Cruises for the Budget Traveller

Cruises are a great way to see a variety of places, without the hassle of long and uncomfortable journeys, or changing hotels every night. However, budget travellers may be put off by the image of cruises as being an expensive way to spend their vacation. How much spending money will be needed on board? What will food & drink cost? What is the tipping policy, and how much money should I put aside for this? These are all common questions that first-time cruise goers may have but it is still quite possible to enjoy a budget cruise on a limited budget. We'll show you how.

Finding Cruises

Firstly, take a look at some of the budget cruise specialists that abound on the Internet. Whilst your regular travel agent will no doubt have a list of cruises available specialists can give more in-depth advice and sometimes have more buying power allowing them to pass savings on to you.

Check this website for the latest cruise news and a variety of different packages. Use this to start researching who is offering the best deals.

Thiswebsite also has a variety of cheap cruises for the cost conscious traveller.

Where to Go

Here are some suggested cruises that are ideal for budget cruise travellers.

* Due to its proximity to the east coast, Caribbean cruises can be very cheap. Cruise lines such as Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Princess cruises offer a range of competitive deals.
* The Bahamas are also a great place to take a cruise. A seven night cruise is plenty of time to allow for sightseeing while still keeping the cost under control.
* For those of you on the West Coast who aren't looking to get a suntan, why not consider a six-day Alaska cruise from www.cheapcruises.com ? Whilst you may need to wrap up a little on deck the scenery should be spectacular.
* Maybe you'd like to encounter some Spanish culture but can't stretch to a Mediterranean cruise. In this case why not take a six or seven day cruise from Los Angeles to Mexico. Princess cruises are offering a seven night trip for $429 during April.
* Finally, for those of you wanting to encounter some genuine European culture it is possible to sail to the western Mediterranean on the Norwegian Gem for only $679. By using some of the money saving tips below maybe you can save enough money for a more exotic cruise.

How to save

Here are a few tips to help you save money on your budget cruise:

* Try to book early. You may get lucky and find a great last-minute deal but most of the best deals are those bought well in advance. Whilst a recession is rarely good news it does mean that now is a great time to buy a cruise, so haggle hard with your travel agent.
* Do some legwork and contact the cruise lines directly. Sign up for any promotions, offers, or newsletters they have. Sometimes lines offer special deals directly to their subscribers.
* Choosing the right time to take your cruise can have a huge effect on the price. Do you really need to go in the height of holiday season? In fact, out of season can affect not just the price of the cruise but that of excursions, car rental, parking and many other factors. You're also more likely to be able to negotiate better deals.
* Check carefully the price of excursions. Especially if you're visiting countries with lower wages than the US, you may find that you can get better deals from local operators.
* Finally, Check very carefully what is and isn't included in the price of your cruise package. Full board or all-inclusive options can still have clauses meaning that, for instance, brand-name alcohol isn't included. Also soft drinks can be confusing - sometimes fruit juice is included whilst soda isn't.

Cheap cruises are becoming more and more affordable so, combined with money-saving tips given above, there's no reason for not taking that cruise you've always wanted.