A Realistic Solo Cruise on a Budget Plan
Plan a solo cruise on a budget with smart ways to avoid single supplements, choose affordable ships, cut onboard costs, and spend more time ashore for less
Taking a vacation on a cruise includes everything you need for a fantastic holiday: food, accommodations, entertainment during the day and at night, and transportation between destinations. Cruise fares can be as little as $100 per person per night on mainstream lines, which is significantly less than you’d spend on land for a hotel, dinner, and a show. When sharing a cabin with two adults, kids may sail for free or at a discounted rate.
Are you looking for luxury? Upscale lines offer even more inclusive fares, including alcohol and soft drinks, gratuities, shore tours, and onboard spending credits. So, here’s a rundown of all the fantastic things about cruising and why you should consider a vacation on a cruise!
Unbeknown to most, cruises offer one-way travel. There are three types of cruises that are typically one-way. Meaning you leave from one country and depart the cruise in another.
It takes you longer to get there, at least seven days. However, it’s a beautiful way to travel without flying. And you get the bonus of seeing some additional countries on your way. Another reason many travel by cruise vs. flying is that you can take your pet on cruises. For example, the Queen Elizabeth Luxury Cruise Ship has pet quarters!
Repositioning cruises are one-way sailings that bring the ship to a new home port or a different part of the world to kick-start a new cruise season. Because these sailings often cross oceans, you’ll likely experience ports in more than one cruise region — and have great sea days to take advantage of the spa, dining, and entertainment options on board.
All the major cruise lines offer the occasional repositioning cruises, typically on ships that usually sail in destinations with shorter seasons, such as Alaska or the Mediterranean.
As the name suggests, Transpacific cruises sail throughout the world’s largest body of water, the Pacific Ocean. Most cross over the International Dateline – the invisible line that marks where the day begins – and stop at a few ports like Hong Kong, Easter Island, Bora Bora, and Hawaii. Some examples of transpacific routes are:
A transatlantic cruise is any sailing that travels across the Atlantic Ocean, typically between North America and Europe. They usually last around two weeks and spend several consecutive days at sea, allowing you to enjoy the best a cruise ship has to offer on board. Examples include ships that sail the warm waters of the Caribbean during winter months, then reposition to Europe for summer or vice versa.
Plan a solo cruise on a budget with smart ways to avoid single supplements, choose affordable ships, cut onboard costs, and spend more time ashore for less
Taking a vacation on a cruise includes everything you need for a fantastic vacation: food, accommodations, entertainment during the day and at night, and transportation between destinations. Cruise fares can be as little as $100 per person per night on mainstream lines, which is significantly less than you’d spend on land for a hotel, dinner,…
The Caribbean is an excellent place to vacation, especially if you are cruising with Royal Caribbean and are going to experience The Perfect Day at CocoCay. If you’re looking for a relaxing or action-packed day, CocoCay has it all. It’s ranked number one in TripAdvisor’s list of the top ten beaches in the world. Even…
The All Access Ship Tour is a Royal Caribbean cruise ship tour. Virtually unheard of and unadvertised, most do not know this is an option! If you are naturally curious like me, you probably want to explore restricted areas. Here’s your chance. Explore the behind-the-scenes operations of cruise ships and discover how it all works….
Do you ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes on a cruise ship? Cruise operations are more than just the ‘front of the house” or what you see. On a cruise ship, the real work happens at the ‘back of the house.’ Only a few passengers ever get to see behind the scenes. Few…
Travel insurance for cruises can save you thousands. Learn what cruise policies cover, where they fall short, and how to choose wisely.
Find the best budget cruises for adults with smart picks for short sailings, shoulder season deals, and affordable lines worth booking.
When first launched in 2009, Oasis of the Seas was the largest cruise ship in the world. And by large, we are talking five times bigger than the Titanic. Part of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class, she is now the fourth-largest ship in the world. And she continues to lead the rest of the Oasis Class…
Free activities on The Oasis Of The Seas are not hard to find! The base fare of a cruise includes most things, but are there free things you can do on The Oasis of the Seas? Well, there’s a lot of free stuff to do. Understanding what’s free or “included” will help you stick to…
Every cruiser lusts after the raved about the balcony room. What if I told you there are some serious advantages to an inside cruise cabin that you might not have considered? I just took my 8th cruise. I don’t think of myself as a cruising fanatic, but I am not a novice cruiser. I’ve stayed…