Smart Money Podcast – Plan Your Next Cruise: Tips on Booking, Excursions and Entertainment

Welcome to NerdWallet’s Smart Money podcast, where we answer your real-world money questions. In this episode:

Explore the ins and outs of planning a group cruise, from choosing the right trip to coordinating on-board activities.

What are the benefits of booking a group cruise for your friends and family?

What amenities do cruises offer that could make travel easier for you and your group?

Hosts Sean Pyles and Meghan Coyle discuss how to choose and book the best cruise to help you understand the logistics of planning a group vacation at sea. They begin with a discussion of the advantages and drawbacks of going on a cruise with a group, with tips and tricks on selecting destinations that fit your travel style, managing the financial aspects of shared cruise costs and utilizing onboard amenities for all age groups.

Then, Sean and Meghan discuss the ins and outs of cruise excursions and travel tips for groups. They discuss the importance of early reservation for excursions, strategies for avoiding the rush when disembarking at ports, and the value of shared travel experiences for bonding with your party.

Check out this episode on your favorite podcast platform, including:

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• Spotify

NerdWallet stories related to this episode:

The Best Cruises for Families

The Best Ways to Book a Cruise

The Guide to Cruise Travel Insurance

Have a money question? Text or call us at 901-730-6373. Or you can email us at [email protected]. To hear previous episodes, go to the podcast homepage.

Episode transcript

This transcript was generated from podcast audio by an AI tool.

Sean Pyles:

Planning a group vacation is not easy. You need to consider multiple opinions around transportation, lodging, food, entertainment. The Google Doc could be a lengthy one. Not to mention the bill. But there's one way to go that takes all of those decisions out of your hands. Today we're going to explore the pros and cons and costs of taking a group on a cruise.

Meghan Coyle:

There are some people who like to sit on a beach during their vacation and not do too much else. If that's your style, then I'd suggest looking at a cruise like in Hawaii or the Caribbean where there's a lot of stops at beaches and you don't have to waste time looking at a city or something if you don't want to.

Sean Pyles:

Welcome to NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast. I'm Sean Pyles.

Meghan Coyle:

And I'm Meghan Coyle.

Sean Pyles:

This episode concludes our nerdy deep dive into group travel. Meghan, it's been so fun thinking about all the different ways to travel with friends and family.

Meghan Coyle:

Yeah, I think we've covered a lot of ground, Sean. Group travel and airlines, where to stay with groups, how to get groups from one location to another via cars, trains and public transit. And today we're going to talk about the option that puts all of that in one place. Well, maybe not the airline part, but you get my drift, my ocean drift.

Sean Pyles:

Yes, it's time to hit the water for a cruise.

Meghan Coyle:

We're cruising, Sean.

Sean Pyles:

Will Julie McCoy, Isaac Washington and Captain Stubing be welcoming us aboard?

Meghan Coyle:

Oh, Sean, that is an old school reference for all time, and you're not that old.

Sean Pyles:

I'm not, but a classic is a classic. But seriously, whether it's Love Boat or Death on the Nile, trips aboard a cruise are legendary and a huge part of vacation culture.

Meghan Coyle:

They are. In fact, more than 12 million Americans went on cruises in 2022, part of the post pandemic cruise rebound. And if you think about it really, is there any better way to wrangle a group of people in one place while allowing them to pretty much do whatever they want?

Sean Pyles:

Well, cruises are not for me, but you do have a point. So I'm looking forward to hearing more about some of the logistics and costs and things to watch out for and anticipate. And today you are the one in the hot seat.

Meghan Coyle:

I am. I'm not only your purser, I'm your expert.

Sean Pyles:

All right, well listener, we want to hear your thoughts about group travel. Are you organizing a trip for a bunch of friends? If so, how are you going about it and what questions do you have? Leave us a voicemail or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373. That's 901-730-NERD. Or email a voice memo to [email protected]. Stay with us. We are back in a moment.

Meghan, let's talk cruises. I have to start out with a confession. I've never been on a cruise. I guess it's a two part confession because the other part is that I'm wary of cruises. So tell me, what is your experience with cruises?

Meghan Coyle:

So I've been on three cruises and I'm going on another one this summer and I was also a little wary of them, but my grandma loves them and she just has been booking them as a way to get our extended family together and we literally have four generations traveling together when we go on a cruise. So it's been nice because, yeah, it's like a little reunion and we get to see a new place together.

Sean Pyles:

The family aspect seems great because you can get everyone in one place and it's not that difficult once you've all gotten onto the boat. Once you're there, what's exciting to you about cruises?

Meghan Coyle:

So I like seeing a lot of destinations. I'm trying to learn how to slow travel, but for right now I love being really efficient and when I have a few days off, seeing as many places as I can in those few days and cruises are a great way to do that. You don't waste a lot of time driving. And honestly, there are a lot of destinations that are just easier to see by water. For example, I went on an Alaska cruise and I recommend that to anyone who's a little wary of cruises because there really is no better way to see Alaska. It is just so big. It would be impossible to drive all of that.

Sean Pyles:

And I imagine if you're someone who doesn't like to get super into the logistics of traveling and just wants to get on a boat and be shown things, cruises could be really appealing.

Meghan Coyle:

They help you set the itinerary and oftentimes they'll even tell you what time you need to be at dinner. It can be very planned out for you, which is really nice.

Sean Pyles:

How can folks choose which cruise to go on, there are so many?

Meghan Coyle:

Of course look at cruises that interest you and fit your travel style. So there are some people who like to sit on a beach during their vacation and not do too much else. If that's your style, then I'd suggest looking at a cruise like in Hawaii or the Caribbean where there's a lot of stops at beaches and you don't have to waste time looking at a city or something if you don't want to.

But if you are more into the city destinations or going to see a different country perhaps, and you need a bit more of a mix of relaxing days and touristy days, then I'd recommend looking at other locations that would maybe provide a mix of those two things for you. So the Mediterranean is often a good option. I think Southeast Asia would be really cool to go see, to get a little mix of both.

Sean Pyles:

So really know yourself, know what you want out of your vacation, know how you like to travel and then see what kind of cruise can fit the bill for you. Like I mentioned, I haven't done a cruise before and I'm kind of wary of them in part because there are so many people just shoved onto this big boat in the sea and that's just not my thing. But maybe I would look into a smaller boat, a more intimate type of cruise.

Meghan Coyle:

Exactly. There are so many different types of cruises like a river cruise for example, might be an example of a smaller ship that might be more interesting to you. And there's also a lot of newer cruises, newer ships, and they've done a lot in the past 20 years probably to make these cruises really private in some ways. There's a lot of third spaces where you can hang out outside of your room. So if you're worried about the crowds, you might be pleasantly surprised that there's actually some places you can go on a cruise ship where you can have some alone time.

Sean Pyles:

Meghan, I'd like to hear why cruises are good for group travel.

Meghan Coyle:

I mean the big plus is that everyone is staying in the same place and there's lots of different activities for all age groups. So when I travel with my family, my grandma can do some of the bingo and the ballroom dancing.

Sean Pyles:

You're not joining in on the bingo?

Meghan Coyle:

Yeah. Bingo is not my thing, but I can go to the water park, I can go have a drink with my friends out on the deck. There's a lot of options for everyone.

Sean Pyles:

And I think that's important when you're traveling with a group, you should have some understanding that each person's going to want to do slightly different things. You don't need to be together all of the time. And with the amount of activities that are available on a cruise, your grandma can go and play bingo, you can go do something else, your dad could do another thing and it's no big deal because you know you'll meet up when the dinner bell rings because the boat tells you you have to eat at this certain time and that's when you kind of have to regroup.

Meghan Coyle:

Exactly. And the other thing I wanted to point out is that food is usually included in the cost of the cruise. There might be some upgrades you can get for specialty restaurants on board, but for the most part food is included. And so that I think takes out the biggest stress of traveling with the group, which is feeding everyone and finding something that everyone agrees to and is in the right budget. When it's all included that it just simplifies it so much.

Sean Pyles:

Not to mention splitting the bill is always a headache when you're traveling with a group. So it takes that totally out of the equation, which is nice.

Okay. And then what about actually booking a cruise as a group? Do you all need to book at the exact same time? Are there certain accommodations that you need to make when you are a group? How should people approach the actual booking of a cruise when you are doing it as a group?

Meghan Coyle:

So you want to research the different types of staterooms that they have. Those are the cabins that you would book and there's a lot of different configurations. You could get one with a balcony, sometimes there's a two bedroom suite sort of situation. So before you book anything, really understand the different types of staterooms and how much each of those would cost. And you don't have to book all together. You can often select the floor that you're on in the boat. And I've found it's nice to stay on the same floor or at least the same part of the boat as your family or friends or your group because it just makes it easier to get to each other if they're right down the hallway. And you can also look for some deals that'll make traveling as a group cheaper.

So for example, there are a few cruises that do a kid sale free package where you might be able to bring little ones for not no extra cost because you'll probably have to pay for some of the add-ons, like the drinks or whatever. But that takes out a lot of the cost. And especially with staterooms, it's not exactly like you're buying a hotel room where you buy the hotel room and then split it with someone else outside of the payment system. On a cruise a second person is actually another cost. So it's actually easier that everyone can see how much their space in the stateroom costs.

Sean Pyles:

So that's another way where being on a cruise makes financing a trip a little bit easier because you have clear divisions of who is paying what to be in a room.

Meghan Coyle:

Exactly. And I would just warn people to look out for some of the rules about traveling as a group, especially where drink packages are involved. Most cruises come with a complimentary sort of basic drinks package, which is probably just water and soda and coffee and tea and then alcohol or even specialty coffee drinks like some Norwegian cruise lines have Starbucks locations right on the cruise ship, and those might not be part of the drinks package. And sometimes they can be very restrictive about how many people in your group need to have a certain drink package to be able to book or to be able to buy drinks for everyone.

Sean Pyles:

Oh, because they think that just one person's going to have the Starbucks package and then get coffee for everyone else?

Meghan Coyle:

Yeah. So just be aware that you want to get a drink package that will include everyone and all of the beverages you'll want.

Sean Pyles:

So read the terms and conditions of all of the expenses that go into a cruise. And is there one clear place where you can see that when you're booking or is it like you get on the boat and suddenly you realize, oh, we've got to get this Starbucks package because X number of people in the group need to get this for the cruise to be happy with us?

Meghan Coyle:

You can do it before you get on the cruise when you're booking online. That might require reading some of the fine print to make sure you got it exactly right. But if you do not have the drink package you need, you can always add it on when you're on the boat as well.

Sean Pyles:

Well, as your experience tells us, cruises are really big among families. So what should parents know about bringing their little ones on a cruise? Or even you as you are an adult, but with your family traveling, what should people know about traveling on a cruise as a family?

Meghan Coyle:

The biggest perk of traveling on a cruise with a family is that parents can get free babysitting. It's literally included in the price of the cruise. They have these things called kids clubs or teen clubs, so maybe not exactly babysitting, but these are places that are specifically reserved for kids of a certain age and they're often divided into different age groups as well. Even smaller kids that have one kind of kids' club and then middle grade kids have a different kids' club, and here parents can literally drop their children off. And throughout the operation hours of the kids club, the kid can just stay there and participate in all sorts of activities. Just make sure you check the hours and also the age requirements. And sometimes these cruises even offer extra babysitting services outside of the normal operation hours. So if you want to have a date night or something like that, you might be able to get babysitting as an add-on to the kids' clubs.

And then on top of that, other good things to look for on cruises if you're going with a family is kid-friendly amenities. So cruises like Royal Caribbean and Disney are really well known for having kid-friendly activities like water slides, go-karts, ice rinks, all these things to keep kids and adults entertained. And if you're booking for a group that includes kids, it's nice to consider one of these cruise lines that has all of those fun things for them.

Sean Pyles:

Well, on the other end of the spectrum, cruises are super popular among seniors too. So are there any tips for this age group when it comes to making the most of a cruise?

Meghan Coyle:

This is one area where you want to be really cautious about making sure you book accessible accommodations, if someone needs that. Bigger cabin or maybe they want a scooter to ride around on the cruise ship. Actually you can even book a wheelchair rental or a scooter rental before you even get on the cruise from an outside third party company if you'd like and just pick it up before you get on board. I'd recommend working with the cruise because a lot of these cruise lines employ people to specifically handle these cases.

Sean Pyles:

When I think of cruises, I think that they're essentially like a luxury condo building on the water and they have all sorts of wild amenities. Can you talk us through some of the amenities that people can expect on a cruise?

Meghan Coyle:

Amenities like gyms, pools, spas, those are all pretty standard and I would expect to see those on most ships. One of my hot tips is that you can save on going to the spa with a day pass. And if you go up and ask the people who work there, they might be able to give you some options that are not spa treatments, that might be a little cheaper so you can use the facilities, which is really nice. A lot of times they have entertainment. These can be anything from game shows to Broadway style shows to maybe more customer interaction type of stuff like karaoke. There's all sorts of different types of shows. There's even an ice show on the ship with an ice rink.

Sean Pyles:

An ice rink on a boat just seems like it's breaking laws of nature, but I'll go for it.

Meghan Coyle:

I know, right? Don't count out that you can also bring your own entertainment. So my family often brings Mahjong, so we play that on the boat, but you can bring your own games, your own books and download your own TV shows because Wi-Fi is a whole nother thing on the cruise. But if you have things downloaded, you could watch that yourself as well.

Sean Pyles:

Okay. Say more about Wi-Fi because I need my internet connection no matter where I am. Is it not accessible often on boats?

Meghan Coyle:

Wi-Fi is similar to the drinks package where you often have to buy some type of package and often it's for the entire length of the cruise. So there aren't a lot of ways to get it at a deal. But if you do need the Wi-Fi, it can be worth it to pay for the entire package. Just know that it might not be super fast, especially when you're out at sea. And of course when you dock and get off at the ports, you can always use Wi-Fi that you find locally or even set up some sort of international phone plan to have Wi-Fi access when you're off the boat.

Sean Pyles:

All right. Well, Meghan, I want to talk about excursions because excursions or day trips away from the boat are a really big selling point on cruises and they can also make a cruise a lot more expensive depending on the excursion and how many you do. So can you talk us through what people should know about booking excursions, especially for groups?

Meghan Coyle:

Excursions are a pretty costly add-on to your cruise price. So that's something to keep in mind, especially when you're booking for a huge group. The simplest way to do it is book the excursions through the cruise line. They often have a desk on board where they can help you book these things or you can book them online before you go on the cruise. And these can range from anything like they'll take you to different activities at the port, or it could be as simple as they'll just simply offer you a ride into town. So if you're doing this with a group, sometimes it's simplest to just go through the cruise line, but you pay for that convenience.

The other option is you could set up your own excursions and that is often way cheaper. It just requires a little bit of research beforehand that might involve having to book some sort of transportation for your group to help you get to where you need to go. Or it might be as simple as literally walking into town. If your group can handle a 15-minute walk into town, that might be the cheapest option. And large groups might have even more options to customize the excursion to exactly what they want.

Sean Pyles:

One thing that I was a little bit surprised by when it comes to excursions on these cruises is how competitive they can be to book. I'm thinking of my family, which is going on a Disney cruise this spring, and we were talking about this over Christmas and they were looking at booking some excursions for their cruise and a lot of them had already filled up and they were three, four months out from the cruise itself. So I guess I was surprised by how popular they are, one, and two, how expensive they were to do and then also just how competitive it is to actually get in on one of these cruise specific excursions.

Meghan Coyle:

Yeah, you have to remember that everyone on this cruise is booking these same few options from the cruise line at any port you get off at. For example, the Disney cruise has a private island. I think they actually have two private islands. So depending on what cruise you go on, you might stop at one or the other, but it's literally like the entire boat empties out and goes to this private island and that can cause some demand backups as well. So it is important to keep in mind that when you are booking excursions, you should do it as early as possible. And if you don't get something, I would recommend to keep checking back even when you're on the boat because people do cancel. They get on the ship and they're overbooked or maybe part of their group bails out and spots can open up last minute.

Sean Pyles:

And also I would imagine that if you don't get the excursion that you want when you dock somewhere and everyone else is offloading into this destination, it might be a good chance just to hang out on the cruise by yourself because on this boat and everyone else has already left. So a little bit of peace and quiet on this big boat as well.

Meghan Coyle:

Yeah, that's actually one of my favorite things is to try not to leave with the crowd in the morning as soon as you dock and give yourself some time for the boat to empty out and you'll get a little bit of a alone time and it might be easier to grab a taxi when you do get off.

Sean Pyles:

Well, Meghan, do you have any other tips who might be cruise curious with their group?

Meghan Coyle:

I would really encourage groups to look into it because it can be so fun to go on these group trips together and know that no matter what else you do during the day you will see each other at meals, you'll see each other at night, you're all staying in the same place. And it takes a lot of the headaches of planning a group trip out of it. So if your group has any interest at all in going on a cruise, I would recommend you look into it.

Sean Pyles:

Well, I'm still a little bit cruise skeptical, but maybe I'll float this to my friend group next time we're planning a vacation.

Meghan Coyle:

Let me know how it goes, Sean.

Sean Pyles:

I will.

Okay. Well, Meghan, it's hard to believe, but our group travel journey is already coming to an end. We've soared the skies, crashed at group friendly lodging, planned trips that made everyone happy and even cruised across the high seas. All this travel talk is making me want to get a trip on the books with my favorite travel companions.

Meghan Coyle:

Same. I can't wait. I'm a firm believer that traveling with someone is one of the best shared experiences. As long as you don't hate your travel companions by the end of it, travel can really bring people closer together.

Sean Pyles:

Absolutely. Well, Meghan, thank you so much. It's been really fun having you co-host this show and bring on some of our fellow Nerds to talk group travel.

Meghan Coyle:

Thank you, Sean.

For now, that's all we have for this episode. Do you have a money question of your own? Turn to the Nerds and call or text us your questions at 901-730-6373. That's 901-730-NERD. You can also email us at [email protected]. Also visit nerdwallet.com/podcast for more info on this episode. And remember to follow, rate and review us wherever you're getting this podcast.

Sean Pyles:

This episode was produced by Tess Vigeland. I helped with editing. Kevin Berry helped with fact checking. Sara Brink mixed our audio. And a big thank you to NerdWallet's editors for all their help.

Meghan Coyle:

And here's our brief disclaimer. We are not financial or investment advisors. This nerdy info is provided for general educational and entertainment purposes and may not apply to your specific circumstances.

Sean Pyles: