5 Ways to Save Money on Your Cruise Honeymoon
Written by Emma McKnight Wednesday, 28 July 2010 11:05
Planning the Perfect Honeymoon...
Cruise lines originally offered an incredible value in an all-inclusive vacation. Over the years, in an attempt to increase on board spending, they are presenting upgraded and additional items to entice you.
Remember, once on board a cruise ship, you exist in a cashless society. When you purchase an item not included in your fare, your key card is swiped and your signature taken as proof of purchase. These purchases can include a baseball cap or shawl in the boutique, a massage in the spa, or a bottle of Dos Equis in a lounge.
Spending money is very easy when you are not using cash. Of course, you can dispute any charge you really haven't made, but the object here is to refrain from purchasing these items in the first place.
First, avoid drinking alcoholic beverages all day long.
Cocktails, wine and beer on board cruise ships are very easy to consume plus there is a 15% service charge added to those bills. From 10 am on the Lido deck by the pool, the waiters are offering you the Drink of the Day.
What most people don't know is that those specialty drinks in special glasses cost more but are also refillable at a reduced cost. So although you might spend more, the next time you order, it costs less. Most passengers just leave them on a table--therefore not taking advantage of the available savings.
The bucket of beer offers are interesting but they don't have to be consumed all in one sitting. The bucket can be taken back to your stateroom and enjoyed over the week at your convenience. Your cabin steward will even keep them on ice for you. Or if you would like to have a bottle of wine with dinner, you don't have to finish the bottle before you exit the dining room. This gives you a drink at dinner and one later in the evening. If you do drink, please do so responsibly.
Second, you may be seriously addicted to sodas; consider changing to fruit juices while on your honeymoon.
Sodas can cost up to $2 each. On board cruise ships, juices are free. (I've noticed some ships don't keep the juices available all day in the buffet.) But juice is always available from the room service menu. And on most cruise lines, room service is free all day and all night.
If you really need soda pops on a daily basis, review the cost of a "soda card." On some cruise lines, a card for 7 days of unlimited sodas will run you only about $25. But if the card is going to cost you over $40, it may not be very cost effective. The only way to know is by doing the math.
Third, do not use your cell phone on board.
Roaming charges from the middle of the Caribbean or Mediterranean Seas are exorbitant—these are some of the highest telecom fees in the world. Since you are on your honeymoon, are there really people you need to be in touch with while you're away? Certainly, you can leave your respective families with the ship's phone number in case of emergencies, but don't call anyone just to say how sweet your cabin is.
Fourth, you should pack enough clothes for your entire honeymoon and be prepared to take dirty ones home with you.
Your cabin steward may suggest you to fill a bag with your laundry. He or she can have it cleaned and back to you in less than 48 hours. And everything in the bag will be cleaned for one flat rate.
You have two choices here. Either find the self-service laundry (if there is one available) or take your dirty laundry home with you where it will cost you much less to clean. If you opt for the former, you may have to ask more than one person--your steward, someone at the front desk, and possibly other cruisers—for the location of self-service laundry. But this will allow you to avoid the overpriced bag of laundry your steward is pushing.
Fifth, take a camera with you onboard to capture your holiday.
The cruise lines have several photographers on board per sailing. These photographers start snapping photos of you before you actually board the ship, while you are on the gangplank boarding. Every time you stop, in the pool, during dinner, in the lounges and on shore excursions, cruise line photographers are taking your picture. On average these photos run about $10 each. That can certainly add up over 7 nights.
One of the best things you can do is to have your travel agent or cruise specialist look for a ship board credit. This is money that either the cruise line or your travel company gives you as an incentive to book. It appears as funds in your account upon boarding.
These credits are usually dependent upon the length of your cruise as well as the category of cabin you purchase. A ten-night suite usually gives a larger shipboard credit than a 3-night interior cabin. These credits can help defray the cost of your wine with dinner.
Also, most passengers don't realize that they can go to the front desk anytime and ask for an up-to-date accounting of their bill—this can be done as often as you want to check. On some cruise lines, you even can review your account on the in-room television. This way, there are no surprises. You can control the amount of on board expenses you amass during your honeymoon and come out painless while enjoying your "almost" all-inclusive.
Emma McKnight is travel agent specializing in cruise vacations. View her website at: Cruise With Emma or contact her.
