Longing to take a cruise on a budget? That dream vacation features multiple benefits. Your ship serves as your hotel and transportation between exciting destinations. While sailing from one port to another, you can form relationships with diverse fellow travelers from many locales. 
Unpack just once in your stateroom. That also frees you from hauling luggage to different accommodations before you can explore new places. Then repack a single time to return home. Use the tricks below to make your seaboard getaway a memorable bargain.
Frugal Voyages
Expert arrangements: Picking the right passenger ship is like ordering a custom suit. A cruise expert will create the perfect fit for your requests. Cabin location could be crucial, particularly on a sizable liner. Similar itineraries may represent unrelated experiences. After narrowing options down to a few favorites, check those websites for preferred agents. Fees are rare, but a little extra money can yield ideal yet affordable results.
Early booking: Although last-minute specials are tempting, they provide limited choices. Instead, grab deals eight to 12 months ahead of time. Throughout the January/February/March wave season, many cruise lines offer their best promotions including substantial discounts and complimentary stateroom upgrades.
Off-season sailing: Pick escapes with reduced off-season rates. For many, that falls near holidays. Early December prices may be especially low. Instead of docking unused ships between busy periods, some lines move them to other ports. Book a one-way spring or fall repositioning cruise with different embarkation and disembarkation points like Alaska and Hawaii. You’ll enjoy distant destinations at greatly decreased fares during relocations.
All-inclusive rates: Larger ships charge extra fees and gratuities for beverages, onboard specialty restaurants, and shore excursions, so your final tab doubles your base amount. Choose all-inclusive prices for value-conscious tourists instead. Some bundles cover airfare plus limitless port visits. Luxury liners may raise such rates, but these intimate boats ensure better staff/guest ratios for finer service.
Package deals: Bigger ships offering combo packages for dining, wine, and excursions reduce à la carte costs 10 to 25 percent.
Soda passes: Buy reasonably priced cards for unlimited adult and child soft drinks. The unspent funds and convenience outweigh any gratuities.
Suitcase Savers
Carry-ons: Pack essentials in bags you’ll hand carry onto airplanes and ships. Priority items are your destinations’ required travel documents (plane tickets and boarding passes, passports, birth certificates, photo IDs, visas, immunizations records, cruise line boarding passes), valuables (electronic devices, chargers, jewelry, cameras, memory cards), and medications. Extras include toiletries, swimwear, a casual outfit, and dinner attire. If the airline loses your belongings or the valet delivers them to your cabin late, you’ll have necessities to enjoy various onboard activities immediately.
Checked luggage: For groups, assign pairs to share two suitcases. A missing bag gives each person some options instead of one getting none. Conserve space by rolling, not folding, clothes. Include basics like an alarm clock and hair dryer that are unavailable or expensive on voyages. Sneak in a folded duffle to fill with souvenirs and gifts. Then check it before your return flight.
Swimwear: Fuller coverage cuts prevent midsection and upper leg sunburns that hinder fun. Make a splash in a cute women’s swimdress with or without straps. To conceal upper thighs, try plus-size skirted swimsuits like one-piece styles and tankini or bandeau tops with extended hemlines.
For longer lower coverage, browse our plus-size bottoms to order swim skirts separately. Our extensive assortment of colors and patterns sets the atmosphere for a pleasure cruise. Take multiple pieces for pools, hot tubs, and beaches so dry choices are always available.
Dress codes: Cruise ship and destination formality levels vary. Evening gowns aren’t mandatory for formal onboard events. Resort casual substitutions include cocktail dresses, sundresses, pantsuits, and separates. Display sporty clothes at Hawaiian, Mexican Riviera, French Polynesian, and Caribbean ports.
Pack resort casual looks for all European regions and Bermuda, except for the latter’s strict golf course dress codes. Middle Eastern and some European religious sites expect modest garments to cover knees and shoulders. Wear flip-flops on beaches and comfortable shoes when exploring sites and hiking.
Mix and match: Double-duty separates avoid excess luggage fees and overstuffed closets. Coordinating color families allow repeating a bottom piece with several tops. Layering accommodates temperature variations. Tone down shirts for sightseeing and embellish them for evenings. Make one cocktail dress look different at each outing by switching accessories like jewelry, scarves, and wraps.
