Three Easy Ways To Save Money On Your Next Cruise
Friend, I want to share with you three easy ways to save on your next cruise.
"Do you know what you're talking about?" you may ask. Absolutely yes!
I just returned from my twelfth Carnival Cruise Line sailing and my twenty-fourth cruise overall, so I know a thing or two about cruising.
For some families, when you think of a cruise or vacation you think you should go all out and spend as much as possible. For other families, you are always looking for ways to save.
You can save on your cruise vacation, without cutting back on the fun.
Let me share three easy ways to save on your next cruise. These are not the only ways to save, but we must start somewhere.
Saving on your cruise...
Take 1: Your Cabin Choice.
Some folks like to splurge and get an expensive cabin such as a balcony or an oceanview and some even get a suite. That's fine, if you have the money to splurge.
The problem is that most of your time is spent outside the cabin. Why spend all that cash on something that you only see at night for sleeping, or for the time of day you shower?
Family, get an interior cabin. Also, if there are four members in your family get one cabin - unless the kids are teenagers and you parents want some privacy. If the children are younger, get one interior cabin.
You can find interior cabins onboard ship that will sleep four or five guests. This will save a good amount of cash versus getting an oceanview or balcony or if you choose to book two cabins instead of one.
Note: Have your travel agent secure your quad cabin early, because ships have a limited number of cabins that hold more than three guests.
Saving on your cruise...
Take 2: Buying Cruise Photos
I can recall the cruises we took where we brought home multiple professional photos and they cost a pretty a penny. Today, my wife still has a stack of cruise photos simply lying in a corner of the house.
Why in the deep sea would you spend so much money on cruise photos, only to stack them in a corner?
The next question is: Why spend a ton of cash on cruise photos, when you have your own super smart phone camera?
I will admit that cruise photos are just the best. The ship's photographers are geniuses at using all the tools available to make you and your loved ones appear almost perfect in those photos.
That being said, you have a camera - multiple cameras in your family. You may not be professional photographers but take many pictures and some will certainly look great.
Learn what we did. On our last cruise this June 2024 aboard Carnival Celebration, we only bought two photos from the cruise line.
We have discovered that you can save money by cutting back on the number of cruise photos you buy.
Saving on your cruise...
Take 3: What About Those Cruise Beverage Packages!
Friend, I know that some guests get on a cruise ship and all they want to do is drink: drink their sorrows; drink their pain away; have a good time with a drink in hand...
If you know that you're going to go binge-drinking every day, then this suggestion will not work for you. You need to get a beverage package from the cruise line. If you don't, they may come take your house after the cruise because that cruise tab will be as long as the Mississippi River.
If, however, you can discipline yourself to two or three drinks per day, stay away from drink packages.
Drinks onboard ship are pricey. On our recent cruise, I ordered some non-alcoholic cocktails (moctails) on four different occasions and the bill was $11 each time - price of the drink plus the mandatory 18-percent service charge.
Beverage packages will cost a lot more and must be purchased for each day of the cruise. Consider paying $70 per day for a seven (7) night cruise and then adding the mandatory gratuity charge to that. Yes, you must pay gratuities with any drink package or drink.
I do not need a drink package when I travel and that may be also true for you and your family.
Another thing to note about cruise lines' beverage packages is that each person in your cabin must get a package. This is for the cruise line to guard against one person ordering a slew of drinks for members of his/her party.
Do you see how quickly this can add up and how much you can save by ignoring the drink package for your next cruise?
I hope you do...
Friend, I have shared three easy ways to save money on your next cruise. Taking a cruise is exciting and it's an idea that works beautifully for large families wanting a memorable vacation. However, most of you also want to save on your cruise vacation and do not have to break the bank to pay off your cruise bill when you get home.
Happy saving and sailing!