FIVE WAYS TO SAVE

MONEY ONBOARD

I wouldn't go so far as to follow a suggestion that a friend's dad gave before our cruise. Since alcohol officially cannot be brought aboard most ships, his tip was to fill an empty bottle of mouthwash with booze, then add a little green food dye to disguise it.

There are, however, less low-born tricks to avoid getting sunk by extra costs.

1. Arrange your own transportation. In Miami, the cruise line charged $30 one-way from the airport to the ship port. I got around it upon arrival by booking a pre-cruise hotel with free shuttle service from the airport and to the waterfront. Post-cruise, I booked a rental car with Hertz, which ran free shuttles from the port. City-run trams and private airport shuttles are other alternatives.

2. Know whom to tip. Norwegian automatically charged us a general fee for food and cabin service, and a 15 percent gratuity was added to all bar tabs. That didn't stop waiters from subtly seeking tips, and our luggage porter was in no way subtle about it. Check the tour pamphlet or website for guidelines.

3. Sign up for a casino membership. A $20 signup fee got me about $40 in free chips, betting coupons and slot credits. It didn't help me win, though.

4. Lug aboard nonalcoholic drinks. Jugs of water or six-packs of soft drinks add up to big savings. Can you believe the cruise lines charge for soda?

5. As for the booze ... Pay attention to happy-hour specials at the different bars. Always order a bottle of wine instead of a glass, since the staff will cork it and bring it back later elsewhere on the ship. And if you are going to smuggle alcohol aboard, don't do it in breakable bottles (nothing like Heineken-soaked underwear to spoil a trip).

BUT DON'T SCRIMP ON ...

1. Your cabin. I've never suffered claustrophobia, but I shivered when I peeked inside one of the puny interior rooms (windowless). Even a small porthole and 15 extra square feet have a big effect.

2. Dining options. On Norwegian, which offers "freestyle" dining ("anytime, anywhere"), we found the $10-$15 charge for the higher-end French and Italian restaurants was money well spent -- partly because most passengers balk at these fees, giving us a rare respite from the crowds.

3. Shore excursions. Especially on a short cruise, it's important to make the most of the ports-of-call. Just hope your tour boat doesn't break down like ours did.

CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER