A TikToker who has been on 40 cruises shares 3 ways to save money on board
Photo by Daniel SLIM / AFP) (Photo by DANIEL SLIM/AFP via Getty Images
- Emma Cruises is well known for sharing her cruise advice on TikTok and YouTube.
- Emma, who has been cruising since she was 11, has been on around 40 voyages.
- From getting half price spa deals to freebies, she told Insider her tips for saving money on board.
Princess Cruises
Emma told Insider that while the overall price of the cruise won't change when you book through a travel agent, they will usually be able to get freebies that you wouldn't be able to find online, such as chocolate strawberries or on-board credit.
"A travel agent will never be more expensive than a cruise line, and if they are, something's really wrong," Emma told Insider.
Emma added that booking with a travel agent is less stressful for the customer, as they have someone to deal with any complications or last-minute changes to the trip.
Anthony Weller/View Pictures/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Emma told Insider that cruise travelers should look for discounts during the "least popular times," such as port days or the first day of the voyage.
"If you wanted to have a massage in the spa, it can be quite expensive, but if you wanted to do it on a port day, sometimes they do half price," she said.
Specialty restaurants may also offer a discounted price on the first day of the voyage, Emma said.
But you'll have to wait until you are on board to book, according to Emma, who said that discounts likely won't be announced in advance.
Garry Hogg/Getty Images.
While she usually uses the cruise line's website for inspiration, Emma says she will book her shore excursions independently and use Google Maps to find her way around.
"You could go to a place and a cruise line will offer you, for example, an aquarium ticket for $50. But if you book your own ticket, it could be $15," she said.
"I've been in places where the cruise line has tried to sell you a shuttle bus into town, but then I've walked outside and there's been a free shuttle bus offered by the council," she added.