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I just finished yet another cruise last week, so while I was on board, I was thinking of you guys and picking up little tips I’d like to share with you on how to enjoy a cruise if you have a chance.  A cruise can be SO much fun, but they can be a LOT less expensive if you follow these few simple tips.

CUT CRUISE TRAVEL COSTS

One of your biggest expenses for a cruise is just getting there. This is a great time to use frequent flier miles or other travel incentives or discounts to save on airfare and baggage fees.  There are lots of other posts with tips on how to book your flights, so I won’t get too specific, but airfare can be your biggest cruise savings.

Check out my post on how to save money on a cruise.

Also, consider your transportation back and forth to the airport and the debarkation spot.  You basically have three choices – Cruise line buses, taxis or Uber.  I almost always opt for the cruise line bus.  It costs $30-$50 bucks, but you will end up in the right place at the right time.  That’s one less stressful thing on my plate.

Speaking of stress, I do another thing that costs a bit of money, but really reduces my stress level.  I fly into the departure city the night BEFORE my cruise.  Yes, I have to pay for a hotel, but it builds in a safety valve in case a flight is delayed, so you can relax and enjoy a cruise without any headaches.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

Is it more money? Yes.  Is it worth it? YES!  Have I ever had to use it?  I almost did.

My father-in-law passed away one week prior to our 25th-anniversary cruise.  His funeral was Wednesday in California and our ship left on Saturday from Miami.  It was so sad and stressful for us, but things like this happen – jobs are lost, people get sick, babysitters cancel, etc.  You just never know what is going to come up.  Travel insurance just gives you that “just in case” cushion.

Check out my post about travel insurance and why you NEED it.

This nice thing about travel insurance was that it took the money factor out of the decision.  We ultimately decided we needed some time away after a VERY stressful couple of weeks.

That said, READ your policies.  There are several available from your travel agent or direct from websites.  The cost and coverage can vary greatly.

CHOSING YOUR CABIN

This is another big ticket item.  But it is a decision that can really affect the quality of your cruise.  So take your time and really think it through.  I’ve done the variety pack here – I’ve gone super cheap and I’ve gone high-end.

If you’re a busy and active cruiser who won’t be in the cabin much, consider going a bit cheap.  You probably won’t be in the cabin other than to shower and sleep.  But if you’re an older couple who might be spending more time watching movies or relaxing in your cabin, consider an upgrade.

Check out my post on Cruise Cabins You DON’T Want to Choose

However, DON’T do what we did on our first cruise.  We crammed four people plus six large pieces of luggage into a TINY inside cabin!  That was not fun.

If you have little kids needing naps and space to play.  You might consider spending more for a larger cabin.  You’ll appreciate not feeling like sardines.

I do have to say that I LOOOOOOVED my balcony cabin.  We splurged on our 25th Anniversary Cruise and got a balcony cabin.  It was heaven!  It was much more spacious with a separate seating area to watch TV. Plus, I absolutely loved to prop the door open and go to sleep to the sound of the sea, the smell of the salt air, and the gentle motion of the ship.  Best sleep ever!

One misstep on my Bloggers Cruise with the Six Sisters. I had a good cabin location, but it was right by one of the hallway doors.  It about drove me CRAZY the first day and the last day, because it had a metal strip on the floor and people kept bumping their suitcase wheels across it.  Fortunately, I am a ridiculously sound sleeper, so I got used to it quickly.  But for a light sleeper, this would have been a big problem.  Look at the ship layout really closely when choosing a cabin and consider ALL factors.

Also check out my post on Sharing a Cruise Ship Cabin.  That can be a really good or really BAD experience.

Bonus tip – Cabin location is important.  The center of the ship has less motion than the ends.  Also ships are a ton of walking.  We’ve found the BEST cabin location is either right above or right below the dining rooms.  Saves a lot of steps and we never heard a peep of noise from them.

CELL PHONE/COMPUTER USE

Just suck it up and skip it. I’ve researched this with lots of very experienced cruisers and they all agree. Just don’t do it.  Put your phone in airplane mode and leave it in your pocket. Even if you don’t make a single phone call or send a text.  Just your apps updating will generate a big bill through Cellular at Sea.  You won’t even know it until you get home and get your next cell bill.  It does feel weird for the first few days.  But it is nice to be fully present and actually TALK to people for a change.

And the Internet on board is deliberately SLOW because they charge per minute.  I would buy like 20 minutes of on board time to just skim my Emails real quick.  Boy that was HARD for a social media addict like me!  But I survived it. When you get ashore, you can find an internet cafe or a restaurant with WiFi.  But be CAREFUL of your passwords in a foreign country.  #hackeralert

CASINO/BINGO

The word of the day is just SKIP IT.  Yes, gambling is fun and I like to play the slots as much as anybody. BUT there is one huge difference between a typical casino and a shipboard casino. A regular casino has to keep their odds to a reasonable level because of the competition.  You can walk out and another casino is right next door.  However, on a ship, you are a captive audience and they KNOW IT.  You will never find worse odds than on board a ship.

I’ve never tried gambling in a port, but they probably have it in most countries.  Ask a crew member where a safe casino is with good odds.  They know, believe me.

And bingo – Hmmmm.  $25 bucks a card and there’s like a 100 people playing at once?  Yep, that sounds like GREAT odds to me – NOT!  There’s so much else to do.  Bring a good book or a deck of cards or just meet some new people.

SPA/GYM

Every ship has a gorgeous spa and a gym and they offer everything you can imagine to do – for a PRICE. Probably about double what you would spend at home.  This is a very profitable operation for the cruise line.  Take a walk (or a run) around the deck for free and there are tons of beauty salons in the ports where you can actually get a good deal on that mani/pedi or massage.

FORMAL NIGHT

There’s a reason every ship has one or even two formal nights – it’s a big money maker!  They make money on the spa for manicures and hair, they make a lot of money on the photos, and they make even more money on tux rental.

That’s OK, let them make money off everyone else.  You can opt to skip the formal scene altogether (although it IS usually lobster night!) or you can do your own hair and makeup and bring some semi-dressy clothes from home.  We found a local tux shop and rented a tux for the week or less than the onboard shop charged for one night’s rental (and had a better selection!).  Captive audience = can you say Ka-ching!

SPECIALTY RESTAURANTS

Most ships (maybe ALL ships now) have specialty restaurants, like a steakhouse, sushi place, and/or Asian fusion options – sometimes with a famous chef in tow.  Personally, I’m not a foodie, so this was completely baffling to me.  All the food you could possibly want comes with the price of admission, so WHY would you want to pay extra for more food?

But if you ARE a foodie and would really enjoy something like this, or if its a special occasion, then I’d say go for it.  You’re on vacation after all.  Just be aware of the additional expense and plan accordingly.

GIFT SHOPS

If you have an eye for the sparkle, the ship’s gift shops do have some very pretty, though pricey items.  However, the more basic gift shop usually does have some cute t-shirts and little doo-dads that are pretty reasonably priced.  Plus at the end of the cruise, some of the stuff goes on a big discount, especially if it is late in the season.

I’m not saying don’t buy (like I would EVER say that!), I’m just saying do your homework and figure out what might be a good deal on a nice souvenir.

PHOTOGRAPHY

By the end of the cruise, you are going to feel like Kim Kardashian with all the photographers chasing you around.  Again, there is lots of money involved, so they are going to be fairly persistent.  However, a polite, but firm no thank you will usually do the trick.

If you DO decide you want some photos, go for it.  I actually LOVE photos, so it’s something I don’t mind spending a bit on, and they actually aren’t much more than a regular photographer.  Be smart and ask the staff which photographer is the best one.  We found a good photographer and took some nice formal shots on our anniversary trip.  We got them for like $15 a sheet – that’s actually a pretty good deal for nice portraits.

CHAMPAGNE ART AUCTIONS/JEWELRY SHOWCASES, ETC.

There is at least one of these going on every single day of a cruise.  I’m thinking this is yet another way to wheedle a few extra bucks out of your pocket.  No matter what they tell you, I can pretty much guarantee there are NO deals to be found at these things.

Shuffleboard – now shuffleboard is a good deal!  Shipboard auctions – NEVER a good deal.

TIPS

Some people get a little bent about the tips.  They are automatically added to your account – typically $12-$15 per person per day even for children.  It IS a big bite, but your waiters and room stewards work very long hours for their tips – 12-14 hour days is the norm.  You can ask to have them reduced, but I usually let them go through.

EXCURSIONS

Now for the good part – the excursions.  These are the one thing I DO suggest spending your hard earned money on.  Ziplining, scuba, parasailing, horsebackriding, or even visiting historic sites.  These are once-in-a-lifetime experiences and they are definitely worth purchasing.  I have gotten to do some fabulous stuff on my cruises like the helmet dive shown above in Cozumel.  We sailed on an actual pirate ship in Mexico – it was a wonderful day.

Sidenote:  Helmet dives are WONDERFUL options for people like me who don’t swim well.  You have a guide, you are tethered to an air hose, you only go down about 15-20 feet, and you have a set path to travel.  Very safe, although you can’t do it if you have ear problems, high blood pressure, are pregnant, etc.

Yes, you can save few bucks if you book them directly with companies or individuals onshore, but your safety is very important to the cruiseline.  The people who do regular business with them will make every effort to keep you safe and be sure you get back to the ship safely and ON TIME.  Most of the people I’ve dealt with in ports are just regular folks looking to make a few bucks, but there definitely are some bad people out there.  So I tend to spend a bit more for the safety factor.

THE FOOD

I promised you a word about how to enjoy a cruise without getting fat.  Part of the fun of a cruise is trying new foods and enjoying delicious meals.  But you can still have just as much fun without eating like the proverbial kid in a candy store!  Here are a few tips that might help.

• Eat enough to enjoy yourself – no one wants to feel deprived on such a wonderful vacation, but don’t feel like you need to gorge yourself or that you should “get your money’s worth”.  The money is already spent, so it doesn’t matter if you eat like a bird or like a water buffalo.  Coming home with an extra 5 to 8 pounds is pretty average for a cruise but who really needs to do that?
• My BEST Buffet Tips – These are tips from a famous psychologist.  If you sit at least 16 feet away, face your chair away from the buffet, scout the buffet first to spot your favorite foods, and choose a smaller plate, you will eat a lot less than if you don’t.  For bonus points – resolve to have 50% of your plate be healthy stuff, then enjoy the bacon and the chocolate mousse on the other half.

Check out my post on Enjoying Yourself at a Buffet, but Still Staying in Control.  Lots of helpful tips!

• Skip the soda card.  My last two cruises I did this – I saved some money and passed up a cubic ton of sugar without feeling the least bit deprived.  In order to make the Bottomless Bubbles program cost-effective, you have to consume 3-4 sodas per day.  I knew that was not going to be a healthy choice.  So, instead of soda, I had a case of water delivered to my stateroom on the first day.  I did bring a supply of those little flavor packets to put in them – not a big fan of plain water.
• Too Many Martinis.  Alcohol is a HUGE deal onboard a ship.  Seriously HUGE.  If the ships were to stop selling it, I think they would go out of business very quickly.  I’m not yo’ Mama, so drink it up if you want.  Just be aware of the price tag attached, plus the excess calories.  The ship plays it smart by not giving you the alcohol bill til the last night.  Then there are a lot of glum faces going around the ship as people realize that they’ve overdone it.  You can review your charges daily on your TV screen and that will give you a good incentive to take it easy on the rum punch.

The money is already spent, so it doesn’t matter if you eat like a bird or like a water buffalo.

There you go.  Plenty of tips to help you out for your upcoming cruise.

If you enjoyed this post, you’ll probably like this one too.  It’s called 25 Fabulous Tips on Packing for a Cruise.  

Here are some other cruise posts you might enjoy:

15 Hacks to get the BEST Cruise Deals

7 Must-Have Items for a Great Cruise Experience

5 Tips for Cruising for Chubby People

Products and Services for Sale

My No BS Financial Freedom Framework

Personal Financial Planner

Help to Start a Blog

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