Bring your own wine, soda and bottled water; and lay off the Jack and Chivas. Most cruise lines allow passengers to bring a reasonable amount of wine, soda and bottled water onto the ship, but not hard liquor. Better yet, pack a reusable bottle and large thermal mug, and take advantage of the free coffee, tea or tap water on the ship.
Don't phone home or check your email. Ship-to-shore calls cost $6 to $10 a minute, according to Linda Coffman of CruiseDiva.com. And on-board Internet access, which is notoriously slow, costs 50 cents to a buck a minute. Susan Kohlback of Wicked Good Travel Tips also points out that you'll likely pay $3 a minute even using your own cell phone on the ship.
Skip the speciality restaurants and fancy coffee and pastries. Alternative dining options are all the rage on cruise ships, including steakhouses, sushi carts and gourmet coffee shops. However, as Coffman points out, why pay extra when you're sure to be well fed with the basic dining package included in the price of your cruise.
Smile pretty, but don't pay the price for professional photos. While you won't be able to avoid the hoard of professional photographers on the ship, you aren't obligated to buy any of their photos. Instead, pack your own camera and have fellow passengers or your waiter snap your picture instead.
Avoid the casino and the bingo games, and steer clear of the on-board spa. The chances of winning in the ship's casino are stacked against passengers, according to Kohlback. Also, at $20 per session, bingo can be costly, Rita M. Ippoliti of Cruisemates says. As for the spa, save your money by foregoing the expensive facial and massage.
Pack properly to avoid buying things on the ship that you could have brought from home. This includes sunscreen, pain relievers, shampoo and other toiletries that you know in advance you'll need. Also, bring an adequate amount of clothing so you won't have to pay for laundry and dry-cleaning services. As for the ship's speciality boutiques and souvenir shops, ask yourself if you really need a 5-ft. replica of your ship or the $300 sequined thong bikini once you get home.
