What Everyone Needs To Know About Cruising To Save Money
How to Save Money on a Carnival Cruise
I know cruises can get expensive so I am going to offer you some tips that will keep the memories flowing and your wallet intact. A cruise is the best money saving vacation you can take by far. I can’t tell you how happy and excited my children were to go on a Carnival Cruise. We went on the Carnival Paradise cruise with my sister and her three children. We called it cruising with cousins and it was a great vacation to take since it will be one they will remember forever.
How to Save Money on a Carnival Cruise
1) The first tip I have is to look at all your credit cards and see if any of them offer reward points toward a cruise. You could end up getting a free cruise depending on what credit card you use.
2) The next tip is to sign up for the emails from the cruise line that you think you will take. I found Carnival was the most reasonably priced line. They will send you emails with specials. The price of the ticket doesn’t change much but the bonuses will change. You could end up with a lot of money in ship credit.
3) If you are a member of a wholesale club call them. They also have travel packages and offer you great deals with a lot of bonuses for their store.
4) The time of year determines the prices. You need to pick the cheapest time of year to cruise.
5) Location, Location, Location determines the price it is not only the location of the ports that you are trying to visit but the port that you are leaving from. I made sure on my trip to look at all the ports in the area to determine which one was most cost effective. We actually left from Tampa because of the cruise date, port costs, and locations we wanted to visit.
6) Parking can be expensive count on $15 a day or more. If you go online you can book for half price I highly suggest doing that if you are going to bring a car.
7) Print out everything from your ticket, baggage tag, health form, to child care paperwork to save time because time is money.
8) Make sure you communicate any food allergies you may have so that you receive food you can eat without getting sick. These are great cards you can print out to denote your allergies. Nut allergies cards
9) Bring two cases of soda on board or two bottles of wine when you enter the ship. I saw a lot of people carrying soda and the hard liquor is inexpensive in the duty-free shop so I am assuming they just made their own drinks in the room.
10) Book excursions on the cruise pick the ones with lunch. It will save you money and the ship guarantees you will not pay more. If you do pay more then you get 110% of your money back.
11) Put money on your kid’s card give them a limit for the entire cruise and a budget for excursions. I gave my children $10 for the cruise and $20 total for the ports. They had to shop within those limits. The cruise was their gift and I do not see the point of buying overpriced things that will get lost in the sea of their playroom.
12) Search your flights and buy them when they are cheap if you can’t drive to ports.
Extra Bonus tip- Childcare is free during the day so plan to place your children in care so you can also have a vacation!
These are the 7 important things every smart person takes on a cruise. You should not leave home without if you are taking a cruise. A cruise can be costly but planning ahead is essential. You need to know your habits to make sure you plan accordingly. Do not forget to save money for tips because the service is excellent but it is really supported by your generosity. We have enjoyed our cousin cruise and I found that this was a great investment of both time and my hard earned money.
Travel Essentials:
2-in-1 Curler and Hair Straightener
Zoppen Rfid Blocking Passport Wallet
Travel Adapter Universal Outlet
Travel Scarf with Zipper Pouch
Also read our other travel tips:
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Summer Travel Tips: Traveling with Kids
Traveling with Kids Tips
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