68 DAYS TO GO . . .

     MONDAY FEBRUARY 14, 2011

     SINCE YOU'RE PLANNING, YOU NEED TO BUDGET.  UNLESS MONEY IS NO OBJECT, AND I PERSONALLY DON'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT FROM YOU (lol), YOU HAVE TO AT LEAST BE CONSCIOUS OF WHERE YOUR MONEY IS GOING.
     FIRST AND FOREMOST IS TO PLAN AND SHOP EARLY.  WHEN YOU FIGURE OUT YOUR DATES, START SHOPPING THEM.  COMPARE AND CONTRAST.  HAVE SOMEONE SHOP RATES WELL IN ADVANCE FOR YOU AS WELL.  AND BOOK EARLY.  EVEN IF A BETTER DEAL COMES ALONG, WHEN YOU'VE BOOKED CHEAP IN ADVANCE, THOSE MORE CURRENT SAVINGS ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU AS WELL.  YOU CAN ALWAYS RE-BOOK OR CHANGE YOUR RESERVATION TO INCLUDE THOSE NEWER SAVINGS.
     SIGN UP FOR EMAIL SAVINGS FROM ALL THE CRUISE LINES (OR RESORTS, ETC.) THAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING.  BY DOING SO EARLY, THE SAVINGS COME TO YOU,  ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE PLANNING AN OFF-SEASON TRIP.  THE KIDS MAY HAVE TO MISS SOME SCHOOL, BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS COMPANIES OFFER YOU SUCH GOOD DEALS TO DO SO.
     KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN FOR ON-BOARD CREDITS.  THESE ARE BASICALLY REBATES ON YOUR CRUISE PRICE.  A CREDIT TO YOUR ON-BOARD ACCOUNT WHEN YOU ARRIVE.  LET'S FACE IT, THERE ARE ALWAYS ADDITIONAL EXPENSES, SO THE BIGGER YOUR ON-BOARD CREDIT, THE LESS EXTRA EXPENSES YOU'LL HAVE.  SHOP AROUND AND COMPARE THEM BEFORE BOOKING.
     AVOID THE ALL-IN PACKAGES.  IF YOU HEAR ABOUT THE CONVENIENCE OF TRIP, TRAVEL, TRANSFERS AND STAY PACKAGES, ODDS ARE THE CONVENIENCE IS ALL YOU'RE GETTING.  WRITE IT DOWN, THEN GO AND COMPARE THE PRICES OF BOOKING EACH PART THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE INCLUDED, ON YOUR OWN.  99 OUT OF 100 TIMES YOU'LL SAVE QUITE A BIT BY BOOKING "A LA CARTE" OR EVERYTHING SEPARATE.
     CONSIDER BOOKING A SHORE EXCURSION ON YOUR OWN, WHETHER IN ADVANCE OR WHEN YOU GET TO PORT.  REMEMBER, EVERYONE INVOLVED IN YOUR SHORE EXCURSION HAS TO MAKE SOME MONEY.  THE LESS PEOPLE INVOLVED, THE LESS YOU'LL PAY FOR THE SAME EXCURSION.
     DISNEY DOESN'T CHARGE FOR SODA (OTHER THAN ROOM SERVICE), BUT ALCOHOL COSTS PLENTY.  BRING YOUR OWN OR SET A LIMIT IN SPENDING.  ORDER HOUSE BRANDS VS. NAME BRANDS, AND KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR ON-BOARD ACCOUNT SO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'VE SPENT AND BEEN CHARGED.
     AVOID ON-BOARD SHOPPING IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.  THIS CAN BE TOUGH TO DO SINCE THIS MERCHANDISE IS USUALLY AVAILABLE NO PLACE ELSE.  BUT IF YOU "WINDOW SHOP" EARLY AND NARROW DOWN  YOUR CHOICES TIL CLOSER TO THE END OF YOUR CRUISE, YOU'LL PROBABLY ONLY PURCHASE WHAT YOU REALLY WANT AND MAY GET A BETTER DEAL TOWARD THE END AS WELL.  PLUS THERE ARE USUALLY BETTER DEALS TO BE HAD IN PORT(S) IF YOU'RE A SHOPPER.  AND DON'T FORGET TO HAGGLE.  THIS IS A PORT SHOPPING NECESSITY AND TRADITION!
     SEE YA REAL SOON!   ºOº