Six Ways to Save Some Money on a River Cruise

River cruises are not cheap, yet my wife and I remain convinced (having just returned from a week on the Rhine) that taking your hotel with you and not having to unpack as you visit a whole series of fascinating ports of call is worth the extra dollars.  On the other hand, if your budget is not endless, you may be interested in keeping your costs as close to the minimum as possible.  Here are six simple suggestions for doing just that.

1. Food on cruises is included, almost endless, and pretty uniformly excellent. Make all the meals they provide and resist eating in those neat little restaurants on shore no matter how appealing they might be.
2. Beer and house wines are included at meals. You could even have champagne at breakfast if you wanted it.  Hard liquor and special wines are not included.  Nor are cocktails not at meal times.  Liquor bills can skyrocket on you easily.  Keep your bar tab under control.    
3. Remember that a cruise ship is a floating hotel and it will have room service and even a refrigerator in your cabin filled with drinks and goodies. That luxury comes at a premium price and also adds cost to your tips.       
4. Try to make do with the provided excursions. We did take one extra, but you can have a great time without doing the extra trips.  You can also choose an unguided jaunt when others are boarding a coach for an afternoon in another town.  We did that once too, and it turned out to be one of our most enjoyable experiences. And do not forget that a vacation is not supposed to exhaust you. There are times when your best option may be a nap or an afternoon in the lounge with a book.  
5. Keep control of your souvenir and gift expenditures.  We have done a lot of traveling and all I can tell you is that a good deal of what you buy may end up in a box in the attic waiting for your kids to throw out.  If you need any souvenir Irish linen tea towels we have a drawer full—all like new.  
6. A final way to save some money is to bite the bullet and book a lower priced cabin. There are no waves or seasick problems on a river boat so position on the ship is not critical.  All ship cabins, even the expensive ones, will be smaller than most hotel rooms.  Live with it.  Picture windows and balconies are lovely, but you need to remember that most of the time you are in your cabin, you are napping, changing clothes, taking a shower, or sleeping. These are not public performances; you are going to close the drapes anyway. When you wish a nice view you are only a few steps away from the lounges or the deck.  As a matter of fact we talked to two couples on our cruise who were not happy because they booked a more expensive balcony cabin and then found that when the boat was double parked their scenic view was a guy on another boat cutting his toenails.  Finally, if the weather is cool or rainy, you won’t be on your balcony anyway.        

We hope this might help you in making your choices.