Paying in cash on board Disney Dream

[gismo1554]

Originally Posted by sgks11

Sorry to jump in...

If paying by cash can I pay an amount at the start of the cruise or is it better to pay as you go?

Were a family of 4, Is there much spends that will incur? Were on a 7 night.

Thanks

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Yes you can!

What you are likely to spend really depends on you. Things you want to think about are:

• Tips - you can prebudget these by looking in the FAQ for the standard amount
• Specialty dining - Palo or Remy both have charges
• Specialty drinks - both alcoholic and non-alcoholic ones are available at anything from $3-$15 I would say so depends if you are likely to want anything
• Drink tastings - these are around $20-$30 and again depends if this is something you want to do
• Excursions - you can prebudgt these looking on the DCL site and deciding what you would like to do
• Gifts - probably the biggest bit you need to worry about as the shop is so easy to get carried away. I would suggest setting budgets for the kids at least but completely your choice on this one
• Snacks - now you can get crisps quite often at the Burger place on deck and cookies and other things like that (I find frosties are good for snacks too) but popcorn and candy are not free so you need to factor in if you are likely to spend money on that and I don't know how much these usually cost
• Room service - you can either tip in cash ($s if in the US I'd say or Euros in the med) and its usual to be $2 per person or order its kind of up to you but this can also be just charged to the room
• Specialty coffee - can add up if you like Starbucks type coffee. They do regular coffee at the pool drinks station and in the restaurants etc
• Drinks on room service - These are all chargeable.

I'm sure there is other stuff too but these are the main things

[dietcokebreak]

Originally Posted by gismo1554

Yes you can!

What you are likely to spend really depends on you. Things you want to think about are:

• [/
• Tips - you can prebudget these by looking in the FAQ for the standard amount
• Specialty dining - Palo or Remy both have charges
• Specialty drinks - both alcoholic and non-alcoholic ones are available at anything from $3-$15 I would say so depends if you are likely to want anything
• Drink tastings - these are around $20-$30 and again depends if this is something you want to do
• Excursions - you can prebudgt these looking on the DCL site and deciding what you would like to do
• Gifts - probably the biggest bit you need to worry about as the shop is so easy to get carried away. I would suggest setting budgets for the kids at least but completely your choice on this one
• Snacks - now you can get crisps quite often at the Burger place on deck and cookies and other things like that (I find frosties are good for snacks too) but popcorn and candy are not free so you need to factor in if you are likely to spend money on that and I don't know how much these usually cost
• Room service - you can either tip in cash ($s if in the US I'd say or Euros in the med) and its usual to be $2 per person or order its kind of up to you but this can also be just charged to the room
• Specialty coffee - can add up if you like Starbucks type coffee. They do regular coffee at the pool drinks station and in the restaurants etc
• Drinks on room service - These are all chargeable.

I'm sure there is other stuff too but these are the main things

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This is really helpful! Thanks for taking the time for such a detailed reply

[gismo1554]

Originally Posted by dietcokebreak

This is really helpful! Thanks for taking the time for such a detailed reply

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No worries! I've been trying to work out for myself roughly what I would need hence started this list. Glad it could help someone else too.

[Guest]

Originally Posted by gismo1554

Yes you can!

What you are likely to spend really depends on you. Things you want to think about are:

• Tips - you can prebudget these by looking in the FAQ for the standard amount
• Specialty dining - Palo or Remy both have charges
• Specialty drinks - both alcoholic and non-alcoholic ones are available at anything from $3-$15 I would say so depends if you are likely to want anything
• Drink tastings - these are around $20-$30 and again depends if this is something you want to do
• Excursions - you can prebudgt these looking on the DCL site and deciding what you would like to do
• Gifts - probably the biggest bit you need to worry about as the shop is so easy to get carried away. I would suggest setting budgets for the kids at least but completely your choice on this one
• Snacks - now you can get crisps quite often at the Burger place on deck and cookies and other things like that (I find frosties are good for snacks too) but popcorn and candy are not free so you need to factor in if you are likely to spend money on that and I don't know how much these usually cost
• Room service - you can either tip in cash ($s if in the US I'd say or Euros in the med) and its usual to be $2 per person or order its kind of up to you but this can also be just charged to the room
• Specialty coffee - can add up if you like Starbucks type coffee. They do regular coffee at the pool drinks station and in the restaurants etc
• Drinks on room service - These are all chargeable.

I'm sure there is other stuff too but these are the main things

See more...

sorry for jumping in ..but a question if you do not believe in the tipping system what would happen if you did not tip at all would they make you leave a tip ..could you go on your final day and ask if the tips can be removed from your rooms bill. just asking thats all..

[Guest]

Originally Posted by stevb63

sorry for jumping in ..but a question if you do not believe in the tipping system what would happen if you did not tip at all would they make you leave a tip ..could you go on your final day and ask if the tips can be removed from your rooms bill. just asking thats all..

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I believe you can ask for them to be removed.
I always pay them as the recommended amount but I do not agree with the Tipping!

[Bats]

Originally Posted by stevb63

sorry for jumping in ..but a question if you do not believe in the tipping system what would happen if you did not tip at all would they make you leave a tip ..could you go on your final day and ask if the tips can be removed from your rooms bill. just asking thats all..

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Tipping is cruise standard and you should factor this in to your holiday cost.
It's not a question of 'not believing in it', it's the way it is and if you want to change it, do it by hurting the people who make the rules, not those who just want to earn their wages.

By not cruising and writing to the company, that's the way to change things. All you're doing is ensuring that your VERY hardworking servers, stateroom hosts and other crew don't get paid anything for working really hard for you and your family.

We're very lucky here in the UK as our minimum wage is great, but cruise ship living is not like that. Please consider your actions before doing it.

[gismo1554]

Originally Posted by stevb63

sorry for jumping in ..but a question if you do not believe in the tipping system what would happen if you did not tip at all would they make you leave a tip ..could you go on your final day and ask if the tips can be removed from your rooms bill. just asking thats all..

See more...

Yes you can but just to say this isn't like tipping in the UK. Cruise staff are not on a minimum wage their wage is based on those tips i.e. they are paid a lower rate as they are in tipped positions just like in the US (well actually worse because I think they are paid even less). I completely get people not tipping in the UK but it isn't the same in any way. And not having a go as I think this is something people do decide to do quite regularly but just trying to explain the rational behind it. In the cruiseline industry it is standard to tip (and in fact some cruiselines now offer free gratuity or include it within the costs to ensure the staff do get the payments). Its worth understanding the wage structure (especially in the US and on cruises) to understand why the tipping system isn't like the UK. I personally tip for good service in the UK but wouldn't tip everywhere. In the US I tip everywhere but fast food really because I know the differences. Part of the problem is its hard to understand the tipping culture when our country doesn't really use it.

That said however I have never begrudged tipping on a cruise! I have always found they go above and beyond and earn their tip. I'm sure some people choose not to tip because they don't think they should tip anyone and I think that's their right but I just hope they make that decision understanding that the person "serving" them is on less than minimum wage and your stance will not change that or the culture.

[Guest]

Originally Posted by gismo1554

I believe they don't let you check out without having paid it off so as you leave the ship on your last day it will flag to the CMs that they need to send you back to reception to pay.

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And if you didn't there would be officers of the law waiting for you on the quay!

[Pootle]

Originally Posted by Bats

Tipping is cruise standard and you should factor this in to your holiday cost.
It's not a question of 'not believing in it', it's the way it is and if you want to change it, do it by hurting the people who make the rules, not those who just want to earn their wages.

By not cruising and writing to the company, that's the way to change things. All you're doing is ensuring that your VERY hardworking servers, stateroom hosts and other crew don't get paid anything for working really hard for you and your family.

We're very lucky here in the UK as our minimum wage is great, but cruise ship living is not like that. Please consider your actions before doing it.

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Amen. An excellent post, thank you.

[Guest]

Originally Posted by stevb63

sorry for jumping in ..but a question if you do not believe in the tipping system what would happen if you did not tip at all would they make you leave a tip ..could you go on your final day and ask if the tips can be removed from your rooms bill. just asking thats all..

See more...

If you don't believe in the tipping system aboard ship, vote with you feet and don't go. It's not the poor hard working people aboard ship that should be punished for the system, but the people that run the ships from onland. If you go on the cruise and refuse to use the "system". You're putting money into the pockets of the bosses and non into the pockets of the real workers, and you're using the "system" to get a cheap cruise at the expenses of someone else.

Personally I wish they would just rename it, or just include it in the price (which some cruise lines are now doing), then the worker wouldn't be getting stiffed by either the passengers or their bosses.