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Sure, the shore excursions cost extra. And, okay, there's travel insurance, in case you have to cancel at the last minute. But to have to shell out for a taxi to bring you back to the ship because the tour bus returns you to the island's shopping district rather than the dock? Here are a few other incidentals your "all-inclusive" fare won't cover.
A ROMANTIC EVENING On the Magic it's called Palo, and on the Navigator it's called Portofino, but the idea is the same: an Italian restaurant where the two of you can steal away without the kids. For the privilege of not joining our children in the dining room or at the buffet, where the meals were free, we had to pay $78, including wine, at Portofino, and a bargain $35 at Palo. The food at each was a cut above much of what was available elsewhere on board, but the sophistication was vermicelli-thin. The Portofino sound system played an Italian version of "Nights in White Satin," while the server at Palo announced the arrival of everything, from entrées to water refills, with an energetic "Voilà!"
POST-SHOW TCHOTCHKES Fifteen dollars for the disappearing-ball-in-the-cup illusion? Twenty dollars for the coloring book with pages that go from color to blank and back to color? For his final trick, the skillful Disney magician made his audience's money disappear.
CLEAN CLOTHES The Magic thoughtfully provided laundry facilities, where we thoroughly replenished our luggage near the end of our cruise for a grand total of $5.50, including detergent. On the Navigator, though, we couldn't even do a selective hand washing; when we visited the ship's General Store and asked for Woolite, we were brightly informed, "There's a Chinese laundry through room service." The bill for our emergency, just-enough-to-get-us-back-to-the-mainland load: $21.90.
MONEY The ATM on the Navigator charged a $5.50 fee per withdrawal. Cash: Don't leave home without it.
DESSERT DRINKS IN SOUVENIR CUPS The coconut shells for the kids on the Magic: $3 each. The Royal Caribbean "Loving Cup" for the parents: $5.95. The look on the face of the Miami airport security guard when he pulled them out of our luggage: Priceless.
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