What's the best way to save on a cruise?

[cb at sea]

If you bring books from your own, local library, it won't cost you a penny! (I never buy books!!!) So, that option isn't really a money-saver!

 

I think over-tipping is one of the biggest budget-busters most cruisers face--I don't know what it is about cruising, but many cruisers feel 15% of the cost of a beer isn't enough....what's up with that? You pop the top--15% is MORE than adequate!

Tipping the bus driver on an excursion--for what? You paid him to drive--he did his job...

I'm not saying that the "recommended" tips shouldn't be given--we ALWAYS tip those who serve us throughout the cruise--our room attendant, waiters,...but there have been times when the service wasn't up to par, and they didn't get a penny above the recommended amount.

 

We don't buy a bunch of souveniers or photos--if the event isn't special enough to remember without some physical evidence, then it's not worth remembering!

 

You don't HAVE to take excursions--going to the beach, or wandering the town is fine! I figure, if I want the entire "island" experience, I'll book a flight to that island, and stay there! For me, the SHIP is the thing--after all, it's what I paid for!

[gillianrose]

We don't smoke and we don't use any areas onboard where we are likely to encounter smoke.

 

That saves us plenty. :)

[chasetf]

I just can't imagine scrimping on vacation. What's the point? If one plans & prepares properly then one shouldn't have to nickel and dime it for heaven's sake. If I wanted a cheap vacation I'd just stay home, rent netflix & go out for dinner at Applebee's. How incredibly sad & boring.

I think some of us are aware of or concerned about the "other end of the stick".... mainly, going overboard. We set out a budget.... and do not deny ourselves anything....plan, then try to stick to it. It just means we want control of our spending, be aware as we go, and not be surprised when the bill is slipped under the door the last night, or when the monthly credit card bill arrives...... and then spend the rest of the year paying it off. :mad:

 

That does not mean we "nickel dime" or "go cheap". It just means we maybe plan a little more than others. ;)

 

It is interesting....there is another thread on this board where folks, in my mind, seem to be measuring how much they enjoyed their vacation by how big their bar bill was. Guess it is their "measuring stick". Now.... to me that is "sad & boring". :)

[GJClay]

Well if you were disabled and on a fixed income but loved cruising, you would be nickel and diming it! Believe me!:) We do scrimp, just so we can have a balcony cabin, and we also have to do the ships tours most of the time because they can tell/give us the correct information if it would be a tour we can do being disabled.

 

We might be boring to you but our friends love our company.:D

 

I'm glad you said it or I was going to! I feel so lucky to have been able to book a balcony on all our cruises thus far but consider this a privelege, knowing I may one day book an inside and be happy to have it!

 

Where do people live who say they would rather stay home if their vacations can't all be this, that or the other? I hear this from time to time; not only on these boards but it doesn't make sense to me. First, I would rather travel on some type of spending plan than not at all simply for the experience, and secondly, I don't travel to spend as much money as I can, anyway, it's for the experience of seeing other parts of the world and getting to know those of other cultures. Every one has a right to his or her own opinion, however!

 

I, too, and disabled and barely made our cruise last year, so feel lucky every time I am healthy enough to get on that ship.

[cv322]

So sorry for all the disabled cruisers & I sincerely hope your life gets easier somehow. I think, however, my point was missed completely.

 

I hope to never be in a position where I must pick & choose what I can spend $$ on while I'm vacationing. If I want to have 2 DoD's...I don't want to have to say to myself..."but if I do have 2 DoD's then I can't afford to buy the formal night photo"...Thusfar we've been truly blessed...we've worked hard, put 4 kids successfully through college, I earn a very nice income as does my SO. I get 23 vacation days a year, my SO is self-employed so his time off is different but not counted. We plan diligently for our cruises & I don't want to have to cruise with what a betting man might call "scared money".

 

This is not to say that persons who must be on a budget shouldn't cruise, it just wouldn't be a good vacation for me. This is my humble opinion only. I was referring to myself and no one else.

[gizmo]

Where do people live who say they would rather stay home if their vacations can't all be this, that or the other? I hear this from time to time; not only on these boards but it doesn't make sense to me. First, I would rather travel on some type of spending plan than not at all simply for the experience, and secondly, I don't travel to spend as much money as I can, anyway, it's for the experience of seeing other parts of the world and getting to know those of other cultures. Every one has a right to his or her own opinion, however!

 

 

I agree everyone has a right to their opinion.

 

It makes perfect sense to me. There are people who rather wait and save rather than skimp. I don't think they travel to spend as much money as they can. Instead, they save in order to take a vacation and be able to do the things they want.

 

There is nothing wrong with those that rather travel and be on a budget.

 

Everyone is different. ;)

[Happy ks]

What is important to one person may be meaningless to the next.

 

We save money by booking everything for ourselves. We don't use the options, such as cruise/air, transfers, insurance the lines offer. We have found we save enough over these costs to pay for a hotel room, dinner and breakfast the next day, plus we are at our leisure. The next person may feel it is worthwhile to spend extra for peace of mind and to not worry about making their own plans. We've traveled enough to know there are no worries to making your own plans, every airport has taxis, there are always an abundance of hotels near them as well.

 

We book our own shore excursions, always keeping in mind the return time. We don't book so closely that we would not return at least an hour before sailaway time. If we were to venture out far and wide with a possibility of cutting it close, then we'll take the ships tour. Unfortunately, every ships tour we've taken has been a disappointment.

 

We enjoy our wine with dinner, plus a few cocktails or anything else we may want to drink. We don't worry that the bottled water is costing us X dollars plus tip, if we want it we pay for it.

 

I'm one of the few who thinks the photography is a bargain since you don't pay a sitting fee and there are no minimums, only what you want. Try that at a land based photo studio, you'll pay hundreds for just a few prints, or the cheap department store places that pre-print their own choices.

 

We spring for a balcony now because I can no longer tolerate being in an inside cabin, an ocean view is getting too claustrophobic for me. When we first started cruising an inside worked OK, but we've slowly gotten away from them.

 

What is of little value to me is souvenirs, gambling, bingo, art and spa services. Not that I don't enjoy spa services, they are wonderful, but it's just too overpriced in comparison to land based spas. We haven't purchased a soda card in several cruises, our kids don't drink enough soda to justify the cost.

 

What we'll never compromise is gratuity to anyone who is of service to us. Even if we don't love the person, even if we can't see first hand (Maitre'd, head waiter, they are working to serve you, just not laying the food/beverages down in front of you), we'll not consider their service to us to be free, they are not our slaves. We've had a few less than stellar servers and cabin attendants and we've tipped the recommended amount with no additional added. I have little tolerance for people finding excuses not to tip. If you don't care for the service, file a complaint to make it better. Cutting the tip does not leave a message other than the person is cheap and their lack of service was justified.

[critterchick]

I like to get good value for my money, whether on a cruise or at home. I don't do or not do something to save money; I do/don't do it because (a) I enjoy it and (b) it's worth it to me.

 

So I don't go to the spa because the prices are absurd. I would rather find a reputable place on land and get the same or better treatment for half the price.

 

I don't care for bus tours - my idea of fun doesn't include having 50 other people trying to hear the same tour guide or being rushed through sights that I'd rather see at my leisure. So I either invest in a good guidebook or find something fun to do on our own. As for the ship not waiting for independents, that's true, but with proper research that concern lessens considerably. And it's a good reason to carry my passport when I go ashore.:)

 

I spend far more money on wine than I do at home because I'm on a ship, want wine with my dinner and am at their mercy. I've found some bottles that I find both tasty and fairly marked, but they tend to cost $40 or more, so that's hardly economizing.

 

I don't go to the art auctions or bingo because I find both to be tedious, not because I want to save money. I don't get drinks in souvenir glasses because I have enough in the cabinets for this lifetime.

 

I spend a little money in the casino, less tham $100 net. I get bored when I lose, so I'm usually quickly bored, although I've recently had some good karma following me around.

 

I think the specialty restaurants on RCI ships are superb and make sure to visit them a couple of times during a cruise. There may come a time when that's where we eat instead of bothering with the increasing chaos of the main dining room.

[chasetf]

.......This is not to say that persons who must be on a budget shouldn't cruise, it just wouldn't be a good vacation for me. This is my humble opinion only. I was referring to myself and no one else.

Realizing it is your humble opinion only, I would add mine, that says there are persons who want to be on a budget (but do not necessarily must be)....... and that is what makes it a good vacation for me. :) ;)

[firefly333]

You cant make sandwiches and take them off into any of the ports Iv been to. I see you are in the UK, so maybe the laws at the ports there are different. So, thats out, not breaking the law lol

 

Id say dont drink or gamble much and do independent excursions, you can keep down the costs. You can book a next cruise often, and Im a stock holder in Carnival and RCL so I get OBC for that. My TA usually either discounts or more OBC. so, tips are covered plus a few goodies.

[happy cruzer]

Try the money saving tips board on cruise critic. You will end up with a whole list of suggestions from folks interested in saving money and maybe miss the discussion of whether it makes sense to set a budget and cut some costs.

 

My way to cut costs is right up front. Cruise in the off season and do alot of research with a price target for an inside cabin and itenary. Exact ship/line, date or cabin is flexible. Which alot of people would hate doing. But by being very flexible I can get a huge saving compared to picking a cruise in high season.

 

Good Luck!

[Mark]

Best Way to save on a cruise? Tough question! I would say to stay home and do not take a cruise...you will save a lot of money!:)

[cruiseapril]

We save by buying wine packages. Not only do we save on the packages, but then we don't buy mixed drinks too often in the evening when we have wine for dinner.

 

We curb spending by not using the spas. Wish the spas had lower prices. I'd rather put money down on a future cruise than spend it on a seaweed wrap!

[notentirelynormal]

I guess I could save by not paying for my DD, SIL and 2 kids and/or my DS and DIL and kid.... Maybe not buying flowers for the cabins, or chocolate covered strawberries.... but I enjoy them so I will continue to do all the above. That's why I cruise. For the luxury of the time on board and the whole experience.

[sapper1]

Well if you were disabled and on a fixed income but loved cruising, you would be nickel and diming it! Believe me!:) We do scrimp, just so we can have a balcony cabin, and we also have to do the ships tours most of the time because they can tell/give us the correct information if it would be a tour we can do being disabled.

 

We might be boring to you but our friends love our company.:D

I don't think the poster was suggesting that you were boring, but rather that the trip would be boring if one couldn't relax, have fun and not worry about every little penny.

[mr green]

There is one cruise line that tells its staff to be good to the passengers, BECAUSE many of them have scrimped and saved to get on a ship, and they deserve the best.

 

john

[lady_cruiser]

One way we save money on a cruise is to make our own extra copies of photographs taken by the ship's photographers. If there is a photo that came out particually good, we'll purchase the smallest size we can, ask where we can get a release, and then when we get home we scan them and make additional copies.

[McHale]

My family and I just returned from our Alaskan adventure on the Coral Princess ( northbound)- will report soon! I feel compelled to respond to this thread. We paid the auto- tips, and gave extra to those we chose, but that was all that was in our account.We made the choice to not buy a coffee/ soda card, spend money at the casino or spa.....because this was an expensive trip for us. We made it happen though and do not feel deprived.We enjoyed the Orcas, dolphins, otters, and breeching humpback whales from our balcony and special deck areas. Enjoyed a cheese plate and crackers from the buffet with the wine we brought on board. We used public transportation at ports to see Totem Bight, Mendenhall Glacier, Botanical Gardens, and Gold rush cemetery . The kids got soda at port visits, had ice cream in the afternoon, and unlimited trips to the Horizon Court.

There was nothing better for us. than the time we spent together, relaxing on the balcony, listening to the ocean, staring though binoculars, being in awe at the extraordinary scenery in Alaska. We feel blessed to have shared the time in the presence of so many others who had pleasant smiles on their faces because they were doing what they enjoyed as well.

[Forchunut1]

For me it's not so much about saving money as it is getting the most value for the money I do spend. I normally do inside cabins because that means I can cruise twice a year instead of once. Yep, that saves me money, but more importantly, I'm getting more VALUE for my money. I don't do the spa thing, not because I'm trying to save money, but because there are other things I enjoy doing more. I don't normally do ship-sponsored shore excursions, not to save money, but rather because I like the variety and more personalized service I get from private excursions.

 

So, in the end, I am probably saving money with my approach, but for me its about the value. My $$ are hard-earned and I want to know that I am using them wisely.

[rman738]

We have a credit card through Bank of America that gives us 2% toward cruises in denominations of $500 or $800. Their "in-house" travel agency charges the same (as we have found) as the cruise lines or the major on-line cruise travel agents. We put just about anything we can on these cards and pay them off monthly. We cruised to Europe in 2006 and got $800 off our total price and our next cruise in April, 2009 we have an $800 credit already applied.

 

We also have another credit card that gave us some bonuses for 1) first joining then 2) upgrading to a higher limit. That earned us a free room for 1 night in Puerto Rico for our next cruise in April, 2009.

 

So far our savings has been almost $1000 to date.

 

You can also save on airlines. We don't bother with frequent flier miles but in light of what has been happening lately with the airlines changing flights, one can use that to your advantage. We booked a flight for PR which the airline changed our flights within a week of booking. We then found a better deal on another airline that posted the flights several weeks later. The original airline let us cancel without penalty as they made a unilateral change to our schedule. Net result, we save over $350 in airline charges for our next cruise.

[pris993]

We buy wine in port.

We take our own pictures.

We limit our casino time and amounts.

Play bingo last day only.

No spa packages.

Do ports on our own.

Buy flowers in port.

Shop for sale items on board only.

Do not drink soda.

Generally spend on average $30 a day aboard even so :D

[cruiserbryce]

pictures are a good one...those can get very expensive...we paid over $100 for a few pics on our first cruise...have never done it again since and have found it a great way to not spend un necassary money

[nychelle02]

Don't spend alot of money!

 

When I first started to cruise all of my extra income was spent on the cruise ticket leaving very little to no money to spend on anything else.

 

I have since kept that tradition when traveling and spend as little as possible with a planned splurge or two.

[chapichapo]

I think it depends on the type of life you live and the type of culture you come from. I am mostly interested in visiting the places and being at the sea, seing the mediterranean landscape from the sea and also to take an opportunity to have fun with my family. Fun to me is being at the beach, visiting sites, having a nice dinner with a view, reading a book in the balcony, listening to the sea as someone said, all simple things. In my country gambling and drinking are almost considered crimes and I really don't care about it, plus I'm pregnant. When it comes to soda drinking, again where I come from it is considered bad for your health, tea and water are fine to us. But buying books here is not considered a luxury, by no means, it is really normal and you don't think of it as spending money. Also, I'm thinking of doing one tour because it might be too complicated to do it on our own and we don't want to miss the boat but I find it more fun and relaxing to visit ports on my own. I'm traveling with my family, not with a bunch of tourists with cameras.

So I really don't understand those who can't imagine a cruise without spending. Can't you have fun without drinking soda? :confused:

[gillianrose]

What is of little value to me is souvenirs, gambling, bingo, art and spa services. Not that I don't enjoy spa services, they are wonderful, but it's just too overpriced in comparison to land based spas.

 

I agree about the spa services. It wasn't always true, though. When we started cruising 20+ years ago, massages onboard were significantly less expensive than on land. Now that has reversed, so I haven't booked a massage onboard in years.

 

Land-based spas, at least those nearby, are far more deluxe, too. You can spend the entire day in the spa areas, use Olympic-sized pools, lap pools for adults, hot tubs without kids, get as many non-alcoholic/non-sode beverages as you like, use the sauna, etc., use luxurious showers, with nice toiletries, etc. The tables are well padded and heated (as desired), the customer is swaddled in many sheets (white, so you can see how clean they are), the lighting is subdued, and the quality of massages is vastly superior to the Steiner girls.

 

It's unfortunate the direction shipboard massage has gone, as I used to look forward to shipboard massages, but I won't overpay for something of lesser quality. And I want to be free to tip as I please, not be forced into an 18% tip, regardless of the massage quality. How do I hate Steiner? Let me count the ways...