Expert shares warning about 'one thing' you should never do on a cruise

A travel expert has shared a warning about the ‘one thing’ you should never do on a cruise, saying it could see you being ‘charged hundreds’.

The world of cruising has long been associated with couples in their 60s making the most of retirement, but these days there’s a lot more out there for all kinds of budgets and situations.

In fact, some people have even chosen to live on a cruise ship, after realising it worked out cheaper than trying to keep up with the spiralling rental market.

Jenni Fielding, aka Cruise Mummy, is someone who’s embraced holidays at sea, having been on more than 30 cruises in the past decade, from solo trips through to family holidays with her kids.

Keen to share her wisdom, the UK-based blogger now shares travel tips and tricks with others, including crucial advice on how to save money in an industry known for its hefty price tags.

She’s proving it doesn’t have to be as expensive as people think, having recently been on an 'incredible' £99 cruise aboard the MSC Euribia, which left Southampton for a two-night trip to Hamburg.

Jenni’s also just returned from a five-night cruise on the Costa Smeralda, which worked out at around £30 a night – the cheapest she’s seen.

Speaking exclusively to Tyla, she explained how she’d managed to land such good deals, having learnt a few knacks over the years.

“I found both of these deals on the cruise line’s websites by simply ordering all of the cruises from price low to high,” Jenni said.

“The prices usually drop significantly about two weeks before the sailing, if the ships aren’t full.

“Cruises this cheap don’t appear on travel agent websites or price comparison sites because travel agents don’t want to book them. They only get 5-10% commission, so it’s not worth their time.

“For super cheap deals like this, you have to look on the cruise line’s websites and book online.

“One-way cruises are usually the cheapest because people often overlook them. But they’re no more inconvenient than a round trip if you’re flying.

“The cheapest time to cruise in Europe is the first December and January (excluding Christmas and New Year) because people want the good weather.

“But it was 20 degrees in Spain and Italy which was warm enough for shorts and t-shirts and to swim in the outdoor pools.”

And there’s 'one thing' Jenni – who sends her followers best cruise deals each week - also swears by once she’s set off as a way of avoiding a hefty charge.

According to Jenni, you should NEVER forget to pop your phone on airplane mode once you've set off.

If you don't, you could find yourself being charged 'hundreds'.

She said: “One thing to be aware of is to always put your phone on airplane mode as soon as the ship departs.

“There’s a chance it could connect to the maritime network at sea, and if it uses data to pull through your emails, for example, then you could face a huge bill. People have been charged hundreds."

While Wi-Fi is often available on board, it usually comes at an extra price.

Instead, you're best off waiting until you've reached port to start scrolling through Instagram or catching up with WhatsApp.

Jenni added: “Cruise ship Wi-Fi is expensive, so I usually just use my 5G data when on land and disconnect while at sea.”

For travel tips, visit Jenni's blog at www.cruisemummy.co.uk. You can also follow her on Instagram and YouTube.