7 Cruise Expenses That You Don't Need to Pay For

[@markhovis4]

The last night of a recent cruise I had $500 of unused onboard credit. Went to the Casino, put it in a slot machine $100 at a time then immediately cashed out without a single bet. Onboard credit changed to cash! Just like that! Good tip!

[@EmmaCruises]

Haha! Perfect 😀⚓️

[@norasullivan1557]

Thank you!! Great idea!

[@vonholley]

This is so smart!!

[@wendytabon3029]

I have done it many times

[@날Gnarleigh리]

Big brain move 🧠 we gotta gate keep this info sir. please take this comment down 💀

[@haylieg2780]

One thing you forget about is that if you book your excursion through the cruise line then you don’t have to worry about if something happens and the excursion gets back late. If you book it yourself then it is entirely on you to get back to the ship on time. Just friendly advice from a travel agent.

[@23oakhill]

Be brave Jordan ,

[@davidmarcus3571]

Some travel agents offering shore cruises have the same guarantees that the cruise line does as far as getting you back in time and what they will do if it doesn't happen for some reason.

[@dogcrazy25]

@@23oakhill I appreciate that advice, I did nit know that.

[@geraldwalker7609]

Peace of mind is priceless.

[@williammiller5449]

On our first cruise, some of our group got stuck in a cable car for 2 hours due to a breakdown. Because they booked through the ship, the ship waited for them.

[@TheOriginalMarimoChan]

One trick I learned as a little girl from our housekeeper was to wash items by hand, wring out excess water, lay the damp item flat on a towel, then roll the towel up very tightly, like a burrito lengthwise, and leave it for a few hours so the fibers in the towel soak up all the liquid, then unroll, and air dry...voila!! This was one of the best hacks I've ever learned.

[@cristagalli96]

My mom and I do that but we stand and walk on the towel to squish out more water! That could crease or wrinkle your item if it's prone to that but we've never had much of an issue.

[@dorothyveil3910]

On a Royal Caribbean cruise, I brought two bottles of wine onboard that coincidentally was a wine you could purchase onboard. I expected to pay the corkage fee in the dining room, and was pleasantly surprised when the sommelier said there would be no charge since that is a wine they stock.

[@havenstatguys]

Re: Laundry - I was delighted to find Holland America offered unlimited laundry service for a 14 day cruise for $100. I was able to pack substantially less clothes and I sent laundry out every day and got it back the next day. Always came nicely folded or on a hanger. Not a super cheap way to do it but the 14 day cruise was $4,000 so another $100 for laundry was a great deal.

[@wasntme923]

Yes and to add to your comment, if one sticks with sailing one cruiseline (for example), the “free” perks start to add up with each subsequent sailing - Carnival offers free laundry service at a certain sailing level. I think you’re on to something!

[@EmmaCruises]

Ooo that’s good to know! Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼

[@mjd1949]

I'm unable to drink coffee now for medical reasons. So I'm going to take a couple of boxes of OXO with the packets/sachets in them. Then I just need a cup of hot water and can mix my own drink. I do that now in restaurants. As for laundry, I no longer have to worry about it. I'm 'Elite' with Princess so get my laundry done for nothing. I don't think Princess is allowing self-guided 'walk-about' any more, so when I go to Hawaii in April 2022, I'll either take a ship's tour or just stay onboard. This will be my 5th or 6th cruise to Hawaii anyway. I love your videos, Emma. You are so charming and wise beyond your years. I'm now 72 (today) and fondly remember my days being 26. I'd been married 5 years already! Still married after 50 years!

[@EmmaCruises]

Happy birthday!! That’s amazing 😀🥰

[@margaretgreen9204]

I take little packets of flavoring for bottled water, some tea bags, instant cocoa packets & little packets of instant coffee, creamer & sweetener. A cup of coffee/cocoa/tea made with hot water from the cabin faucet isn't really very hot, but better than paying for room service every time you want a little warm drink.

[@StamperWendy]

I'd love Afternoon Tea on a cruise ship, especially with the mini sandwiches, cucumber sandwiches & tea cakes 😊

[@achevres]

I’ve been washing clothes in the sink all my life! Especially undies. So easy! I’m having a hard time understanding why people have a problem. Also, I don’t want to have dirty undies around, lol. I am picky with laundry and like to line dry a number of things, so I would be wary of sending them out, plus the cost. My tip if you hand wash bigger or heavier clothes is to roll them in dry towels and press, to remove as much water as possible, and they will dry a lot faster. You can always ask for more towels.

[@susankeyssecker8195]

If you roll your hand-washed items in a towel, put one foot on one end, then twist and pull upwards, your clothes will dry quickly when then hung and stretched out to remove most wrinkles.

[@zork999]

You should bring a 5" or so flat travel stopper since some sinks in hotels, etc will not have a stopper you can close.

[@rosemarysmith5967]

My family travelled with six of us for three months in a van in Australia. Mum didn’t want all those smelly clothes as well, so I learned young, one can simply wash small pieces in the shower as well.

[@gnrands50]

Excellent advice, Emma. I would add that if you do laundry, by hand, in the sink, the supplied shampoo works great for detergent.

[@ChucknRachelN]

Also, if you have a crease that won't fall out, a flat iron for your hair can remove clothes creases.

[@susankeyssecker8195]

Makes me wonder what it does to your hair!

[@gnrands50]

@@susankeyssecker8195 Not much. The shampoo & body wash on NCL ships are very mild and offer a subtle lemon fragrance. Most cruisers bring their own. For laundering some clothing, the shampoo is effective & inoffensive if you don't mind stuff hanging out drying all day. The big plus is being able to pack light.

[@terrysplace2566]

@@susankeyssecker8195 I think the same thing.

[@terrysplace2566]

@@gnrands50 I think she meant the flat iron.

[@ecormack1]

We make friends with our stateroom host the first day and ask for wineglasses. The ones they bring look just like the ones in the dining rooms so we pour our drink in our cabin and then head up on deck or to dinner with our drinks.

[@EmmaCruises]

Good idea 😀💕

[@grannyoffive1313]

Yes...we do the same if we didn't purchase the drink package😉

[@elysiacelestewells4155]

American T-Mobile has cheap internet for most of Europe. I had better wifi than Belgium phone service for no additional money in Germany, France and Austria. Also, I have a collapsible portable tea kettle I bring around with me with a collapsible coffee cup too.

[@sergel02]

Whether it’s a cruise ship tour, a walking tour booked in land, or a bus/coach tour, I really like having a tour guide. I learn so much more and enjoy it more than only exploring on my own.

[@EmmaCruises]

Sounds good! 😁🥳

[@stevethomas760]

LAUNDRY, detergent sheets. They dissolve in the wash, you can cut to size of job, just toss few in a zip loc bag and your good to go. Bonus. super magnet hooks for your cabin walls to hang things.

[@EmmaCruises]

Perfect! Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼

[@Star-Boarder]

Wait, what are detergent sheets? What memo did I miss???

[@fweetre1516]

@@Star-Boarder laundry soap that's been pressed into little individual strips/sheets to carry around. They can look a bit like oversized listerine strips if you're familiar with those.

[@lizcademy4809]

I just use plain shampoo. For small things it works just as well as laundry detergent.

[@gracejurkiewicz2595]

@@lizcademy4809 So am I, works perfect. For rinse I put in the water softener sheet.

[@zork999]

If you have clothes with wrinkles, hang them up in the bathroom and turn on the shower on hot (or just take a shower with hot water), close the door and let the steam remove the wrinkles.

[@UsernamesForDummies]

I cruised with my mother a few years ago. Neither of us has ever been on one. But my mother, always the adventurer, and both of us disliking mass migration though little sleepy villages, booked rental cars in nearly every port. The rental agents always met us at the port exit, gave us the car and we explored at our own leisure. Surely, it did cost extra, but so did the day trips. And while the other passengers were eating in touristy restaurants, we were having lunch in some mountain village in Crete, or at a fancy beach club in Mykonos. We saw exactly what we were interested in and never felt like cattle...though we nearly missed the ship once...I now call it an adrenaline rush, lol. And btw, we did smuggle in Gin after a day trip in a water bottle (our cruise did not allow bringing your own). Waiting at the scanner to board again, I took a medium sip to pretend it was water, chatting with my mum. Worked a treat!😎

[@EmmaCruises]

That does sound amazing!! Well done you for organising it. Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼

[@Christopher_Gibbons]

Yes, cunard definitely has the best afternoon tea, especially if you get a grills suit on a transatlantic crossing. You have tea on a deck chair outside snuggled up in a blanket. Pure heaven.

[@andyprice5882]

A good place to find free wi-fi is at any bank and you don't even need to go inside, my wife and I have done this several times in the Caribbean by just sitting outside and logging in.

[@EmmaCruises]

Oo good idea! 😀👏🏼

[@EmmaCruises]

Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼

[@sandieinatlanta9587]

I carry a small 2 cup teapot with a basket in it. I have two small canisters of my favorite smoky breakfast blend and perhaps Earl Grey. Waiters are happy to add boiling water.

[@EmmaCruises]

Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼

[@hendu7111]

In regards to shore excursions, certainly there are cheaper alternatives & oftentimes for the same "tour" but what you get with booking through the cruise line (at least in the ones that I've used) is the guarantee that the ship will not leave port without your or that the cruise line will cover the cost of getting you to the next port. If you go on our own, you lose this guarantee. Again, not sure if this is the case with ALL cruise lines so certainly check that out but in my experience, this has been the case. $5 - 10 more for that piece of mind can be worth it depending on what you want to do.

[@SherryAnnOfTheWest]

When we cruised to Stockholm (on a Baltic cruise), it required a one hour train to and from the city. We didn't dock IN Stockholm. Once there, we did a self-guided tour. BTW, the art auctions offer free drinks ... champagne, generally. And, no corkage to pour your own wine in your cabin and consume it all over the ship in a travel cup you brought with you.

[@jackiemarshall3711]

I went on a cruise to unwind so I didn't get wifi and it was so relaxing.

[@TheFadedFate]

Yeah just download audiobooks, music and a few offline games before you leave. No social media 😁

[@cindylewis3325]

That is what it’s all about….getting away from everything!

[@georgeshepherd6431]

Let's face one essential fact. The cruise line's main purpose is to separate you from your money. Your cabin steward, the bartender, etc., may want to help you have the best cruise ever, and they may somehow have a talent for remembering that you prefer Johnny Walker Red over Black, and your waiter in the main dining room may remember that you like your scrambled eggs runny, but in the corporate offices in Miami it's "how can we get/trick people to spend more?"

[@EmmaCruises]

I mean, that’s what a business does. Makes profit 😀❤️

[@criswisner8128]

At least you do get to choose where your money goes. And Emma shows you how not to separate from your cash.

[@Tarathathe77wookiee]

Some of these things are secret so don't tell everyone. Puts it on youtube for the entire world to see. LOL. I love peppermint tea!! Thank You for this great video!

[@EmmaCruises]

😉😂

[@justinsnelling8053]

Love the travel savings tips. When I went to University in London (1973) I got an award that included a place in a much prized place in a College Hall of Residence in South Kensington. I remember taking my first load of laundry down to the laundry room and sat there in blinking awe at all the busy machines with knobs and dials and all kinds of settings. I gawped like a stranded goldfish out of water and then took my laundry back to my bedsit room and for the whole of that year I washed all my laundry by hand! (I did figure out how to use the machines - (eventually) but I actually found it far more efficient doing it all myself!!! That "Techno Peasant" thingy - I was straight off the Farm in Kent.

[@TitoTimTravels]

Laundry is easy. All my clothes are quick-dry, wash it at night, it is dry by morning. Any soap will do, shampoo or liquid hand soap are always available. I have been on a one week trip, and extended it 2 more weeks (I saw something interesting and got off the bus). If you are packed for a week - you are packed for a year. Just do your wash in the sink. 😎

[@EmmaCruises]

Sounds good! 😁🥳 Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼

[@angelahorton5745]

Useful tips, most of which we have already tried but using the casino to access cash was new to me. Cunard is definitely our favourite afternoon tea.

[@EmmaCruises]

You really can't beat Cunard for afternoon tea! It's so funny when I start the cruise I always struggle to eat another meal between lunch and dinner... by the end, NO PROBLEM ha ha. I'm not sure if the cake, tea or sandwiches is the best bit.... or scones!

[@lynnfranklin5098]

I agree with you Emma about excursions and I do most excursions around the port on my own BUT distance trips are worth the expense and the insurance of getting to the ship on time. Also some of the specialty food /beverage tours are so worth the expense, because you get the local food and drinks with a local. in a small group in an out of the way location.

[@johnhughes3585]

Emma all great tips. It has taken me thirty years to learn this on my own. You are saving your subscribers a lot of money on their next few cruises. One reason I cruise more on all inclusive cruise lines because hate getting nickel and dimed. Also tire of all the cross selling on main cruise line companies.

[@EmmaCruises]

Thanks so much John!! Best comment ever 😁♥️

[@janiekcarney5482]

It’s not nickel and dime. It’s five and ten dollars each time.

[@finned958]

I recommend bringing in red wine, which doesn’t need refrigeration. Depending on the cruise line, you can have one wine bottle per person per stateroom. The room steward will have a corkscrew to open it. Bring a wine cooler insulated cup to pour your own to drink prior to going to the main dining room. They won’t ask to take it back. One thing cruise lines are doing is specialty dining. You don’t need it. There’s enough included dining and food locations to eat all day. No extra charges. If you like sodas, try to find an abandoned beverage cup. Someone might have forgotten it. I found one at a lounge and cleaned it up. It works in any soda dispenser for free.

[@EmmaCruises]

Sounds good! 😁🥳 Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼

[@stanwolenski9541]

A better selection at the speciality dining. Better service, no where as crowded. Breakfast and lunch okay in the main dining area, my wife and I don’t care much for dining with folks other than family and rarely cruise with family due to conflicting schedules.

[@Fabianwew]

The last one is so cheap lol

[@giuliolupo1]

Hi Emma, ​​your videos are very interesting, thank you. Regarding the washing of small items of clothing in the cabin, I would also recommend the paper bin in the bathroom, just remove the plastic bag and the bin is usually new and perfectly clean and convenient for washing small things. In fact, you are right, I wanted to use the laundry on board but each item cost about 5 dollars (Costa Smeralda, May 2022).

[@23oakhill]

My favourite save was in Vigo, the cruise line offered a boat trip to the Ceis Islands for £100 . They are beautiful by the way, I walked from the ship to the booking office in the harbour , I paid £22 for the exact same trip, in fact other cruise passengers were on the same trip who had paid £100. We were lucky and the weather was wonderful and we saw dolphins but I glowed in the knowledge of my bargain

[@EmmaCruises]

Yesssss! So proud of you! 💪🏼❤️🥰

[@ADRXTRM]

Hey emma, and everyone... I just love it to have no wifi connection on board of a cruise. In regular life there's so much channels of information that are reaching out to you. Love to escape from that. On a cruise, 8 days or 12 days, i'm not reachable for anyone. Occasionally on land i use mobile internet on my phone to reach out for my sister and parents. That's it.

[@EmmaCruises]

I love that too! Best digital detox 🥰❤️

[@kalozakos]

Thank you for the video Emma. I am also a budget cruiser. I get free laundry, but if you need fresh knickers, you can always pop into a shop in port and get new ones rather cheaply. If you get other clothing items in port, they are a souvenir and will remind you of your holiday.

[@EmmaCruises]

Great point! 😁❤️

[@RogersMgmtGroup]

I like to buy tshirts that are themed to where I travel. I intentionally pack only a couple shirts because I will be picking up new ones along the way.

[@bruciethecuz9031]

Thanks Emma. Good stuff. On our last two Princess cruises, at the welcome gathering in the theater for our Loyalty level (gold at the time), we sat through a short presentation (maybe 15 minutes) and on the way out they handed out coupons for one free drink each that could be used anytime during the cruise. A nice reward for attending a nice presentation. 👍👍👍

[@glennletts4017]

Another way to save that I have used is to buy 100 shares of the cruise line stock, most of the time it is the parent company, and you will receive an onboard credit depending on the length of the cruise. My last cruise in Carnival they gave me an extra $50 to spend, This might change after the COVID is over and different cruise do it in different ways.

[@highspec_tech90]

With Shore Excursions, I almost always check Viator. If there is a trip sold by the ship that I want to go on, I will see if I can book with either them or directly with the company, depending how easy it is to get to the pick up point. Last year I was in Boston and got a the same brewery tour with the same local company but saved $30.00 even after paying for the taxi to city centre. Plus I also got a free upgrade to the tour that included lunch at a restaurant cos the tour guide that was normally working, was doing the ships tour instead. We even ended up at the same brewery at the same time 🤣🤣

[@jasontanner9755]

On Cunard, I wanted to have coffee in the mornings on the back deck. (It was the smoking deck.) It got to the point where I would build a tray of coffees and pastries and carry them out to the back, I was popular with the smokers. Wish they had had a coffee butler (carafe) though.

[@EmmaCruises]

Haha!! 😂😂

[@johndittmer8488]

If you can, just get the thumb drive for the photos. It's a lot cheaper to have the few you like developed at home.

[@crazy4dariver]

Thanks to a woman in her 90s I learned the casino trick. She was one of those that lives on cruises full time on various ships. I was lucky enough to have been sat next to her at the formal dinner. She taught me all kinds of tricks some obvious and some rather devious but absolutely legal. 😈

[@MM-jf1me]

Haha, care to share a devious tip? No worries if you want to keep your secrets!

[@crazy4dariver]

I have done several Mexican Riveria with Norwegian and paid the fee for WiFi. Not sure if they changed the policy BUT the ship had a Starbucks onboard. Big shock, free WiFi there. Buy a coffee and grab a table. Also, Starbucks gift cards ARE accepted on the ship. Maybe a dollar more per drink than on land but heck..use it!

[@andreagriffiths3512]

Im particular with my tea and coffee. I take my own and just get hot water. Works a treat

[@vonbradley5920]

Good tips Emma. We already bring laundry detergent on a ship. Free drink Captain Circle parties are the best. We had a Bartender who knew us from another cruise brought us 2 people a tray of drinks. We did not waste anything. Thanks for the info.

[@EmmaCruises]

Awesome! 😀👏🏼

[@ZadieBear]

In 2007, I traveled through Europe for 9 weeks in the late fall. A couple of apartments had a washer and/or dryer, which was awesome, but most didn't. I regularly handwashed all my clothing and hung up to dry on the radiant or steam heaters. Never again will I travel for a long time without laundry soap.

[@emilyaford1055]

On princess and P&O cruises it’s definitely worth getting photos taken before dinner at the screens setup in the atrium. You only pay for the photos you like on these cruise lines

[@barbarap5278]

Great tips Emma! I always order room service in the morning at the time I want to be woken up.. Coffee(a carafe), tea, fruit & some pastries... there's no charge for that...

[@Ian_Burgess]

The hop on hop off bus was cheaper on the curb in Genoa than via the ship. Lovely place!

[@EmmaCruises]

Such a cool place! I've never done the hop on hop off bus there though, I thought most things were relatively close by. What did you see on the bus?!

[@Ian_Burgess]

We did the full loop whilst it was raining then jumped off at the piazza de Ferrari then walked through to the shops and walked back, it’s a lovely place hope to go back soon! Or just any Ship anywhere will do!

[@pissip]

Use hot water to remove the cap of a water bottle without breaking the seal, fill with alcohol, replace cap. Bring alcohol for free. ;)

[@pissip]

I honestly love how active you are in the comments, you seem to be such a nice genuine person Ɛ> keep up the good work and keep enjoying yourself ☺️

[@susankilstrom6852]

These tips are all very realistic and helpful. Thanks!

[@michaelmason4206]

Dear Emma, your videos are quite informative, always positive and at times quite funny. I wonder if you have ever done a video on some of the excursion or local scams you have observed. Often, many people don’t really explore their destination ports and just walk around the immediate Port locations. Have you ever experienced any scams?

[@dogcrazy25]

Great tips. Would love tips for solo travellers. When I traveled with friends I was solo most if the time since I get up late and go yo bed late, they were early risers.

[@themole1944]

Thanks Emma some great tips DIY trips are expensive but i was on one to Jerusalem got back to the ship 2.75 hours late,the ship waited if it was DIY it would have gone.

[@michaelvoight7738]

Why was it nearly 3 hours late?

[@themole1944]

@@michaelvoight7738 Traffic accident we got caught in the tailback that it caused.

[@theostickley6492]

Absolutely bang on regarding the two countries one with roaming and one without. We got caught going through the straights of Gibraltar. We went from Spanish network to Moroccan for about an hour. Enough time for my daughter to send 7 photos to a friend back home and sucker me with a £35 additional bill for the month.

[@Brian-he8cc]

Love your channel! I just started looking at cruses and agree with you. I looked at prices for inside cabin and eating included food (witch looked amazing) and looked at balcony cabin and some of the specialty food. I could take two cruses for that price. I don't know about others but I'd rather take two weeks over one.

[@barrycohen7867]

Emma, great video may I add when I bring my bottles of wine onboard , I will ask my cabin steward for a few wine glasses and this allows me to pour a glass of wine and take it with me when I go out to dinner or shows .If i need thew glasses asap I go to a lounge and ask the bartender for wine glasses . Please give them a tip. I been on over 100 cruises can not wait to get back on the open seas . Take care all Barry

[@EmmaCruises]

That sounds like a great idea Barry! I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for watching :D

[@KelleysQuiltsandCruises]

We always do the same Barry. It is a great tip.

[@jrzebird1]

Please be certain to check the rules of the cruise line you are sailing. Some limit how much you can carry on, some allow none. Some charge a fee for each bottle. Also, if you are flying to or from your ship, be sure to check the rules of your airline. My brother in law didn't listen to our advice and lost (translate they were confiscated) several bottles of very expensive Scotch at the airport going home, he intended as gifts.

[@paulscheibel5829]

Love these KZbin Vids, I'm a RCI cruiser from Sydney. I also find most Museums have free internet. Thankyou so much Emma.

[@EmmaCruises]

Thank you! 😁❤️ great idea!

[@julieb7882]

Hop on hop off bus offers sometimes and in some places offers a discount if you book on line even a few days before.

[@Star-Boarder]

I like not having internet especially since I'm on a computer full time. Nice to decompress. Cabin shampoo is good enough to wash undies and bathing suits. I always bring some shout wipes to treat stains. I don't need photos of myself and find cruise photography kind of annoying...Carnival is bad about it.

[@JustMe-ym7eo]

Well love this! I went on 1 cruse a few years ago and I paid a fortune for it. I was led to belive I need a Balcony or better and eat at the upgraded restraunts. Buy all the ships excursions. I think I will be going on another or 10 lol. I would have gone back but it takes years to save for what I paid. If I were to do it like you I could go two or three times a year. Thanks for the info! New sub here

[@billmaggie3870]

Nice lady with mostly great advice. Just remember like anything else. The more research you do prior to the cruise itself or the excursion you want to experience will give you the best information if you take the time to find what works best for you.

[@poutygorilla2698]

Wonderful advice! I'm 70 yrs old and would be delighted to travel with you. Best of luck to you in your future sailings.

[@EmmaCruises]

Thank you! 😁❤️

[@asplumb]

Hi Emma. You can't have an iron but you can use a hair straightener.

[@catherinecartwright8252]

asplumb Nice video! I’m guessing since people using hair straighteners/curling irons aren’t laying them down on some type of cloth and usually use them in a bathroom. Some people don’t use common sense and leave irons plugged in and sometimes with the metal plate face down on the ironing board or bed.

[@TheCatInTheHat6505]

You can ask some cruise lines to borrow an iron and ironing board for a couple of hours.

[@markrutledge-docmark41]

Greetings Emma, my wife and I enjoy watching your videos, as we cruise a fair amount in our work, and we appreciate the tips and tricks you share with us. A few comments, if I may? As far as paying the cruise line to book excursions, that does have a huge plus. If you book through your cruise line, and then for some reason, the excursion does not make it back to the ship on time, they will wait for you to arrive. If you book on your own, well... you are on your own to find a way to catch up to the ship! We had this happen to one of our students, who was left in Helsinki, when she missed the ship! We were worried sick about it, but as she had not booked through our cruse line, she was pretty much on her own. Having said that, Holland America, did their level best to find her, and make sure she had a room for the night, for which, of course, she had to pay. They also booked a flight out of Helsinki, to Berlin, were we finally had her back in the fold. But, SHE had to pay for all that, herself! Had she booked her "hop on/hop off" with HA, they would have waited for her at the dock, or paid the costs to get her safely back on board. Just a FYI on that point. Also, regarding drinking beverages on board ship: HA offer a "Have it All" plan, which was well worth the cost for us. It allowed us to have 15 drinks per person, per day, and each drink had to be under $11.00. We drank our tea and coffee in the Buffet, as you so wisely suggested. But, all beer, wine, and mixed drinks were included in our package, as well as the service charges therefore. Also, sodas, bottled water, or sparking water, and specialty coffees were also included in this package, which, for us, offered us $95.00 of drinks, per person, per day at no extra charge. We had before-dinner drinks with our students, and also drinks at dinner, and when we added up what all that would have cost us, we found the "Have it All" plan to be a rare bargain! This was on Holland America, and we do not know about such plans on other cruise lines. Thanks, again, for the entertaining and enjoyable videos, and for sharing all your own experiences with us! Take care, and God Bless! - Mark and Cynthia

[@paulscheibel5829]

RCI, also have days when they have deals for laundry, five or six items of clothing for about $15:00. Great for under ware, shorts & T-shirts. I'm missing my cruises so these video's are great to watch.

[@EmmaCruises]

Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼

[@irishfergal]

I love the video clips of the lads drinking their "bring your own drinks" on a cruise. They look so lonely and drive home your point perfectly and with humor! Much appreciated.

[@jeremyreeve5798]

Tea from the buffet is fine, coffee though is normally cr*p. Excursions are always a good topic of conversation. We have had some really good cruise line excursions and some dud's, while going your own way is very easy in many ports, particularly in Europe for some destinations the security of a cruise line excursion is sometimes worth the price. We recently visited Casablanca with MSC and booked a 2 centre excursion covering Casablanca and Rabat, it was £112 per person! We took the view that we probably would not return to Casablanca and it was not the sort of place to just go wandering, so it had to be done. It was excellent, it lasted 11 hours, we visited the huge Mosque on a Friday before prayers as they stopped visitor entry at 11.00am which caught many 'selfers' out, were taken all around Casablanca, had a brilliant lunch with wine and coffee and thankfully a super clean western style loo, or bathroom for our US friends, at the Movenpick Hotel before driving the 1+ hour to Rabat for more great sights with an excellent local guide. Plus, we met people who we then always stopped and talked to on the ship. It worked out at £10 per hour and our table guests who decided to do 'their own thing' were left underwhelmed by Casablanca, when in fact, it had so much to offer. We once visted Rome from Civitavecchia. Many people took the normal train from the local station to Rome Central Station. We with P&O went on a special red train that used a little used station just a 7+ minute walk from St Peter's Square, where the guide after a 30 minute tour around the square then left us for the day complete with his mobile number in case we got into any difficulty and precise instructions where to meet up again, it was piece of mind plus a great train ride that dropped you right back into the port where a bus drove you to the ship, a great day. So, it's worth doing your home work, but then is that not always the case?

[@davedove67]

On my first Holland America cruise, it was also my first Dancing with the Stars cruise as well as my first cruise to Alaska. I wanted lots of pictures, so I bought the "Every picture taken" package. Now, this wasn't cheap, so every time a photographer came around, I had them take my picture. I went to every backdrop on both formal nights and located the photographer at any event I attended. I definitely got my money's worth for that purchase. I don't know how the tea would stand up to British standards, but the afternoon tea on Holland America had LOTS of sandwiches and sweets.

[@EmmaCruises]

Haha! That sounds great to me. That definitely sounds like a good idea, glad you got your money's worth I'd be doing exactly the same 😂😂

[@deepshotone]

Every time I cruise I purchase the photo package. My last last cruise was on Royal Caribbean. The photo package was $268. I ended up with 180 photos. That's $1.48 per photo. The photo package is a great deal....

[@cqix]

Regarding Wifi. Also remember one thing when cruising Scandinavia. You're typically relatively close to the shore and the scandinavian countries have a great mobile network. If you have any data plan that allows you to use your data package in other countries (Beware Norway is not EU, so check if you have a special plan, like the one I gladly have) and simply use it whenever you're close to the shore. I frequently used my data plan within the fjords or close to danish bridges. And enjoy! Btw nice hack with the casino!

[@EmmaCruises]

Yesss great tip. Thanks 😀❤️

[@DonLekei]

Just beware if you leave your phone off airplane mode and you go out of range of the shore for even an hour, you can pay far more than the internet package in data charges if it connects to "Cellular at Sea". Spend a day at sea and you can be out more than your whole cruise. Make sure that you go into cellular settings and turn off automatic network selection and lock it to a carrier you know has a roaming agreement with your carrier.

[@cqix]

@@DonLekei If your provider has a contract with the satellite phone company, yes you have to be VERY careful, with what you are connected. (Mine never connected with those and I am not really sad about this)

[@brittanycoulter5000]

We stayed in suites on Royal Caribbean about 2 years ago and they would dry clean a few items for you every night complimentary for staying in a suite. Every night before dinner we would make sure to put out something. It was so helpful.

[@EmmaCruises]

Ooo that sounds good! Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼

[@shahmask]

22 yrs ago, my first cruise, I thought the free coffee was the only coffee. It was so bad. 2nd to last day I saw a lady with a latte and immediately asked her where she got it, that I was dying. She told me she had been too, just found it, and told me where to buy it. The line there was soon long and we weren't the only ones that had just found it.

[@NickFaulkner]

Casino trick is a really nice one

[@susanclark1351]

Going to the casino for cash worked the best for me no pain !!!

[@wendykoek6757]

Thanks for the heads up on the internet bit for overseas travel and the recommendations for it too

[@EmmaCruises]

It's such an awful thing to get wrong and get charged for! Nobody makes the mistake twice haha 🤣♥️

[@davidevans8534]

we always book the floor below the buffet and as close as to the stairs as possible so can nio up in the morning get coffee an tea and bring back to room to enjoy on the balcony

[@EmmaCruises]

Yum!! I’m normally running up about 7 decks 😂😂😂

[@vontravel]

Spot on about photography. I had pro picture taken. Paid the price, and was then told I could not use it in any form of advertising, etc! Of course I did. A pity cruise lines go so far to nickel and dime one; leaves a bad taste.

[@toddgilmore8412]

Awesome tips for when cruising starts up again.

[@N.M.N.]

I have never boughten wifi just use in port if I need it. My mom won free wifi at the welcome seminar on carnival so we all shared that

[@EmmaCruises]

Ooo ha ha! I hear that Carnival have this app you can talk on? That sounds good :)

[@carmelt4205]

Laundry: I'm so anti body-odor so microfiber undershirts and camisoles are must-haves for me and my husband. Those wash and dry very easily especially after rolling in one of the extra towels to dry. Outer layers can stay unwashed much longer. Also, no cotton undies - those take forever to dry!

[@luv2travel2000]

Microfiber undershirts? Will have to get some of those. Great tip. Thanks. :)

[@eliotflicker2594]

Princess has very good afternoon tea.

[@whybutwhy4137]

I’ll give you a tip for washing shirts even a pair of jeans... you can get a large storage bag put water and soap in the bag and give it a good shake. Once you can see the soap foam up put your item in the bag and zip it closed. Shake the bag for a few minutes then drain. I recommend rinsing off in the sink or tub. Jeans will take the longest to dry but if your room has a hair dryer you can use that. You can’t take an iron but if have the hair dryer you can get wrinkles out of your clothes.

[@icturner23]

Whenever I’m travelling anywhere, I always wash the previous day’s clothes (except not changing trousers every day) in the shower with me. It takes basically no time and is fresher than keeping dirty laundry, plus everything is always available in case needed before I do laundry.

[@clingdawg2229]

I’m chomping at the bit to start cruising again, so I’m surfing the cruising videos on KZbin, and came upon your channel. We’ve washed pants or shirts, if they’ve gotten soiled & we want to wear them again! We use a little of the shampoo that the cruise line provides. Some fabrics lend themselves pretty well to drying without wrinkles. My tip is to stay out of the ship’s gift shop. When you’re on board, it makes so much sense to buy the little replica of the ship or a polo shirt with the cruise line’s logo for $100. But it really doesn’t make sense - I’ve bought those souvenirs along the way and they become clutter to throw away a few years down the road. Your own photographs and memories are the best souvenirs! (Save your money for a special unique purchase at a port of call, such as a piece of art from someone local, or a special meal where the locals eat.)

[@Boertje247]

Brilliant point! My dad and stepmom said if they wanted a cocktail glass from a cruise line, they’d go to a thrift/2nd hand store--you’ll see many to choose from. I usually cruise Norwegian or HAL, and have bought kitchen towels or aprons at prices comparable to home prices. Know what things cost before you go!

[@Paul_Wetor]

While on a UK cruise last year, I had my U.S. phone carrier allow international roaming, but I made sure to turn the Mobile Data option Off on my phone. If I did need data (for Google Maps to locate my walking destination), I turned it on and then off when I got there. I did buy a minimal Internet package on the ship for basic messaging and web-surfing.

[@jimbopest4]

You can download the app MAPS.ME onto your phone, then download maps for the various cities/countries you are going to . I found this app was terrific in Vietnam -- it works just like a car GPS, so you can see where you are; or put in a "Go to" address and it directs you there. Without being on data or WiFi!!

[@kaybobbitt7787]

If taking a computer, you might want to consider using your smart phone as as a wifi hot spot.

[@allenjohnson7686]

on holiday i wash my clothes in the shower. just put them in the base toward the end of my shower, music on get soapy and have an Irish dance on my clothes!!!

[@TravelTourTaste]

Hey Emma hope you are well. Thanks so much for your hints and tips. This is really helpful indeed. Your a Super Star. God bless you hun and we look forward to seeing you again soon.

[@EmmaCruises]

Thanks so much 😘❤️

[@user-fr3hy9uh6y]

Love your episodes. If you are from the US most carriers have an agreement with most foreign carriers. My last trip to Thailand gave me free wifi for my entire trip. There are many companies selling a call back service using a calling card. In many countries the local sim cards receives calls for free. Preset a call back number, send a text, answer the phone and dial your number. 10 ¢ a minute for many locations.

[@kathryncashner3294]

In Ketchikan, Alaska, Totem Bight State Park is FREE, there are volunteer guides who even declines a tip and the public bus from across the street from the port was $1 each way (I've read that it is now $2). There is also a map for a self guided tour. The cruise line excursion was $50 per person! The only thing they got that we didn't was a cup of hot chocolate in the gift shop. Similar thing at Mendenhall Glacier in Alaska--the excursion bus was allowed to park right by the visitor center, You could ride a public bus that stopped about a 10 minute walk away near the park entrance for far less and admission to the grounds was free. There was a charge for the visitor center, but there was a lot to see and do outside as well.

[@keithsmith1642]

I lost the thumb drive I got from Royal Caribbean with family pics. The price for pics was high, but there were a few they took that were really quite good. I emailed customer support three months after the trip and the representative went well out of her way and actually contacted the ship. She was able to e-mail the photos to me.

[@EmmaCruises]

Oh that’s good! Still haven’t got my missing Norwegian photos ha ha 🤣🤣🤣

[@jacquelinechristensen9231]

Only problem with doing self tours is that if you lose track of time or your bus breaks down, etc.and you don’t get back in time you miss the cruise and it is your problem.

[@EmmaCruises]

Yep that's true. I never want to be on an excursion until the last minute though, if I'm out by myself I'll usually make sure I plan to be back an hour early. Some independent excursions offer a 'back to the ship' guarantee but I'm not toooo sure how this works in reality.

[@jacquelinechristensen9231]

Emma Cruises I have been stunned over the years I have been cruising (over 20 cruises with NCL) to hear people say things like “lets have another drink, the ship won’t leave without us” or claim they didn’t know what time they had to be back or said “we assumed the tour we booked with locals would get us back in time” or “I thought they would wait because we were on a tour” just not an NCL cruise. Perhaps you might include a gentle comment about being careful when going off on your own or with a non cruise line tour. Love your vlog...just thought I would mention this.

[@PortsladeBySea]

Very true. I personally like the organised tours for that reason and some are not too expensive. We avoid the trips that include a visit to a carpet factory, or gift shop, as the whole time can actually end up being spent there! 🤭

[@257falcon]

On MSC, we usually by the 40 peice for $50.. It really convenient. we put the dirty laundry in a bag each morning to get it back the next day.

[@SuperGilesfamily]

Also, on the subject of organising your own trips... In Oslo there was a Ship arranged tour to the Vigeland park which is well worth a visit. The trip then went to the Winter Olympic Stadium. We were not interested in the Olympic stadium and wanted plenty of time to look at the sculptures in the park. We hopped on a tram (which I looked up in advance) and got there for about a tenth of the cruise line package. I checked later and a taxi to and from the Olympic stadium privately would still have worked out about half the cruise ship price and there was an audio guide for the stadium, I believe. In Portugal, Lisbon, we took a guided bus tour ourselves and saved about 60% of a similar cruise line trip. Maybe not quite so comfortable but very pleasant on the open top bus.

[@kimmiramone2055]

I've done bathtub laundry at my own house. We were broke with 2 babies.

[@ginafromcologne9281]

Peppermint tea is my favourite too! These were all helpful pieces of advice, thank you!

[@alwayson7229]

Casino is excellent idea thank you, for pictures when they are available on line I just copy paste without the watermark and bam free photos. Great video 👍🏼

[@EmmaCruises]

Haha! They normally have copyright right over them don't they? 🤔

[@alwayson7229]

Emma Cruises yes, but to have in my own home it’s easy to side step lol

[@Supersquishyawesomeness]

I love that there are so many videos of yours for me to catch up on.

[@EmmaCruises]

Thank you! I have hundreds 😂❤️

[@felixchu7656]

I can attest to the photos. The photo I took for my brother's wedding (he got married in a eastern Caribbean cruise with royal Caribbean) looked much better than the ones the "photographer" took.

[@EmmaCruises]

Thanks for watching 😀👏🏼

[@leslieq958]

I used the casino a little differently. I went in with cash and doubled it at blackjack. Got my tip money that way (before prepaid tips.)

[@ninline2000]

I took a cruise a couple of years ago and made the mistake of buying the wifi package. I got my first computer modem back before the world wide web thing started. It was 2400 baud. That's 2.4K! The cruise wifi in 2018 was about the same speed as that old modem from 1985, that I used with my Commodore 64 computer.

[@EmmaCruises]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@SK-mt2pm]

"These are secrets...maybe don't tell everybody..."😂😂😂😂😂

[@TessAlmond]

FYI, I've done what you suggested about getting cash in the casino. But one time I did it, and when I cashed in the ticket they told me that if I did that again they would freeze my account. They do not like it! I would suggest that when you load you machine, spin it 4 or 5 times at least before cashing out. When I've done that , they didn't say a word

[@EmmaCruises]

Hmm that's strange! Maybe because it was a round number... people cash out much bigger amounts all the time 🤔👎🏼 Thanks for letting me know 🥰♥️

[@TessAlmond]

@@EmmaCruises they can tell if haven't played. It was early in the cruise, and I don't remember exactly, but it could have been that I hadn't played yet. I had done this before without a problem. At least they warn you.

[@EmmaCruises]

Yeah that's good! It may just be that they're getting wise to it haha. Most other cruise lines aren't they savy yet! 😉

[@colinrush6389]

I would never pay to launder clothes, except in an emergency. Usually it's socks and underwear, particularly on a longer cruise, that are the most likely to need it because you don't want to bring fourteen pairs of socks or underpants! Washing them in the sink makes perfect sense. Paying is madness and using communal washers and dryers of dubious cleanliness is also a personal no-no. Excursions have become increasingly expensive of late, so we always look to go it alone. Last year MSC were charging 30 euros EACH to take us to Bruges and emphasised that there was 'limited local transport''. Twaddle! The brilliant local shuttle was 30 euros for the TWO of us.

[@shawnmartin95358]

bring older socks and underwear, then goto Walmart or someplace and buy new ones and toss the old