Cheap Cruises
There is no place on earth like the Caribbean in February. When all of my friends and family are buried in snow up to their knees, my wife and I like to sip Pina Coladas on the veranda deck of a cruise ship. In my opinion there is no vacation as enjoyable and relaxing as a cruise. A cruise allows you to board a ship, unpack one time, not be burdened with where you are going to dinner, and every day wake up to a new exciting location to enjoy. Thinking about it makes me excited to go on my next cruise.
I have now been on eight cruises, and as you have already learned, I am a deal hunter - A hard-core cheap skate. Below are the top ten tips of how to get a great deal on a cruise.
- I have found that once you have a base line price which you can get from any booking engine, opening a dialog with your selected cruise line company is indeed the best way to get a killer good deal. This is interesting, because this is not the case in the airline industry. Get an agent that works at the company, establish a relationship, and then delay, delay, delay. Get the agent chasing you for the deal.
- Once you settle on a time and price with the cruise line agent, tell them you will do the deal if they upgrade your room. No question this will bring a gasp and they will have to escalate to their manager. Tell them if they do, you will lock. Ask them to escalate.
- Book your cruise last minute on a ship that is not at capacity. When you have children or work obligations this is difficult, but if you are flexible, there are NO deals in travel as amazing as when a cruise ship is attempting to fill the final rooms on a ship that is sailing in a week. Think about it: It costs them nothing extra really, and they are willing to really cut rates to get the ship full.
- Avoid cruising holiday weekends. There are certain prime weekends including Thanksgiving, Labor Day, and other long weekends. Avoiding these time frames will give you more negotiating power.
- Look for route change cruises. Ships that are moving from the Caribbean to Alaska routes can not only be a really fun extended cruise, but also can be economical. Any route change provides you a different cruising opportunity.
- Shop different cruise lines. As a general rule, Carnival Cruise lines is less expensive than other major cruise lines. Norwegian cruise lines and Princess also offer great deals. Most ships travel the same routes. Don't be afraid to shop the cruise lines against each other. More leverage for negotiations.
- Take the kids or grandma. If you book a room and place 4 in the room (yes it is crowded) then you get really steep discounts on the 3rd and 4th person in the room. This does not always lead to a romantic get away, but the kids and grandma will never forget it.
- Book an inside cabin. By booking an inside cabin in the cruise ship, you can save $300 dollars a cruise or more. If you don't plan on spending lots of time in your room, then why not taking advantage of the savings? There is not much difference between these rooms and it’s a great way to save!
- Take snacks and drinks with you on the ship. The major way the cruise lines make their money is alcohol and other shopping. Take your own treats and drinks and save big.
- Excursions are ALWAYS cheaper if you get out on shore and book them. The cruise ship would have you believe that they are selling out and if you don't book through the ship you will miss the opportunity. Don't believe it. In every instance you can get off the ship and book an excursion and you will save big!
- As a general rule, I look for a fee of at least $100 a day or less. Frequently I can get it for even $75 or so.
I wish you a happy and successful cruise. If you have not taken a cruise, do it. You will have the time of your life.
