Recently, I took a weekend cruise on one of Royal Caribbean's newest and biggest ships, and I tried to keep my costs down since it was I was going solo.
I think it's possible to cruise on a budget, or at least a loose one.
I was invited to go on a "guys cruise" with some friends for a weekend in January. I took it as a challenge to try to make the trip happen without spending as much I would if this were a family vacation.
Between the cruise fare, excursions, dining, and Wi-Fi, I spent about
I booked the cruise with a casino offer, but regretted the room choice
I think Royal Caribbean's casino offers are the best value in cruising right now, but getting an offer can be tricky.
A couple of months before the sail date, I got an offer in the mail for this three-night cruise on Utopia of the Seas.
Since Utopia is based from Port Canaveral, this meant I could drive to the cruise port and not have to fly.
The offer was for a "free" oceanview cabin, but it wasn't free overall. I still had to pay port fees, taxes, and gratuities for the room. The total cost was $685.13.
And yes, nothing is truly free from the casino. I paid money on other cruises to qualify for a complimentary cruise offer. I think it would be disingenuous of me to pretend otherwise.
I was assigned an forward-facing oceanview cabin that had a very interesting layout. It was located at the very front of the ship, which I later discovered wasn't ideal.
Not only was it a long distance to walk to and from, but the amount of vibrations from the ship docking every morning would jolt me awake every time.
I napped to make up for the lost sleep, but I'd pick a cabin in another location next time. Ideally, much closer to midship.
Wi-Fi was included because of my loyalty status, but I forgot to buy a second package
One of the best perks of having made it to Pinnacle Club status is I get a complimentary one device internet package every sailing.
For most people, this is all they would need. But because I'm working from the ship, I need to use internet on my phone and laptop. When I swap from my phone to my laptop, I don't get phone calls or text messages until I swap back. That's been a source of frustration.
Usually I pre-purchase a second internet package to take advantage of the pre-cruise savings. For some reason, I completely forgot to do that this time.
I could have paid for a package on the ship, but the onboard prices are quite high when compared to the pre-cruise discount.
I was annoyed at myself for not buying it, and ultimately relied on just one package. Since it was just 3 nights and over a weekend, I figured my work needs would be limited.
Next time I will double check my pre-cruise purchases the week before my sailing begins so I don't overlook something I assumed I had bought.
I visited the new Royal Beach Club on our second day to see what it's like
I may have booked this cruise with the notion it would be a "guys cruise", but it doubled as a research opportunity to visit the new Royal Beach Club.
Thanks to a Black Friday sale discount, I was able to get the unlimited alcohol day pass for $136.99 when I pre-purchased the pass. This saved me paying the listed onboard price of $250.00.
For the price I paid, I thought it was well worth the admission cost. Unlike Perfect Day at CocoCay, the beach club felt more like a shore excursion and I loved how good the service was throughout the day.
I can't wait to bring my family here in April when we return, and thanks to my pre-cruise purchasing strategy, I've found a much better price at just $89.99 per person!
I parked at the cruise terminal for the convenience
I could have saved money if I paid to park off site, but I'll always pay to park at the cruise terminal.
Being able to go right into the terminal and then back to my car when the cruise is over without dealing with a shuttle is worth every dollar.
I paid $85.60 for the ability to park at Port Canaveral.
As advertised, it was easy to get in and out, and I was grateful to not add any fuss to my pre- or post-cruise logistics.
I tried Hooked Seafood again, but it could have been cheaper
On a whim, I went back to Hooked Seafood to give it another try because I had skipped this specialty restaurant for many years.
As it turned out, Hooked was much better than I expected and I regretted not re-trying Hooked again sooner.
The onboard price of dinner at Hooked is $65, which is a good reminder to either pre-purchase a meal before the sailing or buy a dining package.
Either of those strategies should cut the price significantly. As an example, dinner at Hooked for Utopia of the Seas in April costs $41.99 with the current sale that's offered.
I ended my cruise with free activities at the cruise line's private island
Our last day was spent at Perfect Day at CocoCay, which is a private island exclusive for Royal Caribbean guests.
I love how much of the island's experience is included in your fare, so I didn't feel any pressure to spend more on the extra-cost areas.
Before disembarking the ship, I went to the fitness center and enjoyed the gym. There's no cost to use the fitness center, and it's so much better than my gym at home.
There's no cost to access CocoCay, and there are a number of included beaches and restaurants.
Read more: The cheapest way to do Perfect Day at CocoCay without missing out
My loyalty perks saved me even more money
Part of the secret to spending less on a cruise is taking advantage of the perks Royal Caribbean offers its loyal guests.
I had 6 drink vouchers to use every day because I'm a Pinnacle Club member. It was an easy decision to forgo buying a beverage package and rely just on those drinks.
As a Prime level member in Casino Royale, I also had unlimited free drinks while at the casino bar. Combined with the drink vouchers, this is an incredible savings.
In my cabin, I found a few cans of soda and bottled water because it's one of the Diamond Plus amenities you can choose to have.
There's no question being loyal to Royal Caribbean gets me a lot of extras that I would have otherwise to pay for. Plus, it's an added incentive to cruise more.
I made the most of my weekend cruise without spending a lot
I had a great time going to The Bahamas for the weekend, and I think I managed to do it all without spending a lot.
The total cost was just $972.72, which was greatly the result of a casino rate and a lot of loyalty perks.
Not everyone can take advantage of either of these options, but I think it illustrates the potential for cheap cruising with the right strategy. I would never advocate gambling to earn status or cruising to move up the Crown and Anchor ladder faster because overall, it would probably cost you more in the long run.
However, when the situation aligns better to allow you to take advantage of a situation like I had, then I think there's a good potential for a cheap weekend cruise.
I could have spent more and gotten a better cabin location. In fact, I would do just that next time. I doubt I would take a room at the very front of the ship again because of the noise and movement issues there.
I also should have remembered to double check my pre-cruise bookings to ensure I have everything I expect booked before the cruise begins.
