01 March 2024 , 15:16
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Cruises can offer great value for money as your travel, accommodation, entertainment and food and drink is included.
However, one insider has warned that you'll want to double check exactly what's included before parting with your cash - as booking add-ons early could help you save money.
While most cruises include a food and drink package, this can be limited to certain choices. Often this won't include booze, or will have some limited options such as beer and wine. If you're hoping for cocktails or premium brands, you'll need to pay extra - and this is where pre-booking could make a big difference.
Grace Sandwith, Commercial Director at Iglu Cruise, explained: "Where possible it is usually cheaper to pre-book your drinks package at the time of booking your holiday, you’ll get the best price and be confident that you know the cost of your holiday in advance. It is worth noting that there are a very small number of cruise lines where you can only purchase the drinks packages online."
Don't assume all drinks are included in a drinks package (iStockphoto)If you're hoping to save money by bringing your own booze, you're out of luck. Cruise lines typically ban passengers from bringing alcohol onto the ship, and will confiscate any found in your possession. Usually, they will return the alcohol to you when you're leaving your holiday but this can depend on the cruise line, so get in touch direct before sailing to understand the rules.
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Pre-booking food and drinks wasn't Grace's only tip. She revealed that early birds do catch the worm when it comes to sailings, and that it can be an easy way to snap up some of the best holiday deals, not to mention your top pick of cabins.
She explained: "It is usually best to book early to be sure of the holiday availability you would like, there are often great deals and early booking incentives when new sailings are launched. If you know exactly what you’d like to book, booking early will ensure availability. Summer holidays are often in great demand which is why it's best to book early for these."
It's not the first time that a cruise insider has shared similar advice. Another travel expert has warned that booking early is key - but if you miss the boat, then you may want to leave it very last minute. They revealed: "Booking well in advance or at the last minute can sometimes lead to significant discounts. Cruise lines often offer early bird promotions and last-minute deals. Savings could range from around 20-30% or more for booking early to up to 50% or more for booking late."
Meanwhile signing up for fare alerts on cruise websites, or subscribing to a cruise line's newsletter could help save you 10-20% off on the original price!
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