CRUISE LINE OFFERS
Cruising the high seas can be
great fun, but it can wreck havoc on your finances if you are not careful. Since
the cheap cruse deals advertised in the paper and online only represent
a small porting of the expenditures that you can expect, you'll need to figure
out what the total cost of your cruise vacation might be by getting an
approximate cost for all the additional services and fees you are likely to
incur.
To start with, prices for cruise
ship cabins can be all over the map. The cruise deals that you
have selected may not even be available when you respond to the ad to to make
your
reservation. So, be prepared to add about $100 - $200 in additional fees to the
advertised price, just for the upgraded cabin.
CRUISE SHIP CABIN COSTS
The least expensive
accommodation on a cruise ship is the interior cabin on the lowest deck.
These cabins can feel cramped and definitely do not have large enough door
openings for handicapped equipment like wheelchairs. They are also closest to
the engine areas and the frequent raising, lowering and testing of the cruise
ship's anchor systems can be nerve-wracking. This will pretty much be the same
whether you are sailing with Carnival Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean
Cruise Lines (RCCL) or on any other cruse ship.
If you and your
family plan to be always on the move while onboard and only need a place to
shower and sleep, these low-cost cabins may be ideal. However, if you are
new to cruise travel, something a little better will insure that
you are not disappointed with the quality of your vacation.
Let's suppose that
on one of the numerous 7-night cruise specials an inside cabin costs
$699. If you want to upgrade to an ocean view (called outside cabins),
you can expect to pay approximately $150-$200 more per person. Prices are
generally listed as per person, double occupancy on a cruise ship. Singles
prices for trips like Carnival Singles Cruises, are almost always higher.
You may want to consider rooming with another single person to realize your
ultimate goal of enjoying a cheap cruise deal.
If you would like
to have a veranda or balcony suite, expect to pay even more. For most
people, the additional charge is well worth it though, if your budget allows.
Your room will be filled with sun in the morning and you'll have a private
balcony area for relaxing or watching the views at sunset. Of course, you'll pay
an additional $100-$200 on top of that 'ocean view' room option in order to
enjoy the extra privileges.
CRUISE SHIP RIPOFFS
Whether
cruise vacation deals are rip offs or not is a matter of personal opinion.
Certainly, the ship's store prices for sundry items, loungewear and shore
excursions are high, but they are about the same at any resort that you may
visit.
All things considered,
a discount cruise tours offers a great value. You can choose to
do as little or as
much as you like - the choice is yours. If you stick to the basics and just do
some sight-seeing on your own and are content eating at assigned meal times, you
should not have to spend a great deal more than your original cruise package.
SUMMARY _ CRUISE VACATION BUDGETING
To be successful,
you'll need to shop around and allow (on average) a full year to get a really
low price cruise deal, unless your schedule is flexible and you can take
advantage of a last minute cruise deal package. Watch out for the
cruise specials that are offered during hurricane season. If you do decide
to take a chance on one of these, by all means purchase cruise cancellation
insurance. It will cost a few more bucks, but you'll have peace of mind.
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