Additional charges - drinks, tips etc - Royal Caribbean vs P&O

[MusingAboutCruising]

(Regular poster with a name change.)

I'm looking into booking a cruise for a special occasion for me & my DP. I've never been on one before and am trying to get a handle on all the additional charges. Currently, I'm weighing up 2 similar Med cruises: one with Royal Caribbean and one with P&O.

I was all set to book the P&O cruise until I found out about the formal evenings. (We're not really black tie people - DP doesn't even own a tie! That said, we might enjoy going a bit formal once or twice but don't want to feel like we have to do anything, we just want to be able to relax.)

This led me to Royal Caribbean (which seems more laid back) and I was almost ready to book with them until I found out about their drinks packages. Apparently, they are $65 (US) per person per DAY for alcohol and $26pppd for teas, coffees etc. We're not big drinkers but, assuming I've understood correctly, this will massively increase the overall cost. (We're already looking at booking the cheapest, inside room to keep the costs down.) Gratuities are an additional $14.50pppd, ie. approx £310 total. (This is on top of the booking price and before excursions.)

So, I'm back to looking at P&O. I've spoken to them and they've assured me that you don't have to go to the formal dos - you can just be smart-casual in the buffet if you like and smart jeans are fine there. I think their drinks packages/prices seem OK. Gratuities are an extra £6pppd - approx half RC's price.

I'm leaning towards booking with P&O but, have I missed anything? I don't want to book and then discover a whole load of additional extra charges or that I could have somehow reduced the cost 'if only I'd known...' (whatever).

If anyone has experience with any of this, I would very much welcome your advice.

I've only been with P and O. But apart from the gratuities there isnt really much in the way of extra charges. You have to pay for room service food if you want to eat in your cabin. Entertainment like shows, talks etc is free. There are some things that you can choose to pay extra for like certain restaraunts but these are all strictly optional. Drinks are not hugely expensive as these things go, they are pretty much British city centre prices. And yes agree you can completely avoid formal night, just do the buffet that night if you don't feel like it, that's always smart casual.

@Vanillaradio - Thanks so much for replying. That's really useful. I think we're almost ready to book now. Do you happen to know if it's worth paying extra for a select booking rather than a saver? Sorry for all the questions.

We have cruised with P&O several times, always book select fare. This means shuttle bus costs are included, and you get the first pick of dining times. You can also select your cabin on booking rather than finding out on check-in. Drinks are about normal pub prices, so if you don't really drink a lot, you are probably best paying as you go. Also there is no extra service charge added to each drink you purchase, which is the case on some other cruises.
There is also a varying amount of onboard credit/parking/coach pickup included with a select fare.
Formal nights quite nice, I wear a nice Monsoon silk dress/nice summer dress type of thing and certainly don't feel out of place. A suit and tie is required for gents in the main dining room and most bars of an evening, no need for a dinner suit if that's not your thing.
Feel free to PM if you want to know anything else. (We are going on a cruise next week)

You can also take the tips off or change the amount on p and o if you wish.

Drink costs are pretty reasonable too especially given they have such a captive audience!

Me too inever! Well a week on Sunday.

We're going to the Fjords. Just hoping it will be cooler than here.

It was between 20-26C in the Fjords last month. The tips on P&O are currently £7pppd, but if you book a select fare with on board credit, you barely notice them. My extras bill was as follows:
£8.50 for a flight of 3 different gins (20ml each) & a bottle of tonic
£5.95 for a 250ml glass of decent wine.
£3.00 for the odd Costa coffee & free cake
£3.95 for cocktails
Around £2.50 for soft drinks.

Definitely go for select fare as you get choice of cabin, choice of dining (we pick freedom dining so can eat whenever and get a table for 2 sometimes), free shuttle buses and we also got £100 spending money on board and free parking in Southampton for the duration of the cruise.

Thanks so much everyone!

We won't need the parking as we're going by train. Just checking, do you think the select fare is still worth it even though I don't need that?

The shuttle fees seem pretty cheap. I don't really understand the dining benefits tbh - can anyone explain that a bit more?

I was tempted by the Fjords - Tui/Marella's got an all-inclusive but I fancy a bit more warm weather for swimming etc.

@Stickerrocks - Thanks, you're right, the P&O tips are £7pppd. I think I must have been looking at an old webpage. Sorry, I don't quite understand what you mean about not noticing them. Are you referring to not paying the gratuities up front and instead, using your onboard credit to pay them as you go?? (That's another thing I'm not sure what to do about. Friends of ours said they don't pay the company but tip individuals at the end.)

Oo, got another question!

Is it best to book direct with P&O? I've found a slightly cheaper price with an agent (iglu) but am wondering if I might have more luck getting an upgrade and getting dietary needs met if I go direct??

I found P&O very formal, too much so for me, & much preferred the relaxed feel of Princess. The level of formality can also depend on the ship.

I recommend having a look at the Cruise Critic forum as you'll get great tips & advice on there. We found it brilliant for planning a Med cruise.

@iNeverFinishAnyth - Thanks for the reassurance. I've got a smart, black, (very adaptable) cocktaily (and interview) dress and a very simple (cheap) LBD from H&M. I've also just bought a sort of eveningy black maxi which was on sale. I've got a clutch (an eBay bargain) and a burgundy, organza shawl (bought for a wedding) which sort of go. DP's got a cheap black suit we got him for an interview years ago. He's only worn it once and it still fits - hurrah! - and weirdly, we bought him 2 pairs of trousers with it so it will definitely be enough. I bought him a burgundy tie today for less than £2 on eBay so we'll match (and hopefully look more elegant than we might do otherwise).

If you have an inside cabin on P&O you don’t get on board credit so if you choose to pay gratuities it can’t cone from that. They are optional though, as are those on Royal. I’ve sailed with both and while I like P&O you really do get a better experience with RCI. If you aren’t big drinkers just don’t get the drinks package, drinks are pricier than P&O but if you don’t drink much it shouldn’t matter too much? Which are the two ships?

@DramaAlpaca - Ah thanks for that. I've read that Princess is good for couples/romantic breaks etc but sadly, they haven't got what we want when we want to go. Maybe next time.

Tbh, I was drawn to the zip wire etc on the RC cruise - sounds fun.

Also, booking direct gives you no more chance of anything the same system is used whoever you book with. I’m a travel agent so of course book myself and I’ve had upgrades. On P&O I book saver unless I need parking, we like freedom dining and don’t spend enough time in the cabin to care where it is!

I have been with RCI and done drinks packages so that I don't feel guilty ordering cocktails etc however you don't need to buy a drinks package and I recall cocktails being c$12

you can refill a water bottle and there is juice and tea & coffee free at meals in the buffet restaurant

Theres not much else you need to buy onboard though they may try to sell you photo packages etc and the shore excursions can be expensive though you can do your own thing or stay or board (my first cruise we mostly did that to enjoy the facilities) or you can do your own thing ( there are usually FB groups and Cruise critic pages for individual cruises with loads of ideas)

@EnglishGirlApproximately

Ventura & Independence of the Seas.

So, are you saying that you can just pay for drinks individually on the RC cruise? If so, roughly how much is a pint or a coffee - can you give me any idea? (Don't worry if you can't remember.)
And can you get tea at breakfast (as an example) as part of breakfast or do you have to pay extra for every drink?
I was a bit put off when I rang them up and the guy seemed quite intent on getting me to book first before telling me about it all. (Though I realise I know almost nothing about it.)

Could you explain a bit more about how the RC cruise was a better experience for you? I'm keen to know more and am definitely concerned that the P&O one might be too stuffy for me too. More than anything though, I want a relaxing time and I think I might be more likely to get that with them (??).

@EnglishGirlApproximately - Thanks. What's freedom dining?

@lokijet - Thanks, that's really helpful.

I’ve been on both and Independence is far superior tbh. It’s just been refurbished and looks even better now than when I went on 18 months ago. Food is better, service is better, loads more to do! It’s a fun ship with lots going on but there are quiet spots if you want them, we loved Boleros or the Champagne bar to relax. Drinks are expensive but we drink cocktails 🍸 Its USD on RCI, I’d expect to pay about 6-8$ for a beer? At meals you can get water free and in the buffet there’s always tea/coffee/juices free too. There a free ice cream machine on the pool deck, 24 hour pizza in Sorrentos with cakes, tea etc too free. We loved things like Ice skating and mini golf at sea. It’s a really friendly ship everyone is up for a good time. People do still dress for dinner but if you choose not to you’re less likely to be scowled at than on P&O!

We enjoyed Ventura but doesn’t have the wow factor, food good but not amazing and found the entertainment a bit dated in comparison. Having said that the Indian restaurant Sindhu is fab but is extra. The thing P&O does better IMO is sail away parties, great fun if a bit cheesy! I also prefer P&O free toiletries but that’s a small thing! Like RCI no problem getting drinks at meals and the buffet has juices, tea and coffee etc. Interestingly P&O are trialling a drink package on Ventura at the moment and sat first look it seems decent value at £39.95 a day but then realised it doesn’t include cocktails!

Freedom dining is where you don’t have a set dining time and table and just turn up to eat when you fancy. If there’s no table free they give you a buzzer then you go off for a walk or drink until they buzz you. Similar thing on RCI is called my time dining

Oh and I don’t think P&O is stuffy S such, Ventura is vary much a family ship. It is a cruise line that still has an element of passengers wanting it too be like the old days where it was exclusive and formal. They like that the prices have dropped but then complain about standards but being what they were

@EnglishGirlApproximately - Thanks so much, I really appreciate you taking the time to help. I don't know what to do now!! I'm leaning towards RC again. (This is officially the most ridiculous, middle class 'problem' I've ever had!)

Another issue is that the RC cruises later in the year when it will most likely be cooler. It also misses out the special day which we are celebrating. Neither of these are huge deal-breakers, they just add to the general confusion.