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Cruising continues to be one of the most popular ways to see the world at leisure. In so many ways it’s a hassle free way of travel, and these days there are soon many cruises to choose from.
To start cruising like a boss you need to look out for ways to save money on your next cruise.
I hope you’ll manage to save some of your hard earned cash if you follow the advice that seasoned cruiser friends have added to my know how tips below.
Here are some of the things I’ve learned about cruising … hope they help you too 🙂
Table of Contents
Cruise like a Boss and Save Money
- When you’re looking for a cruise try and be flexible with dates.
- Look out for sales, definitely don’t pay the price quoted in a glossy cruise brochure. Look around on the internet for cruise deals.
- Don’t always book expensive ship tours when you’re ashore. Hire bikes, or walk and explore cities or ports on your own. You might also like to read Tips on Planning Cruise Shore Excursions.
- Do you really need to sign up for paid exercise classes? Use the gym (generally free) and the exercise room for your own keep fit routines. Or get up early when no one’s around and do laps of the pool.
- Carefully consider whether a ship’s beverage package is worthwhile for you. Sometimes they can save you money, but sometimes you might not be able to drink all that you’re paying for! (A cocktail at sunset is alluring though – for some ship’s cocktail ideas, take a look at the post: What’s your favourite cocktail?)
- Unless you have laundry included in your deal, don’t use the valet laundry service! Hand wash your clothes and hang them to dry overnight in the shower – or for larger loads buy tokens and use the laundromats and tumble dryers onboard.
- Photographers onboard are clever at photoshopping your image to make you look your very best – hint *no wrinkles*!! But there’s no need to pose for expensive ship photos when a snap taken by another passenger will do. So my advice is dress up for a few staged professional shots perhaps on formal nights, but avoid having port photographs taken (once you see them you will want to buy them!) If you’d like some advice on how to take holiday videos, check out: How to take better holiday videos.
- Internet onboard is expensive. Learn how to use it wisely. To save your data, write emails in Word and cut and paste them when you’re logged on. Same with reading articles – download the information while you’re online but save it for offline reading.
- Take advantage of smaller deposits and various discounts or credits by booking your next cruise while still onboard your current cruise. Generally, you are entitled to change your mind and chop and change itineraries at a later date, whilst retaining the price benefits of booking before you depart.
Have you got any tips for saving money when booking a cruise?
Have you any tips for saving money when you’re cruising?
Please share your tips in the comments.
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Great tips, Johanna. I’ve never been on a cruise and your list is going to be useful for when I do.
SSG xxx
Thanks SSG – glad they might be useful one day 🙂
Great tips.
Hang on, why is all that water slooshing out of the pool? Were the seas rough that day?
#teamlovinlife
Haha Leanne you are one observant chick! Yes it was a bit sloshy that day due to high seas!
We always love cruises because you can go so many places but only unpack once!! These are some fabulous tips!! Thanks Johanna!
jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
Unpacking only once is such a joy Jodie!
Fantastic tips Jo! I’ll come back to refresh my memory before I head off on my 2nd cruise (whenever that may be). The only thing I can think of right now to add is to make sure you take every medicinal item that you might need while you’re away. See a doctor before you go and equip yourself: of course take all your regular medications, also sea sickness pills, panadol, antihistamine, bandaids, antibiotics (just in case), etc. etc…..because seeing the doctor on the ship is SO expensive! #TeamLovinLife
Hi Min, Thanks – and what a great tip. I should totally have thought of that one. We took every medicinal item we could possibly need with us, and it saved us time and money.
Oh you’ve just totally burst my bubble! Expensive onboard internet!!! Nooooo!!! Although, I suppose it should be nice to just… disconnect for a while. I’ve been fantasising about taking the kids on a cruise for a while. One day!
Hi Rebecca, oh dear! I know, it’s not something you think about really is it. Hope you get to take the kids on a cruise, but definitely you’ll prob need to limit the Facebook or Snapshot usage!
As a bit of a “cruise queen” I can confirm these are all great tips 🙂
Hello Cruise Queen! Thanks for the affirmation Janet 🙂 x
fabulous cruising tips Jo, but right at the moment, now that autumn is creeping in, I am content to bush-walk in our great Western Australian outdoors. Happy travels Jo!
Aha, a landlubber! Hello dear Jill. Yes, I think this is absolutely the best time for bush walks in the beautiful WA outdoors.
I’m with you. Costs can get really out of hand if you let them. I just had a week in Tahiti pretty much internet free, which was rather a novelty (though we managed to find snippets of free wifi here and there rather than pay the horrible on board rates).
Well done you for going internet free for a week. I think it does us the world of good, but we are all so plugged in. Perhaps expensive onboard internet rates are the rein we need to hold us back from our normal 24/7 connectivity.
Is it hard to know what’s included and what’s not? With a captive (so to speak!) audience, I imagine they don’t *have* to be that clear, but that nicer ones will be.
I can confirm that Princess Cruises were pretty clear with what was included and what wasn’t Vanessa.I guess it depends on the cruise line though.
I have to confess to employing all of these money saving tips Jo. My hubby is very budget conscious and doesn’t like having to spend too much on extras when we are cruising. We do a few cruise excursions and then we do our own thing at some of the ports. We generally don’t purchase a beverage package either and try to eat aboard the ship most of the time. However if you are going to a foreign destination I think it’s important to taste the local cuisine. We are embarking on a cruise in 5 weeks time and we got a great deal with $999 flights, the beverage package and a couple of dinners in the signature restaurants included. 🙂
That sounds like a fabulous deal you’ve got there, Kathy! Have fun – I’m sure you will 🙂 Come back with some more money saving tips, won’t you 🙂