Friday, January 28, 2011

85 DAYS TO GO . . .

     FRIDAY JANUARY 28, 2011

     TODAY WE'RE LOOKING AT THE HIGH PRICE OF WATER ON BOARD YOUR DISNEY CRUISE.  ALTHOUGH THE DISNEY CRUISE LINE IS ONE OF THE VERY FEW ON THE SEAS THAT DOES NOT CHARGE FOR SODA, THEY DO CHARGE FOR WATER BOTTLES, AND THEY'RE ALMOST AS MUCH AS ALCOHOLIC DRINKS. 
     WATER CAN BE DRANK FROM THE TAPS OF EVERY FAUCET ON-BOARD AND IS ALSO AVAILABLE AT THE DRINK STATIONS ON DECK TO FILL CUPS AVAILABLE THERE.  THE DRINK STATIONS PROVIDE FREE SODAS, PUNCHES, AND WATER WITH CUPS, LIDS, AND STRAWS AVAILABLE 24 HRS A DAY.  FROM ALL REPORTS, THE VAST MAJORITY OF GUESTS THINK THE TAP WATER ON BOARD IS OUTSTANDING, ESPECIALLY COMPARED TO OTHER CRUISES.  BUT AS WE ALL KNOW, TAP WATER FROM DIFFERENT PLACES, TASTES DIFFERENT.  SOME PEOPLE JUST DO NOT DRINK TAP WATER, AND OTHERS ARE JUST PARTICULAR ABOUT ITS TASTE.  SO IF BRINGING A PORTABLE FILTER OR PURIFIER WORKS FOR YOU, THEN YOU SHOULD CONSIDER IT.  IF FILLING CUPS DOESN'T WORK FOR YOU THEN PLAN TO PACK A REFILLABLE WATER BOTTLE OR TWO OR ONE FOR EACH IN YOUR PARTY.  YOU CAN ALSO BRING STORE BOUGHT BOTTLED WATER.  THIS OBVIOUSLY WORKS BETTER FOR PEOPLE THAT WILL BE DRIVING TO THE PORT DUE TO THE WEIGHT OF FILLED WATER BOTTLES AND THE AMOUNT YOU WILL NEED TO PACK AND CHECK AS LUGGAGE FOR AN AIRLINE.
     THE OBVIOUS ALTERNATIVE HERE IS TO BUY BOTTLED WATER ON-BOARD.  THERE ARE I BELIEVE STILL TWO WATER "PACKAGES" AVAILABLE TO ORDER.  THE FIRST IS A 6-PACK OF EVIAN FOR $9.00, OR $1.50 PER BOTTLE.  THE SECOND IS A 24-PACK OF EVIAN ORDERABLE FOR $35.00, OR $1.46 PER BOTTLE.  THAT'S RIGHT, $35.00 FOR A CASE OF BOTTLED WATER!  MOST WHO BUY IT AT HOME KNOW THE NORM IS CLOSER TO $5.00 PER CASE, SO YOU CAN SEE THE PROBLEM.  ORDERING WATTER BOTTLES INDIVIDUALLY ON BOARD YOU CAN EXPECT TO PAY MORE LIKE $3.00 OR SO PER BOTTLE.  MY SON AND I DRINK A LOT OF WATER, SO I'VE CONSIDERED BITING THE BULLET AND ORDERING THE 6-PACK, BUT I JUST CAN'T SEE PAYING $9.00 FOR IT, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE PREFER SQUEEZE BOTTLES AND THESE ARE SCREW ON CAPS.  SO THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT EVEN FOR THE CARE-FREE COMES DOWN TO COST AND WHAT YOU'RE WILLING TO PAY.
      ONE OF THE BETTER TIPS I'VE COME ACROSS IS TO GO TO YOUR LOCAL WAWA, 7-11, DUNKIN DONUTS, OR THE LIKE AND GET A COUPLE OF DRINK CARRIERS TO PACK FOR YOUR TRIP.  THEY DON'T TAKE UP A LOT OF SPACE AND WEIGH NEXT TO NOTHING, AND THAT WAY WHENEVER ANYONE GOES TO THE DRINK STATION, THEY CAN BRING BACK 4 DRINKS AT A TIME WITHOUT A WHOLE LOT OF WORRY ABOUT SPILLING.  PRETTY SMART HUH?  IF YOU'RE PACKING REFILLABLE BOTTLES, MAKE THEM GIFTS FOR THE PEOPLE YOU'RE TRAVELING WITH, OR BRING ONES YOU CAN JUST LEAVE AT THE END AND HAVE MORE LUGGAGE SPACE FOR THE RETURN TRIP.
     ANOTHER CASH COW ARE THE "SPECIALTY" DRINKS.  AT THE DECK PARTIES YOU'LL SEE SERVERS OFFERING MIXED DRINKS IN FANCY GLASSES, BUT DESPITE THE FACT THAT IT FEELS LIKE THEY ARE, THEY'RE NOT FREE!  IF YOU HAVEN'T FIGURED THAT OUT BY THEIR ASKING FOR YOUR ROOM KEY, YOU WILL WHEN YOU SEE YOUR BILL.  IF THE GLASS (USUALLY PLASTIC) ISN'T SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO HAVE, OR THE DRINK SOMETHING YOU'RE DYING FOR?  SKIP IT.
     LASTLY IS THE "SPECIALTY" COFFEES.  THERE'S ALWAYS A CAFE OR CAFES ON BOARD THAT OFFERS FANCY OR MIXED OR IMPORTED OR JET-FUELED (WHATEVER) COFFEES ON BOARD.  DESPITE THE FACT THAT COFFEE IS OFFERED FREE AT THE DRINK STATIONS, RESTAURANTS, QUICK-SERVICE SPOTS, AND THROUGH ROOM SERVICE, HERE IT IS NOT.  IT CATCH MANY OFF-GUARD AND OFTEN AFTER IT'S TOO LATE.  IF YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT?  GO FOR IT.  OTHERWISE, MAKE YOUR OWN AND TAKE IT TO THE CAFE.  THE CAFE COFFEE COMPLIMENTING FOOD, IRONICALLY, IS FREE.  SO WEIGH YOUR OPTIONS AND YOUR NEEDS BEFORE MAKING THESE PRICEY DECISIONS AND YOU MAY JUST HAVE SAVED ENOUGH FOR THAT ITEM YOU DIDN'T THINK YOU COULD AFFORD.
     SEE YA REAL SOON!   ºOº

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