Cruising cheap

[crusinfamof4]

Yes! You can. Most of everything is included anyway. The only thing we purchase onboard now is the soda card-for our boys and I-but you can bring your own soda per person, and tea, water and lemondaid are free. We no longer play bingo-its too expensive. My DH will buy alcohol. We do not buy any of the pictures. If you tour the spa when you board, you can get a raffle ticket and maybe win a free spa service. I really don't feel like we spend that much. We do have teens, so we do give them money for the arcade. But really, we aren't souvenier shoppers or anything like that. So yes, I feel you can cruise rather cheaply. And like other posts have said, you can find almost anyone who will take a picture of the two of you. It will be fine. You will have a great time.

[Jana60]

Wondering everyones take on cruising on a tight budget. Had alot of things happen over the last couple months that required our extra cruise money. Please help me convince my husband that we can go on a tight budget and still have a good time.

 

1) If you have not already booked you can save by driving to port (closest to Nashville is New Orleans at 9 hours) and cruise in Winter. You can go on 7 day out of NOLA for less than $1000 for 2 people. Or you can go on a 5 day out of NOLA for less than $650 for 2 people. Of course you will need to add tip money of about $12 each per day. This makes that $650 about $770 with tips.

 

2) In ports go to the beach, go walking around, go to Senior frogs, ect...

 

3) On board take your allowed wine and soda. Buy a bottle from BV or some people smuggle a little booze.

 

4) Avoid the Casino, Bingo, photo shop, gift shop, spa etc... Instead go to the shows, comedy club, Karaoke, trivia, dance classes, disco, latin dance club, gym, hot tubs, pool and of course eat lots of food!

 

Point out to hubby that the two of you would probably spend more than $154 per day if you went camping if you add the price of food and entertainment that you get for free on a cruise ship! After all thats only $77 per person per day. Heck I probably spend more than that when I'm at home and NOT on a vacation!

[Earthworm Jim]

Many people are saying to prepay gratuities or buy Funship dollars in advance, but neither one of those things will make it cheaper. The cost is the same whether you pay in advance or pay after the fact. The OP didn't say she can't stop from spending whatever money she has, she just said she couldn't spend a lot. If she put the same money she could have used to prepay gratuities or buy Funship dollars in the bank instead and used it to pay off the credit card bill from her Sign and Sail, she'd be no worse off.

 

But I agree with the other posters that you can have a great time without spending much extra. I actually think you could have a good time putting nothing on your Sign and Sail at all (except tips, if you didn't prepay). And if you felt OK spending a little bit on perhaps a drink here or there or a cheap private tour or cab to the beach in some ports, you wouldn't feel deprived at all and would have a great time.

 

Obviously, the casino is out. That's just for people that have more money than they want and feel the need to get rid of some of it, which isn't your situation. (BTW, I did get the humor in Luv2SeaU's post, which apparent went over the head of some)