Well here is my list of Frugal Activities

[weaver145]

1st a pre-amble. A cruise for me is not a five times a year experience. It is a special event that I try to do often, but due to my lot in life, happens less frequently than once a year.

 

The following are my money saving tips for cruising. I can not say I have followed them all consistently, but here they go.

 

1st and perhaps most important is how much you pay for the cruise itself. If you are on this board chances are you shop around online. Once you find the cruise you want at a price you can afford seek the lowest net advertised price online. Then, call a trusted TA and ask them to match the price. once they match you can a) reserve or b) call around another reputable TA and ask them to beat the price you just got from reputable TA # 1. Cruise deals are typically discounted most in the March - April time frame. But dont book with just any travel agent. A super bargain can turn South on you if you dont stick with a TA that is solvent when your reservation needs to be paid in full.

 

Of course travel to from/ insurance / etc need to also play into the savings equation but that deserves a forum in and of itself (biddingfortravel comes to mind).

 

Once you are on the cruise concentrate on those things that are meant to separate you from your money while onboard.

 

Liquor: If you drink, shlepping your own is always the least costly. While the little plastic liquor bottles are popular you should only bring a handful of those. New Plastic shampoo bottles are my choice for packing liquor. Then use that to refill the little ones as they are used up. Since free fruit and ice are plentiful on board, a few bottles of mixers and a small personal blender is also a must have.

 

A soda card is a generally good deal if you drink soda frequently or plan on using it to mix drinks. I think that is money well spent. If the cruise line uses a special bottomless mug you may want to buy one on Ebay or from a traveller getting off the ship the day you board for say half price. If you are a water drinker (congrats) bring your own cases of water and simply attach luggage tags to them.

 

make a list and check it twice. You do not want to spend a dime on sundries or underwear on a cruise ship.

 

Port activities: mostly these are run by independent operators. When you disembark, typically you can negotiate a rate that is about half the cruiseline price . HOWEVER when you do so you are at your own risk. So be extremely careful that you only deal with a known reputable outfit or individual. Even then, if something happens and you cant get to the ship on time, you run the risk of being stranded in a foreign port. This one is not for orphans and widows. My personal view is that on some trips the excursions offer memories that last a lifetime and truly make the cruise a memorable event. Dont skimp here. If something is highly rated and sounds like something you would enjoy- DO IT!

 

Casino: if you consider it entertainment put a value on it and stop there.

 

Spa treatments: if this is something you wish for they can be very enjoyable. Know that you are paying up the wazzooo for the service. As an alternative you can bring your own mud and oils and have your partner or an obliging stranger give you a rub down. Hair treatments, nails, and pedicures can be obtained prior to going on the cruise for less money and will allow you to enjoy the cruise for that much longer.

 

Art auctions: pleeeaze enjoy the free champagne

 

Bingo: Hey it can be great fun on a cruise. if you like Bingo go for it.

 

Tipping: Great service is built on the back of tippers before you. If you receive great service acknowledge it with a generous tip and a personal thank you note. Use the cruiseship guidelines for satisfactory service. If the service exceeds your expectations, reward it with more money. Trust me working on a cruise ship is NO VACATION. Likewise if service is below a reasonable person's standard at any point deal with it then and there. DONT let a worker on for a week or more and then stiff him/her at the end. this is their livelyhood. If service is bad tell a supervisor and the situation 99.99 % of the time will be remedied to your satisfaction. I know this is not a money saving tip, but I cant emphasize enough that if you are going to save money Tipping should be off limits

 

Photos. Well a good camera and obliging company or strangers can take care of your pictures. While posing for the photographer ask someone to take a picture of you with your camera. Wait till the end of the cruise and if a picture really stands out fork it over. The pics are pricey but some of these portraits can be quite good and it sure beats hiring a photographer. Soon I am sure some enterprising business executive will decide to allow you and relatives to purchase pictures after your cruise by hosting them online.

 

Any comments?

[geoherb]

Between Thanksgiving and Christmas is another bargain time to cruise. And next year, you'll see lots of good prices on Caribbean cruises from late August through October. If your schedule is flexible, you can wait for last-minute deals. Sign up on various cruise websites and the cruise line websites for email notifications. I get a lot that are very tempting.

 

For drinks, check to see what your cruise line will allow. Some allow wine and champagne. For us, that's enough for a drink before dinner. The cruise lines that allow you to bring wine usually allow you to bring it to a dining room and will charge a corkage fee. It's worth it to us to drink a better bottle of wine. Also, some cruise lines will sell bottles of liquor relatively inexpensively--a little bit more than I find in our local ABC stores.

 

We bring along a couple of bottles of water and refill them from the tap. The ship's water is usually good.

[Speechless]

While at port in the carribean, walk around and ask cruise passengers if they would like their hair braided.

 

Follow paid tour groups from a short distance, try to remain within earshot to hear all the educational facts. When the tour guide turns around, look away and whistle inconspicuously.

 

Take photos, OF THE photos taken by the ship's photographer(s).

[RennFan]

Take photos, OF THE photos taken by the ship's photographer(s).

Really? I've seen RCCL take cameras from people trying to do this.

[jerzzgirl]

While at port in the carribean, walk around and ask cruise passengers if they would like their hair braided.

 

Follow paid tour groups from a short distance, try to remain within earshot to hear all the educational facts. When the tour guide turns around, look away and whistle inconspicuously.

 

Take photos, OF THE photos taken by the ship's photographer(s).

Oh, now that's thrifty!!!!!!!! :p

[Beckster]

:D :D I've done a few of the thrifty things mentioned above, have to save a buck here or there to afford cruising more then the average middle class person. I hate bingo, yet played it on our firstcruise, and won the BIG last day Jackpot for $3000. It paid for my next2 cruises!!

Leaving Saturday for cruise #6, and thats 6 in only 4 yrs!

Love it, wont go on vacation any other way !!

[TeresaJenkins]

While at port in the carribean, walk around and ask cruise passengers if they would like their hair braided.

Follow paid tour groups from a short distance, try to remain within earshot to hear all the educational facts. When the tour guide turns around, look away and whistle inconspicuously.

Take photos, OF THE photos taken by the ship's photographer(s).

LOL This has to be the funniest post I've read on this site.:D Great job!:cool:

[CruiseFever]

While at port in the carribean, walk around and ask cruise passengers if they would like their hair braided.

 

Follow paid tour groups from a short distance, try to remain within earshot to hear all the educational facts. When the tour guide turns around, look away and whistle inconspicuously.

 

Take photos, OF THE photos taken by the ship's photographer(s).

 

I did that in San Juan. We followed a walking tour of town and I was glad we had not paid for it! We don't take photos of the ships photos but we pose and our "cameraman" stands behind the ship and takes a few snapshots which often come out as good or better!

[suemecham]

We are far from rich, so we have to be very frugal to afford a cruise. Here are some additional ideas:

 

Using frequent flier miles -- find two or three cruises you'd like to go on about 10-12 months down the road. They need to depart and return back to port within a day of each other...Reserve your airline tickets using the least amount of miles with perhaps a day leeway. Delta lets you reserve 331 days in advance, so we got first class tickets this way.

 

BUYING ITEMS -- Make a list of stuff you want to buy and write down prices here in the USA so you'll know when you find a good deal.

 

PLASTIC BOTTLES -- instead of bringing large bottles of shampoo, aloe vera, conditioner etc pack the hotel mini-bottles. The large plastic ones expand and deflate in the airplane and explode. The mini-bottles can be thrown away as you go. I hate finding shampoo all over my suitcase!

 

LAUNDRY --- On the Triumph, laundry rooms were behind the middle elevators in the hallway with three washers and three dryers. Each needed four quarters. Use sandwich bags for a scoop of dry laundry detergent each and a bag for dryer sheets. On "at sea" days it only takes a minute or two and all your favorite clothing items are clean again! Pack a collapsible bag for laundry the rest of the time to bring home. There were two days where there was a "laundry special"...all you could pack into a laundry bag for $12 and they would wash, dry and iron (if necessary).

 

FREE FACIAL on board -- as soon as you board, call the Spa (or Salon) and see if they need a volunteer for the facial demonstration or any other demonstrations. It will only take a little more than an hour and the price is right!

 

INTERNET -- There is usually a drawing the first few hours for 100 free minutes... or free time to "try-it-out".... if you think you'll spend time here, get the package deals first and save $$$. This is a good reason to get the daily "newspaper" for the ship from someone that has already sailed...you have advance notice of what's going on and can prepare for it.

 

STAMPS -- (for Carnival Cruise Lines)...you can buy the postcard stamps you'll need for the next port-of-call at the purser's desk (they don't add a handling fee or anything).

 

MEDICINES -- (for the "Destiny" class Carnival Ships)....go to the infirmary, deck 0 forward (regular elevators by the atrium) and walk into the waiting room for free samples of seasick pills, Alka-Seltzer, aspirin etc. You don't have to even see anyone since the waiting room is separate. It has a weight scale too if you want to weigh your suitcase (or yourself).

 

GIFT SHOPS -- there will be a 25% to 50% sale towards the end of the cruise on clothing and jewelry on the Carnival ships.

 

PHOTOS - I suggest you find your own background, use your own camera, and ask someone to take it for you. Sometimes you can find the backgrounds ready for the photographers before they start and just take one there!

 

Hope I have saved you some money! Enjoy your cruise!

Sue

[racegrrl]

I agree with the "bringing you own wine aboard" tip. We did this on our cruise, just a $6.00 table wine, and I had a glass each night with dinner. Figuring the $10 corkage fee, it was still a deal, Just over $3.00 a glass per night.

 

Well . . . corkage fee is discrentionary by the server . . . our server liked us a bunch and we didn't bring bottles and bottles, only one glass a night, he didn't charge us the fee. So, I drank a glass of wine with dinner for about 60 cents! Yeah! :D It pays to be nice to your server I suppose!

[Deb in Cali]

Sue,

 

One of the best pictures of my DH and myself were taken by another passenger on formal night. We walked out on to the deck and found a life perserver with the ship's name of it. Stood next to it and ask someone walking by that also had a camera to take our picture. He thought that the idea was so good that he asked us to take their picture with their camera.

 

Deb

[Ta421sBtrHalf]

Take photos, OF THE photos taken by the ship's photographer(s).

 

 

I saw someone do this on the last cruise and told off the photographers because there was glare on their picture because they put them into glass cases to make sure someone doesn't try to take them. What a site!

[hiram]

just a tourist tip for photographing things in glass cases... as long as you photograph them at an angle, then the flash from your camera will not be reflected back at you, but off at an angle, and you'll get your picture. This works great in Disney world where alot of stuff that's really cool is behind glass.

[vivian02]

I saw the post from Beckster and I have to admit that Becky is pretty good. I met her and her husband in late May of 2003 on the Nowegian "Sky" going to Alaska. The day we were in Skagway Becky had ordered room service the night before so we all had sandwiches at Emerald Lake. Becky thanks for the tip. I hope the bingo money hasn't run out. Tim and Cathy

 

Norwegian Sky Alaska 05/03

Norwegian Star Hawaii 11/03

Royal Caribbean Spendor of the Seas Meditterean 05/04

Next Cruise Holland American Osterdam Baja 11/05

[seattleadjuster]

I like your point about not even thinking about scimping on tips for the crew. My wife and I have never received anything less than outstanding treatment. We've always tipped above the recommended amount.

 

While in Colon last year, my wife negotiated with two taxi drivers for a tour. The two drivers were negotiating on price: my wife was negotiating for the experience. When we completed the tour ($12 dollars each for a tour of the town and Panama Canal locks), she gave him the $24 plus a $26 tip. The cab driver thanked us, but didn't appear to notice the large amount of the trip . . . apparantly he soon did because he tracked us down to a store and brought us a gift!

 

His appreciation was one of our trip highlights!

[tetleytea]

Oooh I've got one I've got one!! If you can do it.... PACK YOUR BIKE! Don't know if your ground transportation can handle it, but it's perfectly legal to load your bike on the cruise ship. I've seen it done. It fits on one side of your bed.

[first cruise]

does anyone know if we can take our own alcohol on to the Funchal??

[catmand]

Hi there. I do think the tips are all well thought out, except:

Trying to buy one of the drink cups from a departing passenger?..............that creeps me out. I can see some guy wearing dark glasses and a raincoat saying something like:

"psst, hey there, yes you.....wanna buy a drink cup".....as he opens the raincoat to display about 20 cups pinned to the lining.

[OC Mom]

Hi there. I do think the tips are all well thought out, except:

 

Trying to buy one of the drink cups from a departing passenger?..............that creeps me out. I can see some guy wearing dark glasses and a raincoat saying something like:

 

"psst, hey there, yes you.....wanna buy a drink cup".....as he opens the raincoat to display about 20 cups pinned to the lining.

 

ROFL!!! Too funny! :D :D

[woodta63]

You guys are to funny. Those are some great ideas but I have to agree with catmand that the drink cup thingy just is a little out there... But made my smile....

 

14 days until Diamond to Alaska! Yahooooo...............

[EmJakeBubbie]

I like to walk around the casino and find all those uncashed out machines:D oh, and I have gotten very clever finding coins littered about on the floor:D and when the ship rocks often coins will drop down in those special machines...you know the ones? I mean, it's really "finders winners..losers weepers"......However, NCL is moving over to those cashless machines:mad: takes all the fun out of the hunt.

[mconthehighseas]

I really like suemeacham's tip about knowing before you go about prices on the things to buy. You can get good deals in duty free ports, but there are people out there who are not customer-service oriented.

 

Another thing to do related to that is to have a list of people you want to get souvenirs for, and price ranges. (Yes you can include yourself!) It really cuts down on impulse shopping.

[patrice1]

"Casino: if you consider it entertainment put a value on it and stop there."

Had to laugh, this is how DH & I play in the casino. We each take a roll of quarters & play till they're gone. On the N.Wind last year, we must have found the most generous machines in all of our cruises! First night, we each hit $100 right off. We stopped, cashed in, & put it in the room safe. Next night, DH hit $100 & I hit $700 with my first 4 quarters! Cashed out & put it in the safe. I hit $100 each night before dinner & we ended up having our on-board account paid for when we left, plus all our cash in ports, and came home with more money than we left with for the first time ever. We always used the same 3 machines. I even told others about them & they hit, too! I think there was something wrong with them, but for our week, they were wonderful.

We also try to be frugal so that we can cruise more and one way is to cruise in Sept. and/or Oct. Living in the Keys, we always think about hurricanes, but we feel safer on a ship if one hits because a ship is moving, lol. Prices are very good then, late booking is always easy & you don't have a lot of kids.

 

 

 

[mconthehighseas]

Patrice - I hope they move those machines to our ship in October! But I agree with you 100% about cruising in hurricane season. As long as you do not have to be at specific port on a specific day, that is THE time to cruise!

[AIMS312]

Another thing to do related to that is to have a list of people you want to get souvenirs for, and price ranges. (Yes you can include yourself!) It really cuts down on impulse shopping.

 

 

Yes, I second that idea. The last few vacations we've taken, I'd be in the shops looking at all of the pretty things and buy lots more than I should have. I ended up getting my niece three things because I had forgot I had already bought her a t-shirt the day before.

The shiny things and pretty colors take over my better judgement! ;)