On a cruise, there can be a lot of extra expenses. From spas to shopping, it can be easy to rack up a bill. Instead of giving your credit card a workout, try focusing on all the free activities the ship offers.

Don’t forget that some cruises charge for Wi-Fi so try turning off your phone and bringing a book to enjoy by the pool or a few disposable cameras.

Ways to budget on a cruise:

• Skip the soda
• Take your own photos
• Avoid the restaurants
• Limit your drinking
• Bring your own supplies
• Avoid the casino
• Plan your personal excursions
• Clean your own clothes
• Skip all the extra

Soda and alcoholic beverages are often overpriced on cruise ships. Instead of spending $3-$7 on a drink, most cruises will allow you to bring one case of soda, beer, or water onboard.  If you go on Pinterest, you can often find hacks for bringing more beverages onboard.

Instead of paying for overpriced family photos onboard, try taking your own or finding somewhere cheaper on land.

Avoid specialty restaurants. The food in the dining areas, the buffets, and the other shops are just as good and less costly. If you really want to try one of these restaurants, booking reservations before you’re on the ship will often save you money. (If you are looking for a cruiseline with the best food, check out that article!)

Casinos can easily be a money trap, between gambling and the overpriced alcoholic beverages, it’s best to avoid them altogether.

Instead of going on cruise excursions, try planning your own. Cruise activities are often overpriced and may not include things you’re interested in.

Just remember to get back to the boat on time because they’re not afraid to leave without you. Some companies offer the same activities as cruise lines but at a discount and with the guarantee that you’ll be back before the boat leaves.

Some cruises will charge you per item of clothing you need to be cleaned. Instead of racking up a ridiculous laundry bill try bringing onboard a travel size bottle of laundry detergent and washing your clothes in the sink.

It’s easy to get lost in all that a cruise can offer, from night clubs to spas, it can be a floating paradise of indulgences. Just remember to check what all is or isn’t included for free in your cruise before you let loose and go wild.

The last thing you want is a credit card bill to ruin all the happy memories you made on the journey.

For more tips and tricks on how to travel on a budget, check out this article!

Best Value Cruise Lines

Price isn’t always the best way to determine the value of a cruise. Some cruises offer some serious extras or marked down costs in order to attract passengers onboard.

Best Cruise lines according to the U.S. News:

• Celebrity Cruises
• Royal Caribbean International
• Norwegian Cruise Line
• Carnival Cruise Line
• Princess Cruises
• Holland America Line
• MSC Cruises
• Costa Cruises

Celebrity Cruises is voted number one when it comes to value. It offers the sizeable floating city appeal of the more extensive lines but maintains the service standards, intimacy, and smaller prices that only smaller lines can uphold.

Royal Caribbean is one of the most extensive lines on the ocean with 20 ships currently on the seas. Due to how large they are, they can offer lower rates for European and Alaskan destinations.

Norwegian is making waves in the cruise industry as they’re abandoning traditional cruise rules like dress codes and set dinner times. They’re offering upscale experiences for a fraction of the price.

Carnival is known for its flash sales and early booking deals on top of already low prices. The ship’s activities won’t cost a dime, but their soda and alcoholic beverages are notoriously expensive. You may want to consider forgoing them all together or Pinterest some ways bring your favorites onboard.

You can expect to pay a similar price for Princess as you would Carnival (their parent company). The only difference is Princess caters more towards adults than families and offer longer voyages. Instead of an overabundance of waterslides, they offer extras such as cooking lessons and history lectures.

Holland America has ships that are kid-friendly and ships that are geared more towards adults. The cruise is a pretty good bargain, but that doesn’t mean they skimp on service. There is one staff member for every 3 guests, which leads to more personalized service.

MSC caters to mostly European ports, but even if you take a flight to Europe just to spend it on a cruise, you’ll find the cost is significantly lower than a land vacation with prices as low as $100 per night.

Costa is another Carnival-owned line that sails primarily to European ports. Like MSC, it offers much lower prices than European land vacations, and it provides both kids friendly and adult cruises. The adult cruises offer dance classes and theater productions.

While these cruises may not be as cheap as some of the voyages to the Bahamas of the Caribbean, they do offer more free onboard activities and a more extensive staff which can lead to a more personal experience.

Cruises often provide a much cheaper way to travel and guarantee that your day will be jam-packed with fun activities, you won’t find a dull moment on many of these cruises.

If you can’t use your cellphone onboard due to outrageous international fees at least, you can take a cooking class or go see a theater production.

Hopefully, this gave you a lot to consider for the next time you book a cruise, after all, you don’t want to worry about money when you’re on international waters.

(When you are ready to book your cruise, you’ll want to check out these best cruise destinations!)