How to save Money on Your Next Cruise with Your Travel Buddy Cruises

What's your next trip really going to cost you? Travel expenses can add up faster than you might think.
The cruise industry bills cruising as a great value, for one upfront price, your accommodations, meals and trip are paid for. But most cruisers end up spending more.
Learning how to save money on cruises may seem like navigating a maze. After all, you may hear dozens of different prices quoted -- all for the same cruise!
Brent Vanderstelt, owner of Your Travel Buddy Cruises says his rule of thumb is to assume he'll spend half the amount of the cruise fare on incidentals.

But if you pursue these simple strategies -- from the initial planning stages to the day you disembark from your ship -- you can cruise like royalty and still keep your wallet intact with cash.

First, you want to focus on booking the best deal.

Timing is critical. The best deals are available either by booking early -- a year or so before a cruise departs -- or by booking late, within two or three months of a ship's departure.

Early booking deals are usually available through travel agents, such as Your Travel Buddy Network or directly through the cruise lines. Late booking deals are typically offered online by huge Internet discounters, such as Your Travel Buddy Cruises. If you have plenty of flexibility in your travel plans, late bookings are usually the hottest deals going.

The choice of stateroom is another key. If you plan to spend most of your time on deck or in the ship's public rooms, you can forego pricey extras such as verandahs or even windows -- both of which can add hundreds of dollars to your fare.

Smaller cabins, too, can cost thousands of dollars less than elaborate suites. Yet you might be surprised at how roomy the cabins can be on modern cruise ships.

Second, you'll want to concentrate on tracking down discounts.

You are most likely eligible for discounts on your next cruise:
· If you're traveling as part of a group of friends or family, you can find the best group cruise deals at Group Cruise eBook.
· are past age 55, all cruise lines offer sailing at senior rates, many times with groups
· have served in the military, most cruise lines offer military discounts
· or you have sailed with a particular cruise line in the past (perks and frequent sailer programs)


Policies differ by each cruise line, though, so be sure to ask to your travel agent or online cruise advisor.

You can also find big discounts by choosing off-season sailings or special "repositioning" cruises, in which ships travel from one region to another, such as Alaska to the Caribbean or South America to the Mediterranean.

Most crucial, you'll want to be alert to saving money onboard.

Many cruise lines offer low upfront fares to fill cabins that would otherwise go empty, figuring they'll make up any deficits by charging for lots of extras once you board.

These may include alcoholic beverages, spa treatments, casino gambling, "premium" restaurants, souvenir photographs, and, most expensive of all, organized shore excursions, which can cost hundreds of dollars apiece.

Cruise for free, start a group cruise
If you have enough people who are interested in taking a cruise together, then you can earn a free cruise. The cruise line will award a free berth for every so many cabins your group books. This can be as few as five cabins for longer Caribbean, Alaska and European sailings or as many as eight cabins for shorter cruises. There's typically no cap on the number of free beds you can earn, so as long as you keep booking cabins, you group can keep earning free beds. Visit Group Cruise eBook for more information.
Take Advantage of the FREE Activities

Plenty of things to do on a cruise ship are free, like using the fitness center or catching live performances, from comedy to musical variety.

On Princess Cruises, one way to lure you out of your room is a giant poolside screen, 300 square feet, that shows feature films (including first-run movies and family shows), concerts and even telecasts of events, from the inauguration to the Super Bowl to the Oscars. Princess calls the program "Movies Under the Stars" but there are broadcasts all day as well as at night. The screens are now on Caribbean Princess, Crown Princess, Emerald Princess, Ruby Princess, Grand Princess, Star Princess and Sea Princess, and they'll be installed in 2009 on Golden Princess, Dawn Princess and Coral Princess.

Remember, though, that all these pricey extras are optional. By carefully establishing an onboard budget -- and sticking to it -- you can keep spending way down.

Once you know how to save money on cruises, you're in for smooth sailing with Your Travel Buddy Cruises and Group Cruise eBook.

by Brent7784
Brent Vanderstelt is owner is Your Travel Buddy (http://YourTravelBuddyNetwork.Com), Your travel buddy Cruises (http://YourTravelBuddyCruises) and Group Cruise eBook (http://GroupCruiseeBook.om).

Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com/Article/How-to-save-Money-on-Your-Next-Cruise-with-Your-Travel-Buddy-Cruises/717484