Favorite money saving/thrifty tip?

[sharecruises]

Thanks Patrice...enjoy, you will have fun planning for Alaska...I can't wait :)

 

~~~~~~~~~~

More of "My" ideas

 

the Ports boards here are good...and also "bad"...

 

bad because some people on the Ports boards are soooo determined

 

They will get "attached" to a certain tour guide or company and they all jump on the band wagon

 

Yes, the tour may have been great...in 2009..2010...but what often happens is that as the "tour guide" gets successful, and gets raves on cruise critic and trip advisor, the local guide gets overwhelmed

 

Instead of the wonderful "Lawrence" or "Sonny" or whoever, you suddenly have people writing unhappy reports....their bus was led by "Cousin Joe" or "Brother in Law Bill"...and the van was shoddy or air cond did not work, the "guide" was not informative etc etc

 

These are small islands, small guide companies and they get greedy and they overbook

 

So....what I do...is I just talk to drivers right at the port...cut a deal...I find one who seems compatable

I do make sure they have local license etc...and away we go..for about $15 each (sometimes $10 in Grand Cayman)

 

It works out great...no waiting around for "other people to show"..I am not stuck with the guides "ideas"

 

NO "Cousin Jim" for me LOL

 

I have had wonderful booked right at the port tours more times than I can count :)

[sharecruises]

Another tip....sign up for Groupon, Living Social, other deal sites in the cities you will visit/port city ..months in advance (as I did for Seattle and "Anchorage/Alaska")

 

But before you buy a "deal" make sure it is near where you will be staying

 

You can also buy certs at restaurant.com...google to find the "code" to buy a $25 cert for $2 (apply to a $35 bill)..make sure you read the fine print

make sure it is near where you will stay

 

I also hav helped a lot of people who come in from out of town regarding the logistics for the south florida ports

 

Fort Lauderdale : often cheapest to fly into...if you are sailing from Ft Lauderdale, pick a hotel with free shuttle from airport and free/reasonable shuttle to the cruiseport

Location Location Location....make sure it is near both ports

Don't stay out in the suburbs....don't stay at a hotel without shuttles unless u have a car. Ft Lauderdale has airport and cruise port amazingly close and convenient to one another

 

Also do NOT be afraid to fly into one of the cities and cruise from the other...yes Miami is a "big city" but really only 30 miles from here LOL

Oftentimes Ft Lauderdale has the cheapest air fares

The whole area is set up for tourists...welcome welcome...so there are plenty of shuttles to whisk you from airport to either cruiseport

 

When I read some of these reviews I am wondering "what" are these people doing, running back and forth, dropping off rentals, riding shuttles, paying for a hotel and then parking a car at the port?? Google is your friend

 

IF you have a car, find a hotel that will let you park it there for the week (yes we do have them) ...this is a big saver

 

If you must park....use the (reputable) park and shuttle places right near the ports rather than the port parking. Also google for coupons...

IF you are subscribed to south florida Groupons and Living Social you will probably pick up deals....I had 2 this past year, just amazing deals

 

Use coupons (as stated above) and enjoy...also check out the many many many free magazines at your hotel and at every corner....lots of happy hours, lots of free drinks...lots of early birds and goodies for you here ..enjoy

 

IF you are staying in Miami I would suggest the La Quinta East which has a free shuttle from airport and free shuttle TO the POM. *you will then take a shuttle back to the airport. La Quinta East also lets you park your car there for a week while you cruise...huge savings

The Courtyard and Fairfield Inn in Doral also have some similar deals for park/cruise

 

Location Location....you may see a "cheap" hotel in suburbs but the logistics are going to eat up your money.

[Omega Mu]

Several years ago, on a thread right here on CC, I read of a great way to set aside money for a cruise and I've been doing it ever since. If it was your suggestion, THANK YOU!

 

Every time you get a $5 bill, put it in a jar.

 

I find that I am putting away over $100 a month with out even noticing the bite. I currently have over $1200 in my jar, and that's just since Sept.

 

One problem I had to overcome was that everytime I went to Starbucks and paid for my $4.30 drink with a $20, I would be given change of 3 $5 bills and the coins. Since I have seriously committed to putting away any $5 I received, that made my latte a $19.30 expense! I got around that by now paying with a loaded gift card (registered and earning free drink points).

 

My mother has started putting away her $5 bills too and has saved over $400 in a just few months for her upcoming trip to Paris.

[sunshine002]

They only have the juice available in the morning. I usually have an empty water bottle I fill with juice (on the lido deck) and put it in the fridge in the cabin. Then later in the day if I want to drink something other than water or Iced coffee or iced tea I have the juice.

[treasure4two]

They say not to do it but we have done it every cruise for 21 years. Take some plastic baggies and pack yourself a lunch so you don't have to buy lunches off the ship. Many people on this board are apparently outraged by this but it saves tons of money especially for families. The one thing I never forget to pack is zip lock baggies.

 

I do not understand why people would be outraged by this great idea?

I love it.

These outraged people- Are they the same ones that sneak bottles of liquor on and take off automatic tips?

[treasure4two]

I wish I could contribute my ideas, but this will be my first cruise!! I will summarize what I'm doing to save $$.

 

• I will pack an alarm clock, a GPS (to name islands we pass), a sharpie and highlighter, zip locks, a multiple outlet plug-in, ipod and speaker.
  

On the alarm clock, make sure it is wind up not electric-as I heard the movement of the ships engines can effect the electrical clocks-not sure why, but that is what I heard.

Most important-have fun-that i s free!!

[TriciaEMTB]

I do not understand why people would be outraged by this great idea?

I love it.

These outraged people- Are they the same ones that sneak bottles of liquor on and take off automatic tips?

 

Because its illegal.

 

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[elcuchio24]

BV liquor. And we don't go to the spa or gamble.

[michelle1836]

I just saved a bunch of money by switching to Geico :)

 

That made me laugh!!

 

we bought pictures our first cruise but havent since. I take about 1500 pictures a cruise so some of them are bound to be frame worthy!

 

unfortunately I dont have the luxury of going off season but we book early saver and hope for lots of price drops :)

[MomofBoyz]

Book during hurricane season.

 

Book early.

 

One picture only.

 

Bring wine on board, pour glass and carry it into MDR (this is not against any rules, according to MDR staff....perfectly fine).

 

Go to The Dig at Atlantis after 9:00 pm - free when we did it, twice.

 

No cakes, rentals, flowers, etc. Enjoy what's included.

 

Lower decks, man! Rough seas are miserable the higher up you go.

 

Use the gaming coupons in Fun Times for the casino, if you're a player.

 

Bring nuts, crackers and such for the room. Save on room service tipping.

 

Priceline the hotel night prior. We stayed in a Staybridge Suites for $40 that included breakfast for everyone so we arrived full and happy. A real bargain.

 

Ross for ladies - great cruise clothes for very reasonable prices.

 

Note on the carrying out foods - I know it's a touchy subject but please consider that endangering the environment and native plants in another ecosystem is not worth saving $5. Just ask the carp eating up local species or the cudsue taking over farmland in the south. Buy a sandwich and know it's worth it for the good of the whole!

[gfh77665]

 

• I will pack an alarm clock,
  

On the alarm clock, make sure it is wind up not electric-as I heard the movement of the ships engines can effect the electrical clocks-not sure why,

 

 

Are the rooms aboard Carnival lines furnished with alarm clocks? Thanks.

[MomofBoyz]

Not on any of our cruises. We bring one since we are phone dependant for time telling and phones are turned off.

 

We've only sailed Fantasy class ships, though. Bigger ones might provide.

[michelle1836]

 

 

Are the rooms aboard Carnival lines furnished with alarm clocks? Thanks.

 

no but you can get a wake up call

[NKsDogWalker]

 

 

Are the rooms aboard Carnival lines furnished with alarm clocks? Thanks.

 

Sadly they don't.

 

I have an iPod dock alarm clock. It is small and can be loaded with batteries if you don't want to plug it in. I love it because I can listen to my own music in the room and it it takes up very little space (it is about the size of of a 20 oz bottle of soda sitting on its side)

[sharecruises]

I would never use the spa services (My nickname is Esty cause I am an esthetician LOL)

 

IF you have some time in Ft Lauderdale /Miami or Orlando you could get a Steiner treatment for pennies on the dollar cause the Florida College of Natural Health is a "Steiner Institute" and probably one of the best schools around for massage/facials/body treatments

 

 

http://www.fcnh.com/

 

FYI : I am told that all the Steiner cruise employees do come here for advance/cruise specific training (most of them are from UK/Eastern Europe) but they learn Steiner policies here in Florida

 

ask for a "senior" student and enjoy :) Same products they use on the ships

Public Clinic

 

Relax and enjoy the healing properties of massage therapy at one of our massage and skin care clinics for only $25. That’s right – get a 50-minute, full-body massage for only $25!

Our student massage therapists are trained in acupressure, cranial sacral therapy, injury massage, reflexology, sports massage, Russian sports massage, structural bodywork, Swedish massage, and trigger point therapy.

Get a European Facial for only $30! – An hour treatment that includes cleansing, skin analysis, exfoliation, extractions, massage and mask therapy. Includes an arm and hand massage! Elemis products are personalized to your skin care needs.

[Herfnerd]

We use many of the tips that have already been posted. One I haven't seen - we are not soda drinkers and have noticed on occasion that the ships water can taste.....off. We bring several bottles of Mio and that solves the issue

[NKsDogWalker]

Here are a few tips from me:

 

Pack Aloe (you might need it even if you don't think you will)

 

Don't forget minor first aid items, Advil and Tylanol (you never know when you might need one or both) bandaids and triple antibiotic cream (in case you cute your heel on a pop top ;) ) "tummy trouble" OTC meds (sometimes being on a ship can do strange things to our digestive systems) finger nail clippers (I didn't bring any and I broke a nail and had to seach out a pair)

 

If you are traveling with other people find out who isn't a drinker and see if they wouldn't mind bringing a bottle of wine on board for you.

 

If you can buy the alloted amount of soda or bottles of water on the ship at. The cost of bottles of water adds up VERY quickly.

 

When traveling with a bunch of people buy one photo of the group and scan it when you get home and e-mail to friends or "tag" them on FB (this might not be legal with copy write laws... but who is going to know? LOL)

[Athankfulheart]

For those booking excursions directly, keep in mind the time difference. When booking through CCL the excursion time is ship time, and when booking direct it's local time. This got us the one time we booked direct.

 

I booked through CCL because I feel better with the guarantee that the ship won't leave without me! I'm the type that worries a lot

 

 

We have never done a ship sponsored excursion. If you deal with researched, reputable companies, then you should have a fine and stress free experience. One example is this : When we got to our driver in Roatan this March, he asked us what our back aboard time was as well as what time current ships time was. He already knew this info it seemed but we all discussed and agreed on our days schedule in advance to be sure and double sure of being back with more than enough time to spare. We allowed extra time for the back aboard and sure enough arrived ahead of that. These people reply on review sites such as this one for their future tourist business. They aren't going to be foolish and have you us miss our ship.

[dettlja]

With small kids, you can bring the packaged cereals and such off the ship for snacks.

 

Best tip so far- and not just for the kids. We always grab at least 4 of the little boxes of cereal from the breakfast buffet and take them with us on excursions. Lucky Charms and Fruit Loops really hit the spot on the boat ride back from snorkling and can help hold you over until you can get back on the ship for something more substantial.

 

And, they are pre-packaged so you don't have to worry about the local agriculture.

[MomofBoyz]

A note on this to make it even better - on our last cruise we ate breakfast in the MDR. The waiter was more than happy to bring us the little boxes of cereal. No problem.

 

That saves grocery money at home AND packing space!

[Lady_Jag]

A note on this to make it even better - on our last cruise we ate breakfast in the MDR. The waiter was more than happy to bring us the little boxes of cereal. No problem.

 

That saves grocery money at home AND packing space!

 

I order the boxes from room service by filling out the breakfast card the night before. That way, I can set the delivery time for when I want to wake up, and my picky little one gets a snack for when we're in port.

[elcuchio24]

Several years ago, on a thread right here on CC, I read of a great way to set aside money for a cruise and I've been doing it ever since. If it was your suggestion, THANK YOU!

 

Every time you get a $5 bill, put it in a jar.

 

I find that I am putting away over $100 a month with out even noticing the bite. I currently have over $1200 in my jar, and that's just since Sept.

 

One problem I had to overcome was that everytime I went to Starbucks and paid for my $4.30 drink with a $20, I would be given change of 3 $5 bills and the coins. Since I have seriously committed to putting away any $5 I received, that made my latte a $19.30 expense! I got around that by now paying with a loaded gift card (registered and earning free drink points).

 

My mother has started putting away her $5 bills too and has saved over $400 in a just few months for her upcoming trip to Paris.

 

Wouldn't work for me. I hardly ever touch hard currency.

[taragl]

Our biggest money-saver is booking during off seasons. We're from Vermont, so we don't mind slightly cooler weather one bit. Going during a school week has sometimes equated to hundreds of dollars in savings on the cost of the trip.

 

This year, I'm homeschooling DS13, so I simply give him a school break whenever we travel. Next year, he'll be a freshman in high school and the trips we plan will have some educational merit (Rome, Athens, etc.) so I'm working with his school to ensure that missing a week won't derail his progress.

 

I use those hundreds saved to buy all of the little "extras" that add up quickly. I also have an automatic bank transfer set up from our main checking account to our vacation account, which no one can access except for me. This stops everyone "pecking" at it with little debit purchases here and there. Tax refunds go there, as do DS' work bonuses. We have enough in there to do all of our extras on this sailing, plus put down a deposit on next year's Europe cruise. Since the money never touches regular checking, no one is tempted to use it.

 

Another important thing to do is to make a detailed packing list. Those little items you forget become pricey purchases on board (sunscreen, aloe, tums). And a list can come in handy... last year we had a natural disaster closing in our our town and we had to evacuate a few days early for our cruse, leaving the house within 45 minutes. Luckily, I had a printed packing list and I just gave everyone a page and we threw it all in the back of the car. At our first hotel, we stopped and re-packed it all. We only forgot one item in all of the rush!

[Out to sea!]

 

 

Are the rooms aboard Carnival lines furnished with alarm clocks? Thanks.

 

I have stayed in every cabin type except for suites and none of them even had a clock in the cabin, much less a clock with an alarm. A deficiency that I wish Carnival would correct.

[TriciaEMTB]

Several years ago, on a thread right here on CC, I read of a great way to set aside money for a cruise and I've been doing it ever since. If it was your suggestion, THANK YOU!

 

Every time you get a $5 bill, put it in a jar.

 

I find that I am putting away over $100 a month with out even noticing the bite. I currently have over $1200 in my jar, and that's just since Sept.

 

One problem I had to overcome was that everytime I went to Starbucks and paid for my $4.30 drink with a $20, I would be given change of 3 $5 bills and the coins. Since I have seriously committed to putting away any $5 I received, that made my latte a $19.30 expense! I got around that by now paying with a loaded gift card (registered and earning free drink points).

 

My mother has started putting away her $5 bills too and has saved over $400 in a just few months for her upcoming trip to Paris.

 

I put my loose coins in my monkey head. I currently have ~40 for OBC!

 

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