Editors note: While PID is mostly a celebrity debt website, we sometimes cover personal finance topic here as well.
This article is for everyone who came here for personal finance content, but if you’re going on a cruise and looking to save some money.
While some people love cruising to Alaska or the Mexican Riviera, there are few vacations more luxurious than a transatlantic cruise.
While many people love that sense of luxury and elegance of a cruise, others may find themselves shuddering at the high price tags associated with cruising.
However, going on a cruise doesn’t have to break the bank! If you want to learn how to save money on a cruise, keep reading for a few cruise budgeting tips and tricks.
Choose a Departure Port That’s Close to Home
Now, obviously this tip won’t work for everyone — if you live in North Dakota, for example, you might be hard-pressed to find a nearby departure port. However, if you live anywhere near the coast, one way to save some money is by booking a cruise that sails from a port near you. No more airplane tickets or overweight baggage fees when you can drive yourself to your destination!
If you live in Florida, you’re lucky, since so many popular cruise lines depart from ports like Tampa, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Cape Canaveral. The Celebrity Cruises transatlantic cruise vacation, for example, departs from both Miami and Fort Lauderdale.
However, many cruises also frequently depart from cities like Boston, New York, Houston, Los Angeles, and New Orleans.
Explore your nearby cruise departure options — you may find one you like!
Plan Your Own On-Shore Excursions
Any cruise line will offer a variety of shore excursions for every port of call they stop in. While these excursions are fantastic and well-organized (which definitely saves you some hassle of doing your own planning), they can also add immensely to the costs of your cruising vacation. Truth is, it’s almost always cheaper to plan your own excursions and organize your own trips once you get on shore.
Because the port-of-call cities are used to the influx of tourists from cruise ships, it is usually fairly easy to stop in a travel agency and book your own tours (for lower prices than the cruise excursions). Alternatively, you may just want to take some time to wander the city at your own pace.
Just be sure to watch the clock — you don’t want to miss your cruise ship’s departure and get left behind!
Monitor Cruise Prices and Watch for Sales
This is one of the most important tips for booking a cruise. Watch cruise prices and wait to make sure you get the best deal! Don’t be fooled just because you see the word “sale” or “50% off” on a cruising advertisement.
To really find the best cruise deals, monitor the prices of a few different cruise lines. Check in during different vacation seasons. Get a feel for what standard cruise pricing really is, and that way you’ll know a deal when you see one.
Don’t Pay for WiFi on Your Transatlantic Cruise
Although some cruises do offer free or cheap WiFi on board, more often than not, the WiFi packages get pretty pricey. Keep in mind that you are in the middle of the ocean!
Rather than seeing this as a problem, why not just take advantage of this time to disconnect a bit? You can always check your texts and emails once your ship docks, and Internet cafes in the port cities are usually far cheaper than the WiFi on board.
If you do absolutely need Internet access while on board the cruise ship, consider purchasing your Internet package before embarking. Sometimes it’s cheaper to pre-pay, rather than purchasing partway through the trip.
Save Money with Drink and Restaurant Packages
Of course, the best way to save money in this department would be to only eat in the free dining areas and to abstain from drinking alcohol altogether. But you’re on vacation, not on a monk’s retreat!
If you don’t want to limit yourself to just the free dining, look into package pricing for restaurants and drinks. Dining packages and discount drink packages can often be a great way to save some money on your cruise, while still indulging.
Wrap-Up
Lastly, if you’re reading this posting because you’re worried about the price of the cruise, you don’t have to go if you don’t want to. You have alternatives. You could take a staycation, or get a camper and go someplace local.
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