Cruises are a very relaxing way to travel, and the price you pay includes not only your accommodation, but also your food, and entertainment too. There are however other expenses that can be incurred whilst travelling such as specialty meals, expensive drinks, excursions, and spa treatments for example. If you are looking to try and keep the extra costs down, these tips may help.
· Cruise with a company that sets its prices in sterling. This way you can see what you are paying without having to convert between currencies.
· Some cruise companies include the cost of tipping in the overall price they charge you, and others don’t. Choose a company who do so such as Thomson’s or Swan Hellenic and you won’t need to worry about this except when you are on shore.
· Dining plans can vary in terms of where you can eat and what it will cost you, so pick the one that will suit you best. Freestyle dining options can sometimes work out cheaper and offer you more choice.
· Some drinks will generally come as part of your cruise plan, however the more popular drinks generally won’t. To avoid large additional bills, it is often possible to add a drinks package to your cruise deal at around £10 per day which will cover a considerably wider range of drinks.
· Spa treatments aren’t generally cheap whether you’re on a cruise ship or off, but if you want to indulge then ask if they do discounts for booking multiple treatments together, or for taking them at specific times – such as before the ship sets sail.
· Excursions are one of the largest ‘extra’ costs that most people incur costing anything from £20-90 per person depending on the excursion. Booking the same trip on land via a private company can often be a cheaper option, and sometimes it can be cheaper still to just get a taxi to take you to the location you want to visit.
· Getting your dress or a couple of shirts laundered on board ship may well be something you need to do, but if you don’t want to pay over the odds for having just one or two items done, find out if they offer any deals for a larger quantity of washing. Alternatively opt for a quick trip to the ships self service launderette in between your stroll and your swim.
· Avoid buying things such as sun cream and shampoo on board as the prices on these tend to carry a high premium. Instead make sure you pack plenty, and if you need to do so, pick up extras in a local supermarket while you’re docked somewhere.
· Take photos and video for yourself rather than buying the ones the cruise company can sell you. The pictures will be far more personal this way, and you’ll avoid the extra expense.
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