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Wanting to go on a cruise and looking for the best cruise hacks? Look no further! This post goes over 15 cruise hacks you need to know before stepping foot on the ship.
If you’re a first time cruiser there is so much information and things to learn before going on your vacation.
This post is full of cruise hacks, cruise tips, cruise must haves, cruise secrets and pro cruiser hacks they’ve tried and tested over time.
Before you go on your cruise it’s important to do the research so you can make the most of your vacation. Whether this is how to save money on a cruise, what cruise products are essential, how to get free cruises and more.
Read below for 15 cruise hacks you might not know about.
This post is all about cruise hacks.
C R U I S E H A C K S
1. Wait for sales on the last day of the cruise
If you have your eye on a product for sale in the cruise shops wait until the last day of the cruise to buy it. They will show sales all throughout the week but normally the best prices will be at the end of the cruise when they are trying to sell more products.
This does come with a risk of the item you want being gone or them selling out of your size if it’s clothing.
If you’re buying something like jewelry you can always ask the sales reps how low they can go. You will see a sticker price possibly higher than you want to pay but I’ve had several reps come up to me and tell me a MUCH lower price they can actually sell the product for.
2. You can order more than one item in each category at dinner
A cruise hack that some people, especially first time cruisers don’t know about is being able to order more than one item in each category if you’re eating in the main dining room.
If you want two appetizers, one entree and three desserts, you can do it.
Now I do want to note this will vary cruise line to cruise line. Some are changing the rules. Royal Caribbean now charges you if you want more than one lobster. MSC will charge you $5 for an addtional entree but for the most part you can still order as much as you want.
I personally order two desserts every single night on the cruise as someone who loves sweets and can’t pick just one.
A cruise is also a great time to try new foods you might not have access to at home at no additional cost. See something on the menu you’re interested in trying but not sure if you’ll like it? Go for it! If you don’t like it at least you know now and you can get something else.
3. All natural motion sickness relief food item in the buffet
If you’re on a cruise and experiencing motion sickness one thing you can try is to eat a green apple. You can usually find these in the buffet but they may also be available in cafes. Grab a couple to keep in your room and try it out if you’re feeling motion sick and want a natural fix.
Read more motion sickness tips here: FOOLPROOF SEASICKNESS TIPS FOR CRUISE MOTION SICKNESS
Common Motion Sickness Products:
4. Plan your own shore excursion
Shore excursions on a cruise can be expensive depending on what you want to do. Even the most simple of excursions that you could plan yourself might cost more than you want to spend.
Look at the details of the shore excursion you’re interested in if you don’t want to book it with the cruise line or another company for whatever reason.
Easy DIY shore excursions are walking tours through a city. You could pay the cruise line to guide you through it or you can do the research yourself, set a good walking path, what stops you want to go to and just venture out on your own.
This way you can choose exactly where you want to go, go at your own pace and save yourself some money.
Here is an example of a walking tour that I researched myself instead of paying for the shore excursion with the cruise line.
5. Join cruise Facebook pages
The best cruise hack for finding out information for your specific cruise, the cruise line you’re sailing on, the ship etc is to join one or a few Facebook groups.
After you book your cruise I would suggest typing in the cruise ship and date into Facebook and seeing if there is already a group made for your sailing.
This is a great way to ask questions about things like theme nights, staff, what to expect and also “meet” some people before you even get on the ship.
Cruise Facebook groups have so much valuable information, I definitely recommend them.
Related Content:
The Best Cruise Outfits For Women
Cruise Tip: How To Save Money On A Cruise
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6. Take the stairs
This may be an unpopular opinion you don’t want to listen to but taking the stairs at least half the time on your cruise is the way to go.
Elevators can be extremely packed leaving you waiting forever for another one to come. They are less busy very early or late in the day and on port days when people are off the ship.
Otherwise, embarkation day, sea days, disembarkation day, the elevator will be a lot more busy.
I wouldn’t recommend taking the stairs for EVERY trip because you’ll end up being so sore from all of the walking/stairs unless you are a regular runner. However, I do think it saves so much time, is good exercise and should be considered way more than people do it on a cruise.
7. Get a better cabin by bidding
This isn’t a foolproof plan but it does work for a lot of people.
Several cruise lines after you book, usually closer to when your cruise sails will offer you the opportunity to bid to upgrade your room. Say you booked an interior room, you will see prices for ocean view, balconies, potentially suites you can put in a bid to win.
This can save you money compared to what the price to book this type of room orginially would’ve cost. The cruise line at the end of the day wants to make the most money possible so if they can upgrade people and make additional money, they will offer it.
Your bid will not always be accepted but if you do bid and you win it, you cannot back out of it. You will have to pay for whatever number you put in.
8. Use the kids club
If you’re going on a cruise with your kids definitely take advantage of the kids club!
Some first time cruisers may think that they will have their kids 24/7 while on the cruise. While you can vacation that way, if you do want a few hours of alone time then you can drop your kids off.
This is a great program which allows the kids to partake in activities catered to them and also gives them the opportunity to meet other kids their age.
9. Get discounts on spa services
A great way to save a little money on a spa service is to go to the spa on embarkation day as soon as you get on the ship and see what specials they are offering.
Embarkation day isn’t a super popular time for people to want to get a massage, a facial, etc since they just got on the ship. Since that is the case, cruise lines might offer some discounts on services for the first day.
Another popular time to get a better deal is on port days. They will have less business with the majority of people off of the ship for so many hours leaving them to offer some port day specials.
Be sure to check your cruise compass every day for sales as well.
10. Put a swimsuit in your carry on bag
One common mistake some cruisers make is not including a swim suit in their carry on bag for embarkation day.
Embarkation day can be a stressful and hectic day where you’re just trying to make sure you get on the ship and have everything in order. However, once you’re on the ship you may be wishing you had a swim suit so you could jump in a pool, the hot tub or even just tan on the pool deck.
Be sure to add a swimsuit to whatever small bag you bring with you on the ship while you are waiting for your luggage because that could take several hours.
Looking for more embarkation day tips? Read this post: THE EXACT STEP BY STEP GUIDE YOU NEED TO HAVE THE ULTIMATE EMBARKATION DAY ON YOUR CRUISE
11. Get a kids sail free or 3rd/4th passenger free promo
A great cruise hack to use if you are a family trying to go on a cruise but not break the budget is to get a sail free promo!
This is offered by some cruise lines. You will still have to pay port fees and taxes for these individuals but you will save on the price of the cruise fare.
This is a common promo for a few cruise lines so if you’re trying to stick to a budget definitely see if you can snag a deal like this!
12. Get free or discounted cruises from the casino
I do want to put out a quick disclaimer this is not advise to gamble, that is your own decision that can come with consequences so proceed at your own risk.
That being said, people can get amazing cruise offers from gambling in the casino. This isn’t a foolproof hack, not all cruise hacks are created equal, this will vary. Some people will claim they didn’t spend much money or time and they’ll have casino offers.
Other people will say that they spent a lot of time and money to reach a certain status and that got them offers. It is trial and error but if you do want to cruise and just put in an inital investment, this could be a great way.
13. Use an over the door shoe hanger to keep your room organized
A common cruise hack is using a shoe organizer that you put over the door to keep your small items organized and out of the way.
Cruise staterooms usually are pretty small so if you have a few people in one room you might end up having your belongings everywhere.
An easy way to keep things tidy is to use a shoe organizer.
14. Book with a travel agent for free perks
This cruise hack is a little more well known. When you book your vacation with a travel agent sometimes they can have special perks they can offer you.
Discounted rates, free gratuties, free specialty dining, etc.
If you are going to book with a travel agent be sure to work with one that doesn’t charge you for their services. Travel agents get paid from the cruise line so they usually work with clients for free.
I would also look at the quote they give you and double check with the price on the cruise line’s website to make sure you’re getting the best deal.
15. Use Next Cruise onboard to get special offers
I wouldn’t say that Next Cruise usually has THE BEST deals but sometimes you can get additional perks for booking your next cruise while still on a cruise.
Common things I’ve seen from doing this are being offered extra onboard credit for your next cruise or getting a bottle of champagne for free.
You can also book your reservation with Next Cruise to take advantage of what they have to offer and then transfer your booking to a travel agent within 30 days if they are able to give you more perks.
Just make sure you’re getting the best deal before settling on anything.
This post is all about cruise hacks.
