[cuteyv]

Am not sure if this is the right forum to post this, mods do shift it if it is the wrong place.
Am going on a cruise in a couple of weeks and have been trying to find out freebies/coupons to be used on board. Anyone done that? Am cruising on NCL Dream out of Houston to the Carribean.
Any ideas/suggestions?

[Kmchamplin]

I have been on 11 cruises and never have found any freebies. Google search for shore excursions and other companies will come up that will offer you cheaper shore trips.

[hennypenny]

We're leaving on Sunday for our 9th cruise. We NEVER buy the shore excursions on the boat. You can save AT LEAST 70% doing it yourself after you get into port. The Cruise lines obviously make a LOT of money selling those packages.

Also, after the first cruise we did, we never buy transfers from the airport to the ship. They cost about $30.00 per person round trip and you can get a cab (for 4 of us) for around $50.00 round trip. These are just things you learn after you've done it a few times!

[cuteyv]

Thanks for the tips. I have booked shore excursions thro private tour operators so we saving some bucks there. I read somewhere that you can get some coupons in the daily newsletter and get some freebies by attending art auctions and talks. Might try it out sometime
Thanks to both of you.
all set to cruise now...

[wendy1214]

Tip-
Take your own bottled water. Last I went, it was $3.50 for a bottle of water on board! If you are soda drinkers, at least on Carnival, you can buy a soda ticket- about $35 and have soda for the whole cruise, or again, take your own along. I would buy it when you get to the port locally and carry it on board. They do always have tea and lemonade and coffee available no charge, but not everyone likes that.

Have fun and join in on all the activities!
Wendy

[Barb]

Soda cards are a must. The coupons in the flyers are gimmicks. After you have been with a cruise line for a while you start to get bogo's and frees in your room when you check in. Look in the safe when you get there. Experienced cruisers consider it a common courtesy to leave any coupons from their special book in there for the next cruiser if they didn't use some. Don't play bingo!~huge rip off. Don't pay for any restaurants--some have them on board as well, I have found them to not have any better food than the dining room. Some lines allow you to carry on a bottle of wine per person. Check into that if you drink. Also, for drinkers, the first night the duty free shop usually has good deals on alchohol. There is always a room cork fee but if you add it to the price of the bottle, it is about what you would pay on land. Much cheaper than buying mixed drinks at the bar.
Bring aspirin and immodium with you---trust me on this. They do not sell them onboard because they want you to have to go to the medical office. Last cruise DH and I got norwalk. We were confined 4 days in our cabin. BUT, they did give us a free cruise out of it so it was worth it

You can find more idea's here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/
HAVE FUN!!! You will be hooked!!!

[JRA191]

we were on a cruise 9/11/01 in the bahamas that day and 2 days later had to sit in miami airport for over 4 hours waiting for a plane.Got on a plane and ended up in cleveland to get on a real small plane to a deserted nashville airport 10 hours later.I found out over the next few days that we were lucky to have made it back in that short of time.

I've have found that a lot of excursions aren't all that they seem to be after doing them.The brochures look good...but most aren't worth the money.

[ladywine]

Great site barb - I have no cruising plans, but bookmarked it into my "vacation info" folder anyway! Lots of interesting info.

[hennypenny]

WHAT IS NORWALK??? And was it the Cruise Lines fault, or how did you get free cruiseout of it?

Originally Posted by barb

Soda cards are a must. The coupons in the flyers are gimmicks. After you have been with a cruise line for a while you start to get bogo's and frees in your room when you check in. Look in the safe when you get there. Experienced cruisers consider it a common courtesy to leave any coupons from their special book in there for the next cruiser if they didn't use some. Don't play bingo!~huge rip off. Don't pay for any restaurants--some have them on board as well, I have found them to not have any better food than the dining room. Some lines allow you to carry on a bottle of wine per person. Check into that if you drink. Also, for drinkers, the first night the duty free shop usually has good deals on alchohol. There is always a room cork fee but if you add it to the price of the bottle, it is about what you would pay on land. Much cheaper than buying mixed drinks at the bar.
Bring aspirin and immodium with you---trust me on this. They do not sell them onboard because they want you to have to go to the medical office. Last cruise DH and I got norwalk. We were confined 4 days in our cabin. BUT, they did give us a free cruise out of it so it was worth it

You can find more idea's here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/
HAVE FUN!!! You will be hooked!!!