Cruise extras – are they worth it?

Golf club storage
Most cruise lines allow you to bring your golf clubs to your cabin, but not Norwegian Cruise Line, which charges guests $40 to store them. (The cruise line says it doesn’t allow golf clubs in the cabins for “safety reasons.”) Of course, guests are encouraged to participate in Norwegian’s “Callaway Rental Club” program, which allows passengers to rent some of the latest Callaway clubs for as little as $35 per day.

Insider Tip: Pick a cruise line that lets you stow the clubs in your cabin for free. You can stash them under the bed or in the closet if it is big enough. But never stow clubs on your balcony — sea water is a killer on clubs.

Shore excursions
Shore excursion fees can be high, especially on destination-intensive itineraries such as Alaska, Europe and Hawaii. In most cases, it’s easy to arrange your own excursions and save money. One of the best ways to find out what each port is offering is to visit the port’s official tourism Web site. These sites offer up-to-date information on tour operators and pricing. You can find a comprehensive list of worldwide tourism sites at JohnnyJet.com.

There are companies that specialize in planning tours for cruise passengers. Port Promotions and Shore Trips allow you to book your shore excursions before you leave home, and the savings can be significant. For example, Port Promotions offers an Alaska package of three excursions in Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan (one excursion in each port) for $105 per person. Similar tours through Princess Cruises cost $121 per person. That’s a $16 savings per person — which can add up to big savings if you are traveling with family or with a group. If you are going to Alaska, one highly recommended money-saving book is “The Great Alaskan TourSaver.” This book offers 162 coupons for free admissions, 2-for-1 tours, flightseeing, whale watching, free car rentals and much more.

Insider Tip: Shore excursions arranged by the cruise lines give passengers a safety net: If the excursion runs late, the ship will not leave port without them. Anytime you schedule an independent trip, you lose that safety net, so be sure to leave enough time to get back to the ship before departure. Believe me, the ship will leave without you.

Airport transfers
The cost of a roundtrip airport transfer purchased through the cruise line is often $40 per person or more. The best (and often fastest) way to get to and from the ship is by local taxi. The fare is usually around $20 and the cab will take up to four people

Laundry
Laundry and dry cleaning charges on a cruise can be exorbitant. For example, a T-shirt can cost $4 to wash and a pair of underwear $2. Check to see if there is a self-service launderette. That will be much cheaper — typically $3 to $5 per load.

Insider Tip: Many cruise lines set aside one day on each cruise when they will wash a bag of laundry for a set fee, usually $10 to $15 per bag (the cruise line provides the bag).

Film and sundries
Buy plenty of film and other camera supplies at home, because once on board, the price doubles. For example, the $20 underwater camera I bought on my last cruise would have cost me $9 at Target. The same can be said for pain relievers, sunscreen and many other small, personal-use items.

Tipping
Except on a few luxury cruise ships, which have “no tipping required” policies, you are expected to tip your cabin steward, dining room waiter and assistant waiter. Many lines recommend that each passenger tip about $10 per day, as follows: cabin steward, $3.50; dining room waiter and assistant waiter, $5.50 (shared); and bistro service waiter and cooks, $1. Bar bills are automatically charged a 15 percent gratuity for the bartender. Special service personnel such as the maitre d’, deck stewards and bellmen should be tipped as service is rendered.

Some cruise lines offer the option of adding the suggested gratuities to your shipboard account; the accounting office would then distribute the tips at the end of the cruise. On other ships, you leave cash in an envelope on the last evening of your cruise.

Insider Tip: Sure, it’s hard to part with money — especially cash — when you’re returning home to a cold house and empty bank account. But understand that ships’ crews work very hard to make your cruise top-notch. Unless the service has actually been poor, tip the recommended amount. For outstanding service, add a little more. Then go home and save up for your next cruise.

Anita Dunham-Potter is a Pittsburgh-based travel journalist specializing in cruise travel. Anita's columns have appeared in major newspapers and many Internet outlets, and she is a contributor to Fodor's "Complete Guide to Caribbean Cruises 2006." E-mail Anita or visit her Web site anitavacation.com.

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