Advice & Tips

Even though many of the pandemic-related cruise restrictions have been reversed, utilizing a travel agent's service today is just as important!  

With over 100 different ships across seven mainstream cruise lines to choose from, you will benefit from a travel agent's expert advice regardless of whether you are preparing for your first cruise or an experienced cruiser climbing the loyalty ranks. Working with a good travel agent provides so much value and service, and they are an invaluable asset to all cruisers.

With only so many hours in each port of call, it is important that you figure out how to best spend your time so you're not left with any regrets. 

Will you feel as though you maximized your day if it's spent on an excursion where you are sitting for half of the time? What about if you paid for an overpriced beach transfer?

Some shore excursions are well worth your money and time, others aren't. 

Here are 12 shore excursions that you should skip on your next cruise.

If you are planning a vacation, you might be wondering what the cheapest month to book a cruise is. 

There's nothing wrong with wanting to save a little bit of money on your cruise fare-- it just means that you will have more to spend on excursions, cocktails, or another vacation! 

Cruise pricing is dynamic, meaning that it fluctuates based on the itinerary, time of year, ship's age, and how soon it is scheduled to set sail. In other words, the same itinerary on the same ship might be cheaper in October than it is in July. 

Alaska cruises are a popular choice for those wishing to explore the northernmost state in the United States, and it's time to cross the picturesque state off your bucket list and book an Alaskan itinerary! 

The beautiful glaciers, snow-capped mountains, and exciting shore excursions, like dog sledding in Skagway or a helicopter ride above Mendenhall Glacier, offer cruisers a truly unique and once-in-a-lifetime trip! 

Are you curious as to which months of the year have the cheapest cruise prices? 

The answer is a little more complicated than you may think, as it varies depending on the cruise line, ship, time of year, and itinerary! 

Usually, though, the cheapest time of the year to go on a cruise is when others are busy and unable to go on the same sailing. 

If you elect to cruise during a time where there’s less demand, you’re more likely to score a much better deal than if you were to sail during the height of the busy season, like July or the end of December. 

If you find yourself sailing out of New York, New York or Cape Liberty (Bayonne), New Jersey, you might be considered a pre-cruise stay in The Big Apple!

While a vacation in New York is nowhere near as convenient as a cruise, there's so much to see and do in the city! You can enjoy delicious food at some of the most famous restaurants in the country, see a Broadway musical on Broadway, enrich yourself with a visit to a museum, or even people watch in one of the parks. 

Depending on the cruise line, time of year, ship, and itinerary, the cost of taking a cruise vacation can greatly vary. 

Staying in, for instance, a balcony cabin on the newest ship during the summer can often cost a pretty penny, perhaps over $1,400 per person for a week-long cruise.

Sailing does not always have to be expensive, and it’s certainly possible to cruise for less than $100 per person per day. However, planning a cheap cruise vacation does require advance planning and self control once you board the ship!

Packing for your cruise can be stressful, especially if you need to fly to your cruise port. 

Within the last few years, I’ve become more hesitant to check a bag when I cruise or travel. Images of endless lost luggage have flood the internet recently with airlines struggling to keep their airports staffed and operations running smoothly. 

If you’re looking for ways to optimize credit card travel spending to earn valuable reward points this year, listen close. 

A TikTok account, thecreditbrothers, recently shared an interesting hack for cruisers to take advantage of that involves cash draws from the onboard casino. 

As someone who personally loves to play the credit card points game, this was a hack that I’ve actually never heard of.