Extra charges
 

I am going to take my first cruise this summer to Alaska on Princess lines. Someone told me that the cruise lines charge for all beverages, including water. They advised me to buy some bottled water to take with me. Is this real or are they pulling my leg.

Yes and no. Bottled water - yes, there is a charge. Iced water in a glass - free. Bring your own bottle and fill up on the ship for free.

At breakfast, juices are free. So are teas and coffees. I don't remember exactly, I think lemonade at lunch is free, at the pizza place there is only water, at every meal coffee is free, but if you want fancy coffee, then you have to pay.

I found my report from last year cruising on Princess.

http://www.fodors.com/community/crui...rt-from-sf.cfm

FOOD. It was too cold to spend much time outside, but the pool areas are nice, and they have food and drinks out there, burgers, french fries, boullions, read the patter.

In the buffet, especially on a big wave day, they help carry plates to the tables, bring drinks, ask if people need help. They even walk around with the coffee jars in the morning, and place the cutlery on the tables in the evening. In the restaurants, they try to accommodate you any way they can. The food choice is great - we dined in Venetian, and out of curiosity even went to tea once.

Ice-cream lovers, rejoice! The ice-cream is in the buffet for lunch, in the restaurants for dinner. I don’t know how my husband managed to gain only 2 lbs! I am not stepping on the scale for at least 2 weeks, not after those cakes in the buffet at night! And cheese! And those chilled soups in the restaurant, different each night, are to die for (or to diet for later, have you noticed the similar spelling of “die” and “diet”?)

We enjoyed the different countries’ menus at dinners. Sure, we didn’t eat frogs on the French day, but turkey on the US day was good. On the Italian day the waiters wore the striped Venetian gondoliers t-shirts and neck scarves. No, he wouldn’t serenade me, the waiter answered my question.

The choice of drinks is limited, sometimes too limited. Juices for breakfast only, coffee is always there except the pizza place. We went there for lunch, the pizza is thin crust, so good! But of all drinks, water only. I couldn’t even get a cup of coffee, they said they don’t have that. HUH?

There was plenty of food for any taste/palate/diet/restriction. I especially appreciated the choice of fresh and cooked vegetables, fruit - salad or sliced, bread rolls, cheeses, smoked fish and desserts. At dinner, there was a table of cakes in the buffet. And if it’s sound surprising, how come I went to a restaurant, and to dinner buffet - we had the early seating at 5.30, ate light, then went up to the buffet for a midnight snack of fruit and coffee. Seriously, it was not too difficult to eat healthy with occasional sweets.

Most lines charge for soft drinks, booze, fancy coffees and bottled water. Most sell cards good for several glasses of wine or for soft drinks and maybe other things. However they seem to be for the cheapest drinks only. Best advice - drink sparingly on a cruise.

All beverages ar NOT charged for. Sodas and alcohol are charged for plus a 15% gratuity for the server. Plain water is free of course as are the coffee, tea, juices and milk at breakfast, lunch and dinner and ice tea and leomnade too I think. BTW if you are like some of us, that is fussy about coffee then either bring a French press and your own coffee or buy a coffee card. The latter costs $25.00 and is good for 15 speciality coffees and unlimited premium brews and is reusable if you don't use all the punches. I love Princess but boy oh boy their regular coffee is sub par.

I forgot to add their are soda cards available if you drink alot of it.

I think people has answered most of your question. I would like to add the following info. Almost all the cruise line are the same in their beverage policy. The Princess ship has a desalination plant so all water are from the sea, purified and treated. They use the same water from cooking to flushing tolet. The water quality is okay so you can bring your water bottle and filled it up at the buffet station.

The Horizon court (24 hour buffet) alwasys has tea, hot water, coffee, and non sweeten ice tea and they are free. Your cabin should have a mini fridge and your steward usually stock a jug of ice water in there. It is free as well. There are also bottled water and they are $3 each.

Hope this helps.