Cheap Cruise Tips – When it comes to cruising, you can pay less for everything or get it for free!

First, check out the cruise lines own Web site, look for the deals, special offers or last minute cruise listings. Look at the cabins that are still unsold. Are there a lot of them in one particular category or another? View the deck plans, as well as photos of the cabins for a your chosen cruise ship.

If the ship and itinerary is what you're looking for and departs within sixty days and there are a number of of available cabins, deep discounts will posted soon or may already be there for the taking.  Check with Web sites such as Travelocity, Expedia, or Priceline. The cruise lines give special deals for Travel Agents so they can approach their clients with so called "Unpublished" or "Exclusive" offers to move the unsold space.

This is happening more often than before. In the last eighteen months Cruise lines have began trying to upstage one another by building bigger and bigger mega-sized ships. Some with a capacity of over 5,000 guests!  This winter there are more than one hundred cruise ships sailing the Caribbean and other warm-weather seas. This over-capacity creates a bargain-hunters opportunity and a price-war among cruise lines.

Got a group of friends or family? You could cruise for free. Get the details here.

This Week's Top Deal Examples

Here's a run down of special offers we found while browsing the Internet. Check with your Travel Agent for the most-up-to-date destinations, prices and availability

• Don't bother packing beach towels, they will be provided for your use on board the cruise ship as well as when going ashore.
   
• Notify the cruise line of any special dietary restrictions when booking your cruise and follow up on the arrangements a couple months before embarking.
   
• Store your valuables in your cabin safe.
   
• Remember to check the weather with the cruise company and pack accordingly.
   
• Tap water on your ship is perfectly safe to drink; purchasing bottled water is only necessary if you prefer the taste.
   
• Keep track of your boarding pass, on board charge/key card, as well as a picture ID to take ashore by slipping them into a bi-fold business card style carrying case. Cases with a "suede" finish are less likely to fall out of your pocket.
   
• Pack toiletries, clothing, and other items in clear zipper top bags for faster security examination of your carry-on at the airport and pier. This method makes it easier to repack if your bag is emptied and searched.
   
• Make two copies of your passport, driver's license, and credit cards before leaving home. Leave one set of copies in a safe place on your ship. If the ship's purser holds your passport (which is often the case, to expedite clearing the ship in foreign ports), carry the passport copy ashore with you. Leave the other copies with a friend or family member at home.
   
• Binoculars are as useful indoors as they are outside. Typically you might think they are only for bringing far off wildlife and sights within view, but take them into museums, cathedrals, and other buildings to examine the details of artwork, sculptures, and architectural elements.
   
• Even if you don’t think you’ll need them, bring along extra camera batteries and change them before you think the old ones are “dead.”
   
• Don't forget to pack and USE your sunscreen. Why take the chance of a nasty sunburn ruining a great cruise vacation? Protect your skin from injury and aging.
   
• Check the balance of your on board account before the end of your cruise. Straighten out any discrepancies immediately and avoid a long line at the Purser's Desk ( aka  Guest Relations, or Reception Desk ) that last morning after your final bill arrives.
   
• Don't you look gorgeous in your formal attire? Have a family portrait taken to preserve the memory. There's no obligation to purchase any photos you don't care for.
   
• Set aside gratuity money and keep it in your room safe. Many cruisers compute the "recommended" amounts in advance and get cash in the proper denominations before leaving home. If your ship automatically charges gratuities to your onboard account, you may adjust the amounts according to the level of service you receive.
   
• Make spa and salon appointments as soon as you can so you won't be disappointed—prime appointment times fill up fast!
   
• Set aside a few moments every day to pack up your used clothing and spend the last afternoon of your cruise doing fun things while your fellow passengers are packing to go home.
   
• If you are prone to motion (sea) sickness, the best cabin location for you is on a lower deck in the middle of the ship (midway between the bow and the stern). Pitch, roll, and yaw—the movements made by a ship—will be less noticeable in that area.
   
• Don’t miss the morning sun in your inside cabin. Before you retire for the night, leave the television tuned to the channel with the “view from the bridge” and you’ll awaken with a “window” on the outside world. Remember to turn the sound off.