What can I expect on a cruise?

Question

I am a total cruise dummy. I don't know many people that have even been on a cruise vacation. I am going on my first cruise in October. I live in San Diego so I will depart from the local port. It is a 4-day Mexico cruise, the destination is Cabo San Lucas. I know there are restaurants and activities that are offered on the cruise, I am sure the food and activities are included in the price of the cruise. Does that include alcoholic beverages? Will we have to buy our own drinks? I am taking my boyfriend and he smokes. Does he have to go outside the ship in order to smoke? Are we allowed to bring our own alcohol? Would they know? Do you they check your bags? How much additional money should we bring for extra stuff (tips, souvenir, etc.)? Anyway and all information will help. Thanks.

Answer 1

Alcohol is extra, and quite pricey a lot of the time. You can NOT bring your own alcohol on the ship and the cruises I have been on checked your bags at the ports for alcohol. You can buy alcohol-free drink cards (sodas) on most ships that are WAY cheaper than buying them individually. Yes, they charge for sodas on most cruises. As far as checking your bags go they take them from you at check in and they will arrive at your room later that day after check-in. You are expected to tip and you will most definitely need spending money. Have fun!

Answer 2

You have to buy your own drinks.  The cigarette smoke is so objectionalble on the cruise ships that, if you are a non-smoker you are miserable.  You can't bring your own alcohol and they probably will check your bags for it.  You will be constantly bombarded with gentle messages telling you how much to tip your room porter, the wait staff in the restaurants, the bar tenders, the cocktail hostesses and just about everyone else that works on the boat.

For the 2 of you, you can expect to spend at least $100 on tips to the staff when you leave..  You will also need to make arrangements with the ship's purser to charge all your goods and services on your credit card.

Answer 3

It all depends on who you go with. You will have to pay for drinks but Princess cruises offers a pass card that you pay so much per day and are allowed limitless soft drinks for that. You can buy alcohol to take home when you call into ports but this will be kept by the ship until your last day (although you can sneakily bring a bottle of something in your luggage from home as my dad did!).

On Princess, everything is done through credit cards. You get a card that is your room key and is your spending card as it's tied to your credit card. So we never had to carry cash apart from when calling to port. You get the option of paying a one-off amount and that is it for tips, which will be shared through the crew (if you get this option take it because it's not only easier but means everyone benefits) although you can also leave a cash amount for whoever looks after you in your room.

There are areas where you can smoke, usually outdoors. Some activities will be paid for but some will have to be paid for (organised excursions, usually, and specialist things like massages). I'd also take a light sweater for night time because it gets cold on the ship since they put the air-conditioning on full blast (it's still warm outdoors though!).

Enjoy and you'll learn as you go along. You'll be fine!

Answer 4

I will try to answer every question that I kno...

Food-

It is all included, except for a specialty restaurant which would be about $20 per person.  It is fantastic food, always something to choose from, such a great variety

Activities-

Most activites are included...things that arent would be gambeling(obviously), bingo, and a couple other things.  All activites onbaord are so much fun, and I reccomend doing as many as humanly possibly

Alchohol-

It is not included.  And yes, you will have to buy your own drinks...on the majority of the ships, you can also buy a bottle of just about anything..you will be amazing on how how much alchohol they have onboard.  Depending on the cruiseline, you are allowed to bring your own alcohol, but you have to check with ur cruiseline.

Smoking-

there may be a special section on board the ship that he can smoke, but he can outside, unless it is banned, which it shouldnt be

Bags-

Normally they wont check your bags, but you will have to put it through a security belt...then if they see anything, they may check it

Extras-

Well all cruise lines have a different policy on tipping, u will have to check with them...

Hope this helps! = ]

Answer 5

Ok you will have the best time of your life. I did 5 years ago & i rmeeber it like yesterday & I want to go on one so bad. You will never get bored always something to do . I even made lots of friends. Idk about the alcohal but my dad brought some wine on board & they never found out. Book a smoking room if you smoke. You dont really spend a lot of money on a  cruise unless you wnt to have a massage, flowers in room, or when you get off to your destination site. Probly $1,000 when you go to mexico you will want to buy a lot of stuff.