Free Activities

So my DH and I are going to be on a tighter budget than expected on our upcoming cruise. We have already booked the Steakhouse and we plan on buying Cheers, but after those two expenditures I would like to keep costs down as much as possible (long story short, our dog got sick and our roof started to leak). What do y'all do, that's free and fun that we could do? Bonus points if our mothers would enjoy as well as they are both single and probably going to stick close by. Thanks! :cool:

Drop Cheers

All of the "activities" are included. Things like Bingo and gambling will cost extra, but the shows, and games are all included.

There are several included dining venues, the pools are included...and if you do your research, (get a guidebook), you don't need to pay for excursions in your ports@ Most things are easy and cheap to do on your own, but you HAVE to learn something about where you're going. Libraries have guidebooks!!! Go check one out!

Drop Cheers

Seconded!

Drop Cheers and you are saving at least $85 per day for two people.

Instead you can take your own wine/alcohol on board. And/or limit yourselves to a set number of drinks purchased on board.

Most dining venues on Carnival ships are included, as are most activities.

Other things to do include the steam room, sauna, water slides and hot tubs.

Which cruise are you going on?

On most islands, you can do a simple walking tour or catch a taxi for a few $$.

My wife and I have gone on two cruises on highly limited budgets.

It is definitely doable.

Trivia games. Miniature golf.

Trivia, bean bag toss, playing cards, visit to library for books and games, tea time, comedy shows, mini golf, people watch, window shop, production shows, liquor tasting, port presentations, jacuzzi, watching sunset, all of which are free things to do on the ship.

My husband and I always go to the trivia games and the game shows. Those are our favorites. During the day we usually don't do excursions in port, but rather spend time walking around the area enjoying the local shops etc. We are just not excursion people unless we see something we just can't miss.

I would bring my own wine/champagne save on the cheers

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I would bring my own wine/champagne save on the cheers

 

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I would as well. Maybe purchase bon voyage. We are doing cheers on our next cruise but we see this as a splurge. We have never done anything like this before but this cruise we feel like we have the money. But if something came up and we no longer did, this would be the first thing we would cut.

Hello, On our Alaskan cruises in some ports we haven't done shore excursions because of the cost.

We have found some super things to do for little or no cost. I googled "free and cheap things to do in (enter the name of the port). You will probably find quite a few fun and interesting things to do.

We learned of a city bus to take in one port for $2 that took us to a totem pole park, with a really nice beach. Really cool stores to visit. Free or very cheap museums. A venicular up the hillside with a fantastic view of the bay with our ship visible.

Do that google, and I'm sure you will come up with some good ideas. Research is really the key.

We have lately been almost living in the Comedy Club. Go for the all ages show. (Last year a 5 year old won the "Hairy Chest Contest" so the comic focused on him for the all ages. Then we would go to both the adult shows. (different comedians) Took lemonade from the Lido with us to the comedy club to save on drinks.

I loved tea time! Reading (most ships have a library, so you could even borrow a book!), karaoke and dancing (they have free classes!) were the favorites of our group. I agree with bringing on your wine or champagne (and maybe a couple minis in your makeup bag ;) ) and ditching cheers. It'll make you breathe easier!

Remember, relaxing is free, so sit down and enjoy :)

a lot of posters above have suggested several of the activities aboard which are free / included - i agree with all of those. since you've been on a cruise before i assume you know about most of them, too!

one that i did not see mentioned, that FOR BONUS POINTS, i think your moms might enjoy is the afternoon tea - free tea, sandwiches and deserts on sea days.

i googled your ports and it looks like you're going to key west, nassau and freeport. you can easily do walking tours on your own, and stop in or spend some time where you like in key west and nassau.

in key west, check out this one - approximately 2 hrs (if you just walk around to each site, i assume - and i haven't done this one):

http://oirf.org/page.php?p=pelican

there's 51 sites for you right there. with these walking tours, you don't have to do ALL of them... but it gives you plenty of ideas and a general route to take!

for nassau, here's a walking tour from frommer's:

http://www.frommers.com/destinations/new-providence/722464#sthash.GZe9urGW.dpbs

that one, i HAVE done and it was great! it'll give you a good idea of the best sites in nassau, all free (!) - and you can spend a little or a lot of time at each. a few of them are good 'stopping' sites too - like at the queens staircase where you can get cheap cold water, or fort fincastle with the vendor booths set up to browse.

freeport is more difficult. if you don't want to plan anything, this is a port to just walk around the relatively small port area... there's really not much else that you can walk to. a $5 or so cab fare per person can get you to lucaya, but then you start spending money. if you plan ANY excursion, do it in freeport.

if you do, i find paradise cove offers a great value:

http://www.deadmansreef.com/

it gets fantastic reviews on tripadvisor and on these boards alike. for $35 you get transportation to and from the cruise ship, a few hours on the beach, and activities (there are a few choices) like snorkeling included. you can swim out from the beach and be in the middle of snorkeling in 2 minutes flat. i've gone there both times i've been to freeport - and EVERYBODY loved it - hard with a big group so that says something :)

where i don't agree with other posters is with dropping cheers. that's a matter of preference but if you've already decided to buy it, you've likely already decided it will be a good value for you. frankly, if you plan to have more than 4 or 5 drinks a day (which some of the above posters may not!) then it's a no brainer, and will present value. also, if you're trying to plan a cruise on the cheap - you may be taking more advantage of time on the ship - well, it's like an on-ship excursion. don't spend money at senor frogs and such in port, drink on the ship. i don't see that as an immediately equitable proposition as some above seem to... it takes all kinds though, whatever floats your boat, i say go for it!

anyhow, hope that helps! :)

Drop Cheers

i'd drop the steakhouse before i'd drop cheers, being realistic.

and to op, dropping that 35pp charge would pay for an excursion to paradise cove (mentioned in my last post above).

the lobster, prime rib and such isn't that bad in the mdr... food is included...

you'll pay for drinks a la carte without cheers, and assuming you'll have more than a few, you break even then realize value very quickly. many people drink on vacation... because, you're on vacation! :cool:

Seconded!

Drop Cheers and you are saving at least $85 per day for two people.

Instead you can take your own wine/alcohol on board. And/or limit yourselves to a set number of drinks purchased on board.

Most dining venues on Carnival ships are included, as are most activities.

Other things to do include the steam room, sauna, water slides and hot tubs.

 

Which cruise are you going on?

On most islands, you can do a simple walking tour or catch a taxi for a few $$.

My wife and I have gone on two cruises on highly limited budgets.

It is definitely doable.

Only 1 750 size wine per person and no alcohol. If they have just 4-5 mixed drinks each per day they will break even on Cheers.

Thanks for the tips everyone! Especially those of you who mentioned the tea time. I didn't really know about that and it sounds perfect for the Moms. We will stick with Cheers, only because I know that we will break even and then some. So for us it's a bit of a money saver. But this gives me ideas for while we're in ports and also some ideas for ship activities. I really appreciate it!:D

Several have mentioned Trivia. They have a lot of different topics for the games. Check the Fun Times for ones that might interest all four of you and play as a team.