June 21st, 2011 
Tushar Mathur Going on a cruise vacation is one of the most relaxing and exciting things you can do. But many people never go on cruises because they don’t think they can afford it. Surprisingly, the cost of this sea vacation is very much within reach for the average family, but there are also hidden fees that you need to worry about. Here are a few tips on saving as much money as possible on your cruise ship and some sage advice on how to make sure you don’t waste your money on something you don’t really need.
I already mentioned the fees. Most of these are mandatory so there is really not much you can do about it. But one of the biggest money makers for cruise lines is the drinks. And I’m not just talking about alcohol. Drinks like sodas, smoothies, and other specialty drinks will all cost you extra. But you don’t have to spend ANY extra money on a cruise ship if you don’t want to.
For a single bottle of water you can pay as much as $4. Many people don’t realize that the water that comes out of your sink in your stateroom goes through a very advance filtration process and is absolutely fine to drink. But if you are really paranoid about tap water you can just bring your own case of water or soda onto the ship itself. Just have the staff bring it to your room as luggage. And yes, the cruise lines allow you to do this so you are not breaking any rules here. But always ask ahead of time anyway, in case the rules have changed.
Keeping your phone off during the cruise will also help a lot since data costs can be astronomical. Just wait until you get to one of the islands to use your phone. If you leave your phone on then you can still receive text messages and each one will rack up on your bill. Some people have had cell phone bills exceed $10,000 from just one trip. Yes, this is a little extreme, but why take the chance, right?
Unless you are feeling very lucky, then you should probably avoid the casino as well. Some people will spend hours in this place, losing all of their money. But if your goal is to save money, you don’t need to be flirting with this kind of temptation. After all, there are tons of other FREE things to do on the boat.
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