How to save money on your next cruise
Why do Americans and Canadians get cheaper cruises? The simple answer is, we don’t know and we don’t like it, but here is one way we got around it….
I managed to find a way around the dual pricing by booking on an American website and then contacting the company explaining I had done this. They eventually allowed the booking to stand in the US dollars.
If you can find a way to book a cruise through Canada or the US, then you can save yourself up to a third or more on the actual cruise cost.
Recently, I did a search and looked at the same cruise through a UK and US website then priced them just to make sure that all this is still the case.
At random: (Holland America) on January 2 2016 for seven nights, East Caribbean cruise
Cost £548.28 – US Cost $699 or £446 = £102.28 potential savings. This isn’t just in the UK, it is pretty much anywhere outside North America that there is a huge price difference, so check it out from your own country, if not based in North America.
This was done with an Orbitz search. Orbitz, also, included a special US$500 onboard credit, unlike the UK. If you take in the on-board credit, then your cruise could cost you £128.
That’s a huge potential savings!
Never book a tour on the cruise ship
Before you leave for your cruise organise your land tours independently. We did for Mexico, Honduras and Belize. The tours were all brilliant and half the price of cruise ship tours. All our tours had great guides. I have been on one organised tour with a cruise in Tunisia and it was below par and not well organised. We got an uncomfortable bus and felt rushed wherever we went. The cruise ship tours can be avoided. If your concerned about being back to the ship in time, do not worry, we were always back with plenty of time and these tours survive because of the cruise ships. I recommend checking tripadvisor and finding tours at your port of call or organise it yourself.
What are your experiences of costing cruises from where you are? Share below: