Vacation Cruising

For those of you who enjoy a little nip here and there, drinking on board the ship can be an expensive proposition. Don’t expect to get plowed on $20 like you might be able to do at home. Drinks are expensive, but you can save here as well.

In this section, we’ll address both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Both can be quite expensive on board, and many people report this is where they spend the bulk of their money, especially if you like your wine and beer.

Whether or not to BYOB (Bring Your Own Beverages) is a hot cruise passenger topic. Many cruise lines look the other way at soft drinks and bottled water toted by embarking passengers, but they are increasingly intolerant of allowing them to bring alcoholic beverages on board.

A bottle of wine or champagne for a special occasion is usually okay, but don't even think of carting on a case of beer. If you must BYOB to save money, stick to soft drinks.

DO NOT accept the umbrella drink of the day as you board. If you are a newbie, you think this is a nice gesture on the part of the cruise line. And then they ask for your stateroom number so they can post the $8-$9 charge.

Probably the best tip I’ve seen for getting your own liquor on board the ship is coming now. TAKE HEED - THIS IS A STELLAR SUGGESTION! Send yourself a cost-effective bon voyage gift of your favorite spirits to be delivered to your stateroom, either from the cruise line or an independent service. Since it’s a gift, they probably won’t restrict the possession of it in your cabin! There are many places online that will put these together for you at a reasonable cost.

Bar drinks and wine typically cost about what patrons would expect to pay at a nice lounge or restaurant in a resort or at home (depending on where you live). Keep in mind, unless you really want a souvenir glass to take home, order your umbrella drinks in regular glasses - you will pay extra for the keepsake glass.

Wine by the bottle is a more economical choice at dinner than ordering it by the glass. Any wine you don't finish will be kept for you for the next night. Gifts of wine or champagne ordered from the cruise line (either by you, a friend, or your travel agent) can be taken to the dining room. Wine from any other source will incur a "corkage" fee of approximately $8-10 per bottle.

If you’re a beer drinker, order up the buckets that give you 5 beers for $10. By far, this is a huge savings over the $5 apiece most of the bars charge.

Naturally, tap water is always plentiful and free. Consider bringing along a powdered drink mix such as Crystal Light for a flavorful and refreshing change? An insulated cup or mug makes it easy to prepare and keep chilled - cabin stewards keep ice buckets filled in passenger staterooms. Or, order up a pitcher of fruit juice from room service. Juices are complimentary beverages and a healthy choice.

In lounges, order the less expensive "bar brand" mixed drinks or the reduced price drink-of-the-day. There will be one every day usually listed in the nightly newsletter.

On some ships discounted "beverage cards" for unlimited fountain soft drinks and/or a set number of mixed drinks are available. You should, however, wait until you set sail before buying these drink cards as you’ll avoid the taxes and save a little cash!

Be sure to attend the Captain's Welcome Aboard party where complimentary drinks are served and, if you are a repeat passenger, don't miss the repeaters' get together for the same reason. The art auctions often offer free champagne on certain nights, so attend these for the free booze and enjoy watching people bid ridiculous prices for mediocre art.

If you like Margaritas and want something for in your cabin at sail away, buy the large mix bottles, tequila and triple sec, mix them up at home and then pour the whole mixture back into the larger mix bottle. Double bag in Ziploc bags and pack in your carry-on. You are less likely to have a mix confiscated.

It really isn't fun to sit around drinking in your cabin, though, and a big part of a cruise is the sociability found in public areas of the ship. Keep this in mind when deciding how important it is for you to have liquor in your cabin.

A lot of ships provide in-cabin mini-refrigerators. Some will allow you to purchase soft drinks on shore and bring them to your cabin.

Don’t forget to bring that mug from home to fill up at the beverage stations. This, alone, will save you quite a bit of your vacation cash!

There will be all kinds of opportunities during your cruise to participate in extra-curricular activities. How can you save money while still enjoying what is available? Here are a few tips to get you started.