Cruising is one of the best ways to travel. With an abundance of ocean, sun and food, what’s not to love? But unfortunately, sometimes cruises can be a little costly. So what can you do to lower the cost of your trip? Here are some tips that you may not have considered.
Do your own research
When you’re looking at going on a cruise, it’s likely that you’ve taken the advice of a travel agent, but it’s important that you do your own research as well. Some travel agents will receive a commission or payment from certain companies in exchange for pushing specific products, so just be aware of this. While it’s great to speak to an agent, it’s also a good idea to get an idea of what you want out of your trip, so that you’re not talked into anything that you don’t want to do. Read the travel section of your newspaper or Google cruises to specific destinations and look into the various prices. There is also a range of travel comparison websites that can help you compare prices too.
Be flexible
If you can be flexible with your travel dates, you could save yourself hundreds. Similarly to flying, cruising becomes more expensive during peak travel periods such as January and June/July. If you have the leeway to travel off-peak, you could really do your hip pocket some favours. Consider changing your travel dates or booking different times if you’re looking to save.
Book in advance
If you have the foresight to book 6, 12 or even 18 months in advance, then definitely do it. Cruising companies have been rewarding this sort of behaviour for a while now and it’s worth it if you have the planning abilities. However, understandably, not everyone is happy to lock in their holiday plans over a year in advance, so just do the best you can. You may still receive a discount for booking even a few months out.
Sort out your travel insurance
Cruise travel insurance is extremely important, and even more so as you age. What many people don’t realise is that you need to take out a travel insurance policy for seniors with additional cruise cover, and if you don’t have this cover then you probably won’t be able to claim for anything that goes wrong on your trip. Comparing cruise travel insurance policies online means that you can find the best value policy and ensure that there won’t be any unexpected additional costs if something goes wrong.
Go in a group
Often you’ll be rewarded for travelling in a larger group, so why not gather up your friends and cruise into the sunset together, Pina Coladas in hand? The more the merrier, and some companies will actually offer group discounts or even throw in a free room. This obviously depends on the size of your group, but it’s definitely worth looking into.
Monitor your on-cruise spending
Cruisers can burn through their spending money very quickly while onboard. Watch out for attractive services and amenities such as massages, fancy restaurants or spa treatments. There are also souvenir stores and gift shops designed to lure in tourists, which you could probably do without. Be conscious of your spending and make sure you don’t go overboard (pun intended).
At the end of the day, your cruise will be great fun, and by sorting out the costs beforehand, you can relax and enjoy your trip. Have fun!
