Cruises are one of the cheapest ways to vacation—unlimited food, Broadway-style entertainment, and a new destination almost every day—all for less than the cost of a hotel. Sounds amazing, right?
But here’s the truth: if you’re not careful, a cruise can secretly drain your wallet with hidden costs you didn’t see coming. Some of these mistakes could cost you hundreds of dollars without you even realizing it.
Below, I’m breaking down the 10 most common money mistakes people make on cruises—and exactly how to avoid them.
Double Tipping
This one surprises a lot of first-time cruisers. Here’s how it happens: you buy a drink package before your cruise, which usually already includes gratuities. Most cruise lines will add 18% gratuity to your beverage package.
But when you’re on the ship ordering drinks, you get the receipt and it has a line for a tip. Without realizing it, many people add another tip. Now, tipping extra for great service is always a nice gesture—but tipping because you didn’t know gratuities were already included? That’s just throwing money away.
The fix is simple: check the fine print on your package. Know if you had already prepaid gratuties in your cruise beverage package. If you’re not sure, ask a crew member. That way, when you leave an extra tip, it’s because you want to—not because you accidentally double tipped.
And trust me, it adds up. If you tip an extra $3 on every $15 drink, have 5 drinks a day, that’s $15 extra per day. On a 7 day cruise, you’ve just spent $105 in unnecessary tips—on top of what you already prepaid.
Not Buying Cruise Extras in Advance
This money mistake can cost you before you even step on the ship. Cruise extras like WiFi, beverage packages, specialty dining, shore excursions are almost always cheaper if you buy them ahead of time.
Most cruise lines offer discounts of ten to twenty percent. Royal Caribbean and Celebrity cruises will often run flash sales with discounts of 30% off to encourage advance purchases.
If you wait until you’re onboard to buy them, you’ll pay full price. For example: a beverage package that costs $100 per person, per day might only be $80 if you buy in advance. On a 7 day cruise with two people in your cabin, that’s a $280 savings!
The smart move? As soon as you book, log into the cruise line’s website, check the available packages, and buy the ones you know you’ll use.
And here’s a tip: on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity, if you already bought something and a flash sale pops up with a lower price, you can cancel and rebook at the sale price. That’s easy money saved—before your vacation even begins.
Using the Wrong Credit Card
This one can sneak up on you. Some credit cards charge a foreign transaction fee of three to five percent. That might not sound like much, but it adds up fast.
Imagine spending a thousand dollars shopping at cruise ports and you’ve just wasted $30 to $50 on fees—for nothing.
And the worst part? It’s completely avoidable. Many travel credit cards don’t charge foreign transaction fees at all.
Before your cruise, check your wallet and bring the right credit card—the ones without foreign transaction fees. It’s a simple switch that can save you a surprising amount of money.
Not asking for Onboard Credit
Onboard credit is basically free spending money you can use during your cruise. You can spend it on drinks, shore excursions, spa treatments, gift shop purchases or even photos. On some cruise lines like MSC, you can even use your onboard credit to pay the automatic gratuity.
But a lot of cruisers don’t realize it’s available. Sometimes you can get it through booking promotions during wave season and sometimes through a travel agent. The key here is to ask. Don’t assume it’s not available. If you don’t ask, you could be missing out on money that’s yours to enjoy on the ship.
I personally always get onboard credit from my travel agent every time I go on a cruise. It ranges from $25 to $100 per cruise. That’s just free money to spend on my cruise.
Mistake number five is not shopping around for shore excursions.
Shore excursions are one of the highlights of cruising, but booking directly with the cruise line is almost always the most expensive way to do it.
A lot of people don’t realize that independent tour companies often offer the exact same tours for less.
For example, if you booked a sightseeing tour through the cruise line, it might cost a hundred dollars. The same trip with the same operator booked through an independent tour site might be seventy-five dollars.
Now, the cruise line does guarantee the ship won’t leave without you, and that peace of mind is valuable. But here’s the thing: reputable independent tour companies know cruise schedules. Their business depends on getting you back in time.
If you do a little research and read reviews, you can often save a significant amount without taking much risk.
Not Getting an International Phone Plan
This mistake can get very expensive. Using your cellphone at an international cruise port without a plan means roaming charges, and those bills can be outrageous. And if you use your phone at sea? Even worse. I’ve seen people rack up hundreds of dollars in just a couple of days.
The good news is most carriers now offer affordable international plans and cruise-specific plans. Some are daily passes, some are monthly packages.
For example, AT&T has a cruise plan for $20 per day that gives you unlimited talk, text and some data that you can use on land and on the cruise ship. It only activates when you use it, so it’s smart to have as backup.
Even if you don’t plan on making calls from the ship, you still need an international plan for when you use your phone at cruise ports. It’s all about safety and convenience.
Trust me, you’ll likely need to use your phone to book an Uber or to look at maps at cruise ports and to get directions. Plus, you’ll also probably want to text family and check your email while you’re ashore.
Personally, I use T-Mobile’s unlimited plan. It comes with free international texting and some data. I keep it off while I’m on the ship, but the moment I step into port, I turn it back on. It’s simple—and it saves me from a massive phone bill.
Buying Luxury Goods Just Because They’re Duty-Free
Duty-free sounds great. No taxes, no duties, so it must be a deal, right? Not necessarily.
Cruise ships love to tempt passengers with watches, handbags, and jewelry. But just because it’s duty-free doesn’t mean it’s cheaper than what you’d find at home or online. It’s easy to get caught up in vacation mode and make a big purchase without thinking.
If you’re considering something expensive, take a moment to check the price online. That quick reality check can save you from making an impulse purchase you might regret later.
Forgetting to Put your Phone in Airplane Mode
This is a big one for first-time cruisers. If you don’t switch your phone to airplane mode, you could come home to a shockingly high cellphone bill.
A lot of people think, “I’m not making calls or sending texts, so I’m safe.” But your phone is still running in the background—refreshing apps, pulling in emails, syncing data. And if it’s not on airplane mode, it connects to the ship’s cellular network, which means sky-high roaming charges.
The fix is simple: the moment you step onboard, put your phone in airplane mode. And don’t forget about your other devices, switch your iPad and Smart Watches to airplane mode as well.
That one small step can save you hundreds of dollars—and a ton of stress when you get back home.
Not Bringing Cash
A lot of cruisers assume they won’t need cash since cruise ships are cashless. And while that’s true onboard, once you’re in port, cash can make your life so much easier—and even safer.
You’ll need cash for taxis, tipping a tour guide, or eating at a small local restaurant. Many of those places don’t take cards, or you may not feel comfortable swiping at a roadside shop.
For example, in the Caribbean, most taxis are cash only. The last thing you want is to be stranded because you didn’t bring cash.
The solution? Always bring some cash. It’s a simple thing that makes every port of call way less stressful.
Getting Stuck with Foreign Currency
This one ties right into the last point about bringing cash. Many cruise ports—especially in the Caribbean—accept U.S. dollars. But here’s the catch: if all you have are large bills, like twenties, you’ll often get your change back in the local currency. In Mexico, that usually means pesos.
The problem? By the time you’re home, that money is basically useless, and exchanging it is rarely worth the hassle.
The fix is simple: bring plenty of ones and fives. Paying with exact change means you won’t end up stuck with a pile of coins and bills you’ll never spend.
Cruise Essentials to Buy Before Your Cruise
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Travel Must-Haves
Passport neck wallet – Keeps your passport and travel documents secure and accessible. It also has RFID protection.
Cruise lanyards – A super convenient way to keep your cruise card within easy reach. No more digging through your bag every time you need it! I recommend getting one lanyard per person in your group and choosing different colors so it’s easy to tell them apart.
Anti-theft crossbody bag with anti-pickpocket clip – Genius anti-theft clip and versatile enough for both port days and evenings in the dining room.
Anti-theft crossbody bag with RFID – Padded shoulder straps with RFID lining to safeguard against identity theft.
Insulated water bottles –I don’t like spending money on bottled water, and I always want fresh water in my cabin. I’ll fill my bottle at the buffet or ask my server at dinner, then bring it back so I have water at night. This is my go-to water bottle—I prefer ones without straws since they’re much easier to wash in the cabin sink.
Pashmina – This multi-purpose wrap always earns its spot in my luggage. Use it as an evening wrap, a lightweight plane blanket, or a cover-up when visiting places of worship that require modest dress. I never cruise without one—you’ll be surprised how often it comes in handy.
Cabin Comfort & Organization
Non-surge Cruise power strip– Cabins never have enough outlets (check cruise line rules first).
Magnetic hooks – Super-strong magnetic hooks that attach easily to your cabin walls. They’re perfect for hanging hats, cruise lanyards, goggles, swimsuits, and towels. I personally use the 85+ lb hooks—they’re incredibly sturdy and can even hold backpacks!
Small portable fan – Improves airflow and keeps Inside Cabins from feeling stuffy.
Motion sensor night light – Perfect for Inside Cabins, for when you get up at night to use the bathroom. It also has a magnetic base, so you can easily attach it to your cabin walls.
Toiletries & Laundry
Hanging toiletry bag – Keeps your essentials neat and accessible.
Fabric freshener spray – Fights wrinkles and refreshes clothes between wears.
Travel-size detergent – Handy for washing swimsuits, underwear, and quick-dry clothing in the sink.
TSA-approved travel containers – Easy to pack your lotions, creams, and other liquids without worrying about TSA rules.
Health & Wellness
Anti-seasickness medicine – My go-to meds for anti-seasickness. I take one in the morning on sea days (bring chewables for kids).
Acupressure bands – A natural alternative for seasickness relief. I use this with the anti-seasickness meds.
Packing & Storage
Cruise travel planners– Check out my travel planners, they help you stay organized before and during your trip.
Packing cubes – I never travel without packing cubes! They make packing and unpacking so easy—you can simply slip the entire cube into the cabin closet or drawer. I like to assign a different color to each person so there’s no mix-up.
Foldable duffel bag – I always pack a foldable duffel bag in case I bring home too many souvenirs or do some extra shopping. It doubles as an extra carry-on and barely takes up any luggage space.
Foldable shopping bag – Perfect for shopping at cruise ports, these bags fold up small enough to keep in your purse. I always carry one with me—you never know when you’ll need it! Plus, many countries charge a fee for shopping bags, and I’d much rather use my own than pay extra.
Foldable backpack – Perfect for cruise port days when you need an extra bag. I love that these backpacks are lightweight and fold down small, so you can toss one in your luggage without taking up much space.
Travel luggage scale – I always keep one in my suitcase so I can weigh my bags before heading to the airport. It’s a simple way to avoid overweight baggage fees.
Apple AirTags – I pop one into each of my bags so I can track my luggage for peace of mind. They’re especially helpful if you have a short layover and worry about your suitcase getting left behind.
Beach Essentials
Towel Clips – A simple must-have for pool and beach days! They keep your towels from slipping off lounge chairs, and I never cruise without brining a few in my luggage.
Waterproof phone pouch – Protect your phone from water and sand while still being able to snap photos. I always bring one when cruising the Caribbean or Mediterranean—it’s a lifesaver for beach and pool days.
Striped beach bag with zipper – You’ll need a beach bag with zipper to keep your things secure. I like this one because it’s stylish, has a water bottle holder, keeps belongings secure and has a lot of pockets.
Kid-Friendly Cruise Essentials
Magnetic toys – Cabin walls are magnetic, making these toys perfect for fun, mess-free entertainment. They keep kids busy when you’re in the cabin, especially since cruise TV options for kids can be limited. It’s always best to bring your own toys.
Collapsible beach buckets and toys – You’ll definitely want to bring beach toys if you’re going on a Caribbean cruise! This collapsible set includes foldable buckets, shovels, and sandcastle molds, all packed neatly in one bag. They’re easy to fit in your suitcase without taking up much space.
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