Veteran cruisers know that cruise lines don’t make most of their money from the fare for their stateroom. The majority of a cruise line’s profits actually come from having cruisers aboard the ship, and buying everything from souvenirs to specialty meals through the cruise line. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Aboard ships and on private islands, cruisers are pampered and have basically everything they could want nearby. Paying a little bit for that sort of service and convenience doesn’t seem all that unreasonable.
There are, however, some hidden costs. Expenses where “reasonable profits” are pushed just a little bit too far. Instead of paying for a service you’re being nickel and dimed you for things you aren’t getting much benefit out of.
Don’t let this stop you from cruising. Instead, take control of your vacation, and know exactly what you’re paying for.
Pre-Cruise Accommodations
If you live far away from the port you’re sailing from then you’re going to want to plan to arrive the day before your cruise departs and spend the day sight-seeing, or the evening resting after your drive. This helps you deal with any travel delays that may occur and makes sure you don’t miss your cruise.
There are some hidden cruise costs that you have to watch out for before you even board. One of them is hidden hotel fees. Many hotels offer cruise “packages” that include cruise parking or airport transportation, and breakfast. But often time those “packages” only allow a maximum of two people. If you are part of a group of four staying in one room, breakfast and transportation for those two extra people costs extra. A drawback for family cruises.
Location, Location, Location!
Another hidden cost before your cruise even begins is the location of the hotel. Many rookie passengers cruising out of Port Canaveral feel like they HAVE to stay close to the Port in the Cocoa Beach area. These hotels know cruisers feel this way and charge high prices for rooms. Not to mention that cruisers then have to compete with beach vacationers who aren’t cruising at all, which drives the price up more. Cruisers that want to spend a day on the beach before they cruise might still find a beach hotel worth the price. But most cruise travelers arriving in the evening do not get much benefit from the beach.
The truth is that everyone gets on the cruise sometime between 10 AM – 3 PM and your hotel could easily be an hour away from the Port without risking missing the boat. Experienced cruisers know this and save by booking hotels nearby in areas around the port like Orlando, Sanford, Titusville, Merritt Island and Melbourne.
Never fear! Port Canaveral cruisers are in luck. Go Port Fly Snooze Cruise and Snooze Park Cruise packages cover your accommodation needs with cruise hotel packages available both on the coveted beach AND in the areas near Port Canaveral. All fees are included in the upfront price, and if a hotel package includes breakfast your entire party enjoys it.
It’s everything for everyone.
Cruise Parking
If you live only a few hours from a cruise port, then you’ll probably want to save the price of the airfare, save yourself the hassle of the airport, and just drive to your port of choice. This is a good idea, but it does leave you with the problem of where to park your car. While you can park at the port, doing so can be an expensive proposition. At Port Canaveral, 7-days of parking at the port costs over a hundred dollars. That’s the value of at least a few Mai-Tai’s.
Fortunately, there are alternatives. Port Canaveral cruisers can take advantage of a Go Port Snooze Park Cruise package that includes free parking with a hotel stay, and a shuttle that takes them directly to the cruise terminal. Packages include everything that cruisers need; and for less than what cruisers would pay to park at the port alone.
If you really don’t want to start your vacation a day early with a hotel stay and all you need is parking then there are still some hidden fees which can be avoided. Most Port Canaveral area cruise parking lots charge by calendar day. Meaning that each day your car is at the lot you get charged for. If you are on a 7-night cruise you pay for 8 days of parking and even at the cheaper lots, priced around $8.95/day, that gets expensive quick.
It is a much cheaper option to seek out companies that charge a flat fee or per person rate regardless of the number of days you need parking. Getting free cruise parking with the purchase of cruise transfers to the terminal can save you over $100 dollars.
Automatic Gratuities
One of the quickest ways costs can add up on your cruise is in the form of gratuities. Many of which are automatically charged to you unless you go to guest services and have them removed. Not only do most cruise lines charge you a daily gratuity, there is also a 15 percent gratuity automatically attached to alcoholic drinks and beer, turning sidling up to the bar much more expensive.
While cruise line employees don’t make very much and work long hours, what we suggest is making sure that you keep some cash available, and make sure you tip the people who serve you directly. This not only saves you some money, but it makes sure that the right people are getting the gratuities.
Port Fees and Taxes
You’ll never see your port fees included in the advertised price. When you get to the booking page on that Bahama cruise that was originally advertised for $500 dollars, this can be quite a shock. Depending on the itinerary, the fees can total over $100 dollars per person. Hard as it may be to believe, the lines are actually doing you a favor. In this cost is the price of tolls, ship inspections, immigration, paying local harbor pilots, and whatever is required to dock or tender at a port. The negotiating power of a cruise line dealing with local port authorities is far more than that of the individual cruiser, and their legal teams have done a lot to streamline customs and paperwork.
The best thing you can do is be aware of these before you’re planning to book, and build it into your vacation budget. Taxes are one of life’s two constants, and there isn’t much you can do about either of them. Instead, look for other ways to save.
The Internet
Our world is so interconnected these days that not being online can feel like losing a limb. The one exception is at sea. Data connectivity is so poor and so expensive that doing without comes pretty easily. That is, if you know about it. If you leave your phone on it will rack up roaming charges as it struggles to find a signal. The massive bill that results won’t actually come from the cruise line. Instead, it will come from your cellular provider, and it will be a big bill. Either purchase a data package while you’re aboard, budget your connected time and data or just turn your phone off.
Data packages at sea are getting better. Royal Caribbean’s VOOM internet provides connectivity speeds that are close to what’s available on land, but it’s still expensive. Although, it’s still more reasonable than roaming charges. Carnival has also introduced a three-tiered plan to make things a little more reasonable for cruisers. We encourage you to buy one of these plans, or just leave your phone in airplane mode for the length of your cruise. To do otherwise is to end up with quite a bill when you get home.
Cruises offer vacationers a lot of value for their money. While expenses can add up quickly, there are still ways to save. The key is being informed, planning, and taking care of things in advance. That way you can enjoy your cruise.
Port Canaveral cruisers should take a look at Go Port’s packages. They take care of everything cruise vacationers need before, and after your cruise for a low price that includes everyone you’re traveling with. Once you book you can relax and look forward to your vacation knowing everything is handled, hassle free. Stand alone cruise parking, and direct transportation from the airport to the cruise terminal is also available. To tailor a custom package to your specific Port Canaveral cruising needs just call us at 321-735-8833.
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