Cruising is for single people or old people. It’s not as adventurous and fun as backpacking trips. WRONG! Cruising is for anyone who needs a vacation and wants a small taste of a few different countries but doesn’t have time to plan out all the details. It’s for when you need to see new places AND come home feeling rested. Our first cruise together was arguably the best trip we’ve ever gone on. Granted, it was our honeymoon and we would’ve had a blast no matter where we went.
TYPICAL COSTS
AIRFARE
More often than not, flights are much cheaper a day before your cruise departs and/or a day or so after it gets back into port. We’ve ported out of Miami most often and flights from Salt Lake City to Miami tend to run around $250+ round trip. I always check Google Flights to fine-tune my flight to hotel ratio before booking anything. If the money you’ll save flying in a day earlier is more than the money you’d spend on a hotel and the extra cab fare you’ll pay for the extra night, you may as well take the extra vacation day!
ACCOMMODATIONS
My go-to for hotel searches is usually Hotels.com. I can do quick, easy searches on the app and I get points every time I book through Hotels.com that add up to save me money on bookings. I always check the prices to book directly through a hotel and have yet to find it cheaper than booking through Hotels.com. In Miami, we have paid $60-$100/night for decent hotels near the beach and restaurants.
CELL SERVICE
I personally prefer to stay completely disconnected during cruises, BUT with my husband and I both being self-employed with online businesses, getting online is often inevitable. Wi-fi packages on cruise ships range from about $5-$25 per day and the speed on the upper-end package isn’t too shabby.
FOOD
One of the best parts about a cruise: it’s all-inclusive. That means all the food you could ever want is at your fingertips, which leads me to my next point. One of the worst parts about a cruise: it’s all-inclusive. You can even order as many dinners as you want. AT THE SAME TIME. If you aren’t looking to gain 15lbs. in a week, you better have some serious self-control. I’ve been on quite a few Carnival cruises and I’d give their food a solid 6.5/10 average. Some food surprisingly far exceeds this and some don’t stand a chance at making it to the 6.5 mark.
On shore, you can certainly find good food, but it is fewer and further in between than it would be if you are not limited to just the port area. Most excursions will provide lunch for you and we’ve had (mostly) good luck with those meals.
GETTING AROUND
Getting around once you arrive at the ports is usually pretty simple. If you booked an excursion through the cruise line or through a third party, you’ll typically be picked up right outside the ship or just through the doors at the port. Just check your tickets to see where you’re supposed to meet. If you decide to go exploring on your own, there are often car rentals and moto-taxis available near the port.
SAVE MONEY ON CAB FARE BY RENTING A CAR
Once your cruise is over and you’re back in the U.S., don’t let your time before your flight go to waste! Rent a car from the airport and find something fun to do around town. The best part is, renting a car can actually save you money. Here’s how: a taxi from Port of Miami to Miami International Airport is typically about $24 + tolls + tip. A rental car can run as low as about $10 for the day AND you’ll get a free shuttle ride from the Port of Miami to the airport with most rental car companies. Make sure you have your rental car booked either before you leave on your cruise or as soon as you can once you arrive back in port. Lines can get very long for the rental car shuttle and you’ll want to get your booty to the front of that line and they will want to see your proof of booking before allowing you on the bus. When you get to the airport to pick up your rental car, ask if they have any free upgrades since you’ll just be driving it for the day. I’d give it a 50/50 chance they say yes and an 80/20 chance if you make them laugh before asking for an upgrade.
