Cruise ship holidays see passengers spending many hours onboard the floating hotels as they travel to their various ports of call. This means plenty of meals and drinks will be had onboard the cruise ship during the trip. Buying drinks could see the cost of your holiday escalating – and could also mean lots of queueing. A cruise expert there’s one trick that cruise lines use to get you to spend more – and you could save money by being aware of it.
Simon Hoe, Global Head of Marketing at Cruise1st, explained that there’s a certain drink onboard to watch out for.
“Most lines also have a Drink of the Day, which is pricier because of the souvenir glass they’re served in,” he told Express.co.uk
“Simply ask for it to be served in a regular glass, and you’ll save a little. It always pays to inquire, so don’t feel like you’re being forward with some of your requests.”
Hoe also recommends planning ahead when it comes to alcohol. “When it comes to drinks, consider buying an inclusive drinks package online before you board,” he told Express.co.uk.
“You tend to save a bit more, and you’ll skip the queues to boot.”
Another way of saving money – and getting your hands on the booze you like – is to bring your own.
“Read your cruise line’s fine print too; some ships actually do allow you to bring your own drinks onboard, including a small amount of alcohol, usually wine or Champagne,” Hoe recommended.
On Royal Caribbean cruises “guests are not allowed to bring beer or hard liquor onboard for consumption or any other use,” states their website.
Containers will be inspected and any containing alcohol will be disposed of.
Royal Caribbean states: “Alcoholic beverages seized on embarkation day will not be returned.”
However, this strict rule does not extend to wine or champagne as cruise passengers can bring two 750ml bottles of these aboard per stateroom.
Carnival Cruise Line, however, will only permit guests to bring one bottle of wine or champagne on board.
Norwegian Cruise Line does not appear to state a limit on bottles of wine and champagne.
The NCL website says: “Guests may bring sealed bottles of wine on board for personal consumption.
Hoe also advises keeping your eyes out for deals. “The time of the day can also offer certain rewards too,” he said. “Ask about any first-night deals, as sometimes lines offer a complimentary bottle of wine, for example.”
Cruise ship lines also have another trick to encourage passengers to spend more around the vessel, an insider revealed.