It might incorporate the sun and sea but suffice to say, a cruise vacation is probably much different to anything else that you have experienced. It’s something that certainly divides the nation but if you are yet to sample one, today is for you.
We have pieced together some of the best links from around the internet that look at cruises, and the ways you need to take advantage of them to make the most from your experience. If you have any other suggestions, please email them over via the contact form.
Learn about cruise ship budgeting
If you’ve already trawled through the travel brochures, you’ll know all about the huge prices that can be associated with cruises. On the flip side, if you look hard enough, there are bargains to be had which can make it the best value vacation you’ll ever go on.
This first link talks you through some of the best ways to budget through your trip. Some of the tips will overlap some of the other suggestions that links through today talk about, but on the whole this is the best guide we have found that can save you money both before and during your trip.
Size things up before you travel
If you haven’t heard the news, not all cruise ships are equal. This next link highlights this to a tee; some of the modern cruise ships are hundreds of meters in length (and have the capacity for almost 7,000 passengers).
Ultimately, your position on the boat matters. If you’re at the “wrong side”, your morning walk to your favored size can eat into your day, and legs. In short, cruise ships aren’t for everyone and while they can be relaxing, don’t forget that you are about to embark on something which is effectively a small city.
Bonus link: Consider river boat excursions if the grand scale of cruise ships scares you
You don’t have to jump off at every port
One of the biggest temptations that a lot of people have is jumping off at each and every port, hopping from excursion to excursion. As the above link shows, some of these excursions are completely worth doing and are utterly rewarding (as long as you can find the right deal).
However, also exercise caution. When a ship does dock into a port, it tends to empty. This means that you can take advantage of the lower numbers and bask in a crowd-less cruise temporarily.
In other words, think before you disembark. Is the stop in question going to offer you anything better?
Bonus link: The best cruise excursions in the world
Do the math before buying a drinks package
Drinks packages are a hugely contentious topic amongst travelers. If you drink like a fish, they are undoubtedly a good idea. If you don’t, then reconsider them.
The above link takes some basic calculations from the bigger cruise operators in the world. As you’ll see, unless you are necking around eight drinks per day, drinks packages are rarely worth the initial expense.
With that being said, the link does explore how they can be used in your initial negotiations as you book the cruise, so make sure you take that into account as well.
Once upon a time, balconies were grossly expensive. On some cruise ships, this might still be the case but on the whole, they are value for money. This final link from USA Today talks about the pros and why, in most cases at least, you should pay the extra to reap these rewards.
