spikey

we use our airline miles and hotel points. my wife travels for her job and we have not paid out of pocket for the last 4 cruises. we used hotel points.

we always dine in the regular dinning rooms

i do fill empty water bottles with rum and pack it, never had a problem.

we buy bottled water at the ports and bring it on board.

we never shop onboard

try not to impulse buy anything. we plan what we want to get in advance and then shop online for it before we leave. then you know what it should cost and can bargin for it at the shops in whatever port you are in. i bought an expensive watch that way. saved a bundle.

we always book an inside cabin, we have been upgraded every time. we have been lucky with that. i watch the price of our cabin very closely and call for an upgrade whenever there is a price drop.(5-6weeks prior to sailing is the time to watch the prices) our next cruise went from an inside to a picture window.