Retirement gives seniors lots of time to go on trips and vacations. And when presented with this opportunity, most retirees choose to go on cruises because they are super convenient and exciting. They also provide all the necessary amenities for seniors – which is a very important factor!
However, while cruising is a relaxing, life-changing experience, it’s often quite expensive. A lone traveler can be required to pay over $600 for a short cruise and with a fixed income, most retirees cannot afford these costs. Luckily, there are different ways retirees can save some money while enjoying an adventurous cruise. How? Let’s look at these 5 tips below.
• Be flexible about your booking time
As mentioned earlier, retirees have all the time in the world to go on a cruise. They have no work schedules, children, or bosses to hinder your trip. This means you don’t have to squeeze your trip into a certain period and can book a cruise more flexibly.
To get a discount for your trip, wait till the last minute. When you book a cruise closer to the departure time, the prices will be reduced, giving you a chance to save a considerable amount of cash.
The prices for most ship cruises decrease towards the departure time because the companies hope to fill up all the rooms. So they begin with high amounts, and if passengers are not buying, they start to drop the prices in hope to sell more rooms. Cruise companies prefer filling up all their rooms to ensure more money is spent on tickets and onboard the ship.
You can prepare for your last minute booking by packing up your travel items in advance. This way whenever the ship is set to depart, you can be ready. You may also have to settle for any open stateroom when you book last minute, so be prepared to adapt to any stateroom you are given.
• Get a cruise package
As a senior, simplifying the process of your trip will make it much easier for you. Luckily by bundling your cruise in flight into the same package, your plans will be simpler than ever. Another great reason for bundling your cruise and airfare is that it will save you a considerable amount of money.
Look for and take advantage of any good package deal you can find. Remember that you’ve got lots of time on your hands as a retiree, hence you can wait for deals before commencing on your trip.
Find package deals from cruise companies and bundle the hotels, flights, and excursions with your cruise. Cruise lines such as Celebrity Cruises, Carnival and Royal Caribbean offer lots of enticing packages. This can help you reduce the cost of your entire vacation.
Also, bundling your trip into a simple package can get you in a hotel near a port and discounted airfare. You can enjoy your trip without worrying about what hotel to stay in or how to get into town for the cruise. With patience, you might even get special deals and promos that combine your airfare and cruise price together, offering you a massive discount.
• Search for seniors’ discounts
Do you know that there are cruise lines that offer special discounts made especially for seniors? Retirees of age 55 and above often get these discounts.
For senior discounts, you get an option to choose a senior fare for any destination, stateroom, and cruise. Choosing senior fares gives you the chance to recieve a 5 to 10 percent discount on the cruise. To get this discount you can research cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Carnival cruises.
• Don’t book a cruise during breaks
As a retiree, you’re not limited to holidays to go on vacations. You can travel at any time, including periods when everyone else is at work or at school.
Booking a cruise at a time when no one else is on a holiday provides you with very cheap cruise rates. Traveling in summer will most likely be costly because most people take breaks during this season, making it a peak period for cruises. During these peak periods, the costs are higher and there are little spaces for last-minute bookings. When you book your cruise during other seasons of the year though, you can get unbelievable discounts. While others are at work or school, you can get coupon codes, promos, and sales to different parts of the world.
Some good times to get a discounted trip are between September to November, between the first to fourteenth of December, or in January.
• Book an older ship
Keep in mind that cruising on a new ship will be more expensive than cruising on an older ship. Most cruise lines are aware that older ships do not offer the same amenities and facilities newer ships do, so they reduce the costs to compensate. Booking a cruise on a new ship can cost as much as $900 per person while cruising on an older ship can save you almost half the price at $500. Sometimes a cruise on an older ship might even be one day longer than cruising on a new ship –giving you an extra day on the sea.
While newer ships might have upgraded amenities and features that can make a cruise seem better, an older ship will definitely provide you with all the fun and excitement you expect on your cruise. So for a more affordable trip, carry out a quick research on a cruise line’s older and newer ships, and then book a cruise on the older one for a huge price reduction and a comparable experience.
The cost of a cruise should not stop you from enjoying an adventurous time out at sea. With all of these tips above, you can find a very affordable cruise. Make sure to keep all of these tips in mind to save the most money!
