Index
Is it expensive?
What was included
Accommodation
Food
Travel between destinations
What was not included
Freebies
Is it expensive?
Basic price: less £900 – £1000 for 12 days, for cabin without windows exact price depends upon how big cabin is. I think this is a good price considering includes accommodation, food and transport between destinations, read on for my breakdown of how I have reached the conclusion that the cost is reasonable.
What is included
I think that £500 per week was fairly reasonable just considering accommodation. Considering night before sailed, stayed in Southampton Ibis budget for £90 so 6 nights at that would be more and cabin had much more of a wow factor.
Of course if you have self catering accommodation or Airbnb you may get accommodation costs down to maybe £200 – £300 for a week. But to get down further than that maybe a hostel; but even that would probably be £100 for a week? Then cheaper than that would be camping. It depends what is important to you. For me, I want some comfort and I’m lucky to be able to pay for some. The level of comfort want is a bed not a camping mat and at that at least a double, even if sleeping alone as I have a king sized bed at home so on holiday want bed space too. Also a cruise is not basic accommodation because it includes gym, swimming pools and hot tubs which would all put accommodation costs up.
Then even if got accommodation for £200 there would still be food. On cruise could have three meals a day included plus snacks like hot dogs, ice cream, cakes, sandwiches, popcorn at movie under stars and order for free from room service cookies, a few hot meals. Again if completely self catering could get costs right down but, if eating out then for a week that is easily a couple of hundred pounds. Plus this was not basic food it was high quality.
- Travel between destinations
To get from Southampton to Guernsey would have to fly.
If were going to Ireland would fly. If went Ryanair and got good deal, may get for less £100 return.
To go up to Scotland from Sheffield where live. If booked months in advance may be lucky to get for £30 each way up to Glasgow or Edinburgh, so £60 return. Then to get further north in Scotland to Invergorden. To get to Orkney would be train, then train then ferry. So much more, expensive and more hassle carting luggage.
For Paris would mean a train from Sheffield to London for £60 return if booked weeks in advance and got a good deal. Or maybe less if slummed it on bus to London, which takes longer so I’m unlikely to do both ways. Then connect with Eurostar; sometimes £29 each way fares advertised but more likely to be £70-£90 each way.
What was not included.
At end pay tip for each day which for us was €14.50 per day. Apparently you can say that you want to hand tips out yourself. However you probably then would only pay those had direct contact with, whereas I’m sure there are many behind scenes that work equally hard. For example I saw in early morning how throughly decks cleaned. I think the thing is to be aware of top charge when booking and know going to pay. In end the tips added £150 each to cost therefore still think as above £1050 for 12 days was reasonable.
If any transport needed on shore. The cruise has a choice of excursions for everyday but cost for them seemed to be premium. We did bond of the excursions and instead either walked, used public transport for less or cruise shuttles for less than £20 per port day. One day in Cobh chose to pay for railtours tour that offered in port, which was half the probe of the excursions offered by cruise. See individual posts for each port as to transport we used each day.
You do have to be careful when looking at cruise itinerary for the detail of which port is actually used for each place. The only example on our cruise which was not possible independently was Paris. On the cruise’s itinerary it says Paris but accurate only included is to take you to Le Havve which is 3 hour drive from Paris. Realistically on the cruise, have to pay for their excursion to Paris which is over $299 usd because if tried to make own way and did not get back in time, would miss ship. We chose not to go to Paris just based on for 6 hours on bus you would only get a few hours in Paris. If I actually wanted to go to Paris would be easy to take Eurostar.
Drinks
These were expensive on board!
$6-10 for cocktail
$6 for 330mml bottle of beer
Minimum $32 dollars for bottle of wine
$2 dollars for 2 litre bottle of water
However can drink tap water. When go to the dinning rooms they immediately fill glass with water and are very efficient at constantly topping water up. We mainly drank tap water with meals then had a beer or two after dinner. Apart from on 2nd night I learnt of a promotion where hit a baileys and a coloured glass to keep for $3 dollars so I did that 4times. Think over here baileys in bars would cost similar and the glasses were useful on board for keeping jewellery and have got to add to my collection at home displayed on dinning room dresser.
Spa
WiFi not free and in some places if have data roaming turned off can not use own data and when out at sea then sometimes no phone signal at all. To get to ship WiFi was $9.99 everyday which I think is extortion.
Freebies
In room had shampoo, shower gel and body lotion.
When got to cruise terminal where departed from there, were a selection of magazines to choose from for free and I Weekend newspaper. We had already bought I Day before but I picked up home and garden as thought I could read and take home for my Mum who loves house magazines, Marie Claire and Times travel magazine.
On first day given free tote bag.
Chocolate on pillows each evening.
Gym, swim and hot tubs, which would otherwise push accommodation cost up or would need to pay extra for such activities.
Art to look at so that is free activity to while away time, if you enjoy that. Of course lots of art galleries around world are also free. Also art auction on two sea days; I went to one which was fun.
Going to art auction preview earned us free art print each. Going to art auction and staying to to end gained me free art print; just one as went on own and as given in envelope, did not realise it was one of ones already had.
Various entertainment during day. I did afternoon quiz a few times and part of a Zumba sessions. There was also meet ups for singles, LGBT 🏳️🌈 meet ups. Actuvues like board game sessions, throwing bean bags, ping pong 🏓 and others.
Library on board if don’t bring own books or run out. Each day I. Library was free sudoku and one other activity sheet of something like quiz or word search.
On first day when exploring stumbled across spa and got a tour. Sure tour was mainly about trying to encourage you to buy treatments. But, did get to lay on heated bed in steam room for minute or two – should have tried to draw out by chatting to guide more lie there. Then at end got shoulder massaged for few minutes including partially with a hot stone. Again massage was mainly opportunity to try and sell to you. The treatments were mainly over $100 dollars. $39 dollars for a blow dry.
I got a voucher in room for $50 dollars to use on a treatment. Not sure why think they send if had an anniversary not sure if got it because someone saw my 6month anniversary note to my boyfriend in cabin. So definitely if celebrating on board worth advertising that. They probably hope you put the voucher towards a treatment. However, I found a hair treatment for $49. They put on some keratin conditioners to moisturise hair which cost $49. It did make a difference to hair for few days. My hair was first washed, so did have experience of being in hairdressers. After my hair was dried a bit but full blow dry would have cost €39. Also even though treatment fee had to buy service cost on full value so they was about $7 so thought that was reasonable for what I had.
I also won a $50 spa voucher at art auction which I was very excited about, until went to book something and found only on signature services and they were all over $100 dollar apart from men’s shave and head massage which boyfriend refused to do. Ended up leaving voucher in cabin at end.
Got two free necklace. One got for attending a shopping event on first sea day and given voucher at end for necklace. They try to upsell you a more expensive necklace and earring set but I genuinely did like the version with smaller stone better. It is silver chain and could either choose blue or purple stone. On last day got a voucher delivered to cabin for a necklace. Could choose an anchor or ship wheel; I went for anchor and wire it for over week after cruise as a momento. Again could upgrade to expensive version at a cost,
Wonderwall 