JIM GRAY TRAVEL ADVISOR

BUDGETING FOR A CRUISE

 

Travel advice about budgeting is important when planning a vacation cruise. 

Failure to do a simple estimated travel budget is one of the primary reasons for ruined vacations. 

There will be many things for you to consider when planning your cruise however, of primary concern for most travelers is "how much to will my cruise cost"?

No matter what your financial status is, budgeting for your cruise is important to make sure that you have adequately considered all the possible expenses that you may incur on your trip.

Here is some good travel advice from James Gray about budgeting for your cruise.

Destination

Obviously, nothing will affect your cruise expense more than your destination.  Therefore, you may want to pre-determine some alternative destinations so that you can find a cruise that fits within your budget.  Keep in mind that not all cruise lines service idential ports and therefore, altering your vacation destination could have a major impact on your budget.

Additionally, even if more than one cruise line visits the same ports, they may each have different price packages due to the availablility of onboard accommodations (i.e. luxury vs economy rates). Check with several different cruise lines to make sure that they can accommodate your vacation destinations within your budget. 

You will be well advised to consider if you want to travel in the company of predominately adults, mixed adults and young people, or primarily all young people.  Your peace of mind is at stake in making this decision, especially for the elderly if you are bothered by young children.

All Inclusive Vacations Packages 

During your due diligence process, check to see if the cruise line has any special travel incentives during the time that you plan to travel. Most cruise lines offer all inclusive vacation packages and special seasonal incentives especially during “off season” travel times.

You need to be aware that all inclusive vacations may seem over priced, however, keep in mind that you will most likely actually be saving money because you will generally get a sizable price reduction by bundling your required services over what it would cost you if purchased individually when you arrive on board. 

Additionally, the all inclusive vacations, generally “pre-register” you on special shore activities.  Often time, if you try to register for some special outing when you arrive, they may be sold out leaving you limited to on board activities.  As a caution however, make sure that you are fully aware of what special shore activities that your travel package includes so you won’t have any hidden expense surprises when you arrive.

Departure and Arrival Dates

Again, seasonal travel is generally less costly than traveling during normal tourist seasons. So planning your vacation during off season could save you hundreds of dollars. You will need to determine the specific dates when your cruise ship departs and returns and also from which ports.  This is important because it will affect your travel expenses getting to and back home from your ship. 

For example, you may need to make special air travel and hotel accommodations if they are not included in your cruise package.  If possible, you should try to book your departure and return from a port close to home to minimize these expenses.  Don’t forget the parking expense for your vehicle at the airport parking lots while you are traveling. Cruise tips include the fact that some hotels near airports will allow you to leave your vehicle at their parking lots free if you stay overnight at their facility prior to your cruise. This will allow you to arrive the night before your flight and be relaxed and rested and ready for your early morning flight. 

Of course, if you are traveling by bus or train or simply driving your own vehicle to catch your cruise, these expenses will need to be estimated as well. Most travelers find that air travel is often the most preferred method of travel, even though it is also the most expensive.   

Food and Drinks

Food, drinks and other refreshments are also an expense that needs your consideration especially when traveling to and from your cruise ship. Once on board your food and entertainment expenses are normally included in your cruise package, however, you will be expected pay for your drinks, gambling and other special excursion trips that are not included in your package.

Tips

Keep in mind that you are also expected to tip the ships crew during meals, cabin services, and other related services. The tipping schedule is generally provided to you by your travel agents online when you book your trip.

On Board Services

You can generally visit your cruise line website to get detailed information on the services that they provide and all of the various special shows and entertainment functions that are available on board. 

Generally, you will find that most of the on board activities are included in the cruise line travel package.  However, you need to be aware that some cruise lines may charge to watch movies, attend special shows, and/or for you to participate some special onboard activities such as, rock climbing, onboard surfing, and lessons on gambling, dancing and swimming as examples.

Miscellaneous Additional Expenses

Some additional travel expenses that you may need to budget for include:

• child care on board and also at your destination once you arrive if you are planning to attend any special adult only affairs
• vehicle expenses at your destination (i.e. rental car, taxis and etc.)
• estimated cost of souvenirs,
• and other related incidental expenses along these lines.

Please keep in mind that depending upon your special travel situation and plans, there may be other expenses that you will incur during your vacation cruise. 

Therefore, some great travel advice is for you to set up a budget item titled “discretionary funds” and include a generous amount in this line item to make sure that you are covered for any unexpected cruises lines travel expense events.

Tags: All Inclusive Vacations, Cruise Tips and Tricks, Travel Package

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 4th, 2010 at 10:05 pm and is filed under It's Just Good Business, Travel Advice. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.