truth is, everything is PRICEY, your pockets will be lighter before you leave off that ship.
As with any vacation you go on/trip you take........... not just cruising
Love your channel I subb
Ask your travel agent about vans transfers. Sometimes they charge according to you group size. It usually cost us less than 20 dollars round trip but it's usually about 12 of us.
Good advice!
well I was told going on a cruise ship is cheap and that everything you had paid for would cover everything but seems she said to watch out for hidden fees well that makes me think twice before even putting my name on the dotted line...
nathan smiddy you should think twice .
I just got off of a 4 day cruise, and the extra fees are adding up are still being added to my account one at a time .
When will it stop??? seriously.
Pack a water filter pitcher like Zero Water abs just filter your own water.
Should we plan on tipping while on board if we prepaid our tips? We are cruising for the first time on Carnival in November.
1) One very significant cost to Canadians is the conversion from US$ to Canadian$ since most cruise lines show their prices in US$. Use a factor of +30% to +35% at today's rate. So for example that $2000.00 fare shown in US$ now becomes $2600.00 for Canadians - something not to be taken lightly. Further, if you are cruising by yourself, DOUBLE the cost for your chosen cabin in most cases. Some ships (particularly some of the new ones) do offer single cabins at a posted rate so you don't have to pay the heavy surcharge. Onboard charges need to be converted as well so these are additional costs to be taken into account.
2) All Inclusive Travel Insurance Package - Trip Cancellation/Interruption Baggage Loss and above all EMERGENCY MEDICAL COVERAGE. While this can add several hundred dollars to your trip cost, but to go without MEDICAL can prove to be a financial disaster since the costs will be born by you and can be many thousands of dollars.
3)Onboard internet is expensive. I bought a "Pay as You Go" package and it worked quite well. There may occasions when the satellite link may be a little weak and you may not get your message sent and use up some of your valuable time. One very good way to save your internet time, is to compose your e-mail message on "Word Pad" so you can take your time and edit as necessary without burning up time, then simply attach to your e-mail and send it. Really helps stretch your expensive time out.
4) Pre and Post cruise hotels. Optional but make sure you are at the departure port well in advance - I went a day ahead and spent overnight. Stayed at hotel that offered package price for accommodation and transportation to/from the cruise port. Definitely saves a lot of hassle on your departure day.
These are just a few of my points for some additional consideration. Happy Cruising,
yeah i came across a hidden cruise fee, after i got off the ship a man came up to me in an alleyway wearing causal clothes and told me i had to pay a $100 cruise dock up fee. funnily enough other people weren't being asked so I'm guessing they paid in advance. and i think the causal attire was because it was no-uniform day at the cruise ship dock.
if people would bother to read the information provided to them or use a travel agent..then none of this comes as a shock. And when is water free else where? if you go to a restaurant and order bottled water there is a charge..same with a cruise. Some cruise lines will allow you to pre pay for tips. And some cruise lines such as Disney have photo packages. even at "all inclusives" there are charges for some things. You just have to some work and read and see what is included and what isnt. Or again use a travel agent.
These companies would have more customers if they didn't try and scam people
chandler bing bong
I don’t think they lack for customers.
you can pre pay tips before you go
True! Thanks for the great tip.
a tip about tips!
We went on an Alaska cruise last September and we are going on a western coast cruise this September. Both originating in Seattle Washington. Parking is $27 a day. I prepaid this and the gratuities early on so it wasn't such an OUCH when we arrive. My biggest hit on the first cruise was the casino. Don't plan on winning anything there!
I’m confused what if one of the packages you picked is for tip... is there more added at the end?!?
if you prepay for your photo pkg online, it's usually a little cheaper
Great tip!
So does that mean you shouldn't write in a tip when signing for a drink? Or should you still?
NCL is over 50 dollars for 24 1 liter bottles of water you can't bring it on any ship anymore
You suggested Wi-Fi while still docked are there any tips for that?
Always worth re-playing! Why? Because y'all are ALWAYS gaining new watchers each and every day! I'm pretty sure about that! Happy 2017! Let's get cruising!!! :0)
+Cheryl Reynaud xoxo
You always make me smile 😃
I Always do prepaid gratuities for staff and crew
+tanzania93 cool!
Another great video! Now I NEVER fool with the photo gallery. I have said several times before, in the digital age we are in now , the photo gallery is a waste of space and certainly a waste of money. I can take better quality pictures with my iPhone 5s and iPad 2 then some of the photo folks can not to mention that I find it irritating as hell when I am attempting to enjoy my escargot in Le Bistro and they sashay in wanting to take my picture. One time in Cagney's I had to say no thank you several times as I was biting down on my filet mignon. AND, with your iPhone and iPad you can post instantly too to Social Media....which brings me to your internet cafe tip. Now I LUV to stay plugged in and so happy that NCL now has UNLIMITED internet packages for the entire cruise :) I just purchased mine on-line for my upcoming cruise and if you purchase it on-line ahead of time you may know.....the activation fee is waived.
I LOL'D when you said about drinking a glass of water from the bathroom, I hear ya. I like to buy a bottled water package myself that I use for drinking and for making coffee in my cabin.
As to the gratuities, I like to pre-pay mine on-line ahead of time. And a tip of my own to your viewers, in addition to the mandatory gratuities, I always tip my stateroom steward on the first day of the cruise and the last day of the cruise in cash :)
May I recommend UBER to take you to your port or back although some cruise transfers are not a bad bargain. NCL has 25 dollar transfers (and comfortable) from The Port of Miami to Fort Lauderdale. A cab for example would run you about 80.
+Brad Johnson Thank you for this excellent advice on UBER, photos and pre-paid gratuities! I don't care for the dinner-time photos either, it's sort of intrusive.
When you sail NCL, do you PAY for the internet package, or choose it as one of your freebies with their current promo?
CruiseTipsTV you have to pay the internet pacage
I do like getting my daughters yearly pictures taking on the cruise.
We've run into an additional issue about photos in the dining room. My hubster gets migraines occasionally--and flashes of light tend to be a sure way. We found that we just needed to let the people involved know to *try* to point the flash elsewhere. For the most part, they tried to help. Also, if you don't want your picture taken while you're eating, when you check your dining assignment, see if it is more "out of the way." If not, explain to the manager how helpful it would be to be a bit more secluded. Not that we have a ton of experience, but we've found that if you're friendly when asking for something, the staff go out of the way to accommodate you. As far as tips go, get to know the people who are taking care of you. When I started asking about their families, etc., I learned more about what a dedicated group of workers they were. It made me want to give more tips (if the crew is great, which in my experience, has always been the case), because I better understood how helpful it was to the crew members and their families back home. (We don't visit the casino so I can't comment on the former NCL staffer who said they didn't get to keep their tips. That stinks!).
+Carol J. Pardun thank you so much for sharing this information about migraines with us. That is an excellent idea to ask the dining room staff to seat you in an out of the way location. I can imagine that being in a corner facing away from the crowd might be helpful. Merry Christmas!
$16 a day is nothing! I misread a sign in Vienna & paid 165EUR for 3 days in a garage at a college campus. We had driven to town and the owner of the condo recommended a garage down the street (the one I parked in for 3 days).
I've learned to be careful of the waiters/waitress that walk around on embankment with pretty alcohol drinks. The way they talk it sounds like cheap party starters, but are actually pretty expensive
What if don't have any money for tips ? Or even worse what if i just don't want to tip , do i still have to pay it ?
Even on cross Channel/Irish Sea ferries you can get slammed for phone calls/wifi.....my son called his girlfriend for maybe 10 mins and received a £40 bill...they called it 'roaming fees'...we didn't know, but it was mentioned in the papers as to what a con it is when I googled it.
I know y said all inclusive on meals and drinks how can you tell what's really not included in the price
Norwegian doesn't allow water to be brought onboard either.
Can you pre pay for the norovirus medicine?
I always cancel the automatic tipping where possible as soon as I get onboard. I give my own tips in cash at the end of the cruise. This does save a considerable amount and you can choose who gets what according to the quality of service provided. It also saves the embarrassment of the hovering waiter or room attendant on the last day of the voyage, who still expect a cash tip even if tipping is automatic. With some cruise lines, however, you are unable to cancel automatic tipping as it is included in the upfront price of the holiday.
Does the Disney cruise ships have laundry rooms? Do you bring your own detergent and softener?
+Sheila Long yes, they do- check out this faq for more info:
disneycruise.disney.go.com/faq/onboard-services/laundry/
Hi, CruiseTipsTV.
I used to work for NCL and I can tell you this, NONE of the gratuities that you pay on board the ship and I mean NONE go towards the crew!! NCL takes everything. In the casino (when I used to work there) when someone tips a crew member say a dealer, he is obligated to deposit the money in the tip box, and then on the end of the day when we count the tips the dealers only get 40% of what they earn in tips, which means the company takes 60% of the cash in tips, and I should know since I was part of the Star Casino Management.
+ReaLife Simulations The crew only get tips if you give the cash, don't be fooled
+ReaLife Simulations are you speaking of all staff tips? That's very sad. How do they get away with that?
+CruiseTipsTV yes, sadly all the staff. The staff gets only the tips if you put something extra on their check or give them cash. The company doesn't tell you that but all of the staff is under a STRICT -NDA- that's one thing that people like you who cruise don't know. Most of the guests think I'm not telling the truth but the truth is, its like that. I'm not trying to reflect and sound hurt by the company. Don't think it's just NCL. But NCL sounds like they care about the crew, they don't. We all get a MAPS ID when we get the "DREAM" job and they know us by that number. And then they put us in cabins for 4 up to 6 people like cattel, give us a TON of rice because there is no normal food for europeans or Americans on the ship. 4 to 6 of us share one small bathroom thats the size of my closet. LITERALLY. Just wanted to know that on top of everything that you have been paying you are giving them our/your gratuity. Not even that that's on the checks that you are paying is going to us.
+CruiseTipsTV If you would like to know more, give me an email so I can tell you all the stuff that they are doing and you don't know.
So Roland says you can get those added gratuities removed with some of the cruise lines. Is NCL one of them?
When looking for parking, check out local businesses or hotels that offer a shuttle service and can also secure your car. My husband and I sail out of Galveston and always go to Discount Cruise Parking. It is in a convenient location on your way into town from I 45, has a gas station attached, load and unload luggage and have shuttles rotating out every 5 minutes! The Galveston port has pricey parking and navigating the area can be difficult. We even spoke with people who spent 45 minutes looking for a parking spot and ended up dragging their luggage quite a ways from their car to the port, where as the shuttle drops you off right in front of the luggage porters at the terminal! Special shout out to the staff who took care of us and didn't throw our luggage around! Everyone was so kind. ** I pinky promise that I do NOT work there! They just took care of us on our honeymoon and I'm forever grateful!
WOW! I just looked into the Lighthouse Parking and their prices are so much better than Port of Galveston. Thanks for the tip!
I have a question. We are cruising on the Royal Princess round trip from Los Angeles to Alaska September 17 2019 . We just received an email that our ship will not be stopping in Victoria. We did book excursions and Princess said we will be refunded for that. I was wondering if we get refunded the port fees for this port. We will only be there for two hours so the ship can be signed off as visiting a foreign port. But it’s not docking because apparently the construction for the new pier to accommodate the larger ships in not done.😕
That's a good question, but I'm afraid I'm not sure. Perhaps check with your travel agent or the cruise line directly.
My advice to get free water is to bring a reusable water bottle and refill it in the dining area. Its way cheaper than buying water bottles onboard and way better for the environment than those single use plastic bottles
Great tip Sydni!
So they check you're carry on?
As for the Bottled Water on board. What we do is bring 1 empty water bottle per person traveling. We fill up the bottles in the Windjammer before heading off the ship on an excursion. Now concerning tipping, we book all of our tips in advance and pay additional to individuals who go above and beyond for us. As for WIFI, I always buy the unlimited package for 1 device. I wait for a sale prior to my departure date and usually save up to 30%, plus one less bill to come home to if booked in advance. For Photos, I always buy the unlimited Digital package, also in advance when on promotion can save up to 30%. I then make sure to get any and all pictures taken during our cruise. When I get home, I take the Digital download of my pictures and have only the ones we want printed at Costco via the online process.
does all of the cruise ship have a photo packages (Carnival Liberty) ??/ You did say check asap when board ship???
Carolyn, on Carnival, I'm not sure if they currently offer packages with discounts, but yes, check RIGHT when you board (night one is fine) before you start taking photos, to get the maximum value. The photo staff will be well equipped to inform you on Day 1 of your cruise, and it is unlikely the photo gallery will be crowded that early on the cruise.
biggest cost is excursions: NO ship will visit rome, florence, milano, cordoba, granada, seville, paris, london, berlin, brussels, figueres, santiago compostela, mont st michel, giverny, bayeux, ..... st petersburg is worth the excursion vs visa. please call them service, tips should be optional. alcohol should be extra , i feel entertainment should be extra. photos , wifi, specialty drinks no problem those are luxuries.
Yep! I heard your voice over my shoulder when I was on my 1st cruise and I was looking at wall after wall of pictures!!!! Aggghhh!!!! LOL "So THIS is what Sherri was talking about! " lol I was able to choose wisely and waited until the last night to purchase! Also buying the "bottled water package" on Carnival IS the way to go for sure! Thanks for all your great tips! :0)
+Cheryl Reynaud Haha! That is so awesome Cheryl! I love this.
We're your water bottles kinda flimsy! Mine were - it was odd!
Hi Sheri! I'm planning on going on a cruise in January of 2018 and I have no idea what I'm doing at all! For it'll be my first cruise. I'll be traveling with my boyfriend and I want to know if you have any advice about where to book the cruise trough an agency or on my own and whether I should book excursions on my own if this will be my first cruise!
+JOEY LIN when you're booking your first cruise I always think it's a good idea to use a trusted travel agent there are lots of great agencies out there but a lot of our subscribers to use Costco.On our last cruise we booked all of our own excursions. However that was stressful at times and we actually created an episode on whether or not you should book your own excursions. There's no right or wrong but this video covers it: th-cam.com/video/sC6KFO8KqUs/w-d-xo.html
Thank you Sheri! I love watching your videos they are so helpful! I hope to see more videos soon!
Hi Sheri,any tips what we can take on the Norweign Jewel?Ihave paid gratuities upfront so I hope that sorts out the problem of the surprise afterwards 😀but we did get the Beverage Package included and paid those gratuities upfront as well,do you perhaps know if we can use the Beverage Package at any bar of lounge on the ship?
Good thing I'm flying to the cruise. My family only has to pay those airport parking places and not something more expensive than my toys. xD
When you’re in port can you buy water and bring it on board?
not on Carnival
A note for those who drink only from bottled water. Any liquid food, like soup, do you think the chef is gonna use bottled water??????
Ferocious Ferret I guess they think its fine since it has been boiled, so its basically sterile water. But atleast on merchant ships we (the crew) only drink botteled water. Ofcause the water quality standards and the maintenence of pipes on cruise ships is higher though :)
Bottled water is just expensive filtered tap water that drains it from regular people that need it and make corporations like Nestle absolutely insane returns.
No, but he's cooking with it.. so lots of germs are gone, plus.. you can't taste it. Tap water on the ship just tastes odd. Besides, a 12 pk of water is like $4.50. Not a big deal.
@2:48 Tab water is only for survival purposes. :)
I'm doing Harmony of the seas Feb 2018. Do you know if I can bring water? If so, what is the limit? Thank you so much!
I'll research and answer on the vlog next Tuesday!
CruiseTipsTV Thank you so much!!