Traps to avoid, Tips and Hints for your Cruise

You've worked hard all year long and want to have the best of time on your cruise. Here are some tips and hints for booking your cruise and stretching your budget dollars.

Make sure you budget enough money for all the extras you will incur on the cruise. Wine and liquor, tips, gambling, arcade games, excursions are not typically included in your fare and can add hundreds or thousands of dollars to your cost
Are you celebrating a special date on the cruise? A birthday, a wedding anniversary, an engagement anniversary, a honeymoon, a whatever-special-occasion? Be sure to mention it at booking time and on the cruise ship. The crew may just surprise you with something extra.

Booking airfare with your cruise? You can compare the current price directly with the airline and see how competitive the cruise line is. Whether you book directly with the airline or with the cruise, do consider having the cruise line handle your transfer from the airport (or train station) to the ship.
Do consider getting insurance with your cruise. Most cruise lines will offer insurance as an option. Travel agencies will also often throw in insurance.
Are you taking a child on board? Do inquire with the cruise line to see how much it will cost to have a 3rd or 4th person in your cabin or suite. Do inquire early if you want to pursue this option as cruise ships are capacity-controlled and the number of rooms that can accomodate extra people is limited.
Booking early can save you money. For example, Costa Cruises has discounts for early bookings.
Alternatively, booking at the last minute can also save you money as cruise lines attempt to fill up their ships. However, cruises are very popular and the availability of last-minute discounts is not what it used to be (not to mentioned the difficulty in booking last minute airline tickets).
Most cruise destinations have a high and low season. Travelling during the low season will be less expensive than during the high season.
Booking an inside cabin instead of a cabin that faces outwards will save you money.
Cruise lines will move their ships seasonally, for example the Carribeans during the Winter, but Europe and Alaska during Spring and Summer. When cruise ships travel from one location to another, these are known as repositioning cruises, and typically last more than 7-10 days. These repositioning cruises represent good value for your dollars.
Booking a cruise with an agent? Make sure you pick an agent that will spend the time to answer your questions. Ideally, the agent should be familiar with the specific region (or even better, with the ship) that you will be sailing on.
Do you have a special diet? Most ships can accommodate salt-free, low-carb, low-cholesterol, Kosher, or other diet preferences. However, this request must be made in advance so be sure to advise us when you book your cruise if you have dietary restrictions.
Some cruise lines have a reputation for being more kid-friendly than others, for example, Carnival, Disney, Royal Carribean and Holland America. If you are bringing a child, do inquire about baby sitting, nannies, and on-board activities for kids.

Enjoy your cruise!

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