It's so weird that they force you to tip (gretuities) for them to do what their employer is supose to pay them to do, then they still expect a tip on top of that... Tippning culture suports modernday slavery
Travel insurance best tip of all! My wife and I just got home from what was supposed to be a month in Italy. Broke her leg seriously 3 days into the trip. We spent 14 days in two hospitals to get her surgery. They finally moved us to a private hospital that was very nice to get the surgery finally done and then flew us home business class. Haven't been asked for a cent to date.
@boatlover1875 Was this injury incurred on the cruise-ship? I have read, for example, Royal Caribbean cruiseline's fine print and found that medical care is complimentary for injuries or issues experienced during and from the on-board cruise-experience. However, if you have something happening while you are ashore, you have to be prepared with pre-trip travel-insurance or to pay for everything yourselves.
For the LOVE! I do not know how you two stay so sweet, funny & kind after reading some of the SUPER NEGATIVE & ridiculous comments here. Get a life people... Keep on keeping on Ben & David ❤❤❤❤!!!
David's 'clear cookies' advice applies to many more instances than just cruising; I've experienced this with booking flights and hotels. I recommend noting the initial price and then monitoring the difference when you come to book, to ensure that you're not being affected
Maybe it is the sadist in me - but I would love to see Ben and David do a 'no extras' challenge - book the cheapest room, no speciality dining, no drinks package, no excursions!! :P :P
@WelshBathBoy That would be a good self-discipline for most passengers: enjoy EVERYTHING that is complimentary and refuse to do anything else for an extra cost. However, for multi-cruisers like Ben and David, there is no need for drinks-packages or internet-packages or lots of other things as these are included in the Loyalty Programme. E.g., Royal Caribbean gives 4 to 6 complimentary premium drinks PER DAY for guests who reach Diamond level, Diamond Plus level, and Pinnacle level in the Crown & Anchor Society. Plus complimentary day(s) of internet-service, plus discounts on other drinks, spa services, and laundry (and eventually free laundry services).
After originally searching various websites for a 14 night Caribbean cruise on a budget, we finally booked our first ever cruise direct with Royal Caribbean for May 2026. 14 nights and 8 ports round the Caribbean from New York on Odyssey of the Seas in unobstructed ocean view balcony for 2 adults. And all for less than £4k (total. 2k per person). Thought this was a bargain in comparison to others we were seeing coming in at around 3.5k each for 7 nights. We are so looking forward to it.
One tip you left out is to book any shows that you want to see as soon as you can because there is limited seating and don't book outdoor shows on the last day because of the weather. And get there early. Shows are free so it isn't technically an overlooked saving tip.
I'm glad when you were covering all the ways to do shore excursions or explore the ports, you also spoke to less confident travelers and let them know it was okay to do what made them comfortable.
All good advice. But the best idea is to budget. Take all of David and Ben's great descriptions and decide ahead of time what you absolutely want/need and what you don't. Then set a cash limit for each item and do not pay one penny more than you must. It will become quickly apparent when you go to pay the final bill that your peace of mind has a firm value beyond the cost of passing whims like specialty dining, spa treatments, drink packages, glossy photos, and the like.
Thanks for letting me live vicariously through you! I’ve never had disposable income in my entire life and well I can’t even afford health insurance so I’m dying pretty young, 53, so I watch other people traveling, it looks so fun. I also groan through every Ben pun but I smile so thanks for that too!
An additional consideration regarding the drinks package is that often the cruise line will require that it be purchased by each adult in the cabin. So if one of you enjoys drinking alcohol and your cabin mate doesn’t, it’s a waste of money.
Great tips! For your next topic’ how to stay slim while taking lots of cruises’. You guys must have iron willpower! Personally I always take the stairs and manage to log at least 12k steps per day
We have been booking cruises through Costco since 2016 and their discount policy has changed. Cruise lines, according to Costco, no longer allow Costco to give their booking customers a cruise discount by giving them onboard credit. Now Costco gives back cruise discounts to its customers through issuing shop card credit at a Costco store. Beyond the cash back as shopping credit, the cruise price purchased through Costco is identical to the cruise company pricing.
I discovered your channel a few weeks ago and I have been hooked ever since. I had no idea how interested or nosey I was about cruising. You are both absolutely lovely and so down to earth. I adore you both! Does anyone else notice how Ben says "fvavourite". Absolutely love it! Keep up the amazing work, guys. I am living through you both. ❤❤❤❤❤
Aww, thank you so much! 🥰 We're so glad you're enjoying the videos-cruising can be strangely addictive, right?! 😂 And yep, Ben's "fvavourite" slips out every now and then-glad you love it! 😄
Місяць тому+1
That is what she said. My wife works for DCL and we can only do a veranda cabin. She can't go back to the basic inside rooms. The only time the balcony really came in handy was our Alaskan cruise. Otherwise, I only shower and sleep in the cabin, I'd rather be people watching or drinking. So now any cruise we go on has to be a balcony. UGH - that's what she said!
Hi David, Ben, this is such a great informative video bringing all the important tips into one vlog. Your vlogs are always fast paced, interesting and with an element of humour here and there. Just love your vlogs! ❤
Beware if you go on a more "upscale" cabin or cruise line, it is very hard to back. We started many years back with inside cabins. Now the last 10 cruises has been in MSC Yacht Club. You do get used to the extra that follows a more upscale cabin or cruise line. Maybe go back to inside? No that is not an option. Cruising can be addictive and breaking the habit may be impossible. Wonder how our next cruise on Explora Journey from Miami in Januari will be?
Stayed on the Queen Mary in Long Beach, warming to the idea of a cruise, slowly, sounds like a cross between an expensive hotel and Vegas ! I have the same level of knowledge for flying and cant imagine trying to fit it all into a 20 min video.
We only book with a travel agent as they deal with the hassle if any and we don't trust Royal Caribbean. Don't get us wrong, we are "Loyal to Royal" and only sail with them, but we've had some real problems dealing with them from no knowing where Manchester Airport is and trying to send us to the Caribbean via Switzerland and also for our honeymoon, we booked 2 nights in Venice pre-cruise. The day before we flew all newlywed I went to print the cruise documents and they have booked the flights for after we'd booked the hotels. After rowing with someone in Miami for an hour, we ended up contacting their emergency UK flight centre who sorted it!
Hi Ben and David, thank you both again for a fantastic tips vlog, I would just like to add to the end of the tips given by David about insurance was to make sure that people choose CRUISE COVER to their travel insurance as this will be necessary and can also pay for things such as MISSED PORTS etc. love you guys to absolute bits, Ann and Mike xx
A lot of good advice, we usually sail MSC and add drinks on booking, we are doing three cruises practically in a row drinks cost £30 each per day on booking, on board same package cost £90 so do your research. I buy drinks package as other half has a fit at price so no drinks, he gives me a generous budget , just do not tell him how much it costs. I am softening him up for next year £14000 for Antarctic cruise plus flights, we are going because it is one of his dream destinations that we have not done. I also buy our insurance (we are 65 & 83) from Saga, as we are going to the Caribbean, it is nearly double at £1800 but if we can afford to cruise we can afford to pay insurance.😅 Enjoy you cruising and enjoy your life
A brilliant video full of REAL advice and guidance. Thanks. A few points. Gratuities can be removed on most cruise lines should you prefer to tip as you go. Secondly avoiding school holidays is probably the biggest money saving tip. Also booking on board for your next cruise can often earn you loads of extra on board credit - just make sure it’s a cruise you would have booked anyway. Keep up the great work!
Not mentioned you can purchase Cruise Line Credits via AARP at a discount , and if you pay AARP via a cash back Credit Card you can save even more money
SOLO! Boys, been watching you for a year or so, can you give tips on solo cruisers? Perhaps both of you guys can try one and give your impressions and costs.
Tip: Book in mid-November - there's a deal right now with Royal - they're giving 60% off the 2nd person & kids are free. We're going on our 1st cruise via Rogal's Freedom of the Seas in Aug 2025 for our honeymoon- I am SO excited! Thanks so much for the helpful & fun cruise content you've shared. Always some of the most useful info out there.
When the price of the cruise that we have booked goes down, my husband contacts the travel agent or the cruise line and they will adjust the price. There's no need to cancel the cruise and rebook. He has done this with Princess, Royal Caribbean, and Carnival. He checks the price of the cruise everyday. If the price of the cruise goes up that doesn't matter because we booked at a lower price, but if the price goes down we can ask for a reduction.
Im going on my 1st cruise sept 2026. Going with my mum qnd sister. It was harder to shop around with me being disabled and needing an accessable cabin. I cant wait and will definitely use some of your tips. Will be looking at excursions for pompii as thats on my bucket list.
Great video with some very good tips and tricks. A drinks package is never worth it for me so I took my own bottle of wine to enjoy in my cabin. I also just do my own exploration in port. Keep cruising.
Your tips and hacks for full-time cruising are pure gold, making the lifestyle feel accessible and exciting! Thank you for sharing your experience-it’s the perfect guide for anyone dreaming of life at sea! 🚢🌍✨
Hey Ben and David. I often wondered why the prices fluctuate pretty much every few days. We don’t mind obstructed views except Alaska but definitely cruising from NY in the winter. But apprehensive to do guaranteed rooms re:placement or overbooking. We always compare the prices of alcohol at home before the cruise. Some photo packages are amazing. Great tips and insight. Thanks so much.
When I was in university, you could drive to the cruise port and get WILD deals by just picking a ship and sailing off. The students used to do it at reading week. As long as you didn’t care where you were going, they were practically giving rooms away on the departure date. Those days are gone now, lol.
We used to do the same when we lived in South Florida. You could go to Miami,go to the cruise office, and do a deal. If they had empty cabins, they’d sell them for just a few bucks over what it cost them. Often 50 to 75% or more off the book price. After a while, they knew us and we could just call and ask if they had room. We cruised a dozen or more times a year. This pretty much ended in the 1990s. You can still get deals but not the day of sail deals we used to do.
Hi Ben and David. Great video with lot's of helpful hints. We never purchase the wifi, photos or specialty dining. Many of the crew will take your picture if you just ask ( we will also give them a gratuity if they do) depending where you are on the ship. Have a great week. Thank you for all you do ❤❤
Look at some of the MSC ships out of New York and Florida. Some of them are priced at $41 pp pd +$101 grats on a 7 day cruise. If you are not picky, there are also a lot of great deals on HAL and Princess in early November, December and January. And you can book them as late as 2-3 days out.
Long time ago, if you were a Disney employee it was $50 per night and you’d make a potential booking and arrive to the port that morning. If they still had room you’d be assigned a room and hop onboard. Those benefits are definitely long gone. Did my first cruise that way my first year at university and have been hooked since.
100% book without the cruise ship for excursions! ... or just walk off the boat, and see what fun you can get into. Thanks for the well put together video on planning!
In America we can reprice without canceling our cruise. We can get price adjustments up to 90 days put whether it's paid off or not. If you are paid off, they issue a refund for the adjustment.
Norwegian and Royal Caribbean and I think some other cruise lines offer discounts to those who own stock in the company. I believe it’s 100 shares you have to own, but if you’re investing you might explore investing in your favorite cruise line it comes with discounts and special promotions. Your advice for having lunch at the special restaurants instead of dinner to save money holds true on land too. You can eat it some really great restaurants at lunchtime for much less than dinner. Frequently, it’s almost the very same menu just smaller portions
Norwegian and Royal Carribean’s stock benefit is onboard credit. $50 for cruises less than 5 days $100 for cruises between 6 and 14 days $250 for cruises 15+ days
Carnival Corporation cruise lines offers the same deals as RCCL and NCL. In addition HAL offers AARP OSC that can be added on to what you get from your travel agent AND the shareholder discounts.
Thanks guys, I am very much a Newby and feeling excited about our first ever cruise on Fred Olsen's Balmoral to Norway in June. Your down to earth helpful tips are wonderful! I just wish I had known about you before I booked, but like going on my first cruise I'm arriving late to all this!😅 Thanks again!
We have done 2 cruises so far and the stop we did our own adventure that day was the worst overall could be that it was Nassau so that could have been it.
I loved your video, and thanks for sharing those helpful tips and hacks! I’d like to add a few comments based on my experiences, as I’ve been on quite a few cruises. For Booking Later for Discount, it’s not always cheaper to book at the last minute. You should consider that you may have limited cabin choices, especially if you're particular about the type of cabin you want. Additionally, dining times can be an issue-I've noticed that last-minute bookings typically get the 8:30 PM dining slot because the 6 PM option is often already booked. The same applies to specialty restaurants, where prime times may be unavailable. Another tip when choosing a cabin: you might think booking a suite (for 4-6 guests) could save money, similar to a hotel room. However, that’s usually not the case. Suites can be significantly more expensive overall. A better option might be to book two connecting balcony rooms side by side, which can often work out to be cheaper per person than a suite with multiple guests. For Excursions, I agree it can be cheaper to book independently rather than through the cruise line. However, one thing to keep in mind is that if your cruise itinerary changes for any reason, private tour operators are less likely to offer a refund, whereas the cruise line will typically reimburse you. I’ve experienced this twice, and it was a headache trying to get a refund from the private providers. Also, I agree with your advice to watch for price drops, even after you’ve already booked. WiFi packages, drink packages, dining packages, etc., often fluctuate in price, so it’s worth keeping an eye on them. You can usually cancel online for a full refund and rebook at the lower price. Similarly, if your cabin category price drops, you can call (for example, on Celebrity) and they’ll often offer an onboard credit. Finally, regarding the Upgrade Options where you can bid for a higher stateroom, it’s important to know that upgrading through a bid does not increase your loyalty program status. For example, on Celebrity, if you upgrade from a standard balcony to a concierge-class balcony, your loyalty points will still be based on the standard room. A standard balcony earns one point per night, while a concierge-class balcony earns three points per night.
Hi Ben and David , So awesome meeting you today and so cool we are on the same cruise .love all of your awesome very entertaining videos and still so much help ful advice even for veteran cruiser such as myself. Thank you for sharing all of your cruise and travel experiences with all of us Have a great day see you around the Anthem. ❤❤
When I'm researching flights, cruises and vacations in general, I do all the research on my computer and as you stated the prices increase as I'm searching. When I finally know what flight, hotel, cruise, vacation and dates, etc., I want, I then go and book everything on my Husbands Computer which shows the Original prices when I first started my research. This way I'm Not booking the accelerated prices that come up while I'm doing my research. I'm using 2 computers back to back to schedule my entire trip and I don't have to wait hours or the next day to finish up my trip.
This was a great video!! I am finally in a position in life where I no longer have small kids and I want to travel more. The kid is fully grown now but the current cruise prices have really sky rocketed!! I will be using some of these tips so I can afford to cruise more often. Thanks for sharing. 😁
I personally think cruising is more fun if you don’t get the WiFi package, because it allows me to really be connected with my family while on vacation. With everything getting more expensive nowadays, these tips are definitely needed. Thanks for the video, Ben and David!
In regards to wifi, the best "trick" we have found to to buy and install an esim (like airlo etc), we paid US$65 for data only 20GB/365days global coverage, that you can hotspot (although "global" does not work in Tahiti, so we got a local 10gb sim for AUD25), Also, you can request to cancel the gratuities, if you an an Aussie/NZ they know we don't like "mandatory" tips Great tips guys
Great advice guys! Especially about the art, we didn't buy any but "won" two pieces we only recieved one ever (the auctioneer didn't like us bc we helped others w/answers can't help i was an art teacher lol) we also didn't recieve the piece we picked. 😅
Went on the NCL Prima in April. I think it was a special cruise for ParkWest customers. They would block off half the Observation Lounge every day at noon and yap about art till 4. Really messed up my quiet place to read….
We took a last minute cruise about 10 years ago. It was to the Panama Canal on Princess, the price quoted was $499 for an inside cabin, with about $350 in port fees. I booked it the same evening about 6 hours later and the cost had gone up- to$509 🤣. We waited for our cabin to be assigned, which happened about 2 weeks before the cruise. I received the email around noon, and then just after 5:00 P.M. I received another email asking if we wanted to upgrade to an outside cabin for $99, a no-brainer, so we upgraded. In all we paid just under $1,000 each for an 11 day Panama Canal cruise. I should note that we are retired and lived just a four hour drive from the port, so outside of parking there was no additional cost outside of gratuities. P.S. I was at the end of October/beginning of November.
About Wi-Fi, our daughter and her husband both work in cyber security and insist we all use Signal. On our last cruise in June, I had my phone in airplane mode, and we have T-Mobile as our phone carrier. It was a sea day, and suddenly, there was a video call from our daughter. We carried on a perfectly interference-free call, and I was never charged for it. Not by the Cruiseline or T-mobile. I have no idea how it works, but that might be worth looking into.
Thanks guys, you have given some great tips here. Just one thing I want to clarify. Gary on Tips For Traveler's suggests that if there is a fare reduction to contact the cruise line and ask them to match the new reduced fare, admittedly he says this is becoming harder to do. Have you guys ever done the same thing?
Great vlog as always. One thing I noted at the beginning of your story was booking a refundable rate .. I have never done this .. if the cruise goes down before final payment, I contact the cruise company and they reprice it! I’ve had the reprice up to 5-6 times 😆🙌🇨🇦
Don't forget to really check some of those packages. Many include the WiFi, drinks and gratuities, they can be well worthwhile especially those offered by Princess
You recommended a sea sickness tablets on one of your videos, I’m doing a transatlantic in a few days and need to buy them, thank you and I must say love watching you both, keep them coming Sarah 😊
Good points all! I found watches and jewelry prices consistent with what you can get on land. Liquor, too. So these aren't special. You do get a good deal buy getting a future cruise, but only do that if you are sure. I would love to stay onboard on a port day but I can't. I just love going ashore in a foreign place, even if I've been there before. Although, were I to cruise New England to Canada, where I live, I would stay onboard, but then I wouldn't take that cruise.
You Guys truly are the Cruise Experts! Absolutely thankful to have your unbias opinion, I don't think most of your viewers realize that you pay for your own cruises(unlike most other UA-camrs), this was all great advice - bottom line - DO YOUR HOMEWORK!!!!
Great tips Guys! I got some great deals coming out of Covid. Some cruises we did are twice as high now! I look at cruises all the time for fun. You will see, (and am sure you do), trends on pricing and pricing around departure ports. I also talk to Friends that have went on cruises and see what they think about value for the money. I’m thinking with the economy now that you will start to see cruise lines get more desperate to fill up the monster ships, and offer better deals.
Is no one going to talk about how Ben's skin is FLAWLESS! Watched so many videos and I'm always surprised how amazing his skin is. I mean, a video on his skin routine is needed. ASAP! No pores, blemish and pigment free. The guy is a walking billboard for a dermatologist!
As far as I am aware (grateful if you could confirm) but as from the UK and if we book from UK (online or travel agent) if the price goes down, you can rebook but lose your deposit. But if I use an American travel agent, I believe that if the price drops (which isn’t that common these days)C, then the cruise line has to honour it, without having to rebook. So if a US cruise I look to use a US agent. However, you will be paying in dollars, so could be more expensive or cheaper depending on the dollar/pound exchange rate.
I have been stuck many times with huge cell phone bills after forgetting to turn off the cellular data when I returned to the ship. Learn from my mistakes, be super careful.
If you see the price go up as you’re searching it and searching around the Internet. But then David said it is exactly true and if you have an Apple computer and the main Safari browser, it happened to you more than the other one so if you’re on like an iMac, you might want he switched to another browser and maybe the incognito. Cause I can say I’ve done research on my iMac, but then I’ve gone back to my computer to look and I’m ready to purchase and the price is gone back down there instantly.
If there was a tip/hack I'd disagree with is 'once you upgrade you can't go back'. If I misheard how it was presented I do apologize. I've only ever booked a balcony if it was within my budget. If not, I have no problems booking an interior. I've gone back and forth and never felt short changed.
Personally, I've been on every cruise line in the world.Roll Caribbean may have their problems.But they will always be the best cruise line out there.Dollar for dollar deal for deal
Awesome video (as always! ☺️) One thing I don’t think you mentioned was package deals (and who doesn’t love a good package 🤣) We are on email lists for a few cruise travel agent companies that do package holiday deals and sure that means wading through a lot of emails BUT we have managed to snag a few fantastic holidays and saved heaps of money this way. Ended up getting cruise+flights+hotels on land for the cost we would have paid for just the cruise in some cases! 😎 Lucky ducks 🦆 we’ve been!!
You, two, are so sweet! Question please: can you recommend multi plug US/Uk/USB adapters that we can take on Celebrity? I need to make sure I bring the correct equipment. Thank you!!!!! You make my day!
Just be careful with free wifi, most times its not secure and that's how you get hacked. I normally buy an esim which is cheaper than wifi but means I don't have to connect to risky wifi on land.
Yes, eSim now can be bought very easily and you can even get one SIM to cover multiple countries. It's so easy. On one cruise I was on I could actually use 4G a lot of the time even when sailing because the routes were following close to land often.
Just got back from a cruise. We had booked a tour through an outside company but found out that our cruise line did not let anyone off the ship in time for an excursion unless you had booked through them !!! That is a huge problem.
Head to squarespace.com/benanddavid to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code benanddavid
In Deutschland haben wir ein Krankenkassen oder ADAC Krankenkasse gehen die nicht auf Schiffen??
I live on benefits in Sweden so I will never be able to go on a Cruise so I live vicuriously through Cruise tube😢
It's so weird that they force you to tip (gretuities) for them to do what their employer is supose to pay them to do, then they still expect a tip on top of that... Tippning culture suports modernday slavery
Travel insurance best tip of all! My wife and I just got home from what was supposed to be a month in Italy. Broke her leg seriously 3 days into the trip. We spent 14 days in two hospitals to get her surgery. They finally moved us to a private hospital that was very nice to get the surgery finally done and then flew us home business class. Haven't been asked for a cent to date.
@boatlover1875 Was this injury incurred on the cruise-ship? I have read, for example, Royal Caribbean cruiseline's fine print and found that medical care is complimentary for injuries or issues experienced during and from the on-board cruise-experience. However, if you have something happening while you are ashore, you have to be prepared with pre-trip travel-insurance or to pay for everything yourselves.
For the LOVE! I do not know how you two stay so sweet, funny & kind after reading some of the SUPER NEGATIVE & ridiculous comments here. Get a life people...
Keep on keeping on Ben & David ❤❤❤❤!!!
David's 'clear cookies' advice applies to many more instances than just cruising; I've experienced this with booking flights and hotels. I recommend noting the initial price and then monitoring the difference when you come to book, to ensure that you're not being affected
Maybe it is the sadist in me - but I would love to see Ben and David do a 'no extras' challenge - book the cheapest room, no speciality dining, no drinks package, no excursions!! :P :P
@WelshBathBoy That would be a good self-discipline for most passengers: enjoy EVERYTHING that is complimentary and refuse to do anything else for an extra cost. However, for multi-cruisers like Ben and David, there is no need for drinks-packages or internet-packages or lots of other things as these are included in the Loyalty Programme. E.g., Royal Caribbean gives 4 to 6 complimentary premium drinks PER DAY for guests who reach Diamond level, Diamond Plus level, and Pinnacle level in the Crown & Anchor Society. Plus complimentary day(s) of internet-service, plus discounts on other drinks, spa services, and laundry (and eventually free laundry services).
After originally searching various websites for a 14 night Caribbean cruise on a budget, we finally booked our first ever cruise direct with Royal Caribbean for May 2026. 14 nights and 8 ports round the Caribbean from New York on Odyssey of the Seas in unobstructed ocean view balcony for 2 adults. And all for less than £4k (total. 2k per person). Thought this was a bargain in comparison to others we were seeing coming in at around 3.5k each for 7 nights. We are so looking forward to it.
One tip you left out is to book any shows that you want to see as soon as you can because there is limited seating and don't book outdoor shows on the last day because of the weather. And get there early. Shows are free so it isn't technically an overlooked saving tip.
I'm glad when you were covering all the ways to do shore excursions or explore the ports, you also spoke to less confident travelers and let them know it was okay to do what made them comfortable.
All good advice. But the best idea is to budget. Take all of David and Ben's great descriptions and decide ahead of time what you absolutely want/need and what you don't. Then set a cash limit for each item and do not pay one penny more than you must. It will become quickly apparent when you go to pay the final bill that your peace of mind has a firm value beyond the cost of passing whims like specialty dining, spa treatments, drink packages, glossy photos, and the like.
Thanks for letting me live vicariously through you! I’ve never had disposable income in my entire life and well I can’t even afford health insurance so I’m dying pretty young, 53, so I watch other people traveling, it looks so fun. I also groan through every Ben pun but I smile so thanks for that too!
An additional consideration regarding the drinks package is that often the cruise line will require that it be purchased by each adult in the cabin. So if one of you enjoys drinking alcohol and your cabin mate doesn’t, it’s a waste of money.
Thank god you guys are back ,I missed your Vlogs. Ben You look great
We had a stop in Istanbul, we booked a private guide ( 2 of us) and it was cheaper than the excursion from the cruise.
Great tips! For your next topic’ how to stay slim while taking lots of cruises’. You guys must have iron willpower! Personally I always take the stairs and manage to log at least 12k steps per day
I've never cruised before, and this video is packed full of very useful info!! Love watching you guys!
We have been booking cruises through Costco since 2016 and their discount policy has changed. Cruise lines, according to Costco, no longer allow Costco to give their booking customers a cruise discount by giving them onboard credit. Now Costco gives back cruise discounts to its customers through issuing shop card credit at a Costco store. Beyond the cash back as shopping credit, the cruise price purchased through Costco is identical to the cruise company pricing.
I discovered your channel a few weeks ago and I have been hooked ever since. I had no idea how interested or nosey I was about cruising. You are both absolutely lovely and so down to earth. I adore you both! Does anyone else notice how Ben says "fvavourite". Absolutely love it! Keep up the amazing work, guys. I am living through you both. ❤❤❤❤❤
Aww, thank you so much! 🥰 We're so glad you're enjoying the videos-cruising can be strangely addictive, right?! 😂 And yep, Ben's "fvavourite" slips out every now and then-glad you love it! 😄
That is what she said. My wife works for DCL and we can only do a veranda cabin. She can't go back to the basic inside rooms. The only time the balcony really came in handy was our Alaskan cruise. Otherwise, I only shower and sleep in the cabin, I'd rather be people watching or drinking. So now any cruise we go on has to be a balcony. UGH - that's what she said!
Hi David, Ben, this is such a great informative video bringing all the important tips into one vlog. Your vlogs are always fast paced, interesting and with an element of humour here and there. Just love your vlogs! ❤
Beware if you go on a more "upscale" cabin or cruise line, it is very hard to back. We started many years back with inside cabins. Now the last 10 cruises has been in MSC Yacht Club. You do get used to the extra that follows a more upscale cabin or cruise line. Maybe go back to inside? No that is not an option. Cruising can be addictive and breaking the habit may be impossible. Wonder how our next cruise on Explora Journey from Miami in Januari will be?
I just love Ben & David so much 😊
Sweetest you tubers
Those videos where peopke get left behind are awful. Not funny.
Stayed on the Queen Mary in Long Beach, warming to the idea of a cruise, slowly, sounds like a cross between an expensive hotel and Vegas ! I have the same level of knowledge for flying and cant imagine trying to fit it all into a 20 min video.
Thanks! Brilliant channel
Thank you so much for your super thanks and watching!
@@Cruisewith Love your Channel / you are very informative and fair and you are both so funny !!!!
We only book with a travel agent as they deal with the hassle if any and we don't trust Royal Caribbean. Don't get us wrong, we are "Loyal to Royal" and only sail with them, but we've had some real problems dealing with them from no knowing where Manchester Airport is and trying to send us to the Caribbean via Switzerland and also for our honeymoon, we booked 2 nights in Venice pre-cruise. The day before we flew all newlywed I went to print the cruise documents and they have booked the flights for after we'd booked the hotels. After rowing with someone in Miami for an hour, we ended up contacting their emergency UK flight centre who sorted it!
This has been just remarkably helpful! Excellent idea for content on this less-than-ideal ship experience. Thank you as always, Gentlemen!
Hi Ben and David, thank you both again for a fantastic tips vlog, I would just like to add to the end of the tips given by David about insurance was to make sure that people choose CRUISE COVER to their travel insurance as this will be necessary and can also pay for things such as MISSED PORTS etc. love you guys to absolute bits, Ann and Mike xx
A lot of good advice, we usually sail MSC and add drinks on booking, we are doing three cruises practically in a row drinks cost £30 each per day on booking, on board same package cost £90 so do your research. I buy drinks package as other half has a fit at price so no drinks, he gives me a generous budget , just do not tell him how much it costs. I am softening him up for next year £14000 for Antarctic cruise plus flights, we are going because it is one of his dream destinations that we have not done. I also buy our insurance (we are 65 & 83) from Saga, as we are going to the Caribbean, it is nearly double at £1800 but if we can afford to cruise we can afford to pay insurance.😅 Enjoy you cruising and enjoy your life
A brilliant video full of REAL advice and guidance. Thanks. A few points. Gratuities can be removed on most cruise lines should you prefer to tip as you go. Secondly avoiding school holidays is probably the biggest money saving tip. Also booking on board for your next cruise can often earn you loads of extra on board credit - just make sure it’s a cruise you would have booked anyway.
Keep up the great work!
Not mentioned you can purchase Cruise Line Credits via AARP at a discount , and if you pay AARP via a cash back Credit Card you can save even more money
Never heard of AARP cruise discounts, thanks. Looks like it's Holland America.
SOLO! Boys, been watching you for a year or so, can you give tips on solo cruisers? Perhaps both of you guys can try one and give your impressions and costs.
Tip: Book in mid-November - there's a deal right now with Royal - they're giving 60% off the 2nd person & kids are free.
We're going on our 1st cruise via Rogal's Freedom of the Seas in Aug 2025 for our honeymoon- I am SO excited!
Thanks so much for the helpful & fun cruise content you've shared. Always some of the most useful info out there.
When the price of the cruise that we have booked goes down, my husband contacts the travel agent or the cruise line and they will adjust the price. There's no need to cancel the cruise and rebook. He has done this with Princess, Royal Caribbean, and Carnival.
He checks the price of the cruise everyday. If the price of the cruise goes up that doesn't matter because we booked at a lower price, but if the price goes down we can ask for a reduction.
Im going on my 1st cruise sept 2026. Going with my mum qnd sister. It was harder to shop around with me being disabled and needing an accessable cabin. I cant wait and will definitely use some of your tips. Will be looking at excursions for pompii as thats on my bucket list.
Great video with some very good tips and tricks. A drinks package is never worth it for me so I took my own bottle of wine to enjoy in my cabin. I also just do my own exploration in port. Keep cruising.
Exactly how I cruise also 😊
You can fill a wine glass in your cabin & carry it to dinner or to meet friends in a bar. No one knows you didn’t just buy it in another bar.
Your tips and hacks for full-time cruising are pure gold, making the lifestyle feel accessible and exciting! Thank you for sharing your experience-it’s the perfect guide for anyone dreaming of life at sea! 🚢🌍✨
Hey Ben and David. I often wondered why the prices fluctuate pretty much every few days. We don’t mind obstructed views except Alaska but definitely cruising from NY in the winter. But apprehensive to do guaranteed rooms re:placement or overbooking. We always compare the prices of alcohol at home before the cruise. Some photo packages are amazing. Great tips and insight. Thanks so much.
When I was in university, you could drive to the cruise port and get WILD deals by just picking a ship and sailing off. The students used to do it at reading week. As long as you didn’t care where you were going, they were practically giving rooms away on the departure date. Those days are gone now, lol.
We used to do the same when we lived in South Florida. You could go to Miami,go to the cruise office, and do a deal. If they had empty cabins, they’d sell them for just a few bucks over what it cost them. Often 50 to 75% or more off the book price. After a while, they knew us and we could just call and ask if they had room. We cruised a dozen or more times a year. This pretty much ended in the 1990s. You can still get deals but not the day of sail deals we used to do.
Hi Ben and David. Great video with lot's of helpful hints. We never purchase the wifi, photos or specialty dining. Many of the crew will take your picture if you just ask ( we will also give them a gratuity if they do) depending where you are on the ship. Have a great week. Thank you for all you do ❤❤
Look at some of the MSC ships out of New York and Florida. Some of them are priced at $41 pp pd +$101 grats on a 7 day cruise. If you are not picky, there are also a lot of great deals on HAL and Princess in early November, December and January. And you can book them as late as 2-3 days out.
Long time ago, if you were a Disney employee it was $50 per night and you’d make a potential booking and arrive to the port that morning. If they still had room you’d be assigned a room and hop onboard. Those benefits are definitely long gone. Did my first cruise that way my first year at university and have been hooked since.
Casper steals the show again! He is such a superstar! Much love, Angela F x
100% book without the cruise ship for excursions! ... or just walk off the boat, and see what fun you can get into. Thanks for the well put together video on planning!
I love January cruises (it's my birthday month and the crew always does something extra nice for me).
Are yinz ok, didn't see the 11/10 sunday video. Was there one?
wondering here too.
@@cookiebun95 Hope they are ok.
@@cookiebun95 me too… have been checking every day
No video this week, back next week as usual
How you were able to cruise as much as you do is because you work hard. You are not just on a cruise ship ship sipping drinks. Keep up the good work.
I have watched plenty of your videos and still this one taught me lots of good things to know.
Thank you for sharing and safe travels.
Thank you for this. I can’t wait to go on a cruise hopefully soon!
In America we can reprice without canceling our cruise. We can get price adjustments up to 90 days put whether it's paid off or not. If you are paid off, they issue a refund for the adjustment.
Really interesting to hear from UK perspective - was told lots of tips on my last cruise but none of them available outside USA 😢
Norwegian and Royal Caribbean and I think some other cruise lines offer discounts to those who own stock in the company. I believe it’s 100 shares you have to own, but if you’re investing you might explore investing in your favorite cruise line it comes with discounts and special promotions.
Your advice for having lunch at the special restaurants instead of dinner to save money holds true on land too. You can eat it some really great restaurants at lunchtime for much less than dinner. Frequently, it’s almost the very same menu just smaller portions
Norwegian and Royal Carribean’s stock benefit is onboard credit.
$50 for cruises less than 5 days
$100 for cruises between 6 and 14 days
$250 for cruises 15+ days
Carnival Corporation cruise lines offers the same deals as RCCL and NCL. In addition HAL offers AARP OSC that can be added on to what you get from your travel agent AND the shareholder discounts.
Thanks guys, I am very much a Newby and feeling excited about our first ever cruise on Fred Olsen's Balmoral to Norway in June. Your down to earth helpful tips are wonderful! I just wish I had known about you before I booked, but like going on my first cruise I'm arriving late to all this!😅
Thanks again!
We have done 2 cruises so far and the stop we did our own adventure that day was the worst overall could be that it was Nassau so that could have been it.
I loved your video, and thanks for sharing those helpful tips and hacks! I’d like to add a few comments based on my experiences, as I’ve been on quite a few cruises.
For Booking Later for Discount, it’s not always cheaper to book at the last minute. You should consider that you may have limited cabin choices, especially if you're particular about the type of cabin you want. Additionally, dining times can be an issue-I've noticed that last-minute bookings typically get the 8:30 PM dining slot because the 6 PM option is often already booked. The same applies to specialty restaurants, where prime times may be unavailable.
Another tip when choosing a cabin: you might think booking a suite (for 4-6 guests) could save money, similar to a hotel room. However, that’s usually not the case. Suites can be significantly more expensive overall. A better option might be to book two connecting balcony rooms side by side, which can often work out to be cheaper per person than a suite with multiple guests.
For Excursions, I agree it can be cheaper to book independently rather than through the cruise line. However, one thing to keep in mind is that if your cruise itinerary changes for any reason, private tour operators are less likely to offer a refund, whereas the cruise line will typically reimburse you. I’ve experienced this twice, and it was a headache trying to get a refund from the private providers.
Also, I agree with your advice to watch for price drops, even after you’ve already booked. WiFi packages, drink packages, dining packages, etc., often fluctuate in price, so it’s worth keeping an eye on them. You can usually cancel online for a full refund and rebook at the lower price. Similarly, if your cabin category price drops, you can call (for example, on Celebrity) and they’ll often offer an onboard credit.
Finally, regarding the Upgrade Options where you can bid for a higher stateroom, it’s important to know that upgrading through a bid does not increase your loyalty program status. For example, on Celebrity, if you upgrade from a standard balcony to a concierge-class balcony, your loyalty points will still be based on the standard room. A standard balcony earns one point per night, while a concierge-class balcony earns three points per night.
Hi Ben and David , So awesome meeting you today and so cool we are on the same cruise .love all of your awesome very entertaining videos and still so much help ful advice even for veteran cruiser such as myself. Thank you for sharing all of your cruise and travel experiences with all of us
Have a great day see you around the Anthem. ❤❤
When I'm researching flights, cruises and vacations in general, I do all the research on my computer and as you stated the prices increase as I'm searching. When I finally know what flight, hotel, cruise, vacation and dates, etc., I want, I then go and book everything on my Husbands Computer which shows the Original prices when I first started my research. This way I'm Not booking the accelerated prices that come up while I'm doing my research. I'm using 2 computers back to back to schedule my entire trip and I don't have to wait hours or the next day to finish up my trip.
This was a great video!! I am finally in a position in life where I no longer have small kids and I want to travel more. The kid is fully grown now but the current cruise prices have really sky rocketed!! I will be using some of these tips so I can afford to cruise more often. Thanks for sharing. 😁
This was a spectacularly informative video!!!!
WOW. Thank you!
I personally think cruising is more fun if you don’t get the WiFi package, because it allows me to really be connected with my family while on vacation. With everything getting more expensive nowadays, these tips are definitely needed. Thanks for the video, Ben and David!
As always, very good video. The information is very good and to the point. This is a MUST SEE for new cruisers.
all these tricks and hacks have allowed me to cruise 3 times :) ok maybe i need to watch this again.. Yes im being silly.. i blame Ben, Thx guys..
In regards to wifi, the best "trick" we have found to to buy and install an esim (like airlo etc), we paid US$65 for data only 20GB/365days global coverage, that you can hotspot (although "global" does not work in Tahiti, so we got a local 10gb sim for AUD25),
Also, you can request to cancel the gratuities, if you an an Aussie/NZ they know we don't like "mandatory" tips
Great tips guys
Great advice guys! Especially about the art, we didn't buy any but "won" two pieces we only recieved one ever (the auctioneer didn't like us bc we helped others w/answers can't help i was an art teacher lol) we also didn't recieve the piece we picked. 😅
Went on the NCL Prima in April. I think it was a special cruise for ParkWest customers. They would block off half the Observation Lounge every day at noon and yap about art till 4. Really messed up my quiet place to read….
We took a last minute cruise about 10 years ago. It was to the Panama Canal on Princess, the price quoted was $499 for an inside cabin, with about $350 in port fees. I booked it the same evening about 6 hours later and the cost had gone up- to$509 🤣. We waited for our cabin to be assigned, which happened about 2 weeks before the cruise. I received the email around noon, and then just after 5:00 P.M. I received another email asking if we wanted to upgrade to an outside cabin for $99, a no-brainer, so we upgraded. In all we paid just under $1,000 each for an 11 day Panama Canal cruise. I should note that we are retired and lived just a four hour drive from the port, so outside of parking there was no additional cost outside of gratuities. P.S. I was at the end of October/beginning of November.
We watch so many videos, my wife reads so many reddit reviews you'd think we would know it all! I always learn some things. Any word from steff?
Watching this while waiting for my DCL booking window to open in a few minutes.
About Wi-Fi, our daughter and her husband both work in cyber security and insist we all use Signal. On our last cruise in June, I had my phone in airplane mode, and we have T-Mobile as our phone carrier. It was a sea day, and suddenly, there was a video call from our daughter. We carried on a perfectly interference-free call, and I was never charged for it. Not by the Cruiseline or T-mobile. I have no idea how it works, but that might be worth looking into.
Thanks guys, you have given some great tips here. Just one thing I want to clarify. Gary on Tips For Traveler's suggests that if there is a fare reduction to contact the cruise line and ask them to match the new reduced fare, admittedly he says this is becoming harder to do. Have you guys ever done the same thing?
Excellent advice guys. Thanks
Fantastic summary of a lot of hard work. .much appreciated ..
Great vlog as always. One thing I noted at the beginning of your story was booking a refundable rate .. I have never done this .. if the cruise goes down before final payment, I contact the cruise company and they reprice it! I’ve had the reprice up to 5-6 times 😆🙌🇨🇦
Don't forget to really check some of those packages. Many include the WiFi, drinks and gratuities, they can be well worthwhile especially those offered by Princess
Another great video, thanks guys, always appreciate your insights.
You recommended a sea sickness tablets on one of your videos, I’m doing a transatlantic in a few days and need to buy them, thank you and I must say love watching you both, keep them coming Sarah 😊
Thanks for the great information gentlemen. Always fun to watch all your videos!!
Well it's nice to go around the world with someone you're madly in love with
Good points all! I found watches and jewelry prices consistent with what you can get on land. Liquor, too. So these aren't special. You do get a good deal buy getting a future cruise, but only do that if you are sure. I would love to stay onboard on a port day but I can't. I just love going ashore in a foreign place, even if I've been there before. Although, were I to cruise New England to Canada, where I live, I would stay onboard, but then I wouldn't take that cruise.
Love your content. So refreshing. Cant wait for my Virgin Cruise Greek islands next year. Hi from Australia 🇦🇺
You Guys truly are the Cruise Experts! Absolutely thankful to have your unbias opinion, I don't think most of your viewers realize that you pay for your own cruises(unlike most other UA-camrs), this was all great advice - bottom line - DO YOUR HOMEWORK!!!!
Great tips Guys! I got some great deals coming out of Covid. Some cruises we did are twice as high now! I look at cruises all the time for fun. You will see, (and am sure you do), trends on pricing and pricing around departure ports. I also talk to Friends that have went on cruises and see what they think about value for the money. I’m thinking with the economy now that you will start to see cruise lines get more desperate to fill up the monster ships, and offer better deals.
Very informative video, thanks Ben and David, keep up the great work x
Really good vlog, very informative delivered immaculately. Thankyou 🤗
Is no one going to talk about how Ben's skin is FLAWLESS! Watched so many videos and I'm always surprised how amazing his skin is. I mean, a video on his skin routine is needed. ASAP! No pores, blemish and pigment free. The guy is a walking billboard for a dermatologist!
Both Ben and David have a beautiful and flawless complexion.
It's that "we're cruising and minding our own damn business" glow effect
There is a funny new thing called "filter".. 😁
And how much he slimmed down. Lookin good ❤
For two oldish guys hiding their grey hair and whiskers they do okay 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
This was a really useful one. Learned a couple of things and I’m a seasoned passenger…. Thank you very much.
As far as I am aware (grateful if you could confirm) but as from the UK and if we book from UK (online or travel agent) if the price goes down, you can rebook but lose your deposit. But if I use an American travel agent, I believe that if the price drops (which isn’t that common these days)C, then the cruise line has to honour it, without having to rebook. So if a US cruise I look to use a US agent. However, you will be paying in dollars, so could be more expensive or cheaper depending on the dollar/pound exchange rate.
Some great tips. I had one question about travel insurance , but you answered it at the end 😊
I live near Vancouver Canada so it’ll be cheaper for me to head to eastern USA to do Caribbean or do west coast of Canada to do the Alaskan cruises
We took the MS Volendam (Holland American) out of Vancouver to Alaska, less than 2,000 passengers. What a lovely ship!
Ben you are looking amazing. You can tell you have lost a lot of weight. Congratulations.
I have been stuck many times with huge cell phone bills after forgetting to turn off the cellular data when I returned to the ship. Learn from my mistakes, be super careful.
If you see the price go up as you’re searching it and searching around the Internet. But then David said it is exactly true and if you have an Apple computer and the main Safari browser, it happened to you more than the other one so if you’re on like an iMac, you might want he switched to another browser and maybe the incognito. Cause I can say I’ve done research on my iMac, but then I’ve gone back to my computer to look and I’m ready to purchase and the price is gone back down there instantly.
If there was a tip/hack I'd disagree with is 'once you upgrade you can't go back'. If I misheard how it was presented I do apologize.
I've only ever booked a balcony if it was within my budget. If not, I have no problems booking an interior. I've gone back and forth and never felt short changed.
They said it’s “hard to go back”not that “you can’t go back.”
@@mpb3481 Thank you for giving me the direct quote.
Cruise fares increase as ships book up. Its a known fact and the price will not go back down
7:55 That was the most hilarious pronunciation of Costco I have ever heard: Cost-Co! Love you two! 🤣
Personally, I've been on every cruise line in the world.Roll Caribbean may have their problems.But they will always be the best cruise line out there.Dollar for dollar deal for deal
Those are great tips, and now I know to wait a couple of months before planning again.
Have David n Ben…. Ever missed a cruise? Due to shore exturtion over running?
Thanks guys, I really love watching you!
Cheers guys you have just made my mind up about going on a cruise with Ryanair that looked like floating hell 👍👍👍
Awesome video (as always! ☺️) One thing I don’t think you mentioned was package deals (and who doesn’t love a good package 🤣) We are on email lists for a few cruise travel agent companies that do package holiday deals and sure that means wading through a lot of emails BUT we have managed to snag a few fantastic holidays and saved heaps of money this way. Ended up getting cruise+flights+hotels on land for the cost we would have paid for just the cruise in some cases! 😎 Lucky ducks 🦆 we’ve been!!
You, two, are so sweet! Question please: can you recommend multi plug US/Uk/USB adapters that we can take on Celebrity? I need to make sure I bring the correct equipment. Thank you!!!!! You make my day!
Just be careful with free wifi, most times its not secure and that's how you get hacked. I normally buy an esim which is cheaper than wifi but means I don't have to connect to risky wifi on land.
Yes, eSim now can be bought very easily and you can even get one SIM to cover multiple countries. It's so easy. On one cruise I was on I could actually use 4G a lot of the time even when sailing because the routes were following close to land often.
Get a VPN. Encrypts your data over any connections.
Just got back from a cruise. We had booked a tour through an outside company but found out that our cruise line did not let anyone off the ship in time for an excursion unless you had booked through them !!! That is a huge problem.
Looking to book our first cruise for 2026, thank you for the tips!
That’s some great information and tips, thanks for sharing