What to consider not skimping on?

[Martini Mom]

We save by:

Not buying spa services

Not gambling

Not playing Bingo

Not buying soda

Buying OV rooms vs balconies (most of the time)

Watching which cocktails we buy

Not buying their photos...anymore

Not buying their excursions...anymore

And really limiting what we spend on souvenirs. Usually just a lil something for the kids.

[Marian Paroo]

Do not skimp on anything that is important to you. You are on a vacation, a special one.

 

I didn't go to the spa, but I don't do that in real life, either.

 

I like my whisky, so I liked it on the cruise, too, even if it cost more.

 

My questions before I swiped my cruise card was; Would I do it at home? if so, yes.

 

Would I not do it at home? if so, no.

[CanWeGoYet?]

I have to book a balcony, the last cruise I took was in an OV and I learned having no balcony is my deal breaker. If I can't afford a balcony I need to wait to cruise until I can.

 

I do watch for price drops at least daily. So far my Alaska cruise has come down $400 total.

 

I don't splurge on specialty restaurants, the one time I did I thought the food was prettier but did not taste better than the MDR. It seemed a stuffy waste of time and money.

 

I will pay extra for pilates or yoga classes, because it's normal life for me to pay extra for fitness activities. If pay for dance classes were available, I'd attend.

 

I plan on my excursions carefully and the only time I will book a ship's excursion is if I can't find private ones on my own.

 

If I have to travel to the port I will always get there a day or two ahead of embarkation. I generally stay in hotels that are basic. Clean, safe, but not pricey. It seems the more expensive a hotel you stay at, the less is included anyhow.

 

I always get trip insurance with pre-existing condition covered.

 

No gambling, don't enjoy it. Pictures very rarely. No on board purchases unless I find a souvenir I really like that is cheap, or if I forgot to pack an essential.

 

No bingo, soda card only for my son. This cruise I will be buying bottled water. I have found I swell more if I only drink the water from the taps on board.

[kg4pit]

DH and I will be cruising in less than 3 weeks. This will be our 10th cruise.

 

Things we do or have done....

 

1. our cabin--we don't have to have a balcony, but cannot have inside! done that before and felt too closed in. we are fine with an OV

2. Drinks (alcoholic variety)----probably 2 a day for each of us (who knows, maybe a 3rd) we do usually carry on our 6pk of diet mt dew (cruise doesn'thave that and I HAVE to have a diet mt dew a day) and diet pepsi

3. Excursions---we have only booked excursions outside of the cruiseline once, which was ok, but I do prefer to book thru cruiseline, even tho more expensive, just for the convenience if something were to happen....again, JMHO We also like historic stuff...we are going to Nassau this time and have been several times before...so most of the historic stuff, we've seen. this time we are doing the segway tour! Love, love, love the segways!!

4. Specialty restaurants---no need to pay extra for food when there is so much around that is free! We do, however, sometimes eat at a local restaurant in town.

5. Ship photographs----in the past we have purchased way too many pictures! We have decided this time, to cut back on the pictures! We have a camera and are not afraid to ask someone to take our picture!

6. Casino and bingo----we do usually go to the casino, but with a set amount that we aren't afraid to lose (usually $20 lol) Now, bingo, we do play a few times. My husband won $1000 jackpot on our cruise 2 yrs ago..

7. Souveniers-----going to cut back on those this time....not planning on buying any alcohol that they "put on sale". we still have two bottles that we bought last year!! We will buy something for our son, daughter in law and grandbaby! Pretty sure son and daughter in law won't get quite as much this time! LOL already decided that our granddaughter will be getting her first "hard rock cafe" tshirt this time.

8. Lodging---we have a 8-9 hr drive to the port this time, so we will be staying in a hotel the night before... we had originally planned to stay "not so close" to the port and made reservations at hotel 25min away. looked at the area and decided to check on hotels closer....we are staying at the hotel less than 1/2 mile from the port, it did cost $50 more, but we are fine with that!

 

everybody has their own preferences and there is no "right or wrong" answers... point is to have a great vacation!!!!

[willco]

Great topic!

 

After about 30 cruises, the one thing I don't skimp on is tipping. We bring lots of $1 bills and just add one to each check. I know that a service fee is already added, but a buck goes a long way. On vacation, I love the feeling of being recognized by the working bar staff. The word does get around. We do drink and we go to Specialty restaurants. Since the bar staff can be in any of the bars, it's nice to be greeted by name.

 

Will

[dread_pirate]

I do watch for price drops at least daily. So far my Alaska cruise has come down $400 total.

Do cruise lines adjust the price if they drop the fare? I'm going to book tomorrow, and I'd love it if they did!

 

If not, I assume you check prices only before you book?

[CanWeGoYet?]

Do cruise lines adjust the price if they drop the fare? I'm going to book tomorrow, and I'd love it if they did!

 

If not, I assume you check prices only before you book?

 

I believe they all do, at least until final payment. I don't know about NCL but the ones owned by Royal Caribbean and Carnival do.

 

The catch is you have to find the drop and request it, you will not get it otherwise. If you are booking through a travel agent, check with them to find out their policy on giving price drops. Some charge a fee for any change (including price drops) and if they honor it, it will eat into their commission. This is why I book my cruises directly with the cruise line.

[Square]

I guess I've found that we save money with a balcony. Princess lets us bring on several bottles of wine and it helps offset some of the cost of the balcony because we actually do spend time in our room and drink wine on our balcony (usually pre-dinner or late night). We're relatively young and still enjoy hitting the bar so the tab can add up by the end of 7 nights. We live several states away from any beach so having that ocean front property is pretty awesome. It's a splurge but we may have spoiled ourselves to the point where we don't go back to an inside.

[Suzieanna]

Experiences that create memories are worth splurging on. Example, one thing I will remember until my dying day is snorkelling in sharm el sheik, another driving up and down the LV strip in a limo, a helicopter ride etc..... I personally don't bother with specialty restaurants as I am not interested in food. I like a drink and a gamble but can justify this expense by keeping out of the spa! I only buy a few silly souvenirs and wouldn't ever buy myself jewellery (thats my husbands job anyway haha).

 

 

I would like to try an inside cabin as the prices are always so appealing but am scared in case I didn't like it? I fantasise about splashing out on a big suite too, but what if I then couldn't face going back to a balcony cabin? Sometimes I feel ashamed at the nonsense that keeps me awake at night. Please God my worries are always this trivial!

[erinmarie424]

Be sure to budget some money for meals on port days. We've had some very delicious meals in local establishments in many ports. I feel sorry for those cruisers that have to pack room service or lido deck sandwiches to carry off the ship. Not to mention you're not supposed to do it in many places.

[ntxtrio]

Experiences that create memories are worth splurging on. Example, one thing I will remember until my dying day is snorkelling in sharm el sheik, another driving up and down the LV strip in a limo, a helicopter ride etc..... I personally don't bother with specialty restaurants as I am not interested in food. I like a drink and a gamble but can justify this expense by keeping out of the spa! I only buy a few silly souvenirs and wouldn't ever buy myself jewellery (thats my husbands job anyway haha).

 

 

I would like to try an inside cabin as the prices are always so appealing but am scared in case I didn't like it? I fantasise about splashing out on a big suite too, but what if I then couldn't face going back to a balcony cabin? Sometimes I feel ashamed at the nonsense that keeps me awake at night. Please God my worries are always this trivial!

 

Suzieanna - DH and I will be taking our 3rd cruise this August to celebrate our 20th anniversary. Our 1st cruise we had a balcony, our 2nd we had an inside cabin. I will never go back to an inside cabin again. I am not claustrophobic, but the room was smaller and I had to crawl into bed from the bottom because there was a corner table in the way when the twin beds were made into one. We were constantly banging our shins on furniture. Our next cruise we will be in a Cove Balcony. Can't wait to experience that. It is cheaper than the regular balcony, and you are close to the water where it gives you a whole new point of view.

 

We never go to specialty restaurants. We have always gotten great food in MDR and very much enjoy the buffet. No spas, prices are way higher than what is charged at home. Limited ship photos, we have a camera and use it well. We don't do excursions at all ports, wandering around the port is just as good a time and free. Casino time is limited by a $ limit, usually $20. Limit my on board spending to necessaries and a few trinkets. I don't buy jewelry. We enjoy attending some of the on board activities, but never the ones that charge. There is so much to do on board that is fun and free, why spend money when you don't have to? Alcohol, we are light drinkers, so we don't buy bottles, just a drink or two a day. This next cruise I will bring my own sodas. I found that I was drinking more sodas than I really wanted/needed just to make sure I got my money's worth! We arrive a day before the cruise and stay at a hotel somewhere close.

We always have a blast and bring home many great memories.

[MermaidWatcher]

We do the most comprehensive (translate usually the most $) excursion in new places (like Med) but usually don't spend on expensive in Caribbean. My theory is once you have seen the beaches and turquoise water, it all looks the same, and all yellow fish look alike, no matter how long a boat ride you took to get to them. We will do a city tour if it is more than a "cruise ship dock" masquerading as a city, or visit a historic ruin. Don't see the purpose of trying to cram as many tours as possible into every day, like I hear people talking about; I'm suppossed to be here to relax.....Ain't I ;)

[Sea Gypsy 2]

Pick what is most important to you to splurge on, whether it be a balcony, or excursion, pictures, or whatever and then spend less on other things!

[Ex-Airbalancer]

Pick what is most important to you to splurge on, whether it be a balcony, or excursion, pictures, or whatever and then spend less on other things!

 

So true!

 

It depends on the cruise

Do a TA , a balcony is very nice to for all those sea days,, also you can a balcony for only $100 more then an inside, so it good value

We also get a Non alocholic drink package , which is again good value on a TA

You have to spend your obc on something

[msmagpie83]

After booking an inside cabin on my last cruise, I can't have anything lower than an ocean view.... While I don't mind not having a balcony, I need at least a window. I'm a foodie, and the speciality restaurants appeal to me. Some MDR food has been inedible for me. I'm not a big drinker, and don't drink enough soda to warrant the cost involved. I will splurge on excursions after doing some research. Every time I get on a ship, I swear I'm not going to go to the spa, but then my back is screaming for a massage... lol. I know it's overpriced and I'll feel exactly the same about 3 hours after, but it's vacation :) I find cheap souvenirs in port for friends (3/$10 tshirts anyone?!)... I'm not going on vacation to bring them back stuff. I will buy alcohol in port, but only a few select of my favorites :)

[attilamom1217]

DH and I look for the savings upfront - booking the best value for the cabin we want. it means, of course, having flexibility in your dates. We compare the price of the cabins with the cost of hotels, airfare, etc., then make our decision.

 

Once we book, we then think about what we are willing to spend money on - maybe one expensive excursions - the rest will be taxis to the beach? We don't drink alot, but will by wine by the bottle and drink one glass saving the rest for the next dinner. Buy only one soda or coffee card and share with your spouse (not techncally 'kosher' but doable and done all of the time).

 

we avoid the art auctions and the spa and limit our gambling to a pre determined total.

 

Mostly though, once we've gotten the value on the cruise, we decide before we go what major purchases we will make (excursions; jewelry or other sourvenir on the islands), etc. and plan to spend that money. Then we relax and enjoy and avoid the sticker shock since we planned for it.! :D

[StillSlinginSkrimp]

We don't skimp on excursions or the specialty restaurant. We research all of our ports of call both from the Ship and here on the Boards. There is a ton of information out there to confuse some folks. We keep it simple and usually will do one excursion per port. This time we will have lots of time in all of the ports, some of which we have visited before. Those get different excursions. We will be adding walking excursions now that we have iPhones and there are a ton of apps for walking tours in almost every port. We're going a day early to Quebec City for an extra day of touring that wonderful city with a walking tour app in the phone.

 

We will be on the fascination feb 2nd! Let me know how it is!!

[askimdog]

We love our inside rooms and would NEVER pay just for a window. We turn in at 9PM it is dark, we awake at 5:30 or 6...dark, so for the 10 minutes I might visit the room mid-day, not worth it to us.

 

We mostly dine in the buffet, so MDR is out which makes specialty restaurants out. My wife has a camera so photos are out. I bring on wine and SPLURGE for a BV bottle, so no bar tab.

 

3 cruises, we have done 1 paid excursion, normally we prefer to wander towns.

 

Our S&S bill for 3 of us is never over 20 bucks.....

 

BUT, besides the BV Bottle, we do splurge on food in Port, we like regional food, so it is not unusual to get 2 meals and a snack while in port hoping from street food vendor to street food vendor.

 

We skimp everywhere for a year or two to do a cruise, then once on board skimp, but in Port...the wallet is unleashed.

 

I will add we buy no souvenirs. Unless it is a food item or beverage ( rare rum?). I must of hunted everywhere in Belize City for aged 10 yr. Don Omario rum.

[sngleme121]

When I choose to go on a cruise, I do exactly what we want. I don't book balconies because I just don't think they are worth it to me. But as far as other things...I plan for what I feel we are going to enjoy and then buy it. Some excursions are more expensive but hey I'm on vacation and since I am a planner when it comes to my finances, we are always prepared. And no we're not retired yet or independently wealthy either.

[tiffanieb]

i don't skimp on anything i take more spending money and buy myself or my whole table drinks, we are there for a good time.

1 thing i don't spend on is the casino other then that its anything goes.

[Ex-Airbalancer]

When I choose to go on a cruise, I do exactly what we want. I don't book balconies because I just don't think they are worth it to me. But as far as other things...I plan for what I feel we are going to enjoy and then buy it. Some excursions are more expensive but hey I'm on vacation and since I am a planner when it comes to my finances, we are always prepared. And no we're not retired yet or independently wealthy either.

 

What do you do when the balcony is less then a ocean view :confused:

[misty57]

Before we were retired, our work schedules allowed us to only have a week for the cruise. Now that we are retired, we...

 

...book cruises that are ten or eleven days (becasue we can!)

...extend our stay in Florida with a couple of days before the cruise and a couple of days after the cruise. Once again, because we can and because New Hampsha wintas are unforgiving!;)

Love the accent:D

[bitsey66]

This may sound a little strange, but we decided to "skip" the before cruise beach wedding, so we'd have more to spend on excusrsions or something special bought for our home or ourselves. We've both been married before, myself for 12 years, my fiance for 22 years. I had my big wedding, so we are doing hometown JP and saving our money for the honeymoon! :p

[CityGirlLost]

We are looking forward to our 2nd cruise in March 2012. Our first was with DCL in 2005 when our kids were aged 10 and 8. During that cruise, we really treated ourselves...

 

For our day in Cozumel, we splurged and booked a private charter to Chichen Itza to see the ruins. A taxi met us at the port, drove us to the airport where we boarded a Cessna, flew alone with the pilot to the ruins, met with a guide for a private 2-hour tour followed by an unguided walkabout and then flew back. It did not come cheap ($1200+ if memory serves me well for the four of us), but it is one of our fondest memories. I heard a while back that visitors are no longer permitted to climb the pyramid...well, we did get that chance and I have never regretted spending that chunk of change. The year prior, we took a private charter over the active volcano on Hawaii's Big Island while vacationing in Maui and that too is a great memory...the picture of my then 7-year-old sitting in the co-pilot seat is priceless! Obviously, we make sacrifices to do these occasional splurges...but if bringing my lunch to work instead of eating out allows me to walk where Mayans once did...well, bring on the tuna sandwiches.

 

I came to this realization after a missed opportunity... I went to China once for business but because it was likely I would go back a second time, I never bothered to pay out of pocket to stay an extra night and visit the Great Wall. I left the company shortly thereafter...that was 11 years ago...I will probably never get another chance to go to China.

 

My mother died in December from cancer at the age of 64 (very young). During her three months of unsuccessful chemo treatments, I never heard her once say "I wish I didn't do such and such" but I often heard her say "I'm so glad I did such and such."

 

We don't splurge on our cabin (one inside for all four of us), soda cards, shopping or specialty restaurants...the cabin stays behind, the soda is bad for us anyway, you can only have so much stuff and good food can be had in the MDR at no extra cost...but the memories of the things we do, well they're the only things we ever get to take home with us.

 

This is brilliant and really inspiring. Thanks!

[tiffanieb]

Story above is just like us spend more for memories things like they did they will never forget