đłď¸ 1,000 Cruise Tips
Maybe youâve already cruised. You watched a few videos on YouTube, Tiktok, Instagram, or wherever. Youâve seen a hundred thousand cruise line ads or videos. Perhaps you have a friend who doesnât stop bragging about his âfreeâ gambling cruises. Your Aunt Ethel told you about her amazing singles cruise to the Caribbean where she met a wonderful gentleman from Argentina.
In any case ⌠Welcome to ProCruiseTips.com for over a thousand tips on planning, buying, preparing, and enjoying your cruise! ProCruiseTips is a part of our Smart Travel Consumer series.
OK, weâre not at 1,000 ⌠yet. But weâll get there. Iâve watched hundreds of YouTube videos so you donât have to. This list is constantly growing. It includes what to do and what NOT to do to avoid mistakes or spending more than you need to so you can enjoy the best cruise possible!
Getting Started
5 TIPS. Travel industry trends
11 TIPS. Cruise news
8 TIPS. Check our Recommended Cruise Websites for research, planning, booking, and saving money.
10 TIPS. âAll-inclusiveâ? Hardly. Cruises are very different from a real all-inclusive vacation like land resorts. Budget carefully and expect added fees for Internet, drinks, sodas, many specialty restaurants, and more.
7 TIPS. Free Cruises arenât
Cruise planning
23 TIPS. Cruises and cabins to avoid
4 TIPS. Time your cruise over the year to snag excellent deals.
Fly in a day early. Cruise check-in times are typically early to allow thousands of passengers to board, complete mandatory security/health screenings, and settle in before the ship departs. 21% of flights are delayed. Do you really want to wake up at 3 am to take an early morning flight that might be canceled or delayed and cause you to miss boarding and kill your vacation? Or if you do make it, youâre dead tired and not enjoying your first day. Youâre supposed to be relaxing. Get there a day early. Book a hotel near the port at a wholesale discount on Vacation Steal. Stroll into embarkation fresh, stress-free, and ready for lunch onboard.
Cruise pricing & costs
7 TIPS. Cruise port fees and taxes
14 TIPS: Itâs worth it to get cruise insurance. Cruise ship medical care is generally not covered by private insurance and Medicare, and is very expensive. Insurance makes economic sense and is best bought from a third party. Avoid the cruise line insurance scam - they may pay you with a cruise credit instead of cash.
Cruise loyalty does not give you the best price. The loyalty programs provide more benefits and may offer a price lower through the cruise line than if you didnât have status. But thatâs no guarantee of the lowest price compared to third party and certainly not compared to a wholesale seller.
Beware cruise line offers. Theyâre sophisticated marketers. They dazzle you with virtually weekly specials - discounted cabins, upgrades, onboard credits, special rates for drinks and Internet, etc. Direct pricing from a cruise site or travel agent is almost always better.
Why pay more? Research, then buy. No matter how and where you select your cruise, donât pay retail with a cruise site or travel agent. Vacation Stealâs WHOLESALE membership site provides discounts from 5-27% off retail cruise sites and travel agencies. You deserve the comfort of knowing you made the right decision. We provide it with the Best cruise price ⌠guaranteed. Have a question or problem? Our experienced travel agents can book that wholesale price for you. See past live cruise prices.
Be a stockholder. Get up to $250 in onboard credit (help pay for Internet, drinks, etc.) when you own 100 shares of stock. Click here for Carnival instructions, which applies for their many lines - Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Seabourn, Cunard, Costa Cruises, and AIDA Cruises. Search for Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line stock benefits, which are similar.
Onboard
9 TIPS. Specialty dining
16 TIPS: Automatic gratuity. It may be automatic. But itâs not required (yet). How much is it, who should pay, and how?
19 TIPS: Cruise drinks and beverages. Where to get free drinks. Why cruises are excellent for non-drinkers and not ideal for big drinkers.
7 TIPS: Cruise ripoff - drink packages. You could be paying as high as $100 per drink.
26 TIPS: Everything you wanted to know about the Casino. Can you win? Learn what it takes to earn a free cruise and more.
The last word
Live long and Prosper. Cruises arenât just for you and your partner. You can enjoy a multiverse of specialty cruises for your family, company, business and personal groups, dating, adult fun, and last but not least, Star Trek: The Cruise.
