Planning a cruise? Get The Ultimate Cruise Planner. It's a 47 page cruise travel planner with packing checklists, shore excursion planning forms and much more! ($10 off for a limted time). Details here: lifewellcruised.com/ultimate-cruise-planner/
Thank you so so very much for all your tips. Super helpful 🙏❤👍Have an upcoming Carnival cruise to Half Moon Cay and Nassau, Bahamas. You did mention about driving to the Cruise port and we are doing that and would you recommend the cruise port parking or a private private who offer a cheaper price. "Safe cruise parking" is right near the Miami port. Any idea on this??
One of our little hacks: we only cruise once a year (due to budget and work schedules) but throughout the year, we purchase restaurant gift cards… we buy one per month and put them with our passports…. That way, all of our meals are covered for the road trip to and from port, as well as extras for while we are at the hotel. When cruise time comes, it is wonderful not to have to worry about these things!!!
Kroger has gift cards and I have purchased Carnival & Hollland America cards at my local grocers. I purchase the gift card for my upcoming cruise and get gas points so I save money in at least two ways.
1. I got a pre-paid Visa Conversion card through the bank. I load the amount I have budgeted for the cruise. I can covert it into any currency that I wish. The biggest bonus-there are no foreign transaction fees to pay. 2. I put a fixed amount into my Travel account each month. It is amazing how painless it is and it mounts up fast.
A balcony is essential to me and my wife. Warm weather, cold weather, I'm not going to scenic locations and not be able to step outside on my own balcony to enjoy the scenery. That includes Antartica next month.
I totally agree and I always bring a SW radio (I'm a ham and can't bring a transceiver, but I love sampling local and distant radio on the balcony) also I recommend binoculars for the balcony. Happy cruising!
@@rjnolesRU I brought binoculars on our cruise to Spain and Rome. Lots of beautiful details way way way up in the ceilings and domes of the cathedrals there!
A lot of great ideas. This is for the late night snacker. I bring a plastic tupperware container for cookies and other bakery items from the buffet for late night munching.
@@kittiyasaengduenchai4300 like the other person said, you can fill your plates and take them back to your cabin. And usually you just put your empty plates out into the hall for the steward to take away. I’ve been on one cruise so far, and I would fill multiple bowls of frozen yogurt before bed and take them all back to my room to eat 😂😁 it was truly luxurious
All good advice, my favorite is "Travel Insurance" ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS get travel insurance. Face it, most people could eat the cost of their trip if something unforseen happened. However, it's my understanding that if your from the US your health insurance does not cover you once you leave the US. A sickness or injury abroad could cost thousands and you are at their mercy. The bill has to be paid before you leave. We have witnessed this ourselves once on a cruise. Someone fell hard on the pier, Carnival couldn't help as they have no liability there, they laid there until someone from the port came and got them.Yes other passengers helped as much as they could, but that only goes so far. Travel insurance is super cheap for what it covers. If can afford to cruise, you can afford travel insurance.'
This is how I save money to take on the cruise... in the time leading up to the cruise - when I'm out shopping for groceries, or whatever else I need, every time I check out at a register that gives the choice for "cash back", I get a $20 and stash it away for my trip. It adds up quick!
3:50 A tip on refilling your water bottles. Do not refill them directly into the bottle. Use cup or glass and then pour it into you bottle. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen the tops of refillable water bottles hitting the spout where the water comes out. I see people leave bathrooms without washing why would I expect them to wash their water bottles?🤢
#18 GET TRAVEL INSURANCE. GET TRAVEL INSURANCE. GET TRAVEL INSURANCE. We had to cancel a transpacific cruise, travel insurance probably saved us 10s of 1000s of $s.
My partner is so picky! We are spending a lot more than we need to on our next cruise because he won't budge on cabin type, etc. So, I make him pay the difference! Lol
We are taking our first cruise in 25 years (anniversary), and I came across this video, specifically the part about checking with the cruise line to ensure you have the best price. I made a phone call and based on that call I will be saving $1,500 and was able to get the drink package, save $400 on excursions, and get 2 specialty meals. So, in all, it saved me upwards of $3,000. Thanks, Ilana, for the great advice. The cruise line said that I could call every day up to 120 days before the cruise and they would adjust the price. After that, they would only adjust one more time inside of the 120 days.
I personally do that for my cruise and for my clients because I am a travel agent. On our last cruise, I checked the pricing on RCCL’s website (my TA access) and found the cabin price went down by over $300. I adjusted the price and they reimbursed that money back. If the price goes down after you do the final payment, they can reimburse it or add it to your cabin as onboard credit.❤
I bring the crystal light packets and a water bottle and that way I always have flavored water. Three packages are usually included as a perk when I book my cruises but I still take them because I don’t always want soda and I sometimes just wanna make a drink in my room.
We have booked with private shore excursion providers several times, and we have always had excellent experiences. We research carefully looking at reviews on Cruise Critic, Trip Advisor, and other review sites. My rule of thumb has been how far away is the excursion destination, how safe is the destination, etc. Sometimes the private excursion has not been much cheaper, but the group is smaller, making the overall experience more personal and time efficient. I have found that the providers are very cognizant of departure time for the ship, and they get us back with plenty of time to spare. In fact, the one time we got back to the ship late, we were on a ship excursion. Of course, the ship waited for us, but our other travel companions who had been on private excursions were on board watching for us to get back. How funny is that?
Just a note, things happen - so while they may be very wary of ship departure time, as they do want people to come back to them - the ship will NOT wait should something hold you up on a private excursion! But as you said, be mindful of the distance etc too.
If you are cruising out of Tampa, FL, there is a free streetcar that runs from downtown hotels to the cruise terminals. We recently saw many people taking advantage of this service in Tampa.
One thing about snorkel gear... I wear glasses; buying the eye mask with lenses appropriate to your eyesight is a must if you want to see anything other than blurs. You'd have to do this on your own ahead of time. (I have not taken them on a cruise - but on a vacation in Great Exuma, they performed stellar). No, you don't need prescription level. You just will want to see!
Excellent advice! My 20 y/o hated snorkeling and refused to go with me. Then she mentioned that she couldn’t see anything anyway. Whoa! I never thought about how nearsighted she is. I bought her a mask with lenses that were right for her prescription and it changed everything. Now she loves snorkeling and is planning to learn to scuba dive.
We go on Spring Break each year. Starting in January I label 50 envelopes with the numbers 1 through 50. Each week, I fill a few envelopes with cash according to amount on the envelope. That was I have alittle over $1200 for tipping and the casino. I always have some leftover at the end of the cruise
RCL has the "Drink of the Day"--depending on which ship you're on, they can range in $5 each up to about $12 each, but is cheaper than buying a regular-priced drink--and gives you a chance to try a new drink at a discounted price!
Hope you don't mind my ? but where does this bid thing get involved? I've cruised 20 times and have never encountered this. If You're onboard the ship that means you've already paid.
@@LifeWellCruised I have to second this statement. I am cruising in 219 days and have binge watching your videos for over 2 months now. Thank you for the information. This cruise is on my bucket list. So excited to cruise.
Good job you guys! Her videos are spot on and so very helpful. I also like Sheri with cruise tips TV. Enjoy your trips and you will be hooked cruising after that!
@@shelleyrichards4487 I can't imagine loving being on the ocean more then when I was in the Navy. I always vowed when I got out I would go on a cruise and not work. I'm looking forward to it.
Unlike many others we always take the ships excursions if we can not walk to what we wish to see. We have had two private tours that caused us a lot of stress even though we were able to get back to the ship both times. The difference in price is not worth having that stress on what is suppose to be a relaxing time away from the every day.
I do the same, but have found some of the larger third party excursion companies also have the back in time guarantee. We have done a couple and had good experiences so now I am considering more of them.
@@troplightn I bet those are the same companies that do the actual ship excursions. I am not sure how they would have guarantees since the ship only guarantees ship excursions if not back on time. I think that is the only way around that.
My biggest tip for cruising is before you go on a beach, excursion, private island, be sure to hit the buffet line and fill up your backpack with food for the day. Otherwise, you’ll be paying way too much at the concession stand. They don’t search your backpack on the way out, so fill it up, but make sure you eat it all before coming back on because they search on the way back in.
Depending in the port you can't take off food. I have young boys who are always hungry so I'm a snacks person. I had pancakes in our diaper bag in cozumel and we got in trouble in cozumel
Many places you are not allowed to take fruit off the ship. We have seen agents on the pier with dogs, who are sniffing backpacks and bags, and signal when they smell fruit. Fruit carries a risk of introducing invasive pests. I always take cookies though!
We live in Georgia and always drive to Florida ports when we cruise. We park at the port parking lot for a daily rate. We find it less of a hassle with luggage handling, as well as, cheaper to travel. We always enjoy the road trip to Florida. Thanks for your great advice.
I have to say, I have done a few alternate options for parking. The best one I have found is the premier garages in Miami. Their shuttles are quick and it isn't far. We drop off the bags and everyone else and my husband takes the car to park, and shuttles back so it is faster. I have only done port parking in Ft Lauderdale, WPB and Pt Canaveral. I personally don't mind the increase in price for all the convenience that comes with it! Love the park and sail hotels!
I already do several of these tips! I just thought a few days ago to start saving my small bills in my cruise jar for upcoming December cruise to Jamaica!!! I also take a few snacks on the cruise like a snicker bar, M&M’s; I always want to take Skinny Pop Popcorn for my movies on the Lido Deck or the cabin, but packing space!! A few ziplock baggies is also good to grab a few cookies from the buffet area, or your snacks to carry off when walking around the Port areas. Thanks for sharing 🛳️🛳️
I know, for instance, she will mention wine or drinks. I don’t drink and I am starting to think that on my first cruise I will be navigating through alcoholics. No one ever mentions a soda package.
To save money on a Disney cruise (that's a whole topic in itself) we use the "Sommelier Bin' in the lounges. The Sommelier Bin are open bottles of wine that have maybe a glass or two still in the bottle. The bartender has access to the bin. You say you want a red, a white, or a champagne and the bartender shows you what is available and you get a glass or maybe more to empty the bottle (just saying on experience) for $10.
Omg….you just blew my mind with the Sangria and mimosa suggestions!!!! My husband and I don’t drink much and we would bring bottles of wine, however this is fantastic! It would last longer and who doesn’t love a mimosa in the sunshine ☀️. We will definitely try this on our cruise next month! This Canadian thanks you! 💕 Love you videos 😃
Hi Illana 1. Took a tour by the company Tours by locals in Curacao It was 9 Hours and included, cultural, sightseeing all over the island, walking tour, beach, stop at a local restaurant for only..ta dah. 120 dollars it was one if the best tours having a tour guide who was born and raised there and saved a bundle of money from what would be offered on ship. 2. I opened a second savings account and put all extra money into it and a regular small draft from my checking to go there…out of site out of mind for my cruise extras. 3. The other recommendation like i did on an ncl cruise is to get a lower grade cabin ( i usually get a balcony) i do not mind interior cabins) and spend some of the money saved for a specialty area. It was the Vibe and i still came out less but still had a quieter more relaxing place because of no balcony. 4. Your planner is in full use for my upcoming 2025 21 day cruise❤🙂🚢. Thx Lynn
If you are an AARP member you can find some of the gift cards for some cruise lines and it may be a discount. We sail Carnival and save $10 per $100 gift card. We buy these before the cruise. And if you are not an AARP member I would still suggest putting money onboard ahead of time that way you're not having to pay for everything all at once.
Nive video as always. Please let me add the following: 1. 3:47 Better to use a glass to refill your bottle 2. If you have to fly or drive to the embarkation port, consider a back-to-back cruise so that the flight/drive cost is diluted among the cruises you take. 3. About the shareholder benefits, you do not have to buy 100 shares on the same day. If you like you can buy some as the price drops until you reach 100. However unless you are familiar with the stocks market you better turn to someone who is just in case. 4. If you are a gambler you can get discounts or even a free cruise at the casino. Even if you do not bet too much you will end up getting offers by e-mail. Cheers!
My wife and I both got offers for a free interior room on Royal Caribbean Casino offers. They allowed us to combine those two interior room offers into one ocean view offer and then they allowed us to add a little extra money to it for a balcony. The amount of money we took to gamble with was $1500. Out of that we only spent $920. And came home with the remainder. When we upgraded the casino offer we added $170 to it to get the balcony; so that along with the port fees that we had to pay the cruise actually cost us $1430. We did some research for the same balcony if we just went to Royal Carribean‘s website to book it, it was $3600. So we saved over 50% by going to the casino and gambling. We are very happy!😁😁😁😁😁
My husband doesn't want to pay for a drink package on our cruise (which departs on Sunday!). I like really strong coffee so I'm bringing some Starbucks Via instant to add to the free dining room coffee. On our last cruise, which was a number of years ago, the coffee wasn't that good. Perhaps it's improved but this is my work-around in case it hasn't. Would love to hear your thoughts on the new Princess App.
One of my money saving hacks is packing a 64 ounce plastic pitcher and low and/or zero calorie flavored drink mix envelopes/tubes. I then use water and/or ice from the buffet to make my own flavored beverage, which I carry around in a reusable bottle/flask. (I store the partially full pitcher in the stateroom fridge. I use the envelopes/tubes that make 64 ounces at a time instead of single use 8 ounce ones because the 64 ounce ones are cheaper per ounce. I pack clothing such as socks within the pitcher so that it is not wasted space in my suitcase.)
When I have $1.00 and $5.00 bills I put them away. Depending on how long before I travel I can end up with quite a bit. I do this even when I do not have a trip or cruise planned.
We always drive to the cruise ports. Nowadays air travel is so crazy with delays and cancellations. Since we are retired, there's no rush to get to the port and no rush to get home.And we try to plan our routes to stay off interstates, get to see alot more scenery and local flavor...
Wow that shareholder tip is something I never heard about!! And for some the pricing would really make sense. Carnival (so also Princess, holland and Cunard) is cheap as is NCL. However MSC and RC wouldn’t make much sense if you were investing just for the perk. You can get Carnival or NCL (100 shares) for about $1200! Would really work esp if you go on long cruises - $250 credit per cruise!
I almost always book my own excursions unless I have a lot of OBC or the port stay is short enough to be a concern. It not only saves money but 4 to 12 people on a trip is so much better than 40+ on a ship excursion. On one cruise we selected a combination that it turned out nobody else chose that day and we ended up with just us a driver and a guide and a tour of the Panama locks and just the two of us visiting an Embari village. It was like being on The Bachelor!
Travel insurance I learned the hard way. Had a 8 day cruise at the end of covid booked on RC. Our early morning flight from Hartford was delayed numerous times due to a tornado watehes up and down the east coast. By the time we got to Miami and to the port (20 minutes late) RC denied us boarding. The ship was still there and hadn't departed.It was the first weekend of spring break. We lost the whole cruse fare. RC did nothing for us. Luckily we found a room to stay in that night and got on a Norwegian cruise for 7 days the following day. Needless to say our $1800 dollar vacation turned into a $4500 dollar vacation because we hadn't gotten travel insurance.
Here are two tips of mine: 1. Consider flying in an extra day early. If you can save $100/person on airfare by flying in a day sooner and the extra night in a hotel is $200, you can save money depending on how many people are in your party. A family of 4 could save $200 in this scenario. 2. Leverage a savings account to save and pay for your cruise. Instead of making monthly payments, put money in a higher interest savings account with no minimum deposit. I'm taking this approach for a cruise I have in September. I'll earn over $100 in interest between when I started saving and when I make final payment. That's not life changing but I'd be a fool to leave that on the table.
We’re cruising for the first time this summer for our honeymoon! 🥳 We’re so excited about the ports we’ll be visiting in Iceland and Scotland, and I’d love your tips to get the absolute most out of a day in port! Thanks for your helpful videos, Ilana, from a fellow Montrealer 😌
Have fun you guys. Those sounds like great ports. And watch more of Ilanas videos about cruising. I’m jealous you’re cruising. Actually we’re cruising in April to Mexico.
That’s awesome!! I haven’t been to these ports, but you’ll find videos and reviews & tips for the specific ports that will help. Nice to meet a fellow Montrealer :)
Which cruise line and dates? We are sailing Princess in the British Isles June 8 for 12 day cruise. We are going a couple weeks ahead for this cruise. First time to Ireland to visit family genealogical roots.
We love your beautiful Buddy! We used to go to the Art Auction to get free Champagne. The Champagne is not very good, but was worth going for a little while. Of course, don’t buy any items at the auction as that will wipe out all of the savings! 😂
I saw a passenger using princess cruise coupons & asked her how she got them & she said she at the front desk. I went to the front desk & said they would give to me as a courtesy but that those are provided by the travel agents. The coupons were obviously for on board & included…$10 of casino free play when u spend $20, embarkation day speacial free bottle of wine “wine of the day” for speacialty dinning with reservation of 2 or more, free chocolate dipped strawberries with purchase of a bottle of Champaign for stateroom delivery, $40 off 75 min aroma stone therapy treatment, free Stanley with purchase of any $45 princess souvenir package (includes ship model, mug, magnet, pen & cap), free men’s hair cut with purchase of 55 min men’s shave, $10% off one shore excursion valued at $100 or more & other coupons
My husband and I have used Viator all over the world! The tour guides and drivers have been excellent, and the groups are much smaller than ship excursions.
We rarely take a cruise line tour unless it involves travel a distance from the port. We did discover excellent audio tours when we were in Europe last summer - download into your phone. Start at the point that you are given and the tour is at your pace. Last year it was raining in Prague and we could walk at our pace, then stop for a coffee if we wanted. Worked great as well because time was not limited . We also enjoy finding a local food tasting tour if the time works - group has always been small and the tour so interesting.
If you are CDN or US military, active or retired, ensure you get your credits or discounts on various cruise lines. Also see if you can get military discount at hotels. We use Marriott who does great military discounts.
I just love your diy sangria idea Ilana! I do use the shareholder perk for sure! I also change my c.c. category to travel right before I pay in full, and use that "cash back reward" to pre-purchase obc.
I save with my direct deposit with a % going directly into an account for my vacations. Also pack clothes that do not wrinkle. Saves time and money. Bring your own first aid kit, over the counter meds, sewing kit, make up, & toiletries. Purchase the photo packages ahead of time. Save 10-20%. Because you will want the professional photos. Bring a travel mug to take on your excursions & for use on the ship!
Lately I have only been cruising on Norwegian Cruise lines. They do not allow beverages, alcoholic or non, as you board the cruise. There's something in the fine print about a corking fee if you do bring alcohol. The only exception is distilled water for CPAP machines.
My first cruise was september and we had an oceanview cabin. I really enjoyed it. However, we are going to Alaska this September and we splurged on a balcony
Another tip I use for Carnival... They sell bottles of water ahead of the cruise on their website. They are delivered to your room at boarding. Those bottles are not very expensive and I buy enough to last the whole cruise. I believe they are only for sale prior to sailing. They aren't easy to find on the site, I just search "water" and they come up.
The only problem that I can foresee with booking your own off book excursions, is if the itinerary changes. This has happened to me twice last year, where we bypassed the ports where I had excursions booked. Luckily the excursions were booked through the cruise line and we got onboard credit.
We booked a non-ship excursion for last cruise, and the port was canceled. I just called the people we were taking the excursion with, and they immediately refunded our money. That’s actual money, not a shipboard credit, lol!
I prefer driving to ever flying. I just have to total up the cost of parking for the length of cruise and find that on longer cruises it is cheaper to rent the vehicle I drive to the port. The two catches are picking a company close to the port to drop off and pick up later and that you have to wait for them to open on the morning of your return.
We have planned our own tour in Cabo … we’ve been there before so we feel comfortable doing that and it’s saving us a ton to !we leave in one week and we are using so many of your Tips!❤🎉
Occupancy and prices are _way_ up. Even though I'm fine with rough weather and repositioning cruises, I'm still finding myself priced out of the solo market.
Ilana, your dog is sweet. But they are definitely family. So can you give us some ideas about pet sitting / kennels / pet worries, etc. It’s always one of my biggest concerns.
On RC if you sign up for another cruise the first day they will give you a bottle of champagne. So we would bring a glass of orange juice back to the room to make our own drink. Always bring our two bottles of wine when we cruise. We have gone back to an interior room because of prices for a balcony are out of sight! We don’t do WiFi to save money. We’re happy cruisers. 😎
When I first heard about the shareholder OBC, I moved some funds around in my retirement account to purchase 100 shares of CCL without spending anything out of pocket. As just an investment it hasn't performed well, but we've more than made up the purchase price in "free" OBC.
I have heard so many tips and tricks through the years but you definitely have the best!! I love the diy beer and wine tips. I will definitely do this on my next cruise. Thank you for the way you present your information. You always get right to it. Congratulations on your success. You deserve it!❤
Glad, I wasn't the only one to purchase stocks during the shutdown. Unfortunately, I purchased it very early so I paid lots more than it finally dropped down to but still got a deal on Royal stock during the first week of the shutdown. Won't sell it for years since we want the perks.
If you’re cruising Hawaii don’t book the shore excursions. Instead get a guide book and see where you want to go, then rent a car on each island and go where you want when you want. For instance at Hilo you can rent a car and drive to the volcano and still have time to visit the orchid gardens, the rainforest zoo or Rainbow Falls.
I think I used Cruise Watch to get $977 off the price on our cruise. We used the saving to get more excursions. Our travel agent warned us it could void other things like cancellation of the cruise. I didn’t understand it but did not effect us.
Just booked a RCL cruise this morning for our anniversary. I wanted to try Princess, but they kept raising their price as I was watching the last month. So therefore we switched to RCL. We did this same cruise 2 years ago for our anniversary and we’re well pleased.
Frustrating…..the prices were actually changing as I was trying to find my best option(several days this happened). I’m not playing games, booked cruise with different company. 😠
Like many Australians, I haven’t carried cash since Covid. I have a Travel Card with my bank - it’s basically a prepaid Visa card, but I can store money in different currencies with no extra conversion fees. Once a month or so, I put a bit of money on that card. A relatively low-expense month will mean a larger contribution, some month will be less. I also have a dollar figure in my head for my monthly grocery budget. My credit card automatically totals all my grocery expenditures, so without having to keep track myself, I can see at the end of the month how much I spent. (Shudder...). If I managed to stay below budget, the difference goes onto the Travel Card. Same with medical insurance rebates, or tax refunds. It really can add up over the course of a year, while being essentially painless.
I need, and will have to search to see if you have already done one, a "First timers guide". A cruise has always been a bucket list item for me, and I know my wife would love it. But the total expense and organization of travel to/from the local airport, flights, hotel and port transportation, cruise line, ports, packages, insurance, and the return all seem a bit over whelming. 6-7 days seem to be a good length, a travel agent can help with a lot of it. Still pretty over whelming, lol
We had two days in port in Bermuda and booked our excursions direct with the company. I saved so much money that way! Definitely brought my own 1st aid kit too.
Yes I use shipmate to track prices for my cruise. And for our 2024 Alaska cruise according to my travel agent, we have saved close to around 6 to $800 that's not too bad
So if you forgot cash for tipping-or whatever, you can go to the casino charge the room to gamble, turn around and get the cash from the cage or the machines they have. They will charge your card on file (usually your bank card) for it and you avoid ATM fees. Works for small amounts $100 to $300 BUT I have never needed more so not sure if there are limits.
I love that you let your little Abby be in your video! We are taking our first cruise this October and enjoyed and benefitted from your videos! Thank you for all the tips!
One of our savings hacks is we use a small cheap wooden chest that we glue shut and drill a hole in it. We put any loose change and bills in it. We don't touch it until a week before our cruise. It's a fun surprise to see how much we save!
I’m not sure this is a money saving hack as much as we are just lucky ducks, but we had one of our older daughters move close to the Galveston cruise port last night and another one of our daughters is moving to Tampa in June/July. We usually cruise out of Mobile or New Orleans, but…now that we have a place to stay in Texas and Florida I think our options are a lot broader 😊
Not cruise related but we will be in Montreal in May celebrating my son's high school graduation. What is the number one thing to do. Love your channel.
I would love some recommendations for night before cruise hotel suggestions in seattle pier 91 i believe. I prefer airport transportation to hotel and from hotel to port
I have a Royal Caribbean Visa. I charge whatever I can, and pay my bill in full each month. I use my rewards points for onboard credit on Royal and Celebrity, and use the credit for our gratuities. We cruise several times a year, and this has saved me a lot of money.
I applied online for a Wise money visa travel card, basically a Visa debit card, was quick and easy. I just transfer my currency onto it and you can have sub-currency accounts with up to 20 other currencies. I converted the correct amount to the currency of one of the countries we are visiting and paid my visa and excursions in their respective currency. Part of the reason why I did this rather than using my credit card to accrue travel points is because there are frequently fraudulent transactions people have issues with in this location. 😊
On our last cruise, we stayed in the Fort Lauderdale at a hotel with the port shuttle service, this year, we’re driving down in our RV and parking at the cruise lot, so we don’t have to rush to catch our flight home and we can still do some travelling before heading home
Goggle Wine Cocktails, there are so many you can make on a cruise ship. Honestly, a Merlot, and a coke make an easy quick Italian Sangria if you can't find juice and fruit, same with a Spirt..
We are taking Amtrak up from DC to Baltimore. 2 hours and only 100.00. Well worth the money and Ubers to Hotel night before. And cost to park at port is 15.00 a night and we will going on a 12 night cruise so that adds up.
Planning a cruise? Get The Ultimate Cruise Planner. It's a 47 page cruise travel planner with packing checklists, shore excursion planning forms and much more! ($10 off for a limted time). Details here: lifewellcruised.com/ultimate-cruise-planner/
I love this Planner!! So helpful with everything!!
@@annetteabbott5612 I’m so glad you like it! Thanks for your purchase ☺️
Thank you so so very much for all your tips. Super helpful 🙏❤👍Have an upcoming Carnival cruise to Half Moon Cay and Nassau, Bahamas. You did mention about driving to the Cruise port and we are doing that and would you recommend the cruise port parking or a private private who offer a cheaper price. "Safe cruise parking" is right near the Miami port. Any idea on this??
Just ordered! So helpful! Sailing in June
One of our little hacks: we only cruise once a year (due to budget and work schedules) but throughout the year, we purchase restaurant gift cards… we buy one per month and put them with our passports…. That way, all of our meals are covered for the road trip to and from port, as well as extras for while we are at the hotel. When cruise time comes, it is wonderful not to have to worry about these things!!!
So smart 👏
Don't forget you can also save 10% by buying the cruise line's gift card through AARP. (There's no minimum age to be a member 👀).
Kroger has gift cards and I have purchased Carnival & Hollland America cards at my local grocers. I purchase the gift card for my upcoming cruise and get gas points so I save money in at least two ways.
That is an awesome hack! :)
Great tip! And around the holidays, many merchants offer bonus cards with the purchase of any card.
1. I got a pre-paid Visa Conversion card through the bank. I load the amount I have budgeted for the cruise. I can covert it into any currency that I wish. The biggest bonus-there are no foreign transaction fees to pay.
2. I put a fixed amount into my Travel account each month. It is amazing how painless it is and it mounts up fast.
Great plan!
Wowo thank for the information iam going and a group cruise it my first time
That’s really smart
Since you can't bring a heating pad bring hot hands packets. If you need them for cramps.
I always take my heating pad for back pain 😮
A balcony is essential to me and my wife. Warm weather, cold weather, I'm not going to scenic locations and not be able to step outside on my own balcony to enjoy the scenery. That includes Antartica next month.
I totally agree and I always bring a SW radio (I'm a ham and can't bring a transceiver, but I love sampling local and distant radio on the balcony) also I recommend binoculars for the balcony. Happy cruising!
@@rjnolesRU I brought binoculars on our cruise to Spain and Rome. Lots of beautiful details way way way up in the ceilings and domes of the cathedrals there!
A lot of great ideas. This is for the late night snacker. I bring a plastic tupperware container for cookies and other bakery items from the buffet for late night munching.
Or zip lock plastic bags.
I do the same. I like to get chips from the buffet for when I have a salty craving.
I never go cruise before but is it allow to take food from buffet? .I plan to go on cruise so need lots of info.Thanks
Yes you can fix a plate at the buffet and take it to your cabin
@@kittiyasaengduenchai4300 like the other person said, you can fill your plates and take them back to your cabin. And usually you just put your empty plates out into the hall for the steward to take away. I’ve been on one cruise so far, and I would fill multiple bowls of frozen yogurt before bed and take them all back to my room to eat 😂😁 it was truly luxurious
All good advice, my favorite is "Travel Insurance" ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS get travel insurance. Face it, most people could eat the cost of their trip if something unforseen happened. However, it's my understanding that if your from the US your health insurance does not cover you once you leave the US. A sickness or injury abroad could cost thousands and you are at their mercy. The bill has to be paid before you leave. We have witnessed this ourselves once on a cruise. Someone fell hard on the pier, Carnival couldn't help as they have no liability there, they laid there until someone from the port came and got them.Yes other passengers helped as much as they could, but that only goes so far. Travel insurance is super cheap for what it covers. If can afford to cruise, you can afford travel insurance.'
This is how I save money to take on the cruise... in the time leading up to the cruise - when I'm out shopping for groceries, or whatever else I need, every time I check out at a register that gives the choice for "cash back", I get a $20 and stash it away for my trip. It adds up quick!
Me too!! I have a pocket I hide it in and start building a stash!!
3:50 A tip on refilling your water bottles. Do not refill them directly into the bottle. Use cup or glass and then pour it into you bottle. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen the tops of refillable water bottles hitting the spout where the water comes out.
I see people leave bathrooms without washing why would I expect them to wash their water bottles?🤢
#18 GET TRAVEL INSURANCE. GET TRAVEL INSURANCE. GET TRAVEL INSURANCE. We had to cancel a transpacific cruise, travel insurance probably saved us 10s of 1000s of $s.
My partner is so picky! We are spending a lot more than we need to on our next cruise because he won't budge on cabin type, etc. So, I make him pay the difference! Lol
That sounds reasonable to me😅
@@sunseekermamaand reasonable for me too
Where's a SAFE and inexpensive place to park in Fort Lauderdale? Tia
Haha nothing wrong with that 😉
@@afrisbee7695 when cruising I find a hotel that offers park and cruise. There are some hotels that not only offer free parking, but a shuttle also.
We are taking our first cruise in 25 years (anniversary), and I came across this video, specifically the part about checking with the cruise line to ensure you have the best price. I made a phone call and based on that call I will be saving $1,500 and was able to get the drink package, save $400 on excursions, and get 2 specialty meals. So, in all, it saved me upwards of $3,000. Thanks, Ilana, for the great advice. The cruise line said that I could call every day up to 120 days before the cruise and they would adjust the price. After that, they would only adjust one more time inside of the 120 days.
I personally do that for my cruise and for my clients because I am a travel agent. On our last cruise, I checked the pricing on RCCL’s website (my TA access) and found the cabin price went down by over $300. I adjusted the price and they reimbursed that money back. If the price goes down after you do the final payment, they can reimburse it or add it to your cabin as onboard credit.❤
I bring the crystal light packets and a water bottle and that way I always have flavored water. Three packages are usually included as a perk when I book my cruises but I still take them because I don’t always want soda and I sometimes just wanna make a drink in my room.
I totally recommend that too and we do it when we travel. It saves you on drinks and calories.❤
This is my first cruise, so I am not able to take water on carnival?
We have booked with private shore excursion providers several times, and we have always had excellent experiences. We research carefully looking at reviews on Cruise Critic, Trip Advisor, and other review sites. My rule of thumb has been how far away is the excursion destination, how safe is the destination, etc. Sometimes the private excursion has not been much cheaper, but the group is smaller, making the overall experience more personal and time efficient. I have found that the providers are very cognizant of departure time for the ship, and they get us back with plenty of time to spare. In fact, the one time we got back to the ship late, we were on a ship excursion. Of course, the ship waited for us, but our other travel companions who had been on private excursions were on board watching for us to get back. How funny is that?
Thanks for sharing your experiences
I was lookking on line at trip advisor and all the other sites that you mentioned in this comment and am not sure how to book an excursion with them?
Just a note, things happen - so while they may be very wary of ship departure time, as they do want people to come back to them - the ship will NOT wait should something hold you up on a private excursion! But as you said, be mindful of the distance etc too.
If you are cruising out of Tampa, FL, there is a free streetcar that runs from downtown hotels to the cruise terminals. We recently saw many people taking advantage of this service in Tampa.
One thing about snorkel gear... I wear glasses; buying the eye mask with lenses appropriate to your eyesight is a must if you want to see anything other than blurs. You'd have to do this on your own ahead of time. (I have not taken them on a cruise - but on a vacation in Great Exuma, they performed stellar). No, you don't need prescription level. You just will want to see!
Excellent advice! My 20 y/o hated snorkeling and refused to go with me. Then she mentioned that she couldn’t see anything anyway. Whoa! I never thought about how nearsighted she is. I bought her a mask with lenses that were right for her prescription and it changed everything. Now she loves snorkeling and is planning to learn to scuba dive.
We go on Spring Break each year. Starting in January I label 50 envelopes with the numbers 1 through 50. Each week, I fill a few envelopes with cash according to amount on the envelope. That was I have alittle over $1200 for tipping and the casino. I always have some leftover at the end of the cruise
Love this!!
RCL has the "Drink of the Day"--depending on which ship you're on, they can range in $5 each up to about $12 each, but is cheaper than buying a regular-priced drink--and gives you a chance to try a new drink at a discounted price!
I totally agree with this one. If you want to enjoy a drink, get the drink of the day.
We were on NCL Escape last month. My mom and dad bid $120 CAD pp and were upgraded all the way from a interior to an XL balcony.
Hope you don't mind my ? but where does this bid thing get involved? I've cruised 20 times and have never encountered this. If You're onboard the ship that means you've already paid.
@@Pavelpetuniablue NCL sends out emails to people before their cruise to bid and puts it in the cruiseline app
@@brettparnell8254Celebrity too.
First cruise departs early next week and I am binge watching your videos to absorb as much as possible. Awesome video as usual, Ilana!
So exciting!! Have an amazing cruise!!
@@LifeWellCruised I have to second this statement. I am cruising in 219 days and have binge watching your videos for over 2 months now. Thank you for the information. This cruise is on my bucket list. So excited to cruise.
Good job you guys! Her videos are spot on and so very helpful. I also like Sheri with cruise tips TV. Enjoy your trips and you will be hooked cruising after that!
@@shelleyrichards4487 I can't imagine loving being on the ocean more then when I was in the Navy. I always vowed when I got out I would go on a cruise and not work. I'm looking forward to it.
Us too on the 13th
My money saving tip is to book an obstructed balcony, usually much less than a regular balcony cabin
We often do this when booking a suite and don't really notice much, if any obstruction.
You mean book an OBSTRUCTED balcony?
Obstructed cabins or interior cabins are the less expensive one depending on the cabin category.
Unlike many others we always take the ships excursions if we can not walk to what we wish to see. We have had two private tours that caused us a lot of stress even though we were able to get back to the ship both times. The difference in price is not worth having that stress on what is suppose to be a relaxing time away from the every day.
I do the same, but have found some of the larger third party excursion companies also have the back in time guarantee. We have done a couple and had good experiences so now I am considering more of them.
@@troplightn I bet those are the same companies that do the actual ship excursions. I am not sure how they would have guarantees since the ship only guarantees ship excursions if not back on time. I think that is the only way around that.
On port-intensive cruises, we book an inside cabin since there won’t be much of a chance to watch from a balcony.
My biggest tip for cruising is before you go on a beach, excursion, private island, be sure to hit the buffet line and fill up your backpack with food for the day. Otherwise, you’ll be paying way too much at the concession stand. They don’t search your backpack on the way out, so fill it up, but make sure you eat it all before coming back on because they search on the way back in.
She mentioned in another video not to bring food off the ship because you can get fined.
Depending in the port you can't take off food. I have young boys who are always hungry so I'm a snacks person. I had pancakes in our diaper bag in cozumel and we got in trouble in cozumel
They allow snacks like cookies or bars as such but the fruits and vegetables of any kind are prohibited.
Many places you are not allowed to take fruit off the ship. We have seen agents on the pier with dogs, who are sniffing backpacks and bags, and signal when they smell fruit. Fruit carries a risk of introducing invasive pests. I always take cookies though!
Wow, pancakes? I wonder if it's because they are not prepackaged. @@kelseyjarman1272
We live in Georgia and always drive to Florida ports when we cruise. We park at the port parking lot for a daily rate. We find it less of a hassle with luggage handling, as well as, cheaper to travel. We always enjoy the road trip to Florida. Thanks for your great advice.
I have to say, I have done a few alternate options for parking. The best one I have found is the premier garages in Miami. Their shuttles are quick and it isn't far. We drop off the bags and everyone else and my husband takes the car to park, and shuttles back so it is faster. I have only done port parking in Ft Lauderdale, WPB and Pt Canaveral. I personally don't mind the increase in price for all the convenience that comes with it! Love the park and sail hotels!
I already do several of these tips! I just thought a few days ago to start saving my small bills in my cruise jar for upcoming December cruise to Jamaica!!! I also take a few snacks on the cruise like a snicker bar, M&M’s; I always want to take Skinny Pop Popcorn for my movies on the Lido Deck or the cabin, but packing space!! A few ziplock baggies is also good to grab a few cookies from the buffet area, or your snacks to carry off when walking around the Port areas. Thanks for sharing
🛳️🛳️
Awesome! Thanks for sharing
Also, sometimes I know just what you’re going to say about a particular topic…. but I listen anyway because it’s just comforting somehow.
I know, for instance, she will mention wine or drinks. I don’t drink and I am starting to think that on my first cruise I will be navigating through alcoholics. No one ever mentions a soda package.
To save money on a Disney cruise (that's a whole topic in itself) we use the "Sommelier Bin' in the lounges. The Sommelier Bin are open bottles of wine that have maybe a glass or two still in the bottle. The bartender has access to the bin. You say you want a red, a white, or a champagne and the bartender shows you what is available and you get a glass or maybe more to empty the bottle (just saying on experience) for $10.
This is super clever and perfect, without going overboard on a full bottle.
@@meddyven Yes, and I've tried new wines and champagnes that I normally would not order because they were very expensive.
Wow! Love this tip! Thanks for sharing
Omg….you just blew my mind with the Sangria and mimosa suggestions!!!! My husband and I don’t drink much and we would bring bottles of wine, however this is fantastic! It would last longer and who doesn’t love a mimosa in the sunshine ☀️.
We will definitely try this on our cruise next month! This Canadian thanks you! 💕
Love you videos 😃
Hi Illana
1. Took a tour by the company Tours by locals in Curacao It was 9 Hours and included, cultural, sightseeing all over the island, walking tour, beach, stop at a local restaurant for only..ta dah. 120 dollars it was one if the best tours having a tour guide who was born and raised there and saved a bundle of money from what would be offered on ship.
2. I opened a second savings account and put all extra money into it and a regular small draft from my checking to go there…out of site out of mind for my cruise extras.
3. The other recommendation like i did on an ncl cruise is to get a lower grade cabin ( i usually get a balcony) i do not mind interior cabins) and spend some of the money saved for a specialty area. It was the Vibe and i still came out less but still had a quieter more relaxing place because of no balcony.
4. Your planner is in full use for my upcoming 2025 21 day cruise❤🙂🚢. Thx Lynn
These tips are great! Love the idea of the splurge on Vibe while saving on the cabin 👏
If you are an AARP member you can find some of the gift cards for some cruise lines and it may be a discount. We sail Carnival and save $10 per $100 gift card. We buy these before the cruise. And if you are not an AARP member I would still suggest putting money onboard ahead of time that way you're not having to pay for everything all at once.
You can pay for your cruise with these too. And they sell $500 cards as well.
Nive video as always. Please let me add the following:
1. 3:47 Better to use a glass to refill your bottle
2. If you have to fly or drive to the embarkation port, consider a back-to-back cruise so that the flight/drive cost is diluted among the cruises you take.
3. About the shareholder benefits, you do not have to buy 100 shares on the same day. If you like you can buy some as the price drops until you reach 100. However unless you are familiar with the stocks market you better turn to someone who is just in case.
4. If you are a gambler you can get discounts or even a free cruise at the casino. Even if you do not bet too much you will end up getting offers by e-mail.
Cheers!
Thanks for sharing
My wife and I both got offers for a free interior room on Royal Caribbean Casino offers. They allowed us to combine those two interior room offers into one ocean view offer and then they allowed us to add a little extra money to it for a balcony. The amount of money we took to gamble with was $1500. Out of that we only spent $920. And came home with the remainder. When we upgraded the casino offer we added $170 to it to get the balcony; so that along with the port fees that we had to pay the cruise actually cost us $1430. We did some research for the same balcony if we just went to Royal Carribean‘s website to book it, it was $3600. So we saved over 50% by going to the casino and gambling. We are very happy!😁😁😁😁😁
My husband doesn't want to pay for a drink package on our cruise (which departs on Sunday!). I like really strong coffee so I'm bringing some Starbucks Via instant to add to the free dining room coffee. On our last cruise, which was a number of years ago, the coffee wasn't that good. Perhaps it's improved but this is my work-around in case it hasn't.
Would love to hear your thoughts on the new Princess App.
We take our own coffee too. There was coffee at the 24 hour Royal Prominade Cafe but it was not strong. We also bring our own flavored creamer.
I bring instant coffee from Cafe Bustelo because I enjoy strong coffee as well!
Did you enjoy the new Lavazza coffee on Princess?
We both really appreciated the change!
Book an inside cabin. Works better on a smaller ship because they're the ones with more outside public spaces open to the public.
One of my money saving hacks is packing a 64 ounce plastic pitcher and low and/or zero calorie flavored drink mix envelopes/tubes. I then use water and/or ice from the buffet to make my own flavored beverage, which I carry around in a reusable bottle/flask. (I store the partially full pitcher in the stateroom fridge. I use the envelopes/tubes that make 64 ounces at a time instead of single use 8 ounce ones because the 64 ounce ones are cheaper per ounce. I pack clothing such as socks within the pitcher so that it is not wasted space in my suitcase.)
Love that
Dirty socks on the return trip ???
No, I replace the socks with souvenirs on the return trip.
When I have $1.00 and $5.00 bills I put them away. Depending on how long before I travel I can end up with quite a bit. I do this even when I do not have a trip or cruise planned.
Have used Viator and Shore Excursion group. Both great. Can get Rakuten rebates with Viator.
We always drive to the cruise ports. Nowadays air travel is so crazy with delays and cancellations. Since we are retired, there's no rush to get to the port and no rush to get home.And we try to plan our routes to stay off interstates, get to see alot more scenery and local flavor...
we’re about to go on our first cruise and your videos are super helpful. much appreciated 🥰
Wow that shareholder tip is something I never heard about!!
And for some the pricing would really make sense. Carnival (so also Princess, holland and Cunard) is cheap as is NCL. However MSC and RC wouldn’t make much sense if you were investing just for the perk.
You can get Carnival or NCL (100 shares) for about $1200! Would really work esp if you go on long cruises - $250 credit per cruise!
The shareholder perk will depend on how you book the cruise. If you get a deal (ie casino offer) you will not be able to get that perk. FYI
@@barbb I take advantage of free rooms from the casino all the time and have never been refused stock perks for obc on Princess.
I almost always book my own excursions unless I have a lot of OBC or the port stay is short enough to be a concern. It not only saves money but 4 to 12 people on a trip is so much better than 40+ on a ship excursion. On one cruise we selected a combination that it turned out nobody else chose that day and we ended up with just us a driver and a guide and a tour of the Panama locks and just the two of us visiting an Embari village. It was like being on The Bachelor!
Travel insurance I learned the hard way. Had a 8 day cruise at the end of covid booked on RC. Our early morning flight from Hartford was delayed numerous times due to a tornado watehes up and down the east coast. By the time we got to Miami and to the port (20 minutes late) RC denied us boarding. The ship was still there and hadn't departed.It was the first weekend of spring break. We lost the whole cruse fare. RC did nothing for us. Luckily we found a room to stay in that night and got on a Norwegian cruise for 7 days the following day. Needless to say our $1800 dollar vacation turned into a $4500 dollar vacation because we hadn't gotten travel insurance.
So sad.
We are Hilton Honors members. We have been able to park our for 14 days for free plus they have shuttles to ship.
Which hotel in Miami?
Using a Southwest travel cc has accrued me many free flights that I have used to get to cruise ports
Highly recommend!!
I just got two rt tickets from chgo to Seattle for July alaska cruise with points from southwest cc. Big savings
Here are two tips of mine:
1. Consider flying in an extra day early. If you can save $100/person on airfare by flying in a day sooner and the extra night in a hotel is $200, you can save money depending on how many people are in your party. A family of 4 could save $200 in this scenario.
2. Leverage a savings account to save and pay for your cruise. Instead of making monthly payments, put money in a higher interest savings account with no minimum deposit.
I'm taking this approach for a cruise I have in September. I'll earn over $100 in interest between when I started saving and when I make final payment. That's not life changing but I'd be a fool to leave that on the table.
Great tips
We’re cruising for the first time this summer for our honeymoon! 🥳 We’re so excited about the ports we’ll be visiting in Iceland and Scotland, and I’d love your tips to get the absolute most out of a day in port! Thanks for your helpful videos, Ilana, from a fellow Montrealer 😌
Make sure the cruise line knows it’s your honeymoon. Sometimes you get perks.
Have fun you guys. Those sounds like great ports. And watch more of Ilanas videos about cruising. I’m jealous you’re cruising. Actually we’re cruising in April to Mexico.
That’s awesome!! I haven’t been to these ports, but you’ll find videos and reviews & tips for the specific ports that will help. Nice to meet a fellow Montrealer :)
Which cruise line and dates? We are sailing Princess in the British Isles June 8 for 12 day cruise. We are going a couple weeks ahead for this cruise. First time to Ireland to visit family genealogical roots.
What ports and how much time in port? We are headed back to Iceland, Greenland, Canada again this summer - beautiful areas.
We love your beautiful Buddy! We used to go to the Art Auction to get free Champagne. The Champagne is not very good, but was worth going for a little while. Of course, don’t buy any items at the auction as that will wipe out all of the savings! 😂
I saw a passenger using princess cruise coupons & asked her how she got them & she said she at the front desk. I went to the front desk & said they would give to me as a courtesy but that those are provided by the travel agents. The coupons were obviously for on board & included…$10 of casino free play when u spend $20, embarkation day speacial free bottle of wine “wine of the day” for speacialty dinning with reservation of 2 or more, free chocolate dipped strawberries with purchase of a bottle of Champaign for stateroom delivery, $40 off 75 min aroma stone therapy treatment, free Stanley with purchase of any $45 princess souvenir package (includes ship model, mug, magnet, pen & cap), free men’s hair cut with purchase of 55 min men’s shave, $10% off one shore excursion valued at $100 or more & other coupons
We have booked excursions with Viator, and have been very pleased.
My husband and I have used Viator all over the world! The tour guides and drivers have been excellent, and the groups are much smaller than ship excursions.
Your little helper is just so darling! How sweet you can travel with her. Thank you for another helpful and informative video.
We rarely take a cruise line tour unless it involves travel a distance from the port. We did discover excellent audio tours when we were in Europe last summer - download into your phone. Start at the point that you are given and the tour is at your pace. Last year it was raining in Prague and we could walk at our pace, then stop for a coffee if we wanted. Worked great as well because time was not limited . We also enjoy finding a local food tasting tour if the time works - group has always been small and the tour so interesting.
If you are CDN or US military, active or retired, ensure you get your credits or discounts on various cruise lines. Also see if you can get military discount at hotels. We use Marriott who does great military discounts.
I just love your diy sangria idea Ilana! I do use the shareholder perk for sure! I also change my c.c. category to travel right before I pay in full, and use that "cash back reward" to pre-purchase obc.
I was cruising before specialty dining. It seems like all the Meals on the buffet and in the dining room were much better then.
I save with my direct deposit with a % going directly into an account for my vacations. Also pack clothes that do not wrinkle. Saves time and money. Bring your own first aid kit, over the counter meds, sewing kit, make up, & toiletries. Purchase the photo packages ahead of time. Save 10-20%. Because you will want the professional photos. Bring a travel mug to take on your excursions & for use on the ship!
Lately I have only been cruising on Norwegian Cruise lines. They do not allow beverages, alcoholic or non, as you board the cruise. There's something in the fine print about a corking fee if you do bring alcohol. The only exception is distilled water for CPAP machines.
My first cruise was september and we had an oceanview cabin. I really enjoyed it. However, we are going to Alaska this September and we splurged on a balcony
I bring my own snorkeling gear because I have the prescription lens so I can see. 😊
Another tip I use for Carnival... They sell bottles of water ahead of the cruise on their website. They are delivered to your room at boarding. Those bottles are not very expensive and I buy enough to last the whole cruise. I believe they are only for sale prior to sailing. They aren't easy to find on the site, I just search "water" and they come up.
I think all the cruise lines offer the purchase of water before the cruise…
Wow 🎉❤🚢 you made it to 250K subscribers. Congrats!! Keep up the great videos and you’ll be at 500K in no time. Enjoy your cruise!!
Awe thanks!! 😊
We have used Viator tour company many times and have found them to be excellent
The only problem that I can foresee with booking your own off book excursions, is if the itinerary changes. This has happened to me twice last year, where we bypassed the ports where I had excursions booked. Luckily the excursions were booked through the cruise line and we got onboard credit.
We booked a non-ship excursion for last cruise, and the port was canceled. I just called the people we were taking the excursion with, and they immediately refunded our money. That’s actual money, not a shipboard credit, lol!
Thanks for the info@@kimhayes7075
I prefer driving to ever flying. I just have to total up the cost of parking for the length of cruise and find that on longer cruises it is cheaper to rent the vehicle I drive to the port. The two catches are picking a company close to the port to drop off and pick up later and that you have to wait for them to open on the morning of your return.
We have planned our own tour in Cabo … we’ve been there before so we feel comfortable doing that and it’s saving us a ton to !we leave in one week and we are using so many of your Tips!❤🎉
Occupancy and prices are _way_ up. Even though I'm fine with rough weather and repositioning cruises, I'm still finding myself priced out of the solo market.
Ilana, your dog is sweet. But they are definitely family. So can you give us some ideas about pet sitting / kennels / pet worries, etc. It’s always one of my biggest concerns.
On RC if you sign up for another cruise the first day they will give you a bottle of champagne. So we would bring a glass of orange juice back to the room to make our own drink. Always bring our two bottles of wine when we cruise. We have gone back to an interior room because of prices for a balcony are out of sight! We don’t do WiFi to save money. We’re happy cruisers. 😎
When I first heard about the shareholder OBC, I moved some funds around in my retirement account to purchase 100 shares of CCL without spending anything out of pocket. As just an investment it hasn't performed well, but we've more than made up the purchase price in "free" OBC.
I have used Shore Excursion Group, Viator, or Tours by Locals. Just be mindful of the time yourself.
I have heard so many tips and tricks through the years but you definitely have the best!! I love the diy beer and wine tips. I will definitely do this on my next cruise. Thank you for the way you present your information. You always get right to it. Congratulations on your success. You deserve it!❤
Glad, I wasn't the only one to purchase stocks during the shutdown. Unfortunately, I purchased it very early so I paid lots more than it finally dropped down to but still got a deal on Royal stock during the first week of the shutdown. Won't sell it for years since we want the perks.
If you’re cruising Hawaii don’t book the shore excursions. Instead get a guide book and see where you want to go, then rent a car on each island and go where you want when you want. For instance at Hilo you can rent a car and drive to the volcano and still have time to visit the orchid gardens, the rainforest zoo or Rainbow Falls.
I think I used Cruise Watch to get $977 off the price on our cruise. We used the saving to get more excursions. Our travel agent warned us it could void other things like cancellation of the cruise. I didn’t understand it but did not effect us.
I agree with the drive to the port idea. We live close enough to Baltimore and drove there for a cruise in 2023. It was great.
Just booked a RCL cruise this morning for our anniversary. I wanted to try Princess, but they kept raising their price as I was watching the last month. So therefore we switched to RCL. We did this same cruise 2 years ago for our anniversary and we’re well pleased.
Frustrating…..the prices were actually changing as I was trying to find my best option(several days this happened). I’m not playing games, booked cruise with different company. 😠
Awesome, enjoy!!
Like many Australians, I haven’t carried cash since Covid. I have a Travel Card with my bank - it’s basically a prepaid Visa card, but I can store money in different currencies with no extra conversion fees. Once a month or so, I put a bit of money on that card. A relatively low-expense month will mean a larger contribution, some month will be less. I also have a dollar figure in my head for my monthly grocery budget. My credit card automatically totals all my grocery expenditures, so without having to keep track myself, I can see at the end of the month how much I spent. (Shudder...). If I managed to stay below budget, the difference goes onto the Travel Card. Same with medical insurance rebates, or tax refunds. It really can add up over the course of a year, while being essentially painless.
I need, and will have to search to see if you have already done one, a "First timers guide".
A cruise has always been a bucket list item for me, and I know my wife would love it. But the total expense and organization of travel to/from the local airport, flights, hotel and port transportation, cruise line, ports, packages, insurance, and the return all seem a bit over whelming.
6-7 days seem to be a good length, a travel agent can help with a lot of it. Still pretty over whelming, lol
That’s true - thanks for bringing this up. I can do a sort of video like this. My planner has a lot of info in lists & forms
We had two days in port in Bermuda and booked our excursions direct with the company. I saved so much money that way! Definitely brought my own 1st aid kit too.
Hi Llana , just got off one this morning ..love your tips ! I love living here in Florida...we too need these tips also
Yes I use shipmate to track prices for my cruise. And for our 2024 Alaska cruise according to my travel agent, we have saved close to around 6 to $800 that's not too bad
Love your tips
I would definitely recommend travel insurance
So if you forgot cash for tipping-or whatever, you can go to the casino charge the room to gamble, turn around and get the cash from the cage or the machines they have. They will charge your card on file (usually your bank card) for it and you avoid ATM fees. Works for small amounts $100 to $300 BUT I have never needed more so not sure if there are limits.
Reprice/Refare: I do this with our hotel reservations...I usually get 2-3 price adjustments between reservation and check-in.
Smart
I love that you let your little Abby be in your video! We are taking our first cruise this October and enjoyed and benefitted from your videos! Thank you for all the tips!
We save tip money for casino trips in a similar way, but we have a video poker machine that we put cash in to play and empty it out before a trip.
What fun!😊
One of our savings hacks is we use a small cheap wooden chest that we glue shut and drill a hole in it. We put any loose change and bills in it. We don't touch it until a week before our cruise. It's a fun surprise to see how much we save!
What do you do with your dog when you are on a cruise?
I’m not sure this is a money saving hack as much as we are just lucky ducks, but we had one of our older daughters move close to the Galveston cruise port last night and another one of our daughters is moving to Tampa in June/July. We usually cruise out of Mobile or New Orleans, but…now that we have a place to stay in Texas and Florida I think our options are a lot broader 😊
Not cruise related but we will be in Montreal in May celebrating my son's high school graduation. What is the number one thing to do. Love your channel.
thank you for your videos. wife and I go next week for our first time. I'm sooo excited and nervous all at once..lol
I prefer the cheapest drunk package. Wifi on MSC Seaschore was very good. Just got back from 7 day Cruise.
Can you bring cans of pop on with you?
I would love some recommendations for night before cruise hotel suggestions in seattle pier 91 i believe. I prefer airport transportation to hotel and from hotel to port
I have a Royal Caribbean Visa. I charge whatever I can, and pay my bill in full each month. I use my rewards points for onboard credit on Royal and Celebrity, and use the credit for our gratuities. We cruise several times a year, and this has saved me a lot of money.
I applied online for a Wise money visa travel card, basically a Visa debit card, was quick and easy. I just transfer my currency onto it and you can have sub-currency accounts with up to 20 other currencies.
I converted the correct amount to the currency of one of the countries we are visiting and paid my visa and excursions in their respective currency. Part of the reason why I did this rather than using my credit card to accrue travel points is because there are frequently fraudulent transactions people have issues with in this location. 😊
Marriott every time!!! 🎉🎉🎉
On our last cruise, we stayed in the Fort Lauderdale at a hotel with the port shuttle service, this year, we’re driving down in our RV and parking at the cruise lot, so we don’t have to rush to catch our flight home and we can still do some travelling before heading home
Happy New Year🎉 thank you for all the great tips!! I am saving small bills in a jar as we speak for my cruise in March❤
Our cruise is Aug 27. I know how to pack for Caribbean cruises. Alaska is a first-time, and I'm thankful for all the advice.
Goggle Wine Cocktails, there are so many you can make on a cruise ship. Honestly, a Merlot, and a coke make an easy quick Italian Sangria if you can't find juice and fruit, same with a Spirt..
We are taking Amtrak up from DC to Baltimore. 2 hours and only 100.00. Well worth the money and Ubers to Hotel night before. And cost to park at port is 15.00 a night and we will going on a 12 night cruise so that adds up.