Wanting to go on a cruise but needing to keep the cost low? Read the top ways to save money on a cruise here!
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There are a lot of different perspectives when it comes to going on a cruise. Some people think they’re a cheap vacation, others say they’re more expensive than they thought.
The truth is, a cruise really is what you make it. You can spend as much or as little money as you want!
If you’re someone who is trying to save money on a cruise, this is the post for you!
I will be discussing all of the tried and true top tips on how to save money on a cruise. (Including some things you might not have thought about.)
This post is all about how to save money on a cruise.
CATEGORIES
-Booking
-Room
-Before the cruise
-On the cruise
-In port
BOOKING
Book far in advance
The easiest way to get a better price when booking a cruise vacation has been to book it as far in advance as you can.
Cruises work on dynamtic pricing, meaning the price will go up and down based on supply and demand. USUALLY this means when the itinerary is first released, it is the cheapest because there is a large supply of rooms.
This is not always the case and sometimes the price can go down as well. You can always watch this price and some cruise lines will allow you to reprice your cruise before the final payment date if it is lower than what you’ve paid.
Some people will book a cruise even a couple years in advance to lock in a great price.
Book last minute
On the flip side, sometimes booking a last minute cruise can save you a lot of money!
Cruise lines are a business at the end of the day, they do not like to lose money. At times they will offer some last minute cruise fares for a lower than expected price since most of the time the time right before a cruise is a really expensive time to book.
Cruises know that they can sacrifice the price of the room because the majority of cruisers will spend much more on on board purchases, making the company money.
If you’re trying to save the most money however, you can book this low rate and then not book any add ons after that and go on vacation for pretty cheap!
Book a certain time of the year
What time of year you go on a cruise GREATLY effects the price point. Spring break, Christmas, summer, etc are all notorious for having higher prices.
This is because more families try to cruise durinng this time so they know people will pay the higher price.
If you want the top ways to save money on a cruise you should consider booking very specific timeframes.
Booking a Caribbean cruise for August, September and October might be cheaper because of the risk of a hurricane altering your cruise.
If you’re wanting to cruise to Alaska, booking at the very beginning or end of the season can save you money!
Additionally, booking in the winter or early spring can save you some money as well. Definitely look into this for your next cruise.
Be flexible on dates
Being flexible on dates will really save you money!
If you want to go on a cruise for Christmas but notice the price is 3-5 times more expensive than the week or two before, book the cheaper cruise for your family!
You’d still be taking a “Christmas” cruise even if it isn’t on the exact day.
This applies to so many times during the year. Search your cruise by lowest to highest price to see when the best dates are for you to book!
Book an older ship
Booking a cruise on an older ship will always be cheaper than the newest and largest ship in a cruise lines fleet.
This is not for everyone though so make sure you won’t be too disappointed if you decide to do this!
Older ships sometimes don’t have all the bells and whistles that the newer ships do, making them a cheaper option for you to choose for your vacation.
Sales/Promotions/Discounts
There are TONS of ways to get a discount on your cruise if you qualify!
Cruise lines are always running sales from kids sail free, free drinks & wifi, 2nd guest is 70% off etc. Be sure to take advantage of these offers to save the most money!
If you also work in a certain field you could get a discount. A lot of cruise lines will offer discounts for military members and some even for law enforcement!
Travel agents can also give you access to pricing you won’t get on the cruise line’s website. Be sure to work with an agent that doesn’t charge you a fee if you’re going to go this route since they get paid by the cruise line.
Sometimes they can give you a discounted group rate, free specialty dining, free gratuities and more!
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ROOM
Book an interior room
Booking an interior room is another top way to save money on a cruise!
Some people state they could absolutely NEVER stay in an interior room when cruising (which is fine!) but if you haven’t tried it, I 100% would if you’re trying to save money.
An interior room is always going to be the cheapest option when cruising. It also is a great way to get some amazing sleep since the room gets so dark!
CRUISE STATEROOM MUST HAVES:
Book 2 rooms with kids instead of 1 larger suite
Some families think booking one large room will always be the better option verses getting two smaller rooms.
This is not always the case. A lot of the time booking two smaller rooms will be cheaper than getting a suite for your family!
If price is the main objective, be sure to look into this when booking. You may end up with more bathrooms too which is a bonus!
BEFORE THE CRUISE
Choose a port you can drive to instead of flying
Driving to a cruise port most of the time is going to be cheaper than flying to your cruise!
Especially if you’re traveling in the summer or with a family, the price of a flight can really add up compared to the price of gas.
Bid to upgrade your room
One great way to get a better room for a cheaper price than if you had just booked that type of room outright is to bid on it.
Cruise lines a lot of the time will offer people already booked on a certain cruise the option to upgrade their room by bidding on it.
Unforunutely, there is always a minimum bid set by the cruise line but that price has won people a room so don’t think you have to go all out to get the room.
This way you can have the room you really want but you saved some money along the way!
Book add ons (or don’t)
Booking add ons are the largest cost of a cruise for a lot of people.
Drink packages, shore excursions, speciality dining, wifi and more can add up to a LARGE sum of money.
If you are really wanting one or multiple of these add ons then I would suggest booking before the cruise to save money!
These are ALWAYS cheaper before you step on the ship so be sure to take advantage of these sales to save yourself lots of money.
If you’re traveling with young kids as well, you can also book the adults the speciality dining package but not your kids to save some money. If you know they’d rather just eat pizza all week, this is a great option.
Another top way to save money on a cruise is to just not book any of the additional products at all. Do you really need to spend $1,000 on the drink package? Do you HAVE to have wifi to play on your phone throughout the cruise?
Forgoing these options will save you SO much.
ON THE CRUISE
First day discounts
Cruise lines will actually offer discounts on the ship for embarkation day!
It’s not a popular day to get things like spa treatments done so be sure to ask some staff what the embarkation day deals are if you would like to take advantage of them to save some money.
Port day discounts
Another time cruise lines will offer discounts on services on the ship are on port days.
They do this because most of the passengers will be getting off the ship and they aren’t making as much money on the ship as they would on a sea day.
To combat this, they will offer you discounts for port days only you can snatch up to save yourself some money!
Again, this is seen a lot in the spa.
PORT DAY MUST HAVES:
Limit your kids spending
If you want to save money on your cruise, don’t allow your kids to buy whatever they want!
Some people will link a credit card to their kids cruise card, giving them spending power. They might also preload a large amount for the vacation on their account.
Kids sometimes go a little wild or don’t make the best decisions and might spend more than you want them to.
Limit the spending to save yourself the shocking bill at the end of your cruise you might not have seen coming.
Take advantage of the free activities on board
It can really add up and be tempting to buy additional priced activities while on a cruise. Maybe this is a roller coaster, a special themed brunch, arcade games, etc.
If you were to book all of these activities for multiple kids on mulitple days, it can become expensive.
Cruise lines have SO many ammenities now days that are all included in the price of your cruise fare! A lot will have water slides, mini golf, kids clubs and more.
All of these can be included, a lot of fun and a great way to spend time together without spending more money.
Look for daily specials
Daily specials are another top way to save money on a cruise.
Cruise lines may offer a drink of the day, a spa deal, discounted tshirts, buy one bottle get one free and more.
You can find these deals on the daily cruise planner or paper they give out.
Wait for a sale for a souvenir
The cruise ship will always have sales throughout your vacation. If you’re looking to bring something home to remember your vacation then I would wait unntil halfway through or the last day of your vacation.
You’ll usually see things go on clearance, buy one get one, a percentage off and more.
IN PORT
Book third party
A great way to save money in port is to not book with the cruise line. Booking a shore excursion with the cruise ship is 9 times out of 10 going to be more expensive than if you booked with a third party company.
However, there are pros and cons to doing this. Be sure to read: SHORE EXCURSIONS: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CHOOSING THE RIGHT ONE FOR YOU
Another service I always tell cruisers to book off the ship verses on to save money is a massage! The massages on the ship can be REALLY expensive.
If you’re cruising somewhere like Mexico, you can find massages from $20/hour up to about $60/hour. Compared to the ship’s pricing being AT LEAST double that.
Don’t book an excursion at all
You don’t have to book a shore excursion to get off the ship! This can be a great way to save some money because shore excursions for multiple people can be pretty expensive.
If there isn’t an excursion you really want to do or if you want to save money and just buy an excursion in one port, consider not booking one in every stop.
You can still get off the ship, explore the town or create your own excursion plan for cheaper than what you would’ve spent.
Don’t buy food in port
Food in the cruise port is priced highly. This is based on convenience and a lot of the time, it isn’t very good or authentic.
If you want to save money on your vacation be sure to eat right before you get off of the ship, eat when you get back on and minimize those purchases off the ship.
Negotiate prices
One thing some cruisers are scared to do is negotiate the price of items in port!
Don’t be afraid to go back and forth until you get a price you’re happy with or check out another vendor. A lot of the time several shops will have the same products for all different prices.
Be sure to check around before buying something and negotiating to save some dough.
Bring your own beach gear
Bringing your own beach gear is a great way to save money. In port they may over charge for basic items you can only use for 30 minutes or a couple hours.
Things like beach floats, snorkel gear, towels and more.
Here are top rated options you can bring with you on your cruise for those port days.
This post was all about how to save money on a cruise.
