When you pay for your cruise fare, what does the price include?

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TINKERTOY ..... the 1 & only

Your cruise includes your cabin, entertainment on ship, and ALL of the food is free. That includes all meals in the main dining restaurant, the buffet, and various other places that may have pizza and snacks, room service (24/7 free service) and food in specialty restaurants.

HOWEVER, there is always a gratuity/ service charge for meal in the specialty restaurants. The gratuity/service charge can range from $5.00 to $20.00 per person each time you go to one of these specialty eating places. In these places you can usually order what you want and that can be anything on the menu and a "seconds" if you want it is also free.

Most cruise ships have a couple such restaurants but Norwegian Cruise line usually has 8 or 9 specialty eating places. NCL promotes the use of these "alternative" dining options as a part of their "Freestyle" cruising. SO if you go on an NCL ship be careful or you will end up paying a bunch to eat in these places.

Coffee, tea, milk, juices, and punches are also free (except they may charge for Starbucks coffee. But you will have to pay for all alcoholic beverages and soft drinks. These will add a bunch to your bill also. Some ships have free ice cream stations, but they may also have a Ben and Jerry's place where you have to pay.

If you take tours from the ship you must pay for them. If you want the many photos that will be taken by the ship's staff on and as you depart the ship in ports you must pay for them.

Harleigh

If you're talking about a cruise ship, meals ARE included. The only things that are NOT included are alcohol (which you pay for separately), shore excursions at ports of call (which you pay for separately) and any incidentals you purchase on board.

Cruising is a GREAT vacation, it's like being on a floating hotel that takes YOU from place to place - and you only have to unpack ONCE.

Have a great time! :D

stepmiller2

The great thing about cruising is you get to visit a variety of places without unpacking and without paying for a restaurant. The cruise fee includes all food, both in the dining room and around the ship as well as room service. (Some specialty restaurants exist on most ships but they are clearly noted as an additional cost). Food is also available 24 hours a day. Your on board entertainment is also included in the price except for gambling (and that includes bingo) On the down side is you have to pay for alcohol and soda. (if you have children most ships offer a one price for all the soda you can drink card) and they do push the booze as their are waitstaff everywhere to provide you with drinks, but what the heck you are on vacation. So have a great time but expect to gain a few pound as the food is usually excellent and abundant.

Noble Angel

the price you pay before you sail includes your room, food, taxes, port frees and any excursion you book through them

when you get on the ship you will have an account opened hooked to a card that is also your room key. at the end the tips will be charged to this with Carnival it is $10 a day per person.

the other things you pay for with this card is all alcohol, the casino, the spa, the coffee shop, the shops and the supper club is offered on the ship

on our last cruise other than the tips we spent under $50 on the ship.

anonymous100

The cruise fare generally include the room, all food on board (some cruiselines have specialty dining where you have to pay a bit extra), you get 24 hr free room service, all the entertaining on board. Alcohol is not included and many charge you service fee (flat $10 per day per person) at the end for gratuities. Generally everything onboard is included like food, room, entertainment, but any offshore excursions you have to pay for yourself.

Jackie F

Go to this link and then go to pages 18 to 19.

http://www.e-travelbrochures.com/viewBrochure.asp?campaignId=492

Dawn V

Food is always included with cruise price but NOT ALL FOOD.
Example, Disney line has one very upscale dining room that requires extra reservation and will be at extra cost to you should you choose to eat there. This is stated in their brochure. However, all meals, including room service and snacks are included in cruise fare, so you really do not need this extra restaurant. (and it does not allow children; it is an escape for parents)

Very high end cruise lines, like Crystal, include all alcohol and drinks with the fare. Most cruises, however, do not.
Example; Carnival includes all non-alcoholic drinks with all of your meals, but if you order a drink, even a cola, from the pool area waitress, it will go on your bill, and then a 17% service tax will be added. (that's a $5 cola!)

You get what you pay for.. cheaper cruises serve cheaper food and exclude drinks and such like I described. We thought Crystal was worth every penny.. AND crystal did NOT allow tipping at the end of the cruise!!!! On CArnival, they practically HOUND you from your first day and continue to distribute envelopes with rules for the tips you should leave on the last day. (they even tell you how much to leave.. which I find so UN classy)

We never used the dining room on Disney... the meal was way too late for our 4 year old. (first dining was full) We were asleep by the time 8:30 dinner rolled around. After 2 days of not showing up, they left us a note and called us to check on why we were not coming. And on the last day of hte cruise, they slipped the Dining Room wait staff and Maitre D tipping envelopes under our door... ???
Tipping for something I never used?? interesting?

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