Has anyone taken one of the short weekend Mexico cruises that cost about $150-$200? Is it all inclusive? What extra money or other tips for me if I go on one? Thanks!
I'm looking at a direct booking kind of like using Hotel.com to book a hotel so I know it's legit. I just am not sure what I'm getting myself into and how much money I need. I'm just looking at possible reunion with my cousins but right now mostly a short getaway for me.
And then this may sound dumb but how do I know how to tip people. Like, give everyone who talks to me $1 or $2 so all of it adds up to be about $10-$20 a day?
MommaC- Awesome link. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Yes, we have been.
Alcoholic drinks are extra. The only person we tip as we go is the bartender.
Everyone else, maid, etc gets tipped at the end.
http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=132
I did a three night to Mexico in 2008 on Royal Caribbean. We stopped in two ports - one we got off and walked around and one we just stayed on the ship.
On a major cruise line, the fare you pay includes your room and all food. It does not include alcohol and, on most cruise lines, also doesn't include soft drinks. There will be service charges for room service, but the food itself should be free. Most on board activities are also free, such as movies, stage shows, art talks, demonstrations, lounge entertainment, etc. You have to pay to play Bingo and to use the casino, as well as for spa/salon treatments.
In addition to your basic cruise fare, plan to pay about $10-12 per passenger, per day in gratuities. You generally tip your waiter, assistant waiter, maitre'd and room steward. These tips have preset recommended amounts that are more or less required. So, if you have two people in your room for a three night cruise, plan to spend about $60-70 in tips.
Go with a major cruise line - Carnival, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, Disney, Celebrity, etc - and you should be fine.
Visit www.cruisecritic.com for tons of cruise info.
I went with my husband on a short cruise as part of a business trip. It was very inexpensive, but as a result, many of our fellow passengers were the type that probably couldn't afford a longer cruise. They were not the type we normally would have hung out with... The crowd was mostly college-aged, on what must have been their spring break. They wore next to nothing, were drunk most of the time and they were extremely loud and obnoxious.
We had been on several Royal Caribbean cruises before with amazing food, but this RC cruise had much lower quality food. We were really disappointed. I am wondering if they have a price range that determines the quality of food served or if RC has really gone downhill.
See if you can get reviews on this particular ship.
I think the least expensive cruise for you would be on Carnival out of Long Beach (to Catalina or Ensenada). Even with the least desirable interior cabin, it will run you about $275 before mandatory tips and spending a penny on the ship or in port.
Use Vacationstogo.com. Use them all the time.
Very reputable n best prices. You do not have to spend a dime except for tips if you don't want to.
Be sure to research this cruise by googling it. A friend signed a group of us for such a cruise. We each paid $100 to make a reservation. The cruise never happened. When I googled it I learned that the same had happened to many people. Some did get the cruise and were pleased but the over all assessment was that it was a scam.
Your cruise may be legit. I'm just saying look it up on the Internet.
I, personally, have no interest in taking a cruise.
I get so many offers that it's ridiculous and I never check into them because they simply sound too good to be true.
I have no interest in being on a vessel out in the middle of the ocean miles away from land, but that's just me. I would be a nervous wreck the entire time. I'm a pretty adventurous person, but I've never even seen the movie Titanic. I refuse to watch it.
I love to travel, but by ship will never happen.
There are a lot of travel scams, so you have to be careful.
Confirm everything with a reputabale travel agent before booking anything.
Just my opinion.
You'll pay tips as part of your mandatory costs. Some people pre-pay them, others wait until the end. We just took a week-long one in January and with the one excursion we did, we got off owing $1658. We did not drink any alcoholoc beverages and got soda cards for the hubby and kiddo's. Cruises are NOT cheap, but they can be all-inclusive in terms of water, tea, and food - unless you do the steak house.
Our tips were over $400 for the week for 5 of us. Each person paid tips to everyone. We also tipped our waiters and room cleaning guy extra at the end. They absolutely deserved it.
