Budget-Friendly Cruising: Secrets to Saving Without Sacrificing Fun
Cruising is a fantastic way to travel, blending the thrill of exploring multiple destinations with the comfort and convenience of room and board all in one place. However, many things add to the cost of a cruise vacation. Having cruised for over ten years, I’ve learned many ways to sail and explore the world while staying within a budget and not missing out on the fun. From budget-friendly excursion ideas to money-saving pointers while onboard the ship, these easy tips will help you get the most out of your trip without breaking the bank.
J.S. Whaldo and spouse enjoying a kayak excursion during a cruise to Geirangerfjord, Norway. / Photo by Whaldo Digital Content
Port Excursions For Less
Don’t just book shore excursions through the cruise line. Sometimes, you can find similar excursions that are less expensive than the cruise line offerings. There are some ports where you cannot find safe shore excursions other than what the cruise line is offering. Those are the exceptions. However, to make this pointer work, you do have to know what you want to do or at least have an idea for each port of call. Do some research before your cruise. You can watch YouTube videos or travel vlogs for each port of call to get ideas of what to do and see. Once you know what you might be interested in, review the available cruise ship excursions and ensure you read any reviews for that particular excursion. (Not all excursion descriptions are accurate, and the reviews usually clarify this.) Then, visit a travel site (e.g., TripAdvisor, Viator, Shore Excursions Group, among others) and search for something similar to your interests. Many tours are specifically designed for cruisers at a significantly lower price than booking through the cruise line. None will be identical to the ship excursions, but you may have more refined excursions at a discounted price AND smaller group sizes.
Utilize your travel credit card to book excursions. Websites like AMEX Travel, Chase Travel, and Capital One Travel offer various excursions, often at competitive prices. The added advantage? You'll earn more points for every dollar spent, maximizing your travel credit card perks.
Explore free or low-cost guided tours. Many ports offer guided and audio-guided walking tours that are either free or charge a nominal fee. Websites like Guruwalk, Freetours, Freetoursbyfoot, and Voicemap are great resources for these tours. They provide a budget-friendly way to explore ports and often lead to surprising discoveries.
Take a taxi and ask the driver to show you around. There are many ports where you will find a taxi stand set up right outside the disembarkation area of the ship, with a full display of prices for half-day or full-day tours. The taxi drivers are locals happy to share their home country with you. Also, note that the “taxi” may not always be the stereotypical automobile. For instance, no taxi cabs were waiting at one port stop in Portugal. It was a line of rickshaws. Keep an open mind; you may have a unique experience seeing local sites with a resident at a much lower cost than on a stereotypical excursion.
Public Transportation
Embrace the adventure of using public transportation while in port. Sometimes, when you arrive at a port of call, there is a free shuttle service to get you from the ship to the city center where you are visiting. At other times, the port where you disembark is where you want to explore. In that case, public transportation can be used to go exploring. In most cases, you don’t need to book a shore excursion to get to the beach, botanical garden, museum, shopping district, or whatever you want to check out. You can use the local public transportation to get around. Don’t be afraid to talk to the locals (use Google Translate if you don't speak the language) and ask for directions. If you feel unsure of your journey, use Google Maps. Some countries have excellent public transportation systems and mobile apps to make it easy to get around. This is a great way to immerse yourself in the local culture and feel the thrill of exploration.
Hop On, Hop Off
Consider the freedom and flexibility of a hop-on, hop-off (HOHO) tour. Many cruise lines offer this excursion, but you can also book it independently. Search ‘Hop On Hop Off’ and your destination name. In some ports, the HOHO bus comes directly to the port specifically for cruisers. This is a great way to see many things and then choose when and where you want to get off for a while, before catching the next bus at a different stop or the same one. It’s a great way to explore a city, a fun way to learn little tidbits about the place by utilizing the audio on the bus, and a convenient form of transportation for the day. Review the route map and select the line that covers the area or areas you are interested in reaching. Some ports are too small for a HOHO and won’t be worth the cost, so again, review the route map. A HOHO allows you to design your itinerary and explore at your own pace.
Shopping Onboard and in Port
Let’s face it: shopping can be fun. Getting a souvenir for yourself or your family and friends back home is a stereotypical part of vacationing. That’s why most ports have shops near the docks, making it extremely easy for cruisers to spend their money. Like any shopping trip, think about what you want. Does your daughter (or son, grandchild, best friend, neighbor, or hairdresser) need another t-shirt (or blanket, earrings, bracelet, or tote bag) from a place she has not been to? How about you? Do you have room in your luggage to bring all those gifts home without needing to purchase an additional bag and pay the airline fee to fly it home? Many people set parameters for precisely what they will buy when traveling. Some collect one specific thing from each port or country that adds joy to their life. I’ve seen thimble collections, Christmas decorations, magnet collections, flags, and cloth patches from all over the world. That’s fun! There’s nothing wrong with grabbing a shirt or dress that you love. You do you. I’m simply suggesting that you can minimize the expense of cruising if you think ahead and keep shopping and souvenirs to a minimum.
Cruise ships have many stores to browse through as well. Some of these items are overpriced. Again, it’s how the cruise line makes money. If you're going to shop onboard, wait for the “sale” day. Most cruise lines have a specific day and time frame when the goods are marked down. Watch the itinerary and add it to your schedule. You’ll save money just by shopping at that time.
Drink or Bundle Packages
Individual cruise lines have varied types of drink packages. Some are for alcoholic drinks, and others for non-alcoholic beverages. Determining whether any of these packages are right for you is essential. Start by researching what drinks are included in your cruise fare, and then take some time to reflect on your drinking style. How much do you drink alcohol, specialty coffee, smoothies, or soft drinks? These are often not included in the cruise fare and will be added to your final bill. Don’t be afraid to ask about the average cost of these items when researching your cruise. A final bill with hundreds of extra dollars for drinks is a sure way to kill a vacation budget. Assess yourself and then decide. For instance, if you drink a mocha espresso every morning, a cocktail every day at happy hour, a smoothie while sitting by the pool, a soft drink at lunch and dinner, and then a glass of wine when enjoying the evening entertainment, you should consider purchasing a drink package. If you have one drink not included in your cruise fare at lunch and then another at dinner, a drink package will probably not be worth spending your money on. Additionally, if you plan to purchase a beverage package, do so before your trip. Many cruise lines increase the price of these packages once you have set sail.
This may come as a shock, but some cruise lines offer bottled water packages. Honestly, you don’t have to pay for water. Bring a few refillable water bottles along with you. Fill them up onboard. The water is filtered and very safe to drink. It’s the same water used to cook your food, used in your sink in your stateroom, used to make your morning coffee, and the same water served with your meals. As an added budget-friendly point, bring one of those water bottles with you when going ashore. Most countries have excellent water that you can find for free to refill your water bottle (looking at you, Europe). It’s another thing that you can look up for each port of call before you leave. It’s essential to have a plan for this. The added expense of bottled water compounds quickly. Staying hydrated is a crucial factor in maintaining good health while traveling. Bring those water bottles and drink up!
Some drink bundle packages include specialty dining credits, internet, and shore excursion credits. When considering the bundle options, think about what you want and, more importantly, what you will use. Some of the bundles include everything at a base level, and if you’re not interested in it all, just buy the one add-on you will genuinely use.
Dining Options
Many cruise lines have “specialty” restaurants onboard that cost you extra to dine at. Knowing this about your cruise line and the ship you will be sailing on is valuable. Your cruise fare includes food. But what exactly? Is there a buffet for each meal, or do you need to go to the dining room? What about that steakhouse you saw on the promotional pamphlet? It varies by cruise line and ship. If you want to spend money on a specialty restaurant onboard, make a reservation and enjoy yourself. As with all other expenses discussed, this is another area that can quickly accumulate, so be aware of it before you go and budget accordingly.
Budget-friendly cruising is possible. The key is to do your homework to make these tips work. Whether it’s finding cheaper excursions, skipping pricey extras, or just being mindful of what you really want to spend money on, these tips can help you get the most out of your trip. With some forethought, you can enjoy your trip and feel great about staying within your budget while you’re out exploring this big, beautiful world
Bon Voyage!
- J.S. Whaldo
