You’ve already spent plenty of money on your dream cruise vacation, so what can you do to limit your spending while onboard?
Since your cruise card is tied directly to your credit card, it’s easy to rack up charges without even realizing it. Drinks, specialty dining, excursions, souvenirs… it all adds up. If you aren’t monitoring your balance in the cruise app, you may face sticker shock at the end of your trip.
With a little planning and creativity, you can enjoy your cruise without getting a giant statement at the end of your trip. Here are my best money-saving tips to use while on your cruise.
Smart cruise packing
First, there are some packing tips that can help save you money.
Be organized when you are packing. Don’t forget all your essentials like toiletries, medicines, and sunscreen, so you don’t have to purchase them at the expensive store onboard.
I like to get my off-brand sunscreen at Dollar Tree for only $1.25 because sunscreen at stores on cruise ships and at ports is very pricey.
I also like to pack a small pharmacy for my vacation. This includes Tylenol, motion sickness relief, Tums, Aloe Vera for sunburns, cough, and cold medicines. I also pack a small first aid kit with Band-Aids and some Neosporin-type ointment.
Since my husband has problems with his knees, I include a small reusable ice bag. This came in handy when he actually injured himself on our recent Asian cruise.
Lastly, I recommend bringing different sizes of baggies for many uses. I’ll touch on their usage throughout the article.
Cruise drink tips
One of the fastest ways to rack up a huge bill by the end of your cruise is from your alcoholic and non-included drinks.
Coffee, tea, iced tea, lemonade, flavored water, and milk are complimentary on a cruise, but soda, wine, beer, and alcoholic beverages are not. And they’re not cheap!
Most major cruise lines allow each passenger to bring one sealed 750 ml bottle of wine or champagne on embarkation day. This must be with you in your carry-on luggage when you embark. Other alcoholic beverages like beer, seltzer, or hard liquor will be seized and not returned.
On Royal Caribbean, passengers can also bring non-alcoholic beverages as a carry-on that may not exceed 12 standard (17 oz) cans, bottles, or cartons per stateroom. Royal Caribbean charges $3.50 plus 18% gratuity, so almost $50 for the same 12-pack. Carnival Cruise Line has a similar policy.
There are a few more opportunities during onboard activities where the cruise line offers free champagne, like at art auctions and staff meet and greets. Hanging out in the casinos may get you a free cocktail, too! Watch for those activities on your app and cruise activity calendar.
You can save a ton of money if you avoid the unlimited drink package, especially if you aren’t a huge drinker. Instead, you can save some money if you order the drink of the day. On Royal Caribbean, that is $8-$11 a drink versus $12-$14 for regular-priced cocktails.
If you’re cruising to Mexico or the Caribbean, it may be significantly cheaper to buy and consume your alcoholic beverages while in port. But keep in mind, if you buy alcohol while in port, they will take it from you when you come back onto the ship and return it to you during disembarkation.
Another tip: Bring your own reusable water bottle. Keep it with you and fill it up while on the cruise so you aren’t tempted to buy bottled water. You can fill it up at the buffet or gym at the water station. A water bottle can be taken on your excursions and port visits too so you don’t have to purchase water while off the ship.
I personally like to bring sugar-free water enhancers since those aren’t available. They travel easily and are a great substitute for my preferred diet soda.
If you bring a thermal mug, you can use it for juice in the morning or fill it with ice water for port days and excursions. You can even make an iced coffee and enjoy it later in the day in the warmer weather!
Take advantage of the complimentary food options
There is no shortage of free food on your cruise. You can avoid extra costs by sticking to all the complimentary options and skipping specialty dining entirely.
I have found the wait staff and food options in the main dining rooms to be very enjoyable. If you are not pleased with your selection, they’re happy to bring you something else. Cruising is a great time to try new foods!
If you really want to experience the elevated food experience of specialty dining, choose lunch instead of supper. The price is about half the cost at lunch, and the menus are mostly the same, with a few small omissions.
The cruise lines are really pushing for their specialty dining now. Don’t be afraid to ask for a BOGO deal or a percentage off. If they need to fill up their restaurants, they can offer special pricing. It doesn’t hurt to ask!
Room service on your cruise can be free (like on Royal Caribbean and Carnival) if you stick to the continental breakfast food options.
Continental breakfast usually includes coffee, juices, cereals, pastries, breads, fruits, and yogurts. Having breakfast in your pajamas or coffee on your balcony feels like VIP treatment. Be sure to check the room service menu on your specific ship for details.
Be sure to eat a big breakfast or lunch onboard before doing an excursion or exploring a port city on your own. I suggest packing baggies to grab a few snacks from the buffet, like cookies, fruit, cheese, and bread for sandwiches.
You can also pack and bring onboard non-perishable prepackaged food for snacks. If you have specific dietary needs like gluten-free or low-carb, this may be even more important for variety and availability (plus to save money).
Cruise Wi-Fi hacks
If you can totally unplug from the world and work, forgo Wi-Fi altogether. But there are ways to be creative and sporadically get access.
As soon as you get on the cruise ship, be sure to put your cell phone on airplane mode to avoid expensive roaming charges when you get your next phone bill. Otherwise, if you don’t, while you’re out in the middle of the ocean somewhere, your phone will keep searching (“roaming”) for a signal.
When you get into a port, you can hang out near coffee shops or fast food spots for free Wi-Fi without buying anything. Or hang out in the port terminal to access free Wi-Fi if available!
While you’re still home with fast Wi-Fi, download content (videos, magazines, books, etc.) before you leave for your cruise. That way, you have content ready to enjoy when you have downtime onboard.
Weeks before the cruise, watch for Wi-Fi deals on the cruise line’s app. They do fluctuate. You will undoubtedly pay more if you wait until embarkation day to purchase.
If you wait to purchase the Wi-Fi when you get on the ship, some recommend waiting until day two of your cruise, since you’re likely to have cell service most of the first day while still in port. This can save you one day’s worth of costs.
Do you and your travel companion need Wi-Fi access in your cabin? The two of you can buy one Wi-Fi package and share it between your devices. You can switch between devices by logging into the account and kicking off the person currently logged in.
I paid $82 for Wi-Fi on my recent five-day cruise, and so did my daughter. Granted, it can be inconvenient at times, but I could have saved that $82 and asked to use her Wi-Fi on my device occasionally.
Enjoy the free entertainment
Cruise ships have wonderful free entertainment, especially on larger ships, like diving shows, ice skating shows, comedians, and Broadway shows in the main theatre. Some of the more popular shows may require reservations, but those are also included.
There are tons of free activities scheduled around the ship that include game shows, trivia, dance classes, movies, scavenger hunts, and art classes, to name a few.
Be aware that some activities charge extra. You will see that designated on the schedule with “$” by the description. For example, on Carnival’s Excel class ships, the Bolt rollercoaster costs extra ($15 per person).
Some activities that normally cost extra are free on port days, like the North Star and skydiving simulator on Royal Caribbean’s Quantum class ships. The experience may be shorter, but you still get to enjoy the activity.
The gyms are free to use. Some exercise classes are included, while others charge extra. On some sea days, the spa staff may offer short 5-10 minute free massages. Many ships offer free mini treatments or giveaways just for showing up. Be cautious, realizing their end game is to sell you an expensive treatment, so just be prepared to say no.
Pro tip: The gym showers can be roomier and have better water pressure. When we had our family of four sharing one cabin, my husband used the gym shower instead of waiting for the three women to finish in our cabin’s bathroom!
Miscellaneous cruise tips (plus one I do not recommend)
- Skip the photographers: The photographers onboard love to snap photos of you on the ship, like on embarkation day and at each port. They charge about $25 per photo. Instead of paying that price, use one of their backdrops and ask a fellow passenger to snap some photos for you!
- DIY laundry: If you bring a small laundry kit, you can hand-wash clothes in your sink or shower with liquid soap or bar soap. Hang dry in the shower with a few clothespins you bring from home.
- Skip cruise line excursions: Skip pricey shore excursions offered through the cruise line. Instead, research free or cheap things to do in port cities. There are situations when it’s worth the extra cost to get an excursion through the cruise line because if the tour is running late, the cruise will not leave you behind. Also, you get priority at tender ports, maximizing your time if you have a shorter port day schedule.
- Adjust gratuities: This tip is for the ultimate cheapskate and is only available if you didn’t prepay gratuities.
On Royal Caribbean, if you don’t prepay gratuities, they’re automatically added to your onboard account each day for each person. You can visit Guest Services at any time prior to the morning of disembarkation day to modify or totally remove these gratuities at the guest’s sole discretion.
I don’t recommend this because the staff on cruise ships work very hard, and their pay depends on these gratuities. Some cruisers who have Guest Services remove the gratuities prefer to leave cash tips to the staff who provided great service. This way, you can ensure exactly who gets your tip money.
This article shared many ways to save money while on your next cruise. Pick and choose which ideas match your style and comfort level. It’s easy to overspend, but maybe a few of these tips can prevent you from getting home and regretting how much more you spent after you got onboard. Happy cruising!
