Worried About Cruise Expenses
Q. Does the Price of a Cruise Include All Expenses?A. I can't tell you how many time I've seen distressed faces on cruise passengers while waiting to disembark. I can't begin to count the number of times I've witnessed couples fighting over the money that was spent on their "all-inclusive" cruise. A fairly close friend of mine went so far as to say she would never set foot on a cruise ship again after the money she was forced to pay on her first cruise several years ago. She booked what she believed to be a very sweet deal, but she ended up paying more than five times that amount when it was all said and done. While the cruise worked out initially to be the cheapest vacation option, it ended up being the most expensive option by the time she factored in all of the extra costs.
This type of experience is completely unnecessary and can be completely avoided by doing some advance planning. You'll need to know what the cruise line expects you to pay extra for, and then YOU decide what you're willing to spend. Just lke you do at home, weigh the cost versus benefit of everything very carefully. If it's a necessary expense and vital to the cruise experience, then spend away. But if it's simply "fluff," then just say no!
Remember to keep careful track of your spending while onboard. Some cruise lines now allow you check your account balance live at any time on your stateroom television. If this option is not available however, make a quick stop at the purser's desk to get a printout of your account status. You should use this account information to adjust your spending patterns daily. If you go over budget, simply tighten the belt to get back on track
I recommend some studying before your set sail on your first cruise so that you'll be in the know on everything. There's an eBook called Cruising On A Budget - How To Go On Exciting Cruises Without Draining Your Bank that I highly recommend. It use to cost $47 but the company has reduced it to $9.97 which makes it a steal. Get to know this material backward and forward, even put it on your travel laptop, and you'll be certain to have a much better cruise experience.
You can get it on the Wings of Success Website.
Recommended Reading
Read the Intelligent Cruiser eBook - "an absolute treasure chest of cruise savings. We learned so much about cruise ship discounts and as a result were able to get our cruise fare reduced by $400 without any effort at all."
- Last Minute Cruise Specials Blog
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