When you’re busy having fun in the sun during days ashore, why leave the beach or other destination, just to schlep to a restaurant and fork over a wad of cash for lunch? Instead, have your cruise ship make your lunch. Best of all, it doesn’t cost any extra!
Most cruises offer 24-hour room service. An hour or so before you’re ready to disembark, call in an order for a sandwich, chips, and fruit (or whatever suits your fancy). Just pack it in your beach bag, and head out for a carefree day of fun!
One of the biggest appeals of a cruise ship vacation is its all-inclusive aspect. Your meals, port stops, and on board activities are pre-planned and available for your enjoyment, pretty much whenever you feel like enjoying them. Unfortunately, a cruise ship’s “all-inclusive” element doesn’t mean it’s an on board free-for-all. All those port excursions, soda and alcoholic beverages, beauty services, and photos are made available for an extra charge.
Because your cabin key functions as an on board credit card, it’s easy to go overboard with your spending. If you’re not careful, you could end up with a hefty bill when your cruise ends. Here are a few tips to save money while on board a cruise ship.
Stay away from on board gift shops.
If you’re trying to save money on the cruise ship, staying out of the ship’s shops should be your first line of defense. Duty free shops are always tempting. After all, there’s no sales tax!
It’s easy to get carried away, but keep in mind that, while the items are tax-free, the prices may be inflated. A small-ish, inexpensive memento is fine, but if you go on an all-out shopping spree, you may get home and wonder, “Why did I buy this?”
Don’t use the phone or Internetservices.
Many of the convenient technologies we depend on in our normal, everyday lives are nearly nonexistent on a cruise ship. You’re not going to have cell phone service while at sea, and Internet services are priced at a premium, by-the-minute fee, usually around $0.75 to $1.00 per minute. (This isn’t even counting the one-time “activation fee.”)Instead of paying cruise prices, try using your cell phone while on land at a port-of-call — chances are, you’ll get reception. (Consider calling your cell carrier before leaving home and arranging for an international calling package, making these calls cheaper still.) Also, Internet cafes can be found in most ports and are often less expensive than the ship’s service. If you’re planning on emailing your friends or updating your blog, consider typing the text offline to save time. Finally, don’t be afraid NOT to call or email home. Your friends and family know you’re on vacation and probably don’t need to hear from you.
Book port excursions independently. By booking an excursion on your own, you’ll save money, you’ll be with a much smaller tour group, and you’re less likely to have a tour guide that takes a twenty minute “bathroom break” conveniently located near or at the gift shop.
Make sure to book your independent excursions before you leave for vacation, as they fill up quickly. However, if you’re an inexperienced traveler or if you have anxiety about getting back to the ship on time, you might want to book via the cruise ship for that extra peace of mind.
Don’t feel obligated to take excursions at all.
Excursions are part of the appeal of a cruise ship vacation, but don’t feel like you must book one for every port in which the ship stops. If there’s nothing in the port-of-call that piques your interest, skip it. Sometimes walking around the port is an adventure itself.
Just say, “No!”
It’s the simplest rule of all, but it can be the most difficult rule to follow when on vacation. The advertising spiels start the minute you board the ship — from the loudspeaker announcements, to the advertisements in your daily newsletter, to the aggressive bartenders hawking pricey cocktails. You feel like you’re being beaten over the head with a nonstop sales pitch, and it can be difficult to stand your ground.
Learn to say, “No thanks.” Remember, you won’t be the first to decline a sales pitch — and you won’t be the last.
Avoid the specialty restaurants. Your cruise ship fare includes access to the dining room and the all-day buffet, but these aren’t the only eateries on the ship. Several specialty restaurants are available — for an extra charge — and serve “premium meals,” such as sushi or gourmet pizza.
These specialty restaurants offer a nice break from the dining room, and it’s great to enjoy a meal with folks from your own party instead of eating dinner with Bob and Judy from Des Moines, Iowa. These restaurants can get expensive, though, and often times the food isn’t anything special, so use with caution.
Pass on the pictures.
Most cruises offer trivia games. These fun events are free to play, and winners receive champagne, certificates for restaurants, and drink coupons.
On most cruise lines, the ship’s photographer snaps photos of you and your party twice during your cruise vacation — once when you board the ship and once during formal night. While these pictures are nice, they’re obnoxiously overpriced for what amounts to a simple snapshot of your group in front of a tacky backdrop.
You brought your camera, right? Chances are, your own pictures will turn out much better than what the ship’s photographer provides.
Skip the soda card.
Cruise lines offer free water, iced tea, fruit punch, and lemonade, but soda is extra. Soda typically costs $1.50 to $4.00 per can, unless you purchase a soda card for the entire length of your stay. A soda card often will not pay for itself unless you plan on drinking soda nonstop for the duration of your cruise.
If you must have soda, think about buying a few cases before boarding the ship. Some cruise lines allow you to bring outside non-alcoholic beverages into your cabin, but check your cruise line’s FAQs before dropping serious cash on cases of pop. You don’t want to get denied entry at the last minute, just because you’re toting a case of Diet Pepsi.
Finally, DO play trivia games.
Most cruise lines offer trivia games for all ages. These fun events are free to play and winners receive prizes such as bottles of champagne, certificates for the specialty restaurants, and drink coupons.
In the end, vacation is a time to relax, not to worry about penny-pinching. Don’t deprive yourself or your family of a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the sake of saving $10. However, you don’t want to come home from your cruise ship vacation knee-deep in debt with a major case of buyer’s remorse either. Use discretion when purchasing extras and you and your family will come home from your cruise vacation happy!
Cruise lines are still spreading the myth that everything is included in an “all inclusive” fare. First-time cruisers, however, are often shocked when they learn that soda is NOT included in the cost and must be purchased separately.
In general, sodas are sold individually (usually $2 to $4 per glass). Alternatively, you can purchase a soda card. Passengers purchasing a soda card receive unlimited amounts of soda for the duration of the cruise. At as much as $60 to $80 per card, though, the price tag could send you into sticker shock! How do these soda cards work — and are they worth the hefty price?
How does a soda card work?
Soda cards go on sale as soon as you board the ship and usually include a souvenir cup. Save some money and avoid paying sales tax just by waiting to purchase a card until the ship splashes into international waters (50 miles12 miles from shore). Soda cards must be purchased for the full duration of the cruise. In other words, you can’t buy a soda card for one or two days.
Soda cards are sold per person and cannot be shared. Most cruise lines place the guest’s name on the soda card when purchased. Sodas are available at the bars, and bartenders serve one soda per visit. (Pro tip: Of course, there’s nothing stopping you from giving that soda to another family member to enjoy. Cruise lines don’t have security officers patrolling the decks, looking for soda card abusers, so it’s up to you on how ethically you use the card.)
Note that that $60 to $80 price tag doesn’t buy you a very wide selection. Cruise lines offer a limited range of soda flavors. Check with your individual cruise line for details, but typically cruise lines only serve Coke, Diet Coke, and Sprite, along with ginger ale, fruit juice, and club soda. If these options don’t appeal to you, don’t purchase the card. What drinks are free?
Cruise lines offer unlimited amounts of lemonade, water, and iced tea. Free juice and coffee are only available at breakfast. Some people drink soda because they want something tasty and sweet, so if lemonade will do the job, don’t bother with the card. Keep in mind that these free beverages are sweetened, so if you loathe syrupy drinks, water is your only free option.
How much do you need to drink to make the soda card worthwhile?
Unless you guzzle soda all day long, a soda card will not pay for itself. If you only plan on having an occasional soda, purchase it by the can.
There’s nothing stopping you from giving that soda to a family member to enjoy. Cruise lines don’t have security officers patrolling the decks, looking for soda card abusers, so it’s up to you on how ethically you use the card.
If you are purchasing the soda card for a child, remember that children rarely finish an entire glass or can. Kids take a few gulps and put the soda down. By the time they want more, their sodas are warm and watered down — and guess what?
Right. They want a new one.
Getting a soda can be a hassle.
Since soda is only served at the bars, you’ll find yourself running around the ship, trying to find an open bar. Once you find a bar, you’ll likely be waiting in a long line. Conversely, free drinks are self-serve and there’s almost never a line.
Bring your own soda.
Cruise lines won’t let you bring alcohol, but some do allow you to bring your own soda on board. If you have time before boarding the ship, stop at a grocery store and pick up a few cases of soda. Crystal Light individual drink mix packets are a great option if you don’t like sugary beverages and need to pack light. Get a glass of ice (or ice water) from the bartender, and you’re all set! [Ed’s note: you may want to call the cruise line before trying this, as not all companies allow this.]
Soda cards on a cruise ship are expensive, but if you’re a soda addict, it makes sense to purchase the card if you don’t feel like schlepping soft drinks on board. For the occasional soda drinker, however, it’s best to purchase soda by the glass. Or, if you don’t really go nuts for soda anyway, skip all the paid beverages and rediscover your love for iced tea!
Cruising can be a great vacation, but some passengers find that cruise ships are overly crowded with children — especially around meal times. If you would prefer to dine without children running about, pick a dining time slot that’s later in the evening.
Not surprisingly, five o’clock dining times are the most packed with children, while the later ones usually have fewer children milling about.
Bonus: eating later gives you the chance to work on your tan for just a few more minutes!
Keep in mind the following tips when choosing a room on a cruise ship:
The quietest rooms are in the middle of the ship and – if you really want to sleep later – you won’t see any signs of a sunrise in an inside cabin.
Unless you like to climb stairs, choose a floor that’s close to the main deck.
Elevators on cruises are slow so you don’t want to rely too much on them. Also, rooms near elevators can be noisy.
Finally, call right before your cruise to see if upgrades are available. If the ship isn’t full, the cruise line may give you a better cabin for little or no extra money.