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Question for Super cruisers... Like Firefly

btrbill

By btrbill,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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btrbill

btrbill

Posted
Posted

"Triumph, 11/7/11, Magic preview 11/13/11, Oasis 11/26/11, Jewel 3/22/12, Jewel 4/19/12"

 

Ms. Firefly, I saw this is your signature in another thread and wanted to ask you, and other supercruisers, a question... With 5 or six cruises in 6 months, how do you keep your S&S account reasonable?

 

I have only been on one 5-day cruise, and took one moderately priced excursion, and my balance was $475!! And I drank very little!

 

I am about to retire in August and plan on cruising as much as we can, but on a fixed income, I see the need to keep costs at a minimum,

 

Thanks in advance for your tips!!

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scgamecock

scgamecock

Posted
Posted

I'm not Firefly and I'm definitely not a "super cruiser" compared to others here, but since I am cruising 20 of the next 65 or so days... I feel qualified to give you a few tips...

 

  • If you're a drinker... Use Rum Runners. If you're too chicken to smuggle, buy a bottle or two for your cabin through Bon Voyage
  • Arrange a meet&greet open bar party ($15/pp) for your roll call and drink up
  • Arrange a farewell open bar party ($15/pp) for your roll call and drink up
  • Use drink coupons to budget/save 15% on the drinks you do buy onboard.
  • Carry on your allotted amount of soda & wine
  • Get a soda card if you drink a lot of sodas
  • Don't drink anything from the room minibar
  • Research free/inexpensive activities to do in the ports instead of paying for the ridiculously priced Carnival excursions
  • Avoid all of the Carnival photo opps & take your own pictures
  • Use photo coupons to budget the photos you do want to buy
  • Pre-pay your tips when you book your cruise
  • Avoid the gift shop & casino
  • Buy & use FCC's or book your next cruise onboard
  • Avoid the steakhouse and any extra cost venue/activity
  • Check you final S&S bill for mistakes. I always find overcharges.
  • Don't park at the port. Use the $5 per day with free shuttle services
  • In ports, don't fall for the beggar/vendor scams. Learn to say no, firmly, but politely.
  • Book an inside cabin and use the saved money to do more activities while on the cruise. How much time do you really spend in your cabin anyways?

 

I'm cruising 10 days in Dec & another 10 in Jan and I expect my OBC to cover my S&S bill 100%.

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skylock

skylock

Posted
Posted

Take the cheapest cabin.

 

Don't drink alcohol or gamble or play bingo or buy pictures or anything else that cost extra. (my S&S card is usually tips only)

 

Buy independent excursions. I like to dive. I use the same dive shop. Even when I don't no diving, I still stop in to see them.

 

I live close to port or 6 hours away to the next port.

 

If you are cruising for a "vacation" the extra cost things are ok, but if you are using the cruise ship to get to where you are wanting to go, they are not needed.

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golfadj

golfadj

Posted
Posted

A few suggestions to offer

 

Purchase and FCC and will save $ 100 per cruise.

 

Become a stockholder and get back 100 obc for a 7 day cruise.

 

Get a carnival MC and use it for carnival related activities for more obc.

 

Take independent tours. Watch your spending on the ship including drinks and casino.

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skylock

skylock

Posted
Posted
Last cruise my sign and sail bill was for a Choc Mocha drink that I just had to try.

 

 

I prepay as much as possible before we even step on the ship.

Excursions, tips. etc.

 

In what way would prepaying things save the OP any money?

 

It is still the same amount paid upfront or at the end. I think the OP was wanting ways to Save some money by mentioning being on a fixed income.

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beachbum53

beachbum53

Posted
Posted

In order to take more than one cruise a year, I'm guessing it helps if you're either already retired, or have a job where you get more than one week's vacation per year. It probably also helps if you don't have kids still at home or pets to deal with. And of course, your level of income.

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nonna5

nonna5

Posted
Posted
"Triumph, 11/7/11, Magic preview 11/13/11, Oasis 11/26/11, Jewel 3/22/12, Jewel 4/19/12"

 

Ms. Firefly, I saw this is your signature in another thread and wanted to ask you, and other supercruisers, a question... With 5 or six cruises in 6 months, how do you keep your S&S account reasonable?

 

I have only been on one 5-day cruise, and took one moderately priced excursion, and my balance was $475!! And I drank very little!

 

I am about to retire in August and plan on cruising as much as we can, but on a fixed income, I see the need to keep costs at a minimum,

 

Thanks in advance for your tips!!

 

I cruise a minimum of 10 times a year so I will give you my two cents worth:

 

1. On your first cruise you usually always spend more - at least you have the first one over.

 

2. I always leave my tips on my sail and sign. So I budget it in.

 

3. I do not buy any extras - like alternative dining. If they offer it for free during lunch then I do that. I just got off the Magic and the Italian restaurant was free for lunch. The steakhouse has a tasting one day.

 

4. I am not much of a drinker - I bring my bottle of wine onboard, my sodas on board and usually will by a couple of drinks other than that. I do not smuggle alcohol. But that is just me. I go to the past guest party and any other free party they have on board where are drinks served and have a couple.

 

5. I do not usually book ship excursions. I research the ports and then either book with an outside excursion or explore on my own.

 

6. I do not buy the ship pictures and are not tempted to because I never get my picture taken from the ship photographers. I take my camera and take pictures myself or ask a fellow passenger to take a picture of me.

 

7. Buy the future cruise certificate on board and you will have onboard credit.

 

8. I do have the Carnival credit card and use it for onboard credit as well. I put all my monthly charges (utilities, etc). on it and pay it off when the bill comes in.

 

9. I always book the cheapest cabin onboard. I am only in my cabin to sleep and bath. You meet more people when you are about the ship. I also like to read up on deck.

 

10. I don't gamble - I am the unluckiest person there is when it comes to gambling. But if you do limit it to how much you want to lose per day and do not go over it.

 

11. Also set your limit for shopping and stick to it. You will find the more you cruise the less you shop. I usually only buy and magnet of the ship in the gift shop if I have not been on the ship before and I always buy the Groove for St. Jude t-shirt for $10. I love supporting St. Jude so that it is just me.

 

12. I usually do not have any sail and sign bill (after my onboard credits) if I follow these rules.

 

I just got of the Magic and I did book a excursion to Chichen Itza at night since we did stay overnight in Progresso and I knew I would never be able to do it again. Even so with tips, magnet, t-shirt, a couple of drinks and excursion when I got off my sail and sign bill with $21.

 

Hope this helps.

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realtyexecdeb

realtyexecdeb

Posted
Posted

Wow! Some great tips here...I sailed the month of October: 2-day on NCL Pearl and put 0 in my S&S account...my tips were prepaid and NCL sent me a bottle of wine...all set! Next I did a 4-day on Immagination and $40 went to tips and @ $27 for drinks I bought (brought on a rum runner) and JH sent me a bottle of Champagne. Next was a B2B on the liberty...more Champagne from JH and I purchased a bottle of rum on the last night of the first leg and brought it to my cabin for the next leg. The only purchase I ended up making was for a book that was $10--but that was just poor planning on my part! I've since bought a Kindle! You can sail on a budget....I also have donated $10 for St Jude's kids on 3 of my sailings since I would rather give the $$$ there than buy a picture or gamble. Buy FCC's---a great investment and fully refundable if you choose not to sail. Happy Sailing to All:D

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firefly333

firefly333

Posted
Posted

Hi OP, just saw this. Well, on Triumph, I was solo, and I got the OBC for both stock and FCC, so thats $100 just for me, on a 7 day thats $200.

 

I had two price drops for another $120.

 

I already have 1 or 2 bottles of booze of everything I like in the shops onboard, but I did get one bottle of Grand Marnier to bring home.

 

I own almost every sparkly shirt they have had out for years lol. Got 4 more last cruise.

 

I dont buy pictures, sometimes buy excursions thru Carnival.

 

Carnival seems to heap money on me to pay my onboard accounts lately.

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firefly333

firefly333

Posted
Posted

Get a carnival MC and use it for carnival related activities for more obc.

 

I have the RCL VISA card, who has always been ahead of Carnival for ease of use. Now RCL has a link on your booking where you can just click it to add OBC or discount from your points on your VISA card.

 

Carnival used to make you book with their TA, even if its easier now.. RCL VISA has always had them beat for ease of use. All you need is your booking # to do it easily yourself.

 

I also a few months back got the SW card, and they gave me enough free points for 3 round triip flights or 3 1/2. I booked both of the flights to Tampa for Jewel with free SW points, so that helped ease the pain of flying to Tampa twice within less than one month (dumb I know, but I get heck of deals on those two group cruises).

 

I also book groups that have highly discounted prices mostly .. lately at least, though Triumph was thru my PVP to use a 20% off I had from the Sept before.

 

I stay at inexpensive hotels. I booked this Friday thru lastminutetravel for $42ish including taxes and for that low price I have free airport and free port shuttle .. SWEET!! I dont care if the room is fancy, says nice restaurant on the premises and free breakfast in the morning, and comfy beds .. can be the ugliest room, Im by myself, no one to impress.

 

I booked hotels next spring thru pricelines, and hotwire, both really nice hotels, less than $65 total for 3 and 3 1/2 stars with suites both times.

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Cruzaholic41

Cruzaholic41

Posted
Posted
"Triumph, 11/7/11, Magic preview 11/13/11, Oasis 11/26/11, Jewel 3/22/12, Jewel 4/19/12"

 

Ms. Firefly, I saw this is your signature in another thread and wanted to ask you, and other supercruisers, a question... With 5 or six cruises in 6 months, how do you keep your S&S account reasonable?

 

I have only been on one 5-day cruise, and took one moderately priced excursion, and my balance was $475!! And I drank very little!

 

I am about to retire in August and plan on cruising as much as we can, but on a fixed income, I see the need to keep costs at a minimum,

 

Between booking future cruise open bookings and receiving other OBC and free benefits for being a frequent cruiser, my on board account stays very low.

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big_duck

big_duck

Posted
Posted
Also do not park at the pier.

 

plenty of off site parking places available some with shuttles and some cheap enough even with paying for a cab major savings to be had.

 

If you are coming in the day before, find a hotel that will let you "Park & Cruise" for no extra charge.

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mapsmith

mapsmith

Posted
Posted

Our Sign and Sail usually is within $10 of the Tips.

 

1. We take (took) advantage of the Free Drinks when attending the Captain's Party or the Welcome Back Party. Other than that no alcohol or sodas. (Plenty of Lemonade and Ice Tea available on board)

 

2. Usually don't take Excursions unless there is something we REALLY want to see that is inconvenient to walk to. (Xunantunich in Belize for example)

 

3. Partake of the FREE things on board. (Trivia, Karaoke, sleeping during the day on the Lido, People Watching.)

 

4. Carnival Stock.

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golfadj

golfadj

Posted
Posted

1. We take (took) advantage of the Free Drinks when attending the Captain's Party or the Welcome Back Party. Other than that no alcohol or sodas. (Plenty of Lemonade and Ice Tea available on board)

 

No more free drinks at capt party, ruined a very nice event.

 

However do have free drinks at farewell party.

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Miller_KC

Miller_KC

Posted
Posted

Shop for the lowest priced cruise. If the ports don't matter you can always find a good deal and booking during hurricane season drops the price but you might have your ternary changed at the last minute, or get fewer ports. Right now the western Caribbean is a pretty good bargain and the west coast of Mexico.

 

Winter departures from Baltimore to the Bahamas get pretty cheap too.

 

I rarely pay extra for food on the cruise since there is so much available that is already included.

 

I often even arrange my port days to be back on board for lunch then go back out.

 

We don't drink a lot so we get about all we need from:

  • One DOD for sail away
  • The past Guest Party
  • The rum sampling in the shops
  • Champaign at the art auction
  • The farewell party at the end of the cruise
  • And sometimes drinks are included in some shore excursions

Unfortunately I do spend a lot on the Carnival photos but we haven't paid for any on-shore studio portraits for 10 years now.

 

Once you get to your 10th cruise you can get laundry done for free (among a few other perks).

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