Our Top 5 (Actually 6) Budget Busters on a Cruise

Getting into the groove of a cruise vacation takes very little time.  Before you know it you are sitting around the pool sipping on a fancy cocktail, dressing up for dinner at a Specialty restaurant followed by a night in the casino with new friends. All you have to do is wave that little ship card around and wonderful people bring you everything you desire.  Then the bill shows up and your wonderful time comes crashing down in a jumble of dollar signs and numbers.

Experienced cruisers know the budget busters that can lead to regret at the end of a cruise.  Being aware will help you enjoy while still staying within the vacation budget you have set for yourself.

1. Casino

On most vessels the casinos are located mid ship and usually in the path between here and there.  This is not by accident.  The lights, sounds and cheers can be enticing for any traveler.  However, according to a post I read on Cruzely, the odds at the casino on the ships favour the house. There are lower odds for payouts in blackjack and video poker for example.  If you want to enjoy the casino, and who doesn’t, approach it with a different mindset; it’s a nights entertainment and not that chance at a big money win. Budget a set amount for every visit before you sail and when that’s gone move on.  That includes a budget for bingo as well!

2. Art Auctions

The opportunity to collect original art work and have a special reminder of your cruise may be hard to pass up.  The cruise lines also make it attractive by offering free champagne and a free piece of artwork just for showing up to their auctions which in themselves can be enticing.  Add to that free shipping to get your new piece home and it seems like a great deal.  But if this type of purchase is not in your budget all of the free offers may add up to one big budget bust.

3. Duty Free Shopping

Special offers on high end perfume, jewellery, cosmetics and other luxury items will attract many cruisers.  It is important to know the actual cost of these items before you travel to ensure you are getting the best price overall. Be careful with offers that encourage buying a number of items to get one special deal as that also encourage over spending.  The same can be said of duty free alcohol. It is important to know what you can bring home duty free.  We were tempted by a great offer on three bottles of Jameson’s Irish Whiskey until we remembered we can only bring two bottles back duty free.

4. Specialty Dining

If your specialty dining can be bundled into a discount offer, or you can get it free as part of a perks package then this is may still be well within your budget.  It can get pricey however if you are ordering off the menu.  Gone are the days of a fixed price for a three course meal. Consider it as a special part of your cruise and budget in advance.

5. Drinks

Alcohol

Depending on how much you plan to indulge during your vacation buying drinks can be one of the biggest expenses you will have on your cruise.  Most drink packages also carry a hefty price tag when both passengers in your stateroom have to buy one, more if you use the premium package for “top shelf” liquors, and then calculate in gratuities. Watch for daily specials, be careful with the fancy cocktails as they are generally more expensive than a beer or mixed drink, and consider buying a bottle of wine that can be enjoyed over a couple of meals.  Some cruise lines also offer discounted drink packages as part of their perks or loyalty programs.

Specialty coffee, pop etc.

If you know you’ll need your Starbucks, or just can’t survive without at least five Diet Cokes a day then the cost of these beverages will be a huge strain on your budget.  There are packages you can buy to help reduce the cost of these expenses, but again be sure they are worth it for you.

6. Amenity Packages

Photo packages, spa packages and WiFi packages can be enticing and help add that little bit extra to your cruise, as long as they are more valuable to you then the huge extra cost.  Consider the price to purchase just one family portrait or to get one spa treatment instead of a whole package you are obligated to use up.  As to the WiFi it can be spotty at best while at sea and free when ashore.  Follow the off duty crew to find the best WiFi hot spots at the cruise port or in town.

There are two things that we are happy to spurge on when cruising; shore excursions and gratuities. Gratuities are reserved for those special crew members such as our room steward, favourite server, bartender, and cruise staff that go above and beyond and deserve the recognition.  This is in excess of the daily service charge, which we include when we pay our cruise fare. We do not consider the mandatory daily service charge an additional charge but part of our mandatory travel budget, the same as travel insurance.