Taking a vacation is often a significant expense. Regardless of your income, you will need to save up for travel, lodging, and food expenses in advance to avoid impacting your regular expenses. Part of responsible planning also includes finding the best deals and avoiding the common pitfalls that companies will lure you into to get more money from you.
Cruises offer a convenient way to bundle most of your expenses into one, but that also makes it harder to determine how much you’re spending on each aspect. Therefore, you will want to learn and apply these ten bits of advice that will help you avoid common money-wasting mistakes when planning your cruise.
- Buying Your Ticket at the Wrong Time. With cruises, there are two times that you can find the best prices: months in advance or at the last minute. Booking months in advance guarantees the cruise company that they’ll meet their quotas, resulting in potential early bird discounts. By contrast, last-minute bookings allow them to make money by replacing spots lost to cancellations or filling in cruises with a few empty spots. If you know which seas you’d like to sail, then look for the early bird specials. If you’re more flexible, look for specials available just a few days or weeks out to take advantage of potentially steep discounts.
- Insisting on Outside Cabins. Cruise lines love to show you the view from outside-facing cabins because they charge a premium for window access. Of course, the views can be wonderful, but it’s important to remember that you’re rarely on a cruise ship for the view from your room. The ship offers activities and views that you’ll enjoy from the main decks, and if you book the inside rooms that you’ll only stay in to sleep overnight, you can save on your ticket prices.
- Booking Cruises Only When Convenient for You. Naturally, you’ll want your vacation to be at a good time for you. However, if you are willing to compromise on the dates, you can save significant money. Many cruises charge a premium for the most common times of the year, such as summer and winter (when many people have some weeks of vacation or want to get away from weather extremes). If you’re willing to book during shoulder-season of spring and fall, you may see ticket prices drop significantly. Further, cruise lines will often run promotions during their slower times, unlocking even more savings.
- Ignoring the Cruise Casino. “The house always wins” is a bit of a cliché when it comes to casinos, but it’s true. With few exceptions, you’ll lose money when you enter the casino. Nevertheless, you may find that the benefits outweigh the losses if you show some restraint. Just like in Vegas, casinos on cruises offer regular players many perks, freebies, and discounts. If you plan on making cruises a regular part of your vacation plans over the years, make sure to make an appearance at the tables.
- Overshopping for Discounts. While it’s always a good idea to browse around and find the best prices, cruise lines like to encourage repeat business through loyalty programs that can ultimately save you a lot of money. If you stick with one cruise line year after year, you’ll soon find that you’ll spend less money than by changing lines each year, depending on which one offers a slightly lower rate.
- Flying to Your Port. Unless you specifically want to go overseas or live in a landlocked part of the country, you can commonly find ports of call that are within driving distance. Spending a few hours in the car can save you significant cash versus paying for an airport lot, the tickets to get you to the destination, and taxi cabs or Ubers to get to the cruise.
- Insisting on a DIY Approach. Travel agents are often considered middlemen, and you’ll pay a premium for their services in many situations. When it comes to cruises, however, you may find that their fees are minimal or even nonexistent in some cases, especially when compared to the savings that they offer. Take advantage of their knowledge to find the best cruise lines for your vacation.
- Ignoring the Opportunity to Re-Book. Many cruises offer unique discounts for future cruises while the current one is ongoing. If you find your current cruise ideal for your vacation, consider booking your next cruise while you’re still out at sea and save a ton of money.
- Dining A-La-Carte. Some people like the flexibility of eating from various restaurants on a whim, but on the cruise itself, you can enjoy plenty of good food for much more reasonable rates if you book dining packages. This will limit your options but leave more cash in your wallet.
- Use Free Wifi in Port. Download entertainment and connect with your friends and family using social media when your boat stops at a port of call. Your ship’s wifi will likely cost an arm and a leg, so dropping by a local business with free wifi and disconnecting while at sea will help you save money.
With these ten tips, you’ll find that your cruise vacations are much easier to budget without sacrificing enjoyment. Book your next cruise like a pro and save money for the things you need at home.