How much do you spend once onboard?

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Just a bit of context for the Americans. The OP is going on the 4 night Spain cruise from Southampton , England. I was on the exact same cruise in 2023. The port stop is Bilbao. The majority of the UK passengers did not get off the ship. Of those who did, there were free shuttles into the city of Bilbao.

Europeans are far less likely to do excursions in on European cruises. Therefore budgeting for a DCL excursion on the 4 night Spain cruise to Bilbao is not really relevant.

 

[Winston Wolf]

Hi

Just trying to budget how much onboard spending to take for our 4 night Spain cruise next year, we are two adults and two 3 year old girls

we plan on doing polo dinner, getting 2 Disney magic plus bands, the odd coffee, cocktail class, one day in the rainforest room and probably 6-7 cocktails through out the day for me and my wife ( might seem a lot but I’m thinking 2 in the afternoon 2 at dinner, 1 at the show and 2 in the adult only areas at night)

how much would people recommend taking for all off this, I was thinking 1000 dollars, anyone think that’s about right?

also just out of interest what do you spend onboard? Interesting to know how different we May all be

You're forgetting merch from the shops. For our fam that probably averages about $125/pp. We also budget about $100/day for booze. Factor in any beverage tastings and all the things you have listed above... you're over $1000 for a 4night

 

[Garyjames220]

$1,000 seems way too low. Your bar tab will be at least $300 with tip for those 24 cocktails. $100 for Palo. Our biggest extra expense is always the excursions, and we normally take the lower prices excursions and you don't indicate you will be taking any excursions. These days our alcohol intake is usually limited to a bottle of wine at dinner that lasts for two dinners. I realize we are in the minority on that, since some cruise lines like Carnival have had to put a 15 drink per day limit on their unlimited alcohol drink package.

I’m starting to think your right

plus as the twins are three and im thinking I’ll need to book the nursary for the evening so there have somewhere to nap each night when we are having drinks as you don’t have that in the kids clubs

im looking at the menus and most cocktails I like are about 13 to 15. Say 15 min by the time the increases happen again next year, I’ll have the odd drink of the day to save money.

im thinking 7 drinks max a day x 2 people so that’s 56 drinks. Im thinking roughly 800 dollars

forgot about room service tips and the fancy ice cream place too

100 for palo, 100 magic bands roughly and 100 cocktail class, plus other shopping and rainforest room

going to leave excursions in Spain and just get the shuttle in

thinking I’ll need 1500 at this rate, feel like this is a bit crazy and not many people spend as much as that on 4 nights onboard

 

[Garyjames220]

Just a bit of context for the Americans. The OP is going on the 4 night Spain cruise from Southampton , England. I was on the exact same cruise in 2023. The port stop is Bilbao. The majority of the UK passengers did not get off the ship. Of those who did, there were free shuttles into the city of Bilbao.

Europeans are far less likely to do excursions in on European cruises. Therefore budgeting for a DCL excursion on the 4 night Spain cruise to Bilbao is not really relevant.

i do agree with this, I’ll be getting the free shuttle and going back onboard after a look around for a hour or two

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

i do agree with this, I’ll be getting the free shuttle and going back onboard after a look around for a hour or two

Have you read my cruise trip report? I think it will help you a lot with what to expect https://www.disboards.com/threads/s...-cruise-2023-complete-final-thoughts.3929341/

 

[holula]

Depending when you get your cocktails, they’re between $11-17 per cocktail. (Not including drink of the day in this.) Sometimes they have some decent deals like 30-50% off at certain times.

Last cruise I spent approx $300 not including the dinner/housekeeping gratuities.

I did Remy dessert ($85.62), Palo brunch ($10), $20.95 on one photo, $17.99 in the shop, and the rest on cocktails.

Edit: I can’t imagine having 6-7 cocktails per day, but I’m basically the least British person ever when it comes to alcohol. I’m a 1-2 per day person.

 

[Garyjames220]

Depending when you get your cocktails, they’re between $11-17 per cocktail. (Not including drink of the day in this.) Sometimes they have some decent deals like 30-50% off at certain times.

Last cruise I spent approx $300 not including the dinner/housekeeping gratuities.

I did Remy dessert ($85.62), Palo brunch ($10), $20.95 on one photo, $17.99 in the shop, and the rest on cocktails.

Edit: I can’t imagine having 6-7 cocktails per day, but I’m basically the least British person ever when it comes to alcohol. I’m a 1-2 per day person.

yeah we love our cocktails. I mean our last cruise we had roughly 2 in the afternoon up on deck, 2 drinks with our meal, 1 drink at the show and then 2 drinks in the bars at night.

it may seem a lot but it’s not really that much when it’s spread out over a 12 hour period.

sometimes the 6-7 may be a glass of wine/ champagne instead of cocktails

im not sure if that is loads to some people or if some people have more than that but we love our cocktails and that’s roughly what we have, sometimes it’s well needed with two year old twins

 

[tvguy]

yeah we love our cocktails. I mean our last cruise we had roughly 2 in the afternoon up on deck, 2 drinks with our meal, 1 drink at the show and then 2 drinks in the bars at night.

it may seem a lot but it’s not really that much when it’s spread out over a 12 hour period.

sometimes the 6-7 may be a glass of wine/ champagne instead of cocktails

im not sure if that is loads to some people or if some people have more than that but we love our cocktails and that’s roughly what we have, sometimes it’s well needed with two year old twins

LOL. We are all different. I never had twins but I had two kids and they both were 2 at one time, , and with any alcohol in me I wouldn't have been able to keep up with them!
We took them on a cruise when they were 21 and 25 and my bar tab was staggering on that cruise.

 

[Lesverts]

yeah we love our cocktails. I mean our last cruise we had roughly 2 in the afternoon up on deck, 2 drinks with our meal, 1 drink at the show and then 2 drinks in the bars at night.

it may seem a lot but it’s not really that much when it’s spread out over a 12 hour period.

sometimes the 6-7 may be a glass of wine/ champagne instead of cocktails

im not sure if that is loads to some people or if some people have more than that but we love our cocktails and that’s roughly what we have, sometimes it’s well needed with two year old twins

Don’t feel bad. On celebrity with their drink packages I go through 6-7 drinks at dinner. A pre dinner cocktail. 3-4 glasses of wine with the meal. After dinner spirit. After dinner coffee. I taught my wait staff how to make peppermint Pattie’s on my last cruise. Bliss.

 

[Garyjames220]

Don’t feel bad. On celebrity with their drink packages I go through 6-7 drinks at dinner. A pre dinner cocktail. 3-4 glasses of wine with the meal. After dinner spirit. After dinner coffee. I taught my wait staff how to make peppermint Pattie’s on my last cruise. Bliss.

Haha I don’t feel so bad now

im Guessing you make use of any drinks packages for sure on other lines.

 

[JoeFromSeoul]

It all comes down to your own spending habits on vacation. I always front load our OBC with $250 per night (after prepaid tips). That covers shore excursions, shopping, adult dining, etc. This is for our family of four. I usually get a refund of unused credit…at worst I may need to add a couple of hundred. We do these trips every couple of years, so we save toward it, pay everything we can ahead of time, and relax.

 

[tvguy]

Don’t feel bad. On celebrity with their drink packages I go through 6-7 drinks at dinner. A pre dinner cocktail. 3-4 glasses of wine with the meal. After dinner spirit. After dinner coffee. I taught my wait staff how to make peppermint Pattie’s on my last cruise. Bliss.

 

[NephieRN]

Currently on a 6 night on the Dream that ends tomorrow and so far we’ve spent $1800 for 2 of us. We’ve done palo prima notte, palo brunch, palo dinner, Remy dessert experience, chocolate and liquor tasting, mixology, one excursion, internet for 2 devices, and we drink a lot when on vacation without the kiddos.

 

[Garyjames220]

Currently on a 6 night on the Dream that ends tomorrow and so far we’ve spent $1800 for 2 of us. We’ve done palo prima notte, palo brunch, palo dinner, Remy dessert experience, chocolate and liquor tasting, mixology, one excursion, internet for 2 devices, and we drink a lot when on vacation without the kiddos.

oh wow that’s a lot

can see how it soon adds up though

 

[Garyjames220]

It all comes down to your own spending habits on vacation. I always front load our OBC with $250 per night (after prepaid tips). That covers shore excursions, shopping, adult dining, etc. This is for our family of four. I usually get a refund of unused credit…at worst I may need to add a couple of hundred. We do these trips every couple of years, so we save toward it, pay everything we can ahead of time, and relax.

Yeah that’s my plan, that’s how I’m trying to work out how much I’ll need to I can add onboard credit so it’s all paid ahead off time and then it’s like all inclusive once I’m onboard

 

[kiford]

We spent $425 for a 3-day on the Wish in September. It worked out to be about $27/person/day (two people) for drinks (coffee and alcohol (and beignets!)) plus the gratuities and two purchases in the shops. We didn't get off the ship, go to Palo or Enchante or do much. But we've had cruises where we spent quite a bit on Palo, Remy, port excursions, tastings, and made more purchases on shore and on board. I think we spent $4-5K on a 10 day Med cruise. It totally depends on where we're going and what we intend to do. We're planning a 7-day Fantasy Caribbean cruise where I expect we'll not be minimal but not too wild. Specialty coffees, wine and cocktails will be pretty much it, other than Remy and maybe Palo if I can get reservations.

 

[PsylockeSmythe]

I'll say this much, seeing what people spend on board for alcohol, makes me glad that the wife and I don't drink

Psy

 

[Garyjames220]

I'll say this much, seeing what people spend on board for alcohol, makes me glad that the wife and I don't drink

Psy

I don’t blame you

when I see the bill for it, I need a drink just to get over it

 

[PsylockeSmythe]

I don’t blame you

when I see the bill for it, I need a drink just to get over it

That is us when we see what we spent on Bingo, except that we ask for Micky Bars afterwards to drown out our guilt

Psy

 

[Garyjames220]

That is us when we see what we spent on Bingo, except that we ask for Micky Bars afterwards to drown out our guilt

Psy

Never done the bingo before, might give it a go. Is it all cash prices