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The Best Ways To Save Money On A Cruise

It goes without saying that taking a cruise isn't the cheapest way to holiday. Some tickets can cost several thousands of pounds, and once on board, there are lots of additional costs for services and amenities. Along with providing comprehensive travel insurance for your cruise, at Holiday Extras we've set up this helpful guide so you can keep control of your purse strings and have a relaxing time away!

Here are a few tips on how you can save money whilst on your cruise, and enjoy your trip without having to re-mortgage your home afterwards:

  • Take advantage of first day discounts - There are tons of first-day discounts on offer, especially in the spa and gym areas, gift shops, restaurants and liquor stores. This is because most passengers are just familiarising themselves with the ship on the first day, and shops, bars and restaurants are eager to secure loyal custom. Port day prices are also discounted on many services, so if there is a port that you aren't so interested in, you can book time in the spa or gym areas.
  • Tours and excursions - There'll be a host of tours and excursion offered by the cruise operator, and these will be bookable for an additional fee. While it might seem like the logical option to stick with your cruise provider for tours and activities, there is no law against booking your own private tours. The benefits of a private tour are two-fold; you get to spend quality time with your family rather than being herded around with 50 other fellow cruisers, and there is also the potential to make significant savings. Check the cruise itinerary before-hand to book your tours and excursions in advance.
  • Drinks and alcohol packages - Most cruises will not allow you to bring large quantities of alcohol on board, and this is because they'd rather you spend your money in their clubs, bars and restaurants. Many cruise operators will offer the chance to purchase special alcohol and soft drink packages, which include a certain number of drinks. While these packages may seem attractive, it's good to calculate roughly how much you are likely to drink in reality and compare this to the price you'd have to pay for the drinks package. If you're not a big drinker, you may find that it's actually not worth purchasing the package after all.
  • Think twice before booking hold luggage - If you are flying to your cruise, then you'll know that most airlines will charge for a large suitcase in the hold. For most cruises under 7 days, you can easily get by with just carry-on luggage and avoid this extra expenditure.
  • Bring cash with you - There may be occasions when you'll need hard cash (say for tipping housekeeping) and when this happens, you really do not want to be at the mercy of the onboard ATM's which have notoriously high usage fees. Bring additional money with you, and stick to paying by card when and where you can.
  • Think about Wi-Fi - You may be able to sign up for a cruise data plan with your current network provider before you're holiday, or purchase a data allowance from the cruise line. It's important to consider the cost of using your phone on a cruise before your holiday starts.
  • Book cruise travel insurance - You should always make sure you have a cruise-specific travel insurance policy in place which differs from a regular travel insurance policy by providing extra cover for risks associated with a cruise holiday. Many cruise lines have the option to add travel insurance cover to your booking for an additional fee. However, this is not always the best option as policies provided by the cruise operators are often more expensive than booking with a specialist travel insurance provider and generally, the cover is very limited. It's much more sensible to take out travel insurance with a specialist provider to save money and ensure you're properly covered for your trip. Always remember to declare any pre-existing medical conditions you have when booking your policy.

Reviews for Travel Insurance with Holiday Extras

Holiday Extras offer our guests cruise specific policies that give them peace of mind and confidence when booking their cruise

Clive Jones | Senior Director | Guest Services | Prestige Cruise Holdings (Regent Seven Seas Cruises & Oceania Cruises)

With Holiday Extra's dedicated Cruise insurance policy, our customers are able to be totally confident that they have high-quality insurance cover in place specifically designed for a cruise holiday at sea

Jeremy Hatton | Head of Customer Services | Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines

Holiday Extras Travel Insurance is sold and administered by Holiday Extras Cover Limited, registered office address: Ashford Road, Newingreen, Hythe, Kent CT21 4JF.

Holiday Extras Cover Limited is an insurance intermediary authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, registration number 828848. You can check this by visiting the Financial Services Register

Holiday Extras™ is a Trading Name of Holiday Extras Cover Limited. The insurance is underwritten by Great Lakes Insurance UK Limited. Great Lakes Insurance UK Limited is a company incorporated in England and Wales with company number 13436330 and whose registered office address is 10 Fenchurch Avenue, London, United Kingdom, EC3M 5BN.

Great Lakes Insurance UK Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Firm Reference Number 955859. You can check this by visiting the Financial Services Register