A Cruise Line International Association survey recently found that 61 percent of those who have never cruised said they haven’t done so because cruises are too expensive. Not necessarily so. It is possible to cruise on a budget. In fact, it is full speed ahead for savings at sea if consumers are willing to be alert and do their homework.
Here are 10 tips for stretching your dollar when you decide to set sail on a pleasure cruise:
Last-minute cruises
A few years ago, some of the major cruise lines offered the nautical equivalent of a “standby” air fare–in the case of Norwegian Cruise Line, for instance, it was called SeaFare and provided 40 percent savings off the line’s published rates to would-be passengers who would list their preferences for accommodations and itinerary 30 days or less before sail date. Travelers might not get the desired itinerary, but they did get their choice of inside or outside cabin and pocketed the savings, said Stacey Moyer of NCL.
NCL no longer feature this type of discount (nor does Carnival, which had offered a similar fare), as cruise lines seem much more inclined to reward early birds than latecomers these days, but there are short notice agencies and clubs out there which do provide savings if you are flexible and can get your foot out the door quickly.
These services, which offer last-minute empty cabin inventories from cruise lines at discounts, include: Moments Notice (718-234-6295); Vacations To Go (800-338-4962); and Last Minute Travel Services (800-527-8646).
Moments Notice charges a $25 membership fee per family, per year. Last Minute Travel Services charges no fee and neither does Vacations To Go. The latter offers a postcard service advertising specials for $5.95 per year.
Special offers
With the frenzy of new ship building that continues unabated, cruise lines will be scrambling to fill the increased number of berths. So special offers are very likely to be bobbing on the horizon for at least the next few years. Bargains are traditionally more abundant in autumn and other off-season periods. These voyages are designated as “value” or “economy” and are more likely to be selected for additional offers such as two-for-one fares, seniors discounts, etc. To get the best fare available when you wish to sail, check newspaper travel sections and consult with a travel agent specializing in cruises.
Repositioning voyages
Fall and spring are ripe with special deals from cruise lines on repositioning voyages necessary to deploy a ship in the Caribbean after an Alaska season and vice versa, or to position a vessel in the Mediterranean after sailings in the Caribbean and vice versa. These voyages represent an excellent value, sometimes more than a $1,000 off per person, double occupancy, on similar length non-repositioning cruises. Often, however, they do necessitate more at sea days (as when crossing the Atlantic to reposition in the Mediterranean), so they would appeal mostly to people who already have their sea legs.
Early booking discounts
“The rewards go to the early booker,” said Rich Steck, spokesman for Royal Caribbean, a line that introduced “Breakthrough Rates” three years ago. This capacity-controlled program provides more savings the earlier passengers book, up to 40 percent. “As sail date gets closer and the ship fills up, we raise the rates,” Steck said. Most cruise lines offer some type of early booking incentives. Crystal Cruises, for instance, features 5 percent off when payment is made six months or more in advance of sail date. Cunard Line offers 10 to 20 percent off on early bookings. Seabourn Cruise Line offers 10 percent savings on cruise-only bookings of a year or more prior to sail date, 5 percent on six-month advance payment.
Repeat passenger clubs
Most lines offer selected sailings each year at special prices to past passengers. These repeaters’ programs generally also feature special onboard events just for the line’s loyal following, upgrades and miscellaneous other benefits.
Air fares to meet the ship
Shop around for best air fares to meet the ship, but more often than not cruise lines’ air add-ons are very good buys, particularly because they include transfers from the airport to the ship and vice versa.
The most affordable cabin
If you cannot take advantage of an advertised special (which often assigns you a particular cabin category) there are still ways to save. Book a cabin on the lowest passenger deck. True, you will have a longer elevator ride to the dining room and other public rooms, but you will be laughing all the way to the top, as you will be pocketing the savings, which in some cases can be of $400 or more per person on brochure rates.
If you book the least expensive outside (or inside) cabin category early, you may find yourself upgraded at no charge if closer to sail date the line gets a group booking that demands a block of cabins including yours. A couple on an Alaska cruise last summer, who had booked their cruise on the Regal Princess five months ahead of sail date, confided that they had received a free six-category upgrade, going from the cheapest inside cabin to an outside cabin.
Cost-conscious wardrobe
No need to go out and buy a tux or rent one. A dark suit will do just fine on the two designated formal nights during a typical seven-day cruise. And you will not feel out of place or underdressed; generally about 50 percent of the men do not wear tuxedos aboard ship, with the exception being the ultra-luxurious lines such as Seabourn, Crystal or Cunard’s Sea Goddess and Royal Viking ships on which tuxes generally do prevail.
The ladies most likely have two dressy dresses already hanging in their closet. Bear in mind that the first formal night–the second evening at sea (captain’s cocktail party and dinner)–is the dressier of the two gala occasions. A sports jacket, two or three dress shirts, and two pants and some casual shirts for the men; a dress and pantsuit and three or four casual outfits for women take care of the remainder (non-formal) evenings at sea. During the day, casual resort wear is fine. Pack lightly (color coordinate what you bring so you need pack only a couple of sets of accessories), and you will save time and energy, not to mention tips to skycaps and porters if you bring more than you can carry yourself.
Savings ashore
Touring ashore can be free or inexpensive if you know what to do and where to go. Before setting sail request free planners with maps, calendars of events and attraction brochures for the ports of call on your itinerary. Check out books on your destination from the public library. With these materials it will be easy to plan and conduct self-guided walking tours. Look over the calendar of events from the tourist offices for any festivals or arts and crafts displays–usually sources of good, free entertainment–that may be taking place during your visit.
Incidentals
As on land-based resorts, laundry charges on a cruise can be steep. Check the cruise line’s brochure to see if your ship has a free or coin-operated self-service launderette. If so, bring a small bottle of detergent and dryer sheets from home to save $1 to $1.50 per load on vending-machine-bought detergent.
Bring your camera and plenty of film bought on sale at home.
Shoppers should tear out newspaper sales booklet pages or store catalog pages advertising items back home and bring the pages along on the cruise to compare prices.
