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
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 ❤❤❤❤!!!
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.
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
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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!
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
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.
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! 😄
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!
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! 🚢🌍✨
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.
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! ❤
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!
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
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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!
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!
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
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. ❤❤
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.
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!!!!
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. 😁
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.
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.
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!
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.
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
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.
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.
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!
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!
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?
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.
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 😆🙌🇨🇦
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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 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 😊
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.
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….
Hi Ben and David. You guys are being cheeky this time. I thought you are going to reveal your top secret of how YOU are able to cruise so much and you left out the most important part! The financing part! How are you guys able to cruise FULL TIME and also afford to relocate and build a new home from scratch when your job is cruising of which 90% is paid out of your own pockets sans the limited few times you were invited by the cruise companies. You also went for the full drinks package, WiFi, balcony or suites mostly, contrary to the tips you have shared with us peasant folks. Besides the sponsorships, patreon and UA-cam money, there are things you are not telling us. 😉 I suspect you guys have won the lottery or inheritance to fall back on. Just saying. 😏 We really hope one day you will really share with us how you guys are able to do it for reals. 😊
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?
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.
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.
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
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.
It’s when I consider homeschooling my children to get in on the BEST DEAL DAYS RATES !! Haha I’ve found myself seriously considering it at times wanting to cruise so bad lately!
Great video! No shade being thrown, but they neglect to mention that as this is their job, they get to write most of it off on their taxes and essentially get the money back. That’s how they REALLY afford all this. Plus the income made from UA-cam, sponsors, etc.
That's not how taxes work. They are essentially self employed with net positive income. They are not running at a loss to continue cruising with the bells and whistles, so they still have to pay their taxes like everyone else and UK tax rates are high. No write offs.
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.
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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
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 ❤❤❤❤!!!
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.
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
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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!
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
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.
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! 😄
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.
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 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
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! 🚢🌍✨
I've never cruised before, and this video is packed full of very useful info!! Love watching you guys!
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.
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! ❤
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!
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
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!
I just love Ben & David so much 😊
Sweetest you tubers
Those videos where peopke get left behind are awful. Not funny.
Casper steals the show again! He is such a superstar! Much love, Angela F x
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.
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..
This has been just remarkably helpful! Excellent idea for content on this less-than-ideal ship experience. Thank you as always, Gentlemen!
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!
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
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. ❤❤
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.
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!!!!
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. 😁
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.
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.
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!
I love January cruises (it's my birthday month and the crew always does something extra nice for me).
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
As always, very good video. The information is very good and to the point. This is a MUST SEE for new cruisers.
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!
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!
Another great video, thanks guys, always appreciate your insights.
This was a spectacularly informative video!!!!
WOW. Thank you!
Very informative video, thanks Ben and David, keep up the great work x
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?
Watching this while waiting for my DCL booking window to open in a few minutes.
Love your content. So refreshing. Cant wait for my Virgin Cruise Greek islands next year. Hi from Australia 🇦🇺
Well it's nice to go around the world with someone you're madly in love with
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.
Excellent advice guys. Thanks
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 😆🙌🇨🇦
Thanks for the great information gentlemen. Always fun to watch all your videos!!
7:55 That was the most hilarious pronunciation of Costco I have ever heard: Cost-Co! Love you two! 🤣
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.
Really good vlog, very informative delivered immaculately. Thankyou 🤗
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.
Ben you are looking amazing. You can tell you have lost a lot of weight. Congratulations.
Fantastic summary of a lot of hard work. .much appreciated ..
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
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.
This was a really useful one. Learned a couple of things and I’m a seasoned passenger…. Thank you very much.
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.
Some great tips. I had one question about travel insurance , but you answered it at the end 😊
Those are great tips, and now I know to wait a couple of months before planning again.
Great video!!
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.
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 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 😊
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.
That’s some great information and tips, thanks for sharing
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….
Thanks guys, I really love watching you!
Really interesting to hear from UK perspective - was told lots of tips on my last cruise but none of them available outside USA 😢
Hi Ben and David. You guys are being cheeky this time. I thought you are going to reveal your top secret of how YOU are able to cruise so much and you left out the most important part!
The financing part!
How are you guys able to cruise FULL TIME and also afford to relocate and build a new home from scratch when your job is cruising of which 90% is paid out of your own pockets sans the limited few times you were invited by the cruise companies.
You also went for the full drinks package, WiFi, balcony or suites mostly, contrary to the tips you have shared with us peasant folks.
Besides the sponsorships, patreon and UA-cam money, there are things you are not telling us. 😉
I suspect you guys have won the lottery or inheritance to fall back on. Just saying. 😏
We really hope one day you will really share with us how you guys are able to do it for reals. 😊
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?
Cheers guys you have just made my mind up about going on a cruise with Ryanair that looked like floating hell 👍👍👍
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.
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.
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
Thanks for doing this! Great useful information .
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.
great getting info like this
Very useful tips! Big thank you for you guys! 😊😊😊
Thanks Guys for this very informative video.
Looking to book our first cruise for 2026, thank you for the tips!
This is so helpful, thank you!
Load of good info. Thank you
Damn Ben lookin spicy. Also, I fawn over your Polo RL clothes. The all over prints polos are amazing
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?
It’s when I consider homeschooling my children to get in on the BEST DEAL DAYS RATES !! Haha I’ve found myself seriously considering it at times wanting to cruise so bad lately!
Great video! No shade being thrown, but they neglect to mention that as this is their job, they get to write most of it off on their taxes and essentially get the money back. That’s how they REALLY afford all this. Plus the income made from UA-cam, sponsors, etc.
That's not how taxes work. They are essentially self employed with net positive income. They are not running at a loss to continue cruising with the bells and whistles, so they still have to pay their taxes like everyone else and UK tax rates are high. No write offs.
@@whowhatwheresg - Does the UK not allow you to write off business expenses?
You guys are AWESOME ❤❤❤
I've been on a few cruises in the past but will never go on another. Just not my bag! But I love watching your videos!
Great tips & video Ty
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.