This Vacation Cruises Money Savings Page contains several tips such as Gas Cards, Drink Options, Hotel Rewards, & CVS Rewards to help you save on Taking and Enjoying Cruises.

Vacation Cruises Saving Tips

We (hubby, grandson, and me) like to go on cruises. We plan ahead, booking the cruise with the “Early Saver” rate usually in January. By booking that rate we can call in and price reductions taken off of our balance prior to cruising or, if we’ve paid in full we get on-board credit. At this point we have more than $1000 in onboard credit. I check the site regularly looking for price drops. Hubby has a Carnival MasterCard that we charge some of our monthly bills on and pay off a day or two after we use it so we never have a balance. We earn points on this card and have almost enough points saved up for another $200 in onboard credit. Try CruiseDirect to find discounted cruises.

Other Ways to Save on a Cruise

CVS

I have been couponing at CVS to earn gas cards for the drive down to Miami from SC. I’ve earned 8 so far. It takes a while to accumulate as I don’t buy anything we don’t use or that I don’t have a great coupon on.

Coke

I save Coke reward points to earn $3 off a case which I also use in the CVS deal when Coke is included in the gas deals.

Kellogg’s

I save Kellogg’s Family Reward points to use on high value Kellogg’s items when they are included in the gas deal.

Hotel Rewards

We also have a hotel rewards card that we use when we travel. I have to see a specialist doctor in another city later this month and we will use the hotel rewards card then to earn points. These points will pay for one-night lodging prior to our cruise.

BYO Drinks

We take our own soda and water onboard, as well as anything we might need, so we won’t have to pay an arm and leg for the items on the cruise ship or in a foreign port. We usually print out walking tours for most ports or just take a taxi to and from the beach. Most foreign taxi fees are regulated.

I forgot to mention we pay off the cruise in April with our small tax refund. We are sailing in August. We won’t need any cash with the exception of gas money if I do not earn enough gas cards.
I probably left something out but this is basically how we manage to take at least one fantastically inexpensive cruise every year.
Cheryl McLeod – South Carolina