Save big on your next cruise, easy as 1-2-3

How can the average person afford a nice cruise? How can you make sure you don’t overspend on your cruise?

Let me share a few tips with you:

Find a specialized agent. There are travel agents, and then there are preferred cruise line agents. “Locate an agent that specializes in booking with your cruise line of choice.

Only a select few have preferred status. Working with preferred agents and agencies can yield you a better discount and amenities, and the cruises will run you between 10 percent and 25 percent less than cruises bought from regular agents.

Buy some stock. When you purchase 100 shares of Carnival or Royal Caribbean shares, they will offer you between $50 and $200 of free cabin credit on every cruise. Note: Carnival and Royal Caribbean control the majority of the cruise lines out there, so this is a sweet deal.

Private tours can save you a lot of cash. Let’s say you have six of your friends or family members on a cruise. You’d be better off having a private arrangement for shore excursions.

Run a few Internet searches to find less costly tours for groups that are “more intimate” and cost less than those offered by the cruise line.

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