cruising on a budget

[restasured]

Guess I can see your point, just don't look at it like you do. Virtual or otherwise it is not "hard earned money". It is simply money that the credit card company gave me for using their service. You are correct in that I can use it in many ways and not just for a cruise but whatever it is used for it becomes and OBC.

[debstep]

I agree with the future cruise deposit, we have one with P&O (Australia:) ) and we have up to 4 years to use it,- luckily as we are using Celebrity next cruise (Asia- whole new scene for us). We have a free drinks package for the 14 nights on this one.

We have always been able to get at least $450 OBC through targeting sales, early booking (with ability to pay off).

 

We plan on board spending and do some shore tours, and some self guided, again book them early and include in your budget, and keep a running tally of our spending every couple of days checking against our account, takes 10 minutes for peace of mind. Since we never use the casino that is not a worry, and I usually pre book and pay for specialty dining, again don't need to worry about finding this at the time.

So research, grab sales, and pre-pay as much as you can. Hope you have a fabulous time BTW

cheers from down under

Deb & Step

[laurav]

just looking for opinions but do you find one cruise line works better on a budget

As a travel agent my first question would be "What is your budget?" because everyone has a different scale.

 

Last minute cruise sales don't really give that much and you will end up with something that you may not want, an interior stateroom with no windows over the casino or under the buffet area or all the way forward under the anchor rode or on a lower deck where you might experience engine or laundry noise.

 

Shore Excursions can add a great deal to the cost of your trip so it would be wise to do research to see where you would really want to spend that money ... many ports are very enjoyable on foot or with a city tour rather than an all day expensive excursion.

 

Beverages can add up, one way to save ... bring your own bottled water onboard or bring one large bottle and refill it at the buffet. Purchase the drink of the day and don't feel you have to give in to the pool service wait staff every time the come by. If you are thirsty you can get ice tea, lemonade and juice from the buffet area ... take a sipper, fill with ice and then the ice tea or whatever.

 

Another way to save is to forego the Alternative Dining options available on most ships and stick to the dining rooms that are included.

 

Forgo the casino or set a cash limit for yourself and stick to it. Your onboard entertainment is included and it is usually outstanding so enjoy it all.

 

Don't buy anything onboard until the last 2 nights when the prices are usually very low but think hard, do you really need to buy a t-shirt or sweatshirt or hat for everyone you know?

 

Limit your cell phone usage as you will pay a roaming fee and somewhere around $2.29 - $2.99 per minute while onboard. If you need to call from a foreign country you might want to purchase an international calling card before you leave home. If you need that computer time purchase a package rather than pay by the minute as this will save you money or wait until you are in port and find an internet café as they are usually less expensive.

 

And if you are really worried about going over your budget, talk with your travel agent to see if there are other ways to cut your expenses.

Edited December 27, 2013 by laurav

[Cruisin' Chick]

And definitely DO NOT forego the tips. If you feel the service is lacking, it's better to resolve this than to suffer in silence and then feel entitled to remove or reduce the tips. Often a word to the front desk about what you feel is wrong (maybe the cabin steward keeps forgetting to refill your ice and that's a big deal to you) can correct the problem. But be realistic -- expecting the cabin steward to clean your cabin only between 9:30 and 9:45 or present you a towel animal -- on say, a Cunard cruise where it's usually not expected, or expecting your waitstaff to clear your plates as soon as you place your fork down, that's not realistic given that they are serving many passengers at once.