The days are getting longer and hotter so summer must be right around the corner. While some people are gearing up for family road trips and roundtrip flights, other travelers are taking to the seas. As cruises to destinations worldwide begin to book up, some tips could make your cruise experience easy sailing.
Whereas some things are common sense, some cruise connoisseurs have settled on a handful of hacks that make cruise travel more efficient and enjoyable. From ways to save money to tips for skipping long boarding lines, these are some cruise hacks to prepare travelers for travel this summer.
Book As Early As Possible
According to Finance Buzz, it’s suggested that travelers book their cruise trips as early as possible to avoid high prices. The earlier a trip is confirmed, the more cost-effective it will be. While some travelers recommend booking a cruise at least a year in advance to get the best deal, you can schedule and pay for your trip even sooner depending on which company you’re cruising with. Royal Caribbean allows travelers to book trips as early as two years or more before the sail date. So giving yourself time to plan is a great cruise hack to save a few coins.
Find Cruise Parking
If you plan on driving to the boarding dock, you can save money on parking by finding specified cruise parking in port cities. There are many hotels in port cities that allow cruise travelers to park for free or low cost while they venture out to sea. According to Cruzely, some even have shuttles that take travelers to their boarding docks after they park their cars.
Bring a Power Adapter
Some travelers have noticed cruise ships sometimes have a limited number of power outlets available in the cabins. To keep all of your devices charged up, bring a power adapter along with you. This cruise hack will save you from getting frustrated if you find yourself on an older ship with fewer outlets than newer models.
Don’t Pay For The “All You Can Drink” Package
Unless you plan on drinking a lot of alcohol, Cruzely says the “all you can drink” packages really aren’t worth the cost. For example, most of those packages require travelers to drink 7 to 8 drinks per day. Carnival’s CHEERS! Package allows travelers to get pretty much every drink they have for $59.95 per person per day if you purchase it in advance. But if you don’t plan on drinking that much, this cruise hack could save you a few bucks.
Scope Cruise Amenities In Advance
Taking some time to scope out the amenities and activities available on the ship is a cruise hack that will keep you from wasting time on your trip. Instead of fumbling through brochures and online links to find things to do on board, create a mini itinerary before boarding so you have some idea of what you’d like to do.
Another hack is taking time to understand the layout of the ship so you’ll know where amenities are located like dining, shopping, and entertainment. This will also help you budget how much you plan on spending on board if your trip isn’t all exclusive.
Show Up To Boarding “Late”
This may sound crazy, but some travelers suggest showing up a little late for boarding when heading out to see. While this cruise hack may sound like the last thing you should do, Cruzely says showing up right when boarding opens is a great way to spend extended periods of time waiting in line. Instead, the cruise blog suggests showing up to boarding exactly one hour before sailing off to skip the line.