Travel expert grades cruise tips from Reddit

Matt went through a thread on Reddit with advice how to save money on a cruise vacation and gave his thoughts on how much of a good idea each tip was!

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[JDubSlots]

A buddy of mine won't cruise because its too expensive. He gets upset when he see's the $400 deal, then when it gets to the end after taxes, port fees, etc, he doesn't get why the price is always twice as expensive. He has always told me that he won't pay more than $100 a night total for a cruise if he wants to take it... I tried to explain to him that he can't even get a decent hotel room for $100 a night, let alone have it include food and entertainment like a cruise can. I absolutely love cruising.

[bally_malone]

The constant selling and nickel and diming can make cruising today feel like being stuck inside a Kmart Department Store for a week.

[markschwartz]

We always get at least a balcony. We like sitting outside in the morning and evening when we get up. I enjoy going back to the cabin in the middle of the day just for a quiet time

[cjphx]

The fundamental difference between McDonald’s and a cruise is that McDonalds doesn’t try to upsell you at every turn. Cruise lines have a very stringent monetization strategy involving ancillary product offerings throughout the trip. For example, when they come to your table at specialty dining venues and try to sell you a $29.99 portrait (that includes print only - no digital option available). Or the spa when you get a massage treatment and your massage therapist tries to hand you a bag of $400 in Elemis products that were just used on you and say it’s a “prescription” at the end. Or you go to the gym and the fitness instructor expresses the importance of the $200 Good Feet inserts for your shoes. Or conveys how essential the $300 detox kit is. The upsell and bombardment of these ancillary offerings is the off-putting part. Be prepared to have your no thank you response at the ready. When you take your first cruise, you don’t expect all of this and you might end up taking home a whole bunch of stuff you may never use. And paying a much higher onboard account balance than you’d hoped for.

[fredricktrujillo]

I actually figured it out one time, and what you say is correct. A cruise is actually one of the most economic vacations you can take (minus any extras). When we talk about fares, you could not take a family on vacation for the same price when you count in food, rooms, and entertainment.

[lscales]

I kinda like how he told you about the rule breaking tip but then just said it was wrong and you shouldn’t do it but….you told us anyway.. I like it.

[joannawhite]

Cruising is definitely the most economical way to vacation for a family, especially if you can drive to the port. I also was pleasantly surprised at the alcohol prices. They were no more than buying a drink in a nice restaurant in my region (Greater Philly). I thought the drink package would’ve been a total waste considering I can’t drink much alcohol without feeling like garbage.

[dand]

LOL at 5 months out being “last minute.” The last 5-6 cruises I’ve booked have been under a month out. Right around the 3 week mark is where you see suites drop like a rock.

[irdonna]

The average interior is 148sqft. A balcony is on average 198sqft, not including the balcony.
So living space alone is worth it for my family of 4!
Especially with the pack and play taking up space. The littles LOVE waking to see the water when they wake.
Ill pay anything for those memories ❤

[christinedelrossi]

I'm pretty "bougie" when I travel, but I have some frugal friends that I travel with and except for excursions and gratuities, I've actually cruised with them and left with a $0 bill at the end and had a great time. Totally doable, but I wouldn't want to do it every time!😂

[JBS]

I spend a lot of time in my room, enjoying my balcony and privacy lol

[chrispalma]

Was that clip at 5:40 during an ice show on voyager of the seas? I recognize that guy that’s performing very cool dude!! Super talented

[dchenkin]

Matt, Carribean is not cheap in the summer; the northeast schools don't restart until about Labor Day weekend. Best deals we find are usually Septemer through mid- December, January, February, May, and June.

[CruiseDude]

5:17: It is incredibly "practical" to not spend extra on drinks, on specialty restaurants, on excursions and still have a wonderful time. Main Dining Room and the Windjammer are more than fine, the fitness centers are first-rate, there are lots of live shows, and one can enjoy port days by sunning on the beach and taking nice walks. Everyone has a different economic reality so if things are tight, don't feel like you have to spend extra. One can have a great time without spending anything extra.

[FoxRob]

I cannot do a inside stateroom, I enjoy sitting on the balcony too much when arriving at ports too much great time for the first cup of coffee while my wife is still sleeping. We do 1 excursion at a port and make sure we are back to the ship early, great reson to sail to the same ports as you can always have something different to do on each trip.

[CruiseDude]

12:35: We live in DC next to the subway and we take a short MARC or Amtrak from DC to Baltimore (11-16 bucks each way) and don't have to pay for $15 daily parking, taking a short UBER from Baltimore Union Station to the Port of Baltimore. If you can take public transportation, you can save a lot of money.

[Solo_Traveling]

I do agree with the ppl that say it's good to not book specialty dining and drinks packages. There are plenty of included options and specialty dining is way overprized for what it is.

[rovermiles]

It's super tough to be frugal on a cruise. A quick rule of thumb for those that dont live at the cruise port is to double the cost of your cruise upon booking completion (don't check out). If you can't afford that, then don't purchase. Between airfare, hotels, miscellaneous transportation, port excursions, souvenirs, clothes, and whatever else; you will roughly pay double and maybe more. That's not to say you WILL, but it is certainly very easy to get there. An example would be $2, 500 for 3 for a cruise out of a port you have to fly to: your budget should be at LEAST $5, 000. Its comparable to a Disney vacation, maybe a bit cheaper.

[briankeller]

You definitely spend less time in your cabin if it’s an inside cabin. It’s like a nice suite in Vegas, you spend way more time lounging in your room if you have a nice one.

[jeanieburns]

To each their own! Wtvr works for you, but I will never NOT have my over-the-door organizer! 😂 Even when I'm just staying in a hotel for a night. I carry a LOT of toiletries & medications, so it's nice to have them all in one place & keep them off the countertop. I'm also very visual, so having everything thrown into a bag willy-nilly stokes my 'tism, & I wind up with anxiety. Also, I will never not have at least a balcony cabin. My travel buddy & I like to spend time in our room; we both need to retreat to that quiet, private time in our space. I would rather go on fewer cruises with nicer rooms, than several where we're crammed into an interior cabin.