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 sold onboard. Many are over priced.
Talk to your travel agent about the ports 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.
Monitor prices: It’s always a good idea to book early, because generally prices increase as a ship begins to sell out on a particular date. Also, you have a better change of getting the cabin location you want or cabins close to one another if you are traveling in a group. Now you can book with confidence, by using our free cruise price alerts. One you book with the technology will monitor the sailing daily for any changes in price, new promotions that you might quality for or changes in itinerary.
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 massages and facials. 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.
Drink Packages: Package are available for soda, wine, beer, premium liquor & on some ships even coffee. Tea, coffee, milk & juice is free onboard, but name brand coffee such as Seattle’s Best, Starbucks or specialty coffee drinks, there is an additional charge. Do the math. Some drink packages are $60+ per day. Try to consider if even on port days you will drink enough to cover that cost. If you do purchase package, buy before boarding the ship and you can often get a discount. Read more at cruise line drink packages 2021.
Dessert: There are lots of desserts available in the buffet during lunch and dinner. Ice cream can be ordered each night in the dining room with your choice of topping and whip cream, so perhaps pass on the $4.00 to $5.00 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? Some cruise line, like Celebrity Cruises 2021 still offer complimentary ice cream in the buffet area, however there is a charge for the gelato.
Internet: Wi-Fi connections are great on the newer ships, but again this can get expensive. Purchase a package prior to using the internet vs going minute to minute, but also consider using Wi-Fi cafes in port vs. being online at all times. My husband likes to stream Netflix so we always get the package about a month before sailing. Like the drink packages, some cruise lines offer discounts for purchasing packages in advance.
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 $30 to $50 pp 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.
That being said, there are some unique dining experiences available, so if you research in advance and are certain you want to dine in a few of the specialty restaurant, then once again we suggest making booking in advance and considering a package. Another option is consider having lunch in the specialty restaurant vs. dinner if they are open. You will get to taste the food, but spend less.
Gratuities: Your bar bill will typically include 15% to 18% 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. Here is a useful post on best things to buy in the Caribbean so you can know what the most popular items are.
Ships are designed to give you options…dining, entertainment, fitness & more. You can spend as much or as little as you want, but you can cruise on a budget. 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, all at no additional cost than what you paid for your cruise fare.
If you book with the right travel agent, you will often time receive extras you would not receive from the cruise line including a bottle of wine, complimentary specialty dinner or even a free shore excursion. You can still take advantage of any past passenger or discount offers you receive from the cruise line directly, and then take advantage of the added value and knowledge of a travel agent as well.
