Congratulations- you’ve decided to go on a cruise holiday! To ensure you can completely relax and unwind, it is important to plan a budget and stick to it. That way, you won’t have any nasty bills waiting for you when you disembark.
Get a great price
Cruise fares vary greatly depending on the cruise line, travel itinerary, and the season. You can also save a packet if you don’t mind your room being on the interior of the ship (no sea view), or with a slightly obstructed view. Who wants to spend their holiday inside their room anyway?
By travelling outside of school holiday periods, you can make a great saving too. There are other flow-on benefits to this; think shorter queues to most of the activities, both on and off the ship. Cruiseabout specials are great places to grab a bargain.
Be prepared for some extra costs
The beauty of a cruise holiday is that they are all-inclusive. There are meals, transport, and a huge range of activities and entertainment. However, there will still be plenty of opportunities for you to spend your cash, and the key here is being prepared.
Guided shore tours are usually at an additional cost, so before you leave home, grab some free maps from the tourist boards and research the hidden gems in the area. There are bound to be some great freebies waiting to be discovered. Explore these on foot, or use local public transport if you’re confident.
Laundry services on cruises can prove quite expensive, just as when staying at regular hotels. Pack a small container of detergent and do your washing in the sink, and air-dry them in your room.
The art of saving
Saving for a cruise can be daunting. It’s important that you budget for the cost of the cruise, the extra costs (such as those listed above), spending money, plus any other incidentals, including getting your passport renewed or booking travel insurance. Once you have added up these numbers, you know how much you need to save. For example, you might need to save $4000.
Take a look at your regular home budget. This should show you how much money you have left over each week after you’ve paid for all your essential costs. Now take the amount you need to save ($4000), and divide it by the amount you have left over each week (for example, $200). In our example, $4000 divided by $200 means that we need to allow 20 weeks for us to save our target amount; that’s nearly 5 months.
Budgeting is hard work, but coming back from your cruise and into debt is no fun. With a bit of planning and careful saving, you can return from your cruise holiday thoroughly relaxed and in good financial shape.
Written by Emma Jane