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Balcony Vs Inside Staterooms – Cruise Vacation Tips for Picking Your Stateroom Category

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Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link & I may have been compensated for my time writing this article.

Cruise Vacations Tips

Picking which cruiseline to sail with and which itinerary suites your needs is hard enough without the added stress of having to pick the best stateroom category.  This decision can make even veteran cruisers sweat. My husband and I argue about this every time we cruise! Factors such as budget, size and location can help aid in this tough decision. To help new cruisers pick the best category, we’ve put together a list of pros and cons for each, as well as a comparison of sizes of NCL’s inside and balcony rooms. Hopefully these cruise vacations tips will help you pick the best stateroom category.

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26 Things to Pack for a Cruise: Plus Printable Packing List for Cruise Vacations

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Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link & I may have been compensated for my time writing this article.

Pack for a Cruise

While on a recent cruise, I started putting together a packing list for cruise vacations.  These are things that are always in our suitcase when cruising or things that I forgot to pack and kicked myself about later. Even if you’re a veteran cruiser, you may find a few of these tips useful.

We also put together a handy printable packing list for cruise vacations.  Click here to download the editable form and start personalizing it for your cruising needs.

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What Alaska Cruise Excursions Do We Recommend?

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Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link & I may have been compensated for my time writing this article.

The allure of sailing past glaciers, venturing into the rugged wilderness and admiring the quirky frontier towns entices more than a million people per year to take an Alaskan cruise.  An Alaskan cruise is not one of those vacations where you want to skip a port and relax on the ship.  There are too many wondrous adventures waiting that make it necessary to plan your Alaska cruise excursions carefully.

In addition to sharing my own experiences I gathered recommendations from my in-laws who have cruised to Alaska multiple times, even taking the land and sea tour once to get their insight on the best Alaska cruise excursions. They always sailed with Royal Caribbean, but many of the excursions are similar, regardless of the ship you choose. You can also book some of these independently (i.e., not through the cruise line.)

For those a bit more adventurous, a friend of mine highly recommends 2 tours she took sailing on Princess with kids.

What Alaska Cruise Excursions Do We Recommend?

The Top 4:

  1. The train in Skagway – Great way to get away from the cities and see more nature.
  2. Free walk around Ketchikan – A great inexpensive way to explore.
  3. Whales watching in Icy Strait- I highly recommend, if in your budget.
  4. Helicopter and Glacier Trek in June – Expensive but an incredible experience.

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Royal Caribbean Cruise Money Saving Tips: 28 Tips to Keep Money in YOUR Pocket

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Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link & I may have been compensated for my time writing this article.

Save-money-on-Royal-Caribbean-1

Are you planning a cruise?  There is a plethora of cruise money saving tips to help you save money during your next vacation on the high seas.  Some of these tips are specifically for Royal Caribbean, but most will work for all cruise lines.

Cruises can be an affordable travel option – if you avoid being nickel-and-dimed at every turn, once your on board.  Follow these Caribbean cruise money saving tips & tricks to stay on budget.

Royal Caribbean Cruise Money Saving Tips

Booking Tips:

:: Book last minute –  Booking last minute cruises can save you a ton of money.  If you’re flexible with your schedule & room type this is a great way to cruise for less.  Look for cruises going out within the next few weeks.  Cruise lines don’t want to sail with empty staterooms, so you can usually find a good deal.  Payment will be due immediately for last minute bookings,  so keep that in mind.

Booking these types of cruises are most economical if you’re within driving distance to the port or you’ve confirmed that you can get inexpensive airfare prior to booking.

:: Book early – Conversely, you can find good deals if you book 6 – 9 months prior to sailing.   If you know when you want to cruise or have a specific room type and location you want, it’s best to book early. Sometimes early bookings come with incentives on room rates or even airfare.

If you are planning an Alaska cruise, premium rooms fill up quickly, particularly those with a view or balcony.  The sea and land tours can fill up a year in advance.  Always plan for these types of cruises well ahead of time.

:: Book cruises 2-3 months prior to sailing –  Royal Caribbean requires final payment 75 days prior to the sailing date for 1-4 night cruise vacations, 90 days prior to the sailing date for 5-night or longer cruise vacations.  If you looked at a cruise but found it to be above your budget, check back on these dates to possibly get a better rate.  People cancel or simply don’t make final payment.  Cruise lines want to fill these rooms, so you may be able to take advantage of cancellations.

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Are Cruises All-Inclusive? Learn What’s Included the Cruise Fare

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Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link & I may have been compensated for my time writing this article.

I have a friend planning her first cruise.  She was shocked to learn about all the “extras” she’d have to consider. She thought cruising was like an all-inclusive resort – just on the water. But that’s not really the case, with the exception of river cruises and luxury cruise lines.

The first thing to note is that it is possible to take a cruise and not spend a penny more than your cruise fare, taxes and gratuities. However, there are a lot of additional expenses you need to to be aware of that can add up quickly. The good news is that you can purchase some of these add-ons in advance, as a package, to help alleviate the shock of a high shipboard account balance at the end of your cruise.

Cruise fares may seem quite high, but they do include almost everything you need for an awesome vacation. Your accommodations, transportation, food and entertainment are provided at one cost. When you breakdown everything that’s included, a cruise can be a budget friendly way to travel.

The cruise fare includes:

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