The saying that cruises are one of the most affordable vacations one can take is said so often that it’s almost taken as fact. While a cruise can be quite affordable the reality is costs can spiral out of control if you aren’t careful. You see, while the cruise lines do a fantastic job at providing incredible value for baseline costs the real money is made after the actual cruise has been paid.
One of the things I find funny about cruisers is we spend a ton of time trying to get a great deal on the price of the cruise. However, after that job is done we make a lot of stupid mistakes that add to our costs. The worst part of it all is a lot of the time the cruise line doesn’t even have to shake us down for the cash; we just give away our hard earned money. Here are 5 ways cruisers end up donating money to the cruise lines.
1. Early Bird Gets the Worm, Late Comers Get the Best Prices
If you think the sales are good at the beginning just wait, they get much better. During the beginning of your cruise you’ll be bombarded with advertisements for sales. It only makes sense, passengers are at their happiest at the very beginning and when people are happy, they spend. Also unless you hit big in a casino there probably won’t be a time during your vacation where you have more disposable dollars.
Do yourself a favor, resist the urge to spend and wait until later in the cruise. It’s perfectly fine to browse around to make note of what you would like to buy but don’t make a purchase. As the cruise goes on the sales get better, leaving more money in your pocket.
2. You Do Know the Lemonade is Free… Right?
Two things you will never have to worry about on a cruise ship; having an unmade bed and not having food or drink available. During my regular life I drink a bottle of pop (I refuse to say soda) just about every day. I’ve never had pop on a cruise ship. Why? I don’t want to pay for it. Throughout the day on every cruise ship you have water, lemonade, and iced tea available with juice being available at certain times.
Why would you pay for something as run of the mill as pop? It’s not a special concoction that’s only available on board cruise ships at home you can drink as much of it as you want for a quarter the cost. While you can purchase soda cards on most cruise lines it’s still money you don’t need to spend. Do yourself a favor take a week off from drinking pop and detox a little you may even feel a bit better.
3. Don’t Show Your Face on Facebook
My job is heavily tied into the internet. When I am at home I am plugged into the internet 90% of my waking time. I’ve been known to wake up in the middle of the night to check baseball scores on phone. I am fully addicted. In a sense, I am one with the internet.
However, when I go on vacation the internet ceases to exist. Although you may find me typing away in the cruise terminal the minute I step on board the ship I enter the dark ages. Buying internet time on a cruise ship can get very expensive very fast. For instance on Royal Caribbean the lowest tier package they sell is 35 dollars for an hour of internet time. I refuse to pay that amount of money to check my email or check my Facebook.
Nearly every port you visit will have either free Wi-Fi or numerous internet cafes which will allow you to get your fix either for free or much cheaper than on board the ship. I choose to fully unplug during my vacations but those of you who don’t want to go that for really should wait until you get in port.
4. They Aren’t Doing You Any Favors
Not only is a pain in the butt to find a great price on a cruise but after that’s done (or before) you have to deal with travel arrangements. Wouldn’t it be so much easier to just book your flight through the cruise line when you purchase the cruise? Sure, but it will also be much more expensive and a lot less flexible.
While you can save a fair amount of time by doing things the easy way the trade of will be hundreds of dollars that could otherwise be saved by booking your own flight. By booking your own flight you not save the surcharge added by the cruise line but also have the freedom to search different airlines for the best possible price. The best part is you have the ability to choose an itinerary tailored to your needs.
Oftentimes I am able to recoup the time spent on searching for the best price by finding a flight that takes off and lands exactly when I want. So, it’s not like you wasted time searching for flights you actually only borrowed it from pre-cruise planning and it gets paid back when you are actually on vacation. A longer vacation and more money in your pocket, what’s not to love?
5. Listen to Socrates and “Know Thyself”
One thing everyone needs to decide before choosing a cabin is which type of cruiser they are. When some cruise they like to keep things as relaxed as possible. These types absolutely need a balcony to call their own. Others cruisers may lay at the opposite end of the spectrum by constantly being on the move. If you are into lounge hopping, late night gambling in the casino or lying by the pool sunrise til’ sunset all you need is a bed to sleep in. Don’t let anyone tell you one cruise style is right or wrong, they are just different.
However, something that is very wrong is spending extra money on a cabin that doesn’t fit your style. If you only plan on being in your cabin to sleep why would you bother with a balcony cabin? Sometimes we fall into a trap of spending money on things that are perceived as being better when really they aren’t for you. It’s kind of like those people who buy Ford F-350’s with no intentions of ever hauling anything with them. Don’t spend money on something you don’t need just because someone tells you that you should.
During the relaxed environment of a cruise one thing that is easily forgotten is the fact we are basically walking ATM’s. While the crew mesmerizes us with personalized service, warm greetings and friendly smiles the corporation see’s us as nothing more than a number. The trick is taking full advantage of the cruise you pay for while avoiding the pitfalls that cause cruisers to hand over money for nothing.
No related posts.
