A cruise is a great way to visit the Caribbean and check out several different islands and vacation hot spots on a budget. If you’d rather do a Caribbean tour instead of staying in one spot for a week or so, there are several things you should consider to make sure your Caribbean cruise doesn’t end up costing you a ton:
The first thing to do is to start looking at cruise prices well in advance of the time you’re thinking about taking your Caribbean trip. Find out when the off-season is – usually the winter months, though not always – since cruises are usually cheaper then. Do get the best rates, avoid the months of February and March, when many college students are taking their spring break vacations. Also look for special pricing and discounts. If you have some flexibility in when you can take your vacation, you should be able to find a good deal.
Second, find out where the cruise leaves from. Many cruises to the Caribbean leave from Florida or Texas, so you’ll have to factor in transportation to that location into your cruise plans. If you live far away from those locations, you may have to fly there first, which means airfare and transportation to the port. That can add a considerable amount to your Caribbean vacation budget and often requires just as much work to plan as your cruise.
Another thing to take into consideration is when you have to pay for your cruise. Some cruises will split the cost up into payments that you’ll need to make several months before you actually get on the boat. If you’re on a budget, finding a cruise that offers this payment plan can help make the cost more manageable for you. However, you’ll probably have to pay a portion of the cost when you book your cruise. Be sure to ask your travel agent or check the cruise’s website about this so you can plan your budget accordingly.
What room you get on the ship can also greatly impact your cost. Interior rooms with no windows are the cheapest, while rooms with actual balconies or large windows are the most expensive. If you know you’ll be spending a lot of time out and about, you may not care about looking out at the sea from your room. If that’s the case, save the money and get an interior room. You’ll most likely only be there to sleep anyway.
Shore excursions can be a lot of fun, and most cruises feature a number of different excursions that you can add to your cruise package. These excursions can include everything from exploring ancient ruins to swimming with the dolphins, but each represents a separate price on top of the cruise price. Adding a shore excursion to every port on your cruise can get expensive – especially when there are so many fun, free things to do on the ship.
If you’re adventurous and want to save a bit of money, you can always look for tours and excursions on your own. Often, booking an event with a local company can be a lot cheaper than going through your cruise line. Saving money on you cruise is actually pretty easy – all it really takes is a little extra research and flexibility.