15 money-saving hacks to know before booking your next cruise
A cruise can be an extremely expensive holiday option. Sure, there are plenty of tempting money-saving deals available, but they're not always what they seem. Those 'included drinks', for instance, may actually mean non-branded spirits and basic table wine (even soft drinks such as Coca Cola can be classed as 'premium'), and the 'included excursions' are likely to just be basic outings rather than the bucket-list experience you'd been dreaming about. WiFi can also incur an extra charge.
But it doesn't have to be that way. Swat up on these expert-recommended hacks before booking your next cruise, and you can drastically cut costs without sacrificing on any element of the experience itself.
Inside info
' When choosing your cabin, think about how much time you'll actually spend in it,' says Tony Andrews, managing director of online travel agency cruise.co.uk. 'The main purpose of your cabin is to sleep in, so if a sea view isn't important to you, choose an inside cabin or a cabin with an obstructed view. This will take a considerable amount off the price.'
Book a repositioning cruise
A cruise ship will typically stay in one area for a season – the Med in summer, say – and then sail to a different area for the next season (the Caribbean in winter, for example). 'When a ship sails from one area to the next, these 'repositioning' cruises are still open to book,' says Andrews. 'They will feature a majority of days onboard the ship rather than calling at different destinations, but they are available at a much reduced cost.' If you enjoy sea days – endless sunshine and onboard spa treatments – they're the perfect choice.
Book two cruises with the same line
'If you're planning a long and pricey cruise, it might be worth your while to take a little extra trip now,' advises Edwina Lonsdale, managing director of travel agents Mundy Cruises. 'A quick week away on the cruise line you have chosen for a longer voyage can give you access to both past passenger savings and onboard booking savings.'
Book onboard
'We always recommend booking your next cruise before you disembark your current sailing,' says Adam Coulter from reviews site Cruise Critic. 'It's a great way to make significant savings, with often a package or a decent amount of onboard credit thrown in. Go to Future Cruise Sales and ask them what they can offer. There are always good deals to be had.'
Don't follow the crowd
'Certain times of year in certain destinations work well if you're looking for a bargain,' says Lonsdale. 'Alaska or the Baltic in May or September, or the Mediterranean during the winter months, for example, can be significantly cheaper than in peak season. Plus there are often advantages: fewer crowds, different wildlife or brilliant displays of early-season flowers.'
Moveable feast
'If you can be flexible on which week you cruise, you can definitely save money,' says Erica Silverstein from the travel advice website The Points Guy. 'Many unpredictable factors combine to make one sailing week more expensive than the identical itinerary the week before or after.'
Keep track…
Cruise YouTuber Gary Bembridge (Tips For Travellers) says: 'Always track the fares of any cruise you have booked, as some lines will match prices if they go down – but only if you contact them. Not all do, but it is worth a try. The best sites to do this are cruisewatch.com and cruiseline.com.'
…and keep in touch
'The best way to be aware of any deals is to sign up for the email newsletters of any cruise line you would consider cruising on, as they will announce sales, offers and deals that way,' says Bembridge. 'Also follow cruise lines on Facebook and Instagram as they often use their pages to launch deals.'
Black Friday
Leading Travel PR David Sanders, whose clients include Carnival, Holland America and Celestyal says: 'Keep a look out for Black Friday [November 28 in 2025] cruise bargains, which most major cruise lines have on offer. There's always good deals to be had, particularly if you're sailing from the UK and your trip won't involve a flight.'
Drink in the details
Drinks packages may sound like a good idea if you're planning on daily cocktails, sundowners, pricey wines and speciality coffees. But if you're not a big drinker and you only fancy the occasional celebratory glass of fizz, you're better off putting it on your tab. The price of drinks packages varies wildly, but some cost upwards of £75 per person, per day. Using an online calculator (such as this one from Cruise Mummy) can help navigate your drinking money.
But say yes to some drinks packages…
'The onboard soda packages, which can be bought in advance, are particularly good value for children,' says Sanders. 'There's a great range of options and plenty of healthy choices available, including juices and smoothies.'
Other worthwhile packages
'Many lines offer special all-inclusive packages,' says Cruise Critic's Coulter. 'For example, Princess has the Princess Premier package, which includes unlimited WiFi, unlimited premier beverage package, unlimited juice bar, fitness classes, unlimited speciality and casual dining meals per guest, and reserved theatre seating for production shows. NCL offers the More At Sea package, which includes unlimited open bar with premium spirits, cocktails, wine, beer, juice and soda, speciality dining, shore excursion credit of $50 at each port, and free airfare for the second guest.'
Get first-day savvy
Online travel site The Points Guy suggests looking for first-day discounts from onboard spas looking to lure passengers through their doors. Speciality restaurants may also offer extras for first-day bookings, such as a free bottle of wine.
Set your own agenda
By all means book excursion trips that provide exclusive access to avoid crowds and queues, or get you to hard-to-reach places, but you might be able to organise alternatives at a fraction of the price – for example, a public ferry to a different island or a solo tour with a private company. Get online, do your homework and enjoy that smug feeling as you jump into a taxi while the coaches are loading. Just make sure you get back to the ship on time…
Third-party options
Bembridge says: 'You can usually find more choice, smaller group sizes, and lower prices using third-party providers such as Venture Ashore, Shore Excursions Grou and Viator. With the first two sites you can input your cruise line, ship and travel dates and it shows all the choices for your exact itinerary.'
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Telegraph
25-03-2025
- Telegraph
15 money-saving hacks to know before booking your next cruise
A cruise can be an extremely expensive holiday option. Sure, there are plenty of tempting money-saving deals available, but they're not always what they seem. Those 'included drinks', for instance, may actually mean non-branded spirits and basic table wine (even soft drinks such as Coca Cola can be classed as 'premium'), and the 'included excursions' are likely to just be basic outings rather than the bucket-list experience you'd been dreaming about. WiFi can also incur an extra charge. But it doesn't have to be that way. Swat up on these expert-recommended hacks before booking your next cruise, and you can drastically cut costs without sacrificing on any element of the experience itself. Inside info ' When choosing your cabin, think about how much time you'll actually spend in it,' says Tony Andrews, managing director of online travel agency 'The main purpose of your cabin is to sleep in, so if a sea view isn't important to you, choose an inside cabin or a cabin with an obstructed view. This will take a considerable amount off the price.' Book a repositioning cruise A cruise ship will typically stay in one area for a season – the Med in summer, say – and then sail to a different area for the next season (the Caribbean in winter, for example). 'When a ship sails from one area to the next, these 'repositioning' cruises are still open to book,' says Andrews. 'They will feature a majority of days onboard the ship rather than calling at different destinations, but they are available at a much reduced cost.' If you enjoy sea days – endless sunshine and onboard spa treatments – they're the perfect choice. Book two cruises with the same line 'If you're planning a long and pricey cruise, it might be worth your while to take a little extra trip now,' advises Edwina Lonsdale, managing director of travel agents Mundy Cruises. 'A quick week away on the cruise line you have chosen for a longer voyage can give you access to both past passenger savings and onboard booking savings.' Book onboard 'We always recommend booking your next cruise before you disembark your current sailing,' says Adam Coulter from reviews site Cruise Critic. 'It's a great way to make significant savings, with often a package or a decent amount of onboard credit thrown in. Go to Future Cruise Sales and ask them what they can offer. There are always good deals to be had.' Don't follow the crowd 'Certain times of year in certain destinations work well if you're looking for a bargain,' says Lonsdale. 'Alaska or the Baltic in May or September, or the Mediterranean during the winter months, for example, can be significantly cheaper than in peak season. Plus there are often advantages: fewer crowds, different wildlife or brilliant displays of early-season flowers.' Moveable feast 'If you can be flexible on which week you cruise, you can definitely save money,' says Erica Silverstein from the travel advice website The Points Guy. 'Many unpredictable factors combine to make one sailing week more expensive than the identical itinerary the week before or after.' Keep track… Cruise YouTuber Gary Bembridge (Tips For Travellers) says: 'Always track the fares of any cruise you have booked, as some lines will match prices if they go down – but only if you contact them. Not all do, but it is worth a try. The best sites to do this are and …and keep in touch 'The best way to be aware of any deals is to sign up for the email newsletters of any cruise line you would consider cruising on, as they will announce sales, offers and deals that way,' says Bembridge. 'Also follow cruise lines on Facebook and Instagram as they often use their pages to launch deals.' Black Friday Leading Travel PR David Sanders, whose clients include Carnival, Holland America and Celestyal says: 'Keep a look out for Black Friday [November 28 in 2025] cruise bargains, which most major cruise lines have on offer. There's always good deals to be had, particularly if you're sailing from the UK and your trip won't involve a flight.' Drink in the details Drinks packages may sound like a good idea if you're planning on daily cocktails, sundowners, pricey wines and speciality coffees. But if you're not a big drinker and you only fancy the occasional celebratory glass of fizz, you're better off putting it on your tab. The price of drinks packages varies wildly, but some cost upwards of £75 per person, per day. Using an online calculator (such as this one from Cruise Mummy) can help navigate your drinking money. But say yes to some drinks packages… 'The onboard soda packages, which can be bought in advance, are particularly good value for children,' says Sanders. 'There's a great range of options and plenty of healthy choices available, including juices and smoothies.' Other worthwhile packages 'Many lines offer special all-inclusive packages,' says Cruise Critic's Coulter. 'For example, Princess has the Princess Premier package, which includes unlimited WiFi, unlimited premier beverage package, unlimited juice bar, fitness classes, unlimited speciality and casual dining meals per guest, and reserved theatre seating for production shows. NCL offers the More At Sea package, which includes unlimited open bar with premium spirits, cocktails, wine, beer, juice and soda, speciality dining, shore excursion credit of $50 at each port, and free airfare for the second guest.' Get first-day savvy Online travel site The Points Guy suggests looking for first-day discounts from onboard spas looking to lure passengers through their doors. Speciality restaurants may also offer extras for first-day bookings, such as a free bottle of wine. Set your own agenda By all means book excursion trips that provide exclusive access to avoid crowds and queues, or get you to hard-to-reach places, but you might be able to organise alternatives at a fraction of the price – for example, a public ferry to a different island or a solo tour with a private company. Get online, do your homework and enjoy that smug feeling as you jump into a taxi while the coaches are loading. Just make sure you get back to the ship on time… Third-party options Bembridge says: 'You can usually find more choice, smaller group sizes, and lower prices using third-party providers such as Venture Ashore, Shore Excursions Grou and Viator. With the first two sites you can input your cruise line, ship and travel dates and it shows all the choices for your exact itinerary.'
The Independent
11-03-2025
- The Independent
Solo cruising is on the rise – this is what passengers are looking for
Price and itinerary have been ranked as the most important factors when choosing a cruise, but differences emerge between solo travellers and groups. An annual survey from cruising travel agent specialist and involving 8,000 passengers aimed to identify what sailors want from a solo cruise and when travelling with others. The research also highlighted anecdotal evidence from travel agents that cruise demand from solo travellers is on the rise. Responses revealed that solo travel now makes up five per cent of the cruise market. This is helped by many cruise lines dropping single supplements. Tony Andrews, managing director of said: 'We're seeing more solo travellers embracing the cruise experience, and it's clear that affordability and the destinations visited are key drivers for this market. 'As the popularity of cruise continues to grow across the board, we expect cruise lines to further cater to this growing segment, with more tailored offerings and competitive pricing.' Here is what all types passengers are looking for at sea: Price: The cost of a cruise is an important factor regardless of many people you are travelling with, the survey shows. Price was most important for 69 per cent of solo travellers and 65 per cent of those who travel with others. Itinerary: Cruise ships visit a variety of destinations, letting passengers take their pick from sunny routes such as in the Med, Canary Islands or the Caribbean, or explore enchanted northern lights in Norway or the scenic landscapes of Alaska. The research found that 63 per cent of solo travellers and 62 per cent of non-solo passengers highlight the itinerary as important. Cabin: Cruise cabin options can range from deluxe suites with balconies to a more basic interior option. Around half of solo and non-solo passengers said the cabin was important, while 40 per cent were neutral. Onboard facilities: This seems to be a bigger factor for those in groups, with 52 per cent ranking it as a top priority, while 45 per cent of solo travellers said it was important. The research shows 43 per cent of solo travellers were neutral about onboard facilities, dropping to 42 per cent among groups.
The Independent
01-03-2025
- The Independent
Major cruise line imposes new age restriction in bad news for young travelers departing from U.S.
Carnival just updated their passenger policy with new age restrictions that could affect travel plans for young holidaymakers. As of February 1, passengers under the age of 21 are no longer allowed to travel alone on excursions departing from the U.S. Travelers younger than 21, the legal drinking age in the country, must be accompanied by a relative or a guardian. The guardian, however, does not have to be a legal guardian. Any 'underage' guest attempting to book a trip will not be assigned their own stateroom (cabin or suite) without a chaperone who's over the age of 25. 'Guests are required to be 21 years of age (on embarkation day) to travel on their own. Guest ages will be verified at embarkation. Guests not conforming to this policy will result in denied boarding and no compensation will be provided at embarkation,' Carnival's policy states. 'Guests 20 years of age and younger MUST travel with a relative or guardian 25 years of age or older.' Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean's minimum age requirement for unaccompanied travelers has been 21 years old for the past few years. 'No Guest younger than the age twenty-one (21) will be assigned to a stateroom unless accompanied in the same stateroom by an adult twenty-one (21) years old or older,' the cruise line's website policy reads. 'A guest's age is established upon the first date of sailing. 'This age limit will be waived for children sailing with their parents or guardians in connecting staterooms; for underage married couples; and for active duty members of the United States or Canadian military. 'Royal Caribbean's minimum age to sail unaccompanied on sailings originating in South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand is eighteen (18).' According to Cruise Critic, Royal Caribbean has been known to promote its 'Perfect Day at Coco Cay,' an exclusive private island party, as well as a list of desirable destinations for students to sail to during their week off from school for spring break. Indeed, under the minimum age policy, most students aren't eligible to partake in the Coco Cay festivities. Carnival's changes are likely to affect the number of young people onboard their cruises, especially with spring break right around the corner. Under the new guidelines, the majority of undergraduate students won't be able to book trips on either Carnival cruise lines for their break. Happily, other options remain for teenagers hoping to travel the high seas.
