<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 4;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Cruising on a Budget</span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;">I&rsquo;m back, and yes I know it&rsquo;s been a while since I&rsquo;ve written. Did you miss my musings?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I really wish I could say I&rsquo;ve been on a world cruise but unfortunately not. I&rsquo;ve been traveling primarily on business, and taking the fastest way- planes. But now I&rsquo;m busily planning my next vacation and that of course includes a cruise. </span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;">While times may seem tough, and taking a cruise seems like an unnecessary luxury, think of it as some well deserved mental health days. Cruise lines are practically giving away vacations, and with a little planning anyone can well afford it.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;">The Lines don&rsquo;t make money on the sales of staterooms/cabins. The real money is made when you come aboard and spend. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>The idea is to get you onboard and feeling good. Happy people buy drinks, massages, shore excursions, and roses. They rent tuxedos and book over-priced excursions.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;">I&rsquo;m here to help you look at the options and not come home broke. My motives aren&rsquo;t to put the cruise lines out of business or even cramp your style. When the going gets rough it&rsquo;s time to get savvy. The money you save could go to your next cruise. So why not think thrifty, think smart, and think future cruising. </span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;">Think bargain when you&rsquo;re shopping for the next cruise! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>If you&rsquo;re paying $50.00 or more per day (before taxes) you&rsquo;re paying way too much, and if you&rsquo;re on the bottom of the ship then you have only yourself to blame. Booking directly with the cruise lines can save you. Many specials come with a guaranteed upgrade, and as the saying goes if you don&rsquo;t ask you don&rsquo;t get. So be sure to ask what&lsquo;s the best category your money will buy.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;">Onboard, look for opportunities to save in every area. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>Start day one of your cruise. That noisy Bon Voyage party where everyone is in good spirits, and the waiters are pushing drinks in fancy glasses is a good place to begin. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>What you&rsquo;re actually paying for are those colorful fancy glasses that you&rsquo;ll never use again, not even around your pool. Plus why give the cruise lines an additional three to four dollars? If you must have one of those drinks tote that glass around for the rest of your trip. Refills are a lot less expensive than buying another concoction.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;">Now do you really need those specialty desserts that cost extra money? Do you have to have reservations at restaurants with a surcharge? Is it necessary to buy those paintings at the art auction?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>And those of you who play bingo know those cards aren&rsquo;t cheap. Must you pay extra for the yoga and spin instructor? Rent that tuxedo? Buy that much booze in Duty Free? Throw away your money on lotto cards? Spend every evening in the casino &ndash; losing money? </span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;">As for buying alcohol on board, compare prices when you get ashore. Sometimes duty free isn&rsquo;t all that it&rsquo;s cracked up to be. And those shore excursions &ndash; yes I know there is safety in numbers- but there are also pitfalls... sitting on a bus waiting for stragglers to show up&hellip;. being forced to listen to people complaining&hellip; not able to come and go as you choose. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>Tours are ridiculously over priced. So if you&rsquo;re not the only one traveling it might make better financial sense to hire a taxi (establish a fixed price in advance) or rent a vehicle. There are many advantages to having your own wheels or driver. You can spend as much or as little time as you want at a destination. You are in control of your comings and goings. Plus drivers will often show you a side of their country most tourists will never see.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;">If you enjoy being pampered, make your appointments for facials, massages, and salon services when the ship is in port. The salons run specials when most passengers are off the ship because business is slow. A pedicure or massage could turn out to be quite the bargain.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Let&rsquo;s talk tipping. A tip is given in appreciation for good service and shouldn&rsquo;t be mandatory. In most cases you&rsquo;ve pre-paid your tips so why provide an additional reward for less than extraordinary service? You should never feel pressured to give anyone you&rsquo;ve not interacted with (including the Maitre d) a tip unless they&rsquo;ve provided outstanding service. Don&rsquo;t ever get badgered into coughing up additional funds when there is no reason too. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;">Drinks already have tips figured in, and that&rsquo;s something we often overlook. If the bartender or waiter is simply doing his/her job they shouldn&rsquo;t be given anything extra. I mention that only because there are so many bartenders who just shove a drink at you, and don&rsquo;t even smile.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">And that brings me to those over priced photographs. I am guilty of over spending in this area. But when I see a photograph of me that I actually like, I willingly pay whatever they&rsquo;re asking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Bring a digital camera or even a disposable one. Buy only those that speak to you. And remember to get a letter from the photographer authorizing you to make copies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;">On an ending note, don&rsquo;t buy anything that you can get cheaper at home. That includes souvenirs friends and relatives will never use. Just keep saying to yourself the money you save will keep you cruising another day.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;">You&rsquo;ll find that with these cost savings you&rsquo;ll still be able to enjoy your vacation. So keep sailing away!</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman;">Best,&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: ">Sailin' Sue </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: ">p.s. write me at <a href="mailto:susiesails@yahoo.com">susiesails@yahoo.com</a>&nbsp;</span></p>