We all know that booking the cruise is just the first step and expense there is but what about all the extra expenses? What about the excursions, dining expenses, luxury services? Those all add up but I’m here to tell you how you can get the most for your money when you’re on your cruise!

When you’re booking your room look into booking inside rooms. Lots of times these rooms are going to cost less because many travelers like to relax in their rooms. We like to get out and play so we choose to save our money on the cost of the room and put it towards an excursion.

Look at doing the excursions on your own. It’s convenient to book an excursion through the boat but they’re pricey. Look online and research the excursions that you’re interested in to see how much it could save you doing it on your own. It’s also a great way to read reviews. We found we could take a taxi for $16 to the volcano and do the same tour for only $8 each. That saved us $50 compared to what the cruise line was charging. Please note though, when you book on your own they are not guaranteed to get you back to the boat on time so make sure you watch the clock!

Are you a big soda drinker? Look into getting the beverage package on board. We were planning on just getting my husband the non-alcoholic beverage package and when I get online I noticed they had bundled this package with their wifi package that we were looking into – score! So watch the sales cause they’ll included their packages.

Eat on the boat. You paid for this service so make sure you take full advantage of it. Eating the local food can be fun and maybe a great treat to have but it gets pricy because you’re a tourist and they know it. So eat a good breakfast before you get off the boat. We also packed a couple snacks into our backpack to take off the boat in case we wanted to stay out later and enjoy the land. Just be prepared. Also since I didn’t know and found out later I thought I’d add in here, you can dine in the dining room for breakfast and lunch as well! It’s perfect for when the buffet is busy and you have a later excursion planned. Take advantage of this option because it’s all included, no additional cost.

If you want to take advantage of their luxury services, the best time to do this is while you’re at port. They hike up the prices of their luxury services while you’re at sea because everyone is on the boat but when you’re at port most choose to get off and play. That means it’s the best time for you to enjoy a massage, get your hair done and more.

I hope you guys enjoys your cruising! They’re so fun and relaxing and you can enjoy them even more when you save more 😉