After many cruises, I have compiled my list of top tips for booking a cruise to save money and get the most out of your trip. Now of course, there are much more to do when planning a cruise, but these tips highlight the easiest upgrades and cost saving measures to stretch your dollar and cruise like a king!
Pay for the cost adjustment for steak in the main dining
Instead of paying to have dinner in the steakhouse, ay for the cost adjustment for a steak in the main dining. The cost of the steak addition is cheaper, but it is the exact same steak and is brought down from the steakhouse. For example, to the right is a salmon tartare that was all-inclusive in the main dining room.
Bonus tip: the honestly the ambiance and side dishes are not really different from the regular main dining, so you are not missing out on anything.
Upgrade to the exclusive section of the Cruise Ship
Instead of upgrading to a more exclusive cruise line, upgrade to the exclusive section of a lower cost cruise line. The upgrade will cost more than regular room but less than a luxury cruise line, with the same experience or better.
Pay for expedited embarkation and disembarkation
If the exclusive section is on a cheaper cruise line out of your budget, you can still get priority embarkation and disembarkation at all ports, by paying for this service. It will be cheaper than the rooms, but provides that additional attention needed to make the trip so much more enjoyable.
One cavate to this is that not all cruise lines are good about informing you about what perks you get, so speak with corporate customer service prior to the trip to know your benefits. If there is not clear signage, inform the staff on the boat about these perks and they should be able to help.
If you look at the photo to the left, you can see how long of a line we were able to skip with the priority embarkation passes.
Plan to be one of the first people off of the boat
Whether you have priority embarkation and disembarkation, plan to be the first one off the boat, so you can maximize your time ashore, but arrive to the boat about an hour and a half before embarking ends.
By arriving to board earlier, the line will be shorter, and the boat will be less full of people so you will have time to grab refreshments before heading to you room to get ready for dinner. If you have priority embarkation, you do not need to worry about a long line.
When pre-booking your dinner time, add extra time
If you are pre-booking your dinner time, take into account your planned excursions and the time you will need to get ready upon arrival. If you are doing a beach or boat day, you may want to wash the salt water out of your hair before dinner, or the line for embarkation may be long, so add in an extra 45 minutes to ensure you have ample time to relax and get ready.
Bring a refillable water bottle
Disposable Water bottles can be expensive and sometime hard to find, so by bringing a refillable water bottle, you can fill it aboard each morning before your daily adventures. This will help you stay hydrated so you have the energy to explore each day.
Bonus tip: Bringing electrolytes are also helpful if you are cruising during the warm seasons. As you sweat, you loose electrolytes and will need to replenish them. On-the-go packets are great for this. My favorite is the Liquid IV Seaberry flavor, but the Golden Cherry is a close second.
Pack with packing cubes
Pack with packing cubes, so you can easily unpack during your stay and put your suitcase away during the trip to maximize space, while making pack up quick and decreases your chance of forgetting anything on the boat.
Tip for great service to recognize the staff that go above and beyond
Although gratuities are included in the cost of your room, it is always nice to tip for great service to recognize the staff that go above and beyond to make your trip enjoyable.
Bonus Tip: My top tip for ensuring good service is to start by tipping your steward and butler well at the start of the trip, and then again at the end if you have been treated well. This just helps to ensure you have special attention paid to all of the details during your stay.
Look at excursions through the cruise line and through third-party tour companies
By looking with both third-party and via the cruise line, you are provided with more excursion options. Additionally, you have a greater variety of price points (some even include group pricing if you are traveling with many people) that can allow you to stretch your budget farther. For more tips on booking excursions, click here.
