I always want to go, whether on an RV trip, car trip, jet plane, or, my favorite, on a cruise. And who doesn’t want to save money on your next cruise? I know we certainly do, and I always look for ways to accomplish this magic.
Cruising is possible for us, but we must plan for this expense. We are retired, fixed-income seniors, so cost is always our first hurdle when deciding to go on a cruise. Steve and I have, however, been able to experience several cruises before and since retirement.
We do not book through travel agents. Most of the fun of going on a trip is planning everything. Therefore, I am very unfamiliar with working with a travel professional. However, this may be a great way to book a cruise if you prefer to skip the planning part.
The actual cost of a cruise
The stated cruise fare on the website is just the base cost, like buying a car without all the options. Gratuities (averaging $17/day) optional insurance (we purchase our own separately), internet packages, drink packages, dining packages, and shore excursions are all additional charges. It adds up!
Credit cards and point or miles
We have handled all our expenses and bill payments by credit card for many years. We use credit cards that provide the most airline, hotel, or reward points. Also, we always pay the total balance due on each card when it is due. Neither of us ever carries a balance, never.
Once upon a time, we were young and not so wise, but we realized the enormous cost of credit card debt a long time ago and decided that if we couldn’t pay for what we wanted to purchase at the time of purchase, we did not need to buy it, at least not then.
We pay our electric bills, gas bills, cell phone bills, grocery bills, tax payments, car payments, restaurant charges, Amazon Prime, and trip expenses with a credit card that provides the maximum amount of points possible. I have my credit cards, and Steve has his cards.
These points almost completely cover the costs of our hotels and airfare. Cruise lines have their credit cards and offers, but they do not have much value for us. These are the credit cards we have and use daily.
American Express – used for groceries
Southwest Airlines – airline points
United Airlines – airline points
IHG Rewards – hotel points
If we are not cruising from our home port of Galveston, Texas, we always fly (or drive) to our embarkation point at least one day early. It is too stressful to worry about a missed flight or lost luggage.
Booking our hotel is usually the first thing we decide when embarking on a cruise. Hotel points come in handy here. We see in a new location and have a great night’s sleep before our cruise.
Choose your ATM card wisely.
Our ATM card incurs no foreign transaction fees or ATM fees anywhere at any time. We never have to consider picking up foreign currency before we leave home or worry about running out of cash or incurring ATM costs.
Which cruise line?
We are mostly Royal Caribbean cruisers. Steve and I have cruised on Norwegian and taken several Carnival cruises over the years. Of these three cruise lines, we prefer Royal Caribbean. Our tastes may change as we experience more cruise lines.
Some Norwegian cruise lines, for example, offer all-inclusive packages, including gratuities, drink packages, dining packages, internet packages, and even shore excursion allowances. Although included in the cruise fare, each item will add a tax to the fare price.
Since we do not use these special packages, we find all-inclusive cruises are not how we want to spend our money. If you plan to use these premium offers, it may be more cost-effective to cruise on with an all-inclusive package such as Holland America or Celebrity.
Cruise lines also offer kids-sail-free promotions from time to time. If you have a family, this is a terrific discount when booking a cruise. Be sure to look for this promotion before booking.
When should you book your cruise?
In my experience, the earlier you purchase your cruise fare, the more likely you are to get a reasonable price and be able to choose from the best cabin selection. Cruise fares go down and up all the time, however.
We sometimes book cruises as far out as two years. During those two years, we set aside monthly funds for that cruise in a savings account and finally pay for the cruise just before the deadline.
A feature of Royal Caribbean is that we can check our cruise fare for a lower price and receive the lower cost as long as we still have a balance owed. For this reason, we never pay the total fare until a few days before the final payment cutoff date.
Of course, there are fantastic last-minute cruises available. Cabin offerings will likely not be the greatest, but a less-than-perfect cabin on a cruise ship is not awful. Finding great deals on almost all cruise lines only requires a bit of online research.
Cruise lines offer good deals from December through March. Cruises often come with additional incentives, such as free upgrades. If you want to save money, try to avoid booking cruises during dates when families cruise most—during spring break, mid-summer, and holidays.
Repositioning, transatlantic, and transpacific cruises are my favorite choices. These cruises are typically longer. For us, the longer the cruise, the better. I am especially fond of multiple days at sea with no land in sight.
Ask your cruise line for discounts.
Most cruise lines offer military and senior discounts. Discounts are usually also based on the state you live in. There can be all kinds of discounts; ask.
It is often cheaper to pre-purchase drink packages, dining packages, internet access, and even shore excursions from the online cruise planner. You can also order these items directly from a cruise line representative by phone.
Where is my perfect cabin?
I have a claustrophobia problem, and we always have a balcony cabin for that reason only. I know, I know. It’s all in my head – but it is what it is. Lower deck cabins, typically oceanview or inside cabins, are considerably lower in price.
You have to choose what works best for you. Oceanview cabins and inside cabins are the most economical way to cruise. Either cabin will be comfortably spacious and acceptable if you are not claustrophobic. Balconies, however, are great for reading and watching sunrises and sunsets.
We are not fans of guaranteed cabins. A guaranteed cabin costs less than a selected cabin and is often not assigned until the day you sail. Sometimes, these cabins have obstructed views or are connected by a door to the adjacent room. I always want to choose our cabin.
Book your next cruise while still onboard
Yes, cruise lines have excellent discounts and cruise offers you can book while you are still onboard in the middle of a cruise! Onboard credit and discounted deposits are only two offers you can grab at the future cruise desk. Many promotional offers are often available here.
Play in the casino
We have earned several free (minus port fees, gratuities, and insurance) cruises from points accumulated while playing slot machines in the ships’ casinos. Table games also earn points, but neither Steve nor I play those.
Want to save money on your next cruise?
To recap, here are great ways we have discovered to make our cruise travel affordable. The most important thing is to research online to decide what is available and what your expectations are for your cruise.
- Use credit cards with points for all purchases possible.
- Obtain an ATM card with no foreign transactions or ATM fees.
- Research all cruise lines and determine the type of experience you wish to have based on your budget.
- Avoid booking a cruise during spring breaks, holidays, or summer. Instead, choose to cruise during shoulder seasons. Consider transatlantic, transpacific, and repositioning cruises.
- Ask your cruise line if they offer military, senior, home state discounts or other discounts.
- Consider an inside, oceanview, or guaranteed cabin for the lowest prices.
- Visit the future cruise desk onboard the ship during a cruise to book a future cruise at discounted prices or special perks.
- Earn perks while playing in the casino onboard.
Cruising is different now, but still the same
