Cruises are an excellent value. Food, entertainment and many onboard activities are included in the price of the trip. Still, it is easy to overspend if you’re not careful.

Where can the spending add up? Watch the beverages, shore excursions, spa treatments and items ship sell onboard. Many are over priced.

Talk to your travel agent about the port you are visiting and read online blogs. In many islands you can just walk off the ship for shopping and beaches, where on others you will want to buy an excursion or take a cab.

Spa: Want a relaxing massage or facial? Regular prices are about 20 to 30% higher than you would pay at a local spa. The best time for a Spa treatment is the days you are in port, where they will run $20 to $60 off per treatment. Keep in mind even if you have an excursion planned for the day, the spa is open until 10 p.m. Try to avoid getting your hair & nails done onboard. They are expensive and usually do not offer any specials on these services. Also, they will try to sell you products at the end of your treatment. Ask questions and write the name of the items down but purchase it when you get home. You can usually find cheaper price on the internet. Elemis for example often offers 10% off on online purchases.

Consider purchasing packages, such as the soda, wine, beer, coffee or ice cream programs. I was recently on a 7 day cruise where it cost $29 per person. When you consider that each soda costs $3, and my husband usually drinks a minimum of 5 per day, he easily would have spent $80 or $90 on soda versus the $29.  Tea, coffee, milk & juice is free onboard, but name brand coffee such as Seattle Best or specialty coffee drinks, there is an additional charge. Ice cream can be ordered each night in the dining room with your choice of topping and whip cream, so perhaps pass on the $3.50 ice cream sundae and wait for dessert. You can always order 2 desserts if something else on the menu interest you. Chocolate cake with a side of vanilla ice cream perhaps?

Internet: Wifi connections are great on the newer ships, but again this can get expensive. Purchase a package prior to using the internet. Minutes can go for over .70 if you do not purchase a package, but drop down to .30 to .50 on average depending on usage if you buy one of their packages. Some ships run specials the first day of the cruise where you get 10 to 30 minutes free if you sign up for a package that day so check your cruise bulletin.

Specialty dining: In recent years ships have now offer restaurants that have a cover charge.  The food & service in these venues are usually top notch, but if you are on a budget, you can skip it without being cheated. It’s not that $20 or $25 is not worth it for Brazilian Lobster or Kobe beef, but depending on  the ship you are on, there is usually a great selection in the regular dining room without paying additional. The menu’s are posted early each day outside of the dining room, so take a look and see what interests you. If you don’t feel like dressing up, then the buffet usually has the same items being offered in the formal dining room.

Gratuities: Your bar bill include 15% tip each time you order. There is no need to tip additional money, unless you feel the service is “above and beyond.”

Watch the casino! Cruise lines are making it easier for you to spend your money. On many ships, In the slot machines, you just insert your room key and you can deduct the amount you’d like right from your account. It is harder to keep track of how much you are spending versus using cash, since no receipt prints out. Best bet is to have a budget in mind for each night, take cash and walk out when it’s gone.

Last but not least shopping. Although items onboard are duty free, chances are you can purchase the items cheaper in port. You can “negotiate” with local vendors most of the time to get the price down, where on the ship it is a fixed price.  Also be aware of the shopping allowance per person. When visiting the Caribbean, you are eligible for a $800 pp exemption. You may also bring back 1 liter of alcohol, up to 200 cigarettes and up to 100 non-Cuban cigars. You will be asked to complete a form prior to disembarking the ship that explains all of these exemptions.  Keep all of your receipts handy just in case you are questioned by customs.

Children can spend hours in the kids club, and adults can spend an entire cruise vacation, reading, watching movies, swimming, watching live entertainment and eating, at no additional cost.