Money saving tips!

I’ve been slowly making my way through an 88 page thread about things you wish you had known before your first cruise. Amazing tips in that post! I had one more opinion question for you all. What are some of the best (most successful) money saving tips/items that you can recommend? It can be anything from planning a cruise to anything during the cruise….

Do not buy photos from the ship photographers.

Participate in your roll call to find out about deals on excursions that you can do on your own, or part of a group.

Share rides to and from airports. Instead of booking transfers though cruise line, search internet for taxi fares. Usually cheaper and faster.

Use free wifi in ports for communicating home, internet on board expensive.

Same with cell phones. Put them in airplane mode, just in case.

Use an experienced and well respected TA. For an upcoming Alaska cruise, our TA arranged a total 25% "discount" on the cruise line's original best deal at booking via a combination of OBC, gratuities and 2 cabin price reduction refunds including a sizable one after full payment.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I’ve been slowly making my way through an 88 page thread about things you wish you had known before your first cruise. Amazing tips in that post! I had one more opinion question for you all. What are some of the best (most successful) money saving tips/items that you can recommend? It can be anything from planning a cruise to anything during the cruise….

-Occasionally check the FareViewer to see if your price has dropped so you can get an OBC.

-Bring your one-free-per-person bottle of 750mL wine or champagne that you are allowed.

-Do not spend a lot on buying new clothes! My first cruise, being the typical girl, I bought a whole bunch of cute sundresses and shoes, etc. I am in my bathing suit 99% of the time besides for dinner.

-Smuggle alcohol. Yea I said it and am gonna hear a lot because of it, and it is a risk, but the truth is if you want to save money and you want to drink without breaking the bank, smuggling alcohol is an option that will save a lot of money if you are a moderate drinker.

Track fares for price drops. Money in the bank ; -)

Book your own excursions instead of the ship excursions. More fun and less money, always a great combo in my book.

Depending on where you are cruising from look to fly in a couple days early or leave a day later, if you have the ability to take the time off for this. For example, flying in on a Thurs night for a Sat cruise could save some decent cash on the airline cost. Flying in Sat for a Sun cruise an leaving on Sunday afternoon after the cruise can be some of the most expensive flights.

-Occasionally check the FareViewer to see if your price has dropped so you can get an OBC.

-Bring your one-free-per-person bottle of 750mL wine or champagne that you are allowed.

... .

Not all cruise lines allow one free per person. Some lines it is one per cabin and some lines have none free.

Eat on board the ship instead of in ports. You've already paid for that food. We arrange our excursions around eating time, usually a morning excursion, back to the ship to clean up and eat lunch and then back to the port sightseeing closer to the pier.

Avoid cruising during school breaks, holidays...etc...if you can. We have literally saved thousands by cruising while school is in session because the prices tend to be lower.

I know due to certain professions (ie school teachers) or for those traveling with kids and can't take them out of school, this is not possible.

Many cruise lines will give you your drink in a souvenier glass/cup and charge you for it. You may ask for your drink in a regular glass and save a couple bucks per drink.

Weird question I know. I am funny about hand soap and always take my own to a hotel. Can I do that for a cruise? I like to take my bath and body works liquid.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Weird question I know. I am funny about hand soap and always take my own to a hotel. Can I do that for a cruise? I like to take my bath and body works liquid.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Yes. You can bring your own soap.

Weird question I know. I am funny about hand soap and always take my own to a hotel. Can I do that for a cruise? I like to take my bath and body works liquid.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Ohh didn't even think to ask if you have joined your "Roll Call" lots of fun to get on the ship and already know someone onboard!

Go check it out :-)

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

Ohh didn't even think to ask if you have joined your "Roll Call" lots of fun to get on the ship and already know someone onboard!

 

Go check it out :-)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

Yes I found it last night. Thanks!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

There's also an entire subforum on money-saving tips but I'm still too overwhelmed by the rest of the forum to read it : http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=71

Not all cruise lines allow one free per person. Some lines it is one per cabin and some lines have none free.

Very good point, thanks for pointing that out. We always cruise Carnival which I know allows one bottle per person.

You can get On Board Credits in various ways. Owning stock in the cruise company, buying future cruise credits, veterans credits or pricing, using points from credit cards,state resident pricing and often from your travel agent. These can be used for gratuities or anything you purchase from the ship.

Depending on where you are cruising from look to fly in a couple days early or leave a day later, if you have the ability to take the time off for this. For example, flying in on a Thurs night for a Sat cruise could save some decent cash on the airline cost. Flying in Sat for a Sun cruise an leaving on Sunday afternoon after the cruise can be some of the most expensive flights.

Be careful with this. I recommend flying in a day early, just in case of flight delays. However you have to price things out if you arrive any earlier or stay additional days later. The added cost of hotels, food and sightseeing can add up quickly, and could end up costing you more money. Also book your flights as soon as you have your cruise confirmed. Prices are cheaper if booked months ahead.

Good way to save money is to cruise from a home port that you can drive to, and avoid flying all together. May only work for one or two cruises sometimes, unless you are near the Boston - Baltimore corridor, that gives a lot more choices.

Researching excursions/ports and doing as much ourselves as possible has saved a ton of money - in the past this has included some serious savings like stepping off the ship, meeting a group of 10 people from our roll call who had block-booked tickets on a train, and paying $40 instead of the $150 - yes $150 the cruise line wanted. It was the exact same tourist train, within walking distance of the boat - there was literally nothing extra from booking it with the cruise other than the organisation of finding 10 people in advance.

So always research and book your own if possible.

While this will initially cost you money in the beginning it can save you lots of money if you have to cancel your cruise. BUY CRUISE INSURANCE. Sorry for the caps, I'm not yelling just trying to make a point.

i love collecting the cups from the DoD and the special cruise ones, but i dont always like the drink in it or want to pay for it. our first cruise our room steward saw that i was collecting them and suggested that i look for ones just laying around and ask about if anyone wanted them. ohhhhhhhhhh that man was so wonderful.

now my grandkids use them for their tea parties and have all kinds of shapes and sizes.

i love collecting the cups from the DoD and the special cruise ones, but i dont always like the drink in it or want to pay for it. our first cruise our room steward saw that i was collecting them and suggested that i look for ones just laying around and ask about if anyone wanted them. ohhhhhhhhhh that man was so wonderful.

 

now my grandkids use them for their tea parties and have all kinds of shapes and sizes.

I've been doing that for years and years :)

I pack individually-wrapped snack foods from home, to take ashore when we're on excursions. That way, I don't have to buy a meal while we're off the ship. I like to pack cheese-and-crackers, or granola bars, or something like that. The little boxes of cereals that are available in the buffet at breakfast time are also good to grab. Just be reasonable...take one, not six!