How to save cash on a Disney Cruise

My household’s one-way cruise (also called a repositioning cruise) will start in Galveston, Texas, and finish in San Juan, Puerto Rico. By reserving via a Disney journey agent, we had been in a position to take a six-night cruise for a similar value as a number of the four- and five-night cruisetours additionally out there on the time of reserving. 

Reap the benefits of the onboard reserving possibility

The earlier you e book, the higher. Typically, a 12 months upfront is an effective guideline, as vacation cruises can promote out shortly. Not solely will the costs be decrease, however there are extra choices to select from once you e book your stateroom (cabin). That offers you a greater shot at getting an inside stateroom, which is usually extra inexpensive than reserving a room with an ocean view.  

For those who’re good at planning forward, chances are you’ll need to benefit from onboard reserving choices and reserve a spot on a future cruise. It can save you as much as 10% in your subsequent crusing by paying a USD$250 deposit, suggests Goldberg. You might have two years from the time of reserving to redeem, and if you happen to in the end don’t find yourself reserving, your deposit is mechanically refunded, she says. 

The most effective time of the 12 months to go on a Disney cruise

Disney’s Christmas and Halloween cruises are usually the costliest of what’s supplied. For those who’re searching for the most effective worth and keen to forego a vacation cruise, Goldberg says the tip of summer season, early fall, first weeks of January, and first week of February are typically cheaper. 

For those who’re crusing out of one of many Florida ports, reserving for mid-August to mid-October comes with the chance of travelling throughout peak hurricane season. Nonetheless, these sailings are usually cheaper. For those who determine to take that threat, contemplate getting journey insurance coverage, in case Mom Nature isn’t in your facet.

Save on overseas trade charges 

Disney holidays are charged in U.S. {dollars}, making them costlier for Canadians, after factoring within the trade charge. When utilizing a Canadian bank card, you may additionally should pay overseas transaction (foreign exchange) charges—which usually price an additional 2.5% of the acquisition value—except you could have a no overseas transaction charge bank card.

If getting a brand new bank card isn’t an possibility for you, Goldberg suggests to buy Disney reward playing cards to avoid wasting on foreign exchange charges. Present playing cards can be found at main retail shops, corresponding to Costco, Walmart, Loblaws, Customers Drug Mart (or Pharmaprix, if you happen to dwell in Quebec). And you should utilize these GCs to e book your journey and make purchases on the ship. By shopping for reward playing cards in Canadian {dollars}, you’ll nonetheless should pay the U.S. trade charge, however you’ll save on foreign exchange charges. 

Choi agrees with this technique. He says getting the reward playing cards from a grocery retailer additionally lets you earn some loyalty factors. The American Specific Cobalt, for instance, offers you 5 Amex Membership Rewards (MR) factors per $1 spent at grocery shops.