Royal Holiday Cruises stands behind the type of entertainment we offer with the utmost certainty that this will be an experience you will never forget. Cruising provides passengers with one of the coolest and most amazing traveling options to be had.
However, for the budget conscious traveler, it is always important to find ways to save some money and perhaps find a way to make these type of vacations something periodic ever year or so. Here we have some small ideas, tips, and tricks that can help you little by little save a bit in the way you cruise and at the same time, get the most out of your hard-earned money when you book with us.
The time when you book matters. People always think that booking early means getting the best deals, but there is such thing as booking too early. If you book too early you may not allow for prices to go down a bit before they come back up. Anything earlier than 6 months is way too early and may bar you for getting you the best deal on your package. In some cases, waiting for the last minute can pay off as well, as some lines greatly reduce prices if they feel they may not book enough passengers, but doing this is a bit risky because you could miss out and not find tickets all together. For great deals, take a look at our offers at Royal Holiday.
Cruise excursions may be the way to go. Cruise lines usually offer excursions when in port that can take you to see nice places around the area, eat at good restaurants and do a bit of shopping. While some people believe that you are better on your own finding a local guide and just exploring, the truth is that in some cases it is better to stay with the line. One of the advantages is that obviously you will not miss the call to embark once again, but also you have to consider that in some cases the cruise lines have deals with local businesses and have already negotiated for the best prices. Keep this information in mind before you decide how to proceed.
Traveling during the off-peak seasons is also a smart move if you want to significantly save on fare, but make sure you check weather patterns and read the fine print on your deals, you do not want to lose you money because you weren’t covered and you missed your flight due to bad weather.
Another good choice to consider is to make a bid online for your cruise vacation. There are websites that even let you name your own prices and in some occasions, these are the best ways to get a really low fare.
Not all on board restaurants are included. In some cases, you can simply save money by dining in the restaurants already included in your package, but if you want to take advantage of all the options available on board, you may want to look into getting a restaurant package that covers some of the extra options beforehand. You will save a lot if you do it this way instead of deciding once you are already on board.
Image courtesy of roland.gruber99 at Flickr.com
Another nice little trick is to try to go to the restaurants on the first night as they normally have special deals or check them out during lunch when prices are lower.
Take a break and disconnect. We know sometimes is very difficult to try to stay away from the world you left behind and you may want to check your email constantly and stay informed of all Facebook updates, however, paying for internet access on the ship is expensive and it can rack up quite a tab. If you absolutely need to be connected, then try to get your package on day 1 when they are usually cheaper.
The best way to save if you like to drink alcohol and sodas while you are on board is by getting a package deal as well that includes all of your drinks. Remember that most beverages are not allowed on board; so plan ahead if you want to save by buying a pass beforehand.
Compare when you are shopping. We offer different cruise lines on our websites and the prices of packages vary constantly, make sure you do your homework or even go as far as hiring an agent because they have the knowledge to help you find the best deals possible and assure a future customer.
Signing up for the “frequent cruiser” program has its advantages, you can rack up miles as well as getting small little perks just by signing up, so don’t miss it.
If you book for your next vacation while still on board, you can get really good discounts and in some cases, you don’t even have to pay penalties if you later choose to cancel your trip.