Reply to thread

You will want to tip the people handling your bags at the port (if you aren't taking the bus from the airport - then the tip would go to the bus driver who makes sure your luggage gets onboard and takes care of it from there).  ($1 to $2 per bag.)  FYI...the baggage handlers at the port/pier do not work for Carnival...that's why they suggest you go ahead and lock your back before handing it over to them. 


You will want to tip your tour guides and bus drivers (if you can afford it).

We generally trip about $5 to each.  (When we have extra funds we make that $5 each...but can't do that every time we travel.)


If you want to be stress free...and since it's your first cruise...I'd suggest paying the extra money to take the Carnival excursions.  Get past the first one and then you'll have more of a "feel" for whether or not you want to book your future excursions on your own.  We talked to several people who had watched the boat leave without passengers who weren't on Carnival excursions who didn't make it back in time.


Photos....what we did this time was only buy the picture if it was exceptionally good.  Go through your pictures on a regular basis and throw out the ones you are sure you don't want (in the designated place).  Put the ones you aren't sure about back...and look at them at the end of the cruise to decide.  Some will be picked up and put in boxes...but I noticed on the cruise we were just on they put all of them back up on the boards for the last day.  We always ask ourselves as we are going through the pictures....is this picture worth $20.  (8X10)  You may not like your embarkation picture...don't buy it just because it's an embarkation picture buy it because you like the picture!  They take tons of pictures and have so many neat backgrounds to have formal pictures taken...it's just fun to go through and see how they come out. 


Cokes/pop/soda are considered from the bar so they will have the 15% gratuity added to them, too.  I think it's something like $2.58/per can.


There are some specialty cookies, cakes and choc covered strawberries that you can buy for an extra charge....same place as most of the specialty coffees I think.


Tea, coffee, apple juice, orange juice, hot chocolate, punch, lemonade....are all free on the Lido deck and in the dining room. (Most of it is available 24 hours a day as is the Pizza and Ice cream.)


Bottled water is expensive on a ship...do not open the one that is left in your room...it's not free.  Same with the stuff in your fridge if you have one.  The regular drinking water (tap) they have onboard ship is generally pretty good...I'm a water drinker and haven't had any problem with it at all.


I agree with the $1 for room service.  We also don't tip the room steward before the end of the cruise.  We use to give them phone cards but they are rather obsolete for them in light of the internet.  We've had excellent service with or without the phone cards.  We do tip extra at the end of we can afford to and if the person is deserving.


They will ask you to tip the maitre'd on the last night...that is strickly up to you.  On this past cruise we very rarely saw the maitre'd so we didn't feel he "deserved" a tip.  I know they say he trained everybody and all that stuff...but if you are tight on funds you have to do what you feel is best.


We did tip our dinner-time barmaid for the first time this trip....just a small amount.  She added so much joy to our dining experience.  She was so excited...apparently she doesn't usually get more than the 15%.  (Most of what we ordered were soda pops.)


Since this is your first cruise...I'd skip the supper club.  Save that for another cruise when you have extra money to spend.  Granted it's a nice dining experience - though some consider it too lengthy - and the service is supposed to be better than the dining room....there is dancing there, too.  I'm not sure we felt it was worth the extra money.  (We did not go on the ship you are taking though.)


If you don't have luggage yet...buy some that is not black or blue or dark.  You will be able to find it much easier at debarkation and at the airport!!  We are considering buying bright colored or ugly luggage just to make it easier to find!!


I was trying to watch how much we spent this time...we came away owing about $400.  That is less than usual - for us....it still could have been reduced but that did include the gratuities and our excursion in Mazatlan.


Top