A cruise vacation is a great way to make your travel dreams come true without breaking the bank. Cruises often offer all-inclusive deals like most kosher Europe tours that include lodging, meals and entertainment for one low price. You’ll get to relax in a comfortable stateroom while you enjoy delicious food and visit fascinating ports of call. Even if you’re on a tight budget, you can save up enough money to take a memorable cruise vacation. Here are some surprising ways to save for your cruise vacation.
Know Your Budget
Set a budget. Add up your monthly income and then subtract your bills, rent or mortgage, debt payments, and savings. What’s left over is what you have for spending money. Whatever that amount is, decide on a percentage of that that you want to save for your cruise vacation each month.
Knowing what's within your budget is important—you don't want to go into debt!—but don't forget to factor in the rest of the expenses associated with taking a cruise. You'll need to pay for transportation costs like plane tickets as well as food and snacks while on the ship or at port destinations if they aren't included in the price of your cruise ticket—and look out for any fees or additional costs! Check the fine print.
Book Early
As with any vacation, the earlier you can book your cruise, the better. You'll get the best price and selection of cabins, itineraries, dates, and ports. Some cruise lines will even offer free or reduced airfare when you book early.
But if your budget is tight or you aren't ready to commit yet, that's okay too! There are so many other ways to save for a trip at sea.
Shop Around for Cruise Deals
One of the best ways to save money on a cruise is to shop around for deals. Certain cruise lines are known for having more frequent deals than others. You can also take advantage of checking out loyalty programs and newsletters from your preferred cruise line; these services often offer discounts or coupons when you book a trip.
In addition to checking out loyalty programs, newsletters and social media accounts for your favorite cruise lines, you can also check out websites like Cruise Critic, Cruise Compete and Cruise Direct for potential deals. These sites sometimes offer exclusive fares that may not be available in other places online; if you're flexible about where you go and when you go, it's likely that there will be at least one deal somewhere that works with your schedule!
Take Your Own Excursions
Fortunately, you don't have to break your bank account in order to book a cruise vacation. There are several ways that you can go about saving money on your next cruise, and one of the most surprising is booking your own excursions.
Booking independently means that there are often more choices available through independent companies than through the cruise line itself. For example, if you wanted something adventurous and exciting like parasailing or scuba diving in Aruba during your stopover there—and you were disappointed when all of the slots were booked—you could still find an independent company offering that same experience with openings in their schedule that would work with yours.
Go for an Older Boat
Consider what you're getting for your money. In most cases, newer ships come with higher price tags and more amenities, but there are some great perks to older boats, too. You'll still get fun onboard entertainment, great dining options, and the same itineraries as their shiny counterparts—with the added bonus of fewer fellow passengers crowding the pool. Older ships tend to offer bigger discounts than newer ones; think traveling in style without having to spend like you're a millionaire.
Older cruise ships are often a great value for your money because they don't offer all of the bells and whistles that some of their newer counterparts do. Don't let that turn you off! With fewer passengers aboard, you can enjoy more room on deck and more availability in classes like cooking or painting without having to battle it out for a spot at the table. It might be worth it to think about booking an older ship when searching for your next vacation at sea.
Don't Sail During Seasonal Periods
The more you can avoid the peak periods, like during school vacation months and major holidays, the less expensive your cruise will be. The most popular times for cruises are summer vacations, Christmas and New Year's Day, spring break and long weekends. If you have some flexibility in your schedule, try to avoid these time periods to save money, particularly on Jewish cruise.
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