Costs on Board

Spending on Board

Everything is Included - Yeah Well!

Cruise Lines love to promote the fact that "Everything is included." Well nothing is further than the truth. It is true that apart from visa's and port taxes which are automatically deducted form your on-board ship account you could complete a cruise with no additional costs if you:

• Didn't TIP (A daily hotel gratuity is automatically added to your account - you should enquire at the Reception desk if this can be waived)
• Don't Drink any Alcoholic Beverages
• Drink "Ship's" Coffee
• Drink Water only (Ice is free)
• Do not want photographs
• Don't go ashore
• Don't participate in ship's tours
• Don't use the Internet
• Don't ring home

Cruise Card

All additional cost are deducted from your cruise card. The Princess Cruise Line are very happy to deduct all additional expenses from your credit card an request your card details as you board. We don't know what happens of you don't have a credit card, but if you use your credit card you will accrue your normal Frequent Flyer or credit card loyalty program points. As far as I know there is no surcharge for American Express so you may as well collect 2 points for every $ you spend.

Alcoholic Drinks

ALL alcoholic drinks on board are chargeable! If you drink alcohol expect to pay a 4-5 star hotel prices despite the alcohol being duty free! There are no cask wines or cheap full strength Aussie beers (Emu Export) on a cruise ship. See here for typical Wine/Drink List.

Soft Drinks

Soft Dinks are also chargeable. A card can also be purchased at $5.00 day (plus Gratuity at 10%) that allows unlimited access to Coke, Soda Water, and other soft drinks. From what we observed on our last cruise anyone use the card (just like the coffee card), although not sure if this is the same for the soft drink card.

Coffee

The standard issue coffee on-board the Sun Princess is not to our tasting, although is readily available. For $15 you can purchase a "Coffee Card" that allows

Photography

The ship swarms with photographers (and waiters)  and it is not hard to have your photos taken, formal portraits etc. The proofs are available for viewing and it is hard not to escape purchasing some prints. We spent in excess of $200.

Internet

We cant live without the internet anymore and so we signed up for 30 hours upon boarding. This was on a special and cost about $175. We didn't make it through the cruise with out a top up and purchased another 10 hours for $100 for the last 4 days. All internet is via satellite, and although not cheap it is reasonably priced given the 24 x 7 availability.  See here for more information about costs and accessing the Internet on the Sun Princess

Gym

The gym is free, but all classes are chargeable. See here for Spa and beauty treatment costs.

Sauna

All saunas and beauty treatments are chargeable, and they are not cheap.

Scholarships at Sea

Daily lectures by Gust Speakers are free in the Princess Theatre and the Vista Lounge. The lectures on our cruise were very interesting and not to be missed daily events.

There are many other courses available, dancing, photography, computers etc, however almost invariably these all cost, generally form $25 upwards.

Ship's Tours (Onboard)

 

Some ships tours are free and are limited to the gallery.

The "Ultimate Ship's Tour" costs $175 and is not advertised. Places are limited to about 10 passengers per tour, and there are not many of them.

For the engineering types and more curious of us who want to see what goes on behind the scenes this seem a lot of money but it does last 4 hours, so I thought I would give it a go. I did get surprise, canapés and wines in the gallery, free photographs, free personalised stationary, a very expensive Princess Cruises Bath/Swimming Pool Robe, cocktails and Canapés on the Bridge with the Captain