A cruise is one of the best values around because all major expenses (lodging, meals, snacks, activities and entertainment) are included. However, there are some items -- mostly of a personal or optional nature -- that are out-of-pocket expenses. Those extra purchases can quickly run up your bill.
Cruise lines tempt travelers to come on-board with sometimes low upfront prices and then charge extra for everything from massages and fruity cocktails to on-board activities and meals outside the main dining room. "All-inclusive" is a term that really only applies to a handful of high-priced luxury cruises.
If you want the full cruise experience, you'll need to set aside some cash to cover these extra expenditures, or make a vacation budget and stick to it. To make sure the incidentals don't break the bank for you, here are 10 things that will cost you extra onboard -- and how to find discounts and savings.
1. Shore Excursions
What You'll Pay: Prices for these excursions range from about $35 for a quick city and shopping tour to more than $300 for some all-day tours, overland programs including meals and snacks, and such over-the-top offerings as helicopter flight. Most tours are priced somewhere between $50 and $175, depending on length and activities involved.
Savings Tip:You also have the option to tour independently at a fraction of the cost -- or even for free, if you go on a self-guided walking tour. Before setting sail, visit the websites of your ports' tourist boards to get ideas on things to see and how to get around on your own in port. Online travel guides and apps can also help you plan your time ashore.
2. Alternative Dining
What You'll Pay: All ships offer free dining in the ship's main dining room and buffet venue, but most ships today also are sporting more and more extra-fee venues. You'll pay extra for everything from casual, family-style Italian to exclusive chef's tables and restaurants designed by celebrity chefs. Even room service, once free 24/7, now comes with a surcharge on many lines, with fees applied for certain items, during certain hours or all the time. Lines like Norwegian and Royal Caribbean tack a fee to all room service orders.
Most alternative restaurants charge in the range of $15 to $50 per person, but a chef's table experience or wine-paired meal could be upward of $100 per passenger. Some lines, like Norwegian, are starting to move toward a la carte prices in their alternative venues.
Specialty desserts (ice cream, gelato, cupcakes and other fancy pastries), special dishes in the main dining room (such as high-quality cuts of steak and whole lobsters), dinner theater, pizza delivery and even pub grub will cost extra.
Savings Tip: Don't go! You can typically find 24/7 dining for free onboard, and main dining room meals are often quite good, with multiple courses and decadent desserts. The newest, largest ships often have additional casual, fee-free eateries. Carnival is a good cruise line to choose if you want variety in free dining options.
3. Alcohol and Other Beverages
What You'll Pay: At meals, water, iced tea, milk, coffee, tea and juices are complimentary, but alcoholic beverages are not included in the cruise fare on most lines (with the exception of some luxury lines and river cruises, as well as select itineraries on two ships in the Norwegian fleet). Plus, many will also charge for soda, bottled water, certain juices and specialty coffees (cappuccinos, lattes and espressos). Your drink tab can quickly add up as you'll be paying restaurant -- not grocery store -- prices for your beverages, as well as an automatic gratuity on your bill in the range of 18 percent.
Savings Tip: Many vessels advertise discounted "daily drink specials" or offer happy hour specials. If you're ever offered a drink in a souvenir glass, ask for the drink in a regular glass instead; you will likely save a few bucks. Look for events with free booze, such as Champagne art auctions or captain's cocktail parties. At meals, you can order a bottle of wine and save whatever you don't finish for the next night, which can be cheaper than ordering wine by the glass.
Most lines offer beverage packages (everything from just soda to multiple bottles of wine and unlimited alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks), but you need to make sure you drink enough to actually save. If you chug soda or bottled water, some lines will let you bring your own. You can typically bring a bottle or two of wine onboard, but you might have to pay a corkage fee if you drink it in a restaurant.
4. Spa and Salon Treatments
What You'll Pay: Cruise line spas charge rates equal to high-end salons, and you might be shocked by the prices. A 50-minute massage is typically about $120 to $180, with more exotic treatments running into the $200 to $400 range (not to mention medi-spa treatments, which can start in the four-figure range). Plus, rates don't include an automatic gratuity that typically runs 18 percent. Passes to thermal suites average $25 to $40 per day, with cruise-long packages also available. Beware of sales pitches: Most shipboard spas are operated by Steiner's of London, and the staff (who work on commission) often give you the hard sell to persuade you to buy their pricy products.
Savings Tip: Take advantage of spa discounts, typically offered on embarkation and port days. Check your ship's daily program for spa-treatment specials that might be available one day only or during certain hours. Some lines offer progressive discounts if you book multiple treatments all at once. Resist that product sales pitch, or better yet, ask up front not to be bothered with sales pitches at all.
5. Onboard Activities
What You'll Pay: While many onboard activities are free, other special activities incur extra fees. Among them are fitness classes like Pilates, yoga and spinning ($12 to $30 per class); wine-tasting events; after-hours group babysitting for the youngest children (about $5 to $8 per child, per hour); behind-the-scenes tours; and bingo and casino play (as much as you're willing to lose). New attractions like laser tag, escape rooms and IMAX movies often come with an extra fee.
Savings Tip: You can certainly keep entertained with free activities. Attend the production shows, live-music performances, cooking demos, pool or trivia games and free lectures -- or simply spend your time chilling by the pool, reading a book or chatting with your travel companions. Many of the top entertainment offerings -- Broadway productions, onboard surfing and water-sliding, live music and comedy acts -- incur no extra charges (though reservations might be required). If you're intrigued by the for-fee activities, set a budget and choose the ones you find most interesting.
6. Laundry
What You'll Pay: As at land-based resorts, laundry and dry-cleaning charges on a cruise can be steep (approximately $3 to $5 to wash a shirt, for instance). Check to see if there is a self-service launderette, and use it. (Typically, washing and drying one load of clothes comes to between $2 and $4.)
Savings Tip: You have two options here: Pack enough changes of clothes for the cruise and do the wash back home, or bring your own travel-sized detergent, wash necessities in your cabin sink and hang-dry them in the shower. If you're really motivated, you can also find a laundromat in port -- it could be a cultural experience!
7. Tipping
What You'll Pay: Tipping Policies vary by line; most mainstream cruise lines recommend about $13 to $15 per person, per day, to be distributed among those who provide key services: dining room waiters, assistant waiters and cabin stewards. If you have a suite, be prepared to tip extra.
Additionally, bar tabs are automatically charged a 15 to 18 percent gratuity; some lines also add on a 15 to 18 percent gratuity to spa services. When the maitre d' performs a special service, such as arranging for a birthday cake to be brought to the table, he should be tipped as well. Travelers on ships catering to Brits and Australians will find that tips are typically built into the cruise fares, though of course you can give tips for exceptional service.
Savings Tip: Generally, tipping is not an area where you can save money. You can adjust the auto-gratuities at the ship's purser's desk or choose to tip below the recommended amount if you feel you've received subpar service.
8. Souvenir Shopping Onboard and in Port
What You'll Pay: Most people purchase something to remember their cruise, and it can be tough to pass on the beautiful -- and expensive -- figurines, perfumes, designer fashions and leather goods if your budget doesn't allow for them. Even tacky trinkets and T-shirts can add up if you're buying for your extended family-and-friend network. Prices can range from a $5 tee to a piece of jewelry valued in the hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Savings Tip: Avoid temptation by not browsing in the boutiques onboard and ashore if you cannot afford to buy. Typically, bargain tables appear on ships toward the end of a cruise, so wait for the latter portion to buy onboard if you're so inclined. If you do plan to purchase jewelry, clothing or duty-free liquor onboard, check the prices of merchandise at stores back home, and bring a list so you can compare prices. (The prices on ships are not always deals.)
Don't invest in a piece of art at an onboard auction unless you've done your research in advance and know the value of what you're purchasing.
In port, good, inexpensive souvenirs include handicrafts from outdoor markets and street vendors, and local products such as coffee, jellies and candy purchased at grocery stores in port, where souvenirs are generally less expensive. Many souvenir stores carry the same products, so compare prices before buying.
9. Photos and Camera Equipment
What You'll Pay: Cruise travelers are often lured into dropping big bucks at the onboard photo gallery, where an 8x10 photo can easily cost $20 or more. Buying additional batteries, memory cards and other camera supplies onboard will likely cost you more money than it would back home.
Savings Tip: If you're worried about blowing your budget on photos, just say “no thanks”when the ship's photographer asks to take your picture. Or resist the urge to "just check out" the photo in the gallery -- once you see the printed version, you're more likely to want it. Take your own pictures, and rely sparingly, if at all, on the ship's photographers. If you do plan on buying a lot of professional photos, look for packages or ask about any specials on offer.
On the equipment side, buy plenty of batteries and other camera supplies at home where they're cheaper -- and bring more than you think you will need, just in case.
10. Internet
What You'll Pay: Whether you bring your own laptop and take advantage of shipboard Wi-Fi or park yourself at the computer center onboard, you will pay high rates for often slow internet connections. On the up side, connection speeds are improving, and select cruise lines can offer land-like speeds.
Cruise lines are no longer consistent in how they package or price Wi-Fi. Some lines charge 75 cents a minute for pay-as-you-go plans and offer packages that reduce the cost to around 55 cents a minute for buying internet time in bulk. Other lines charge daily rates based on how much bandwidth you use and which types of sites you can access; for example, a social media plan on Carnival might be $5 a day, while a premium plan with no streaming is $25 per day. An unlimited plan, including streaming, on Disney is $89 for 1,000 megabytes.
Savings Tip: Many cruise lines offer Wi-Fi packages as an added perk when booking certain promotions. Also look for free Wi-Fi access in port; you might need to buy a cup of coffee or a snack at a cafe to access it. You can also find cheaper internet centers in port. Some cellphone plans offer free or package data plans in foreign ports that might be cheaper than the cruise ship options.
11. Parking: If you drive to the port, you'll see that parking rates vary. They may be $25/day or more. It is best to find a hotel to park at that includes parking in its fee.
Get help planning your next trip from Judy Peterson Peterson Travel Pros
Cruise lines tempt travelers to come on-board with sometimes low upfront prices and then charge extra for everything from massages and fruity cocktails to on-board activities and meals outside the main dining room. "All-inclusive" is a term that really only applies to a handful of high-priced luxury cruises.
If you want the full cruise experience, you'll need to set aside some cash to cover these extra expenditures, or make a vacation budget and stick to it. To make sure the incidentals don't break the bank for you, here are 10 things that will cost you extra onboard -- and how to find discounts and savings.
1. Shore Excursions
What You'll Pay: Prices for these excursions range from about $35 for a quick city and shopping tour to more than $300 for some all-day tours, overland programs including meals and snacks, and such over-the-top offerings as helicopter flight. Most tours are priced somewhere between $50 and $175, depending on length and activities involved.
Savings Tip:You also have the option to tour independently at a fraction of the cost -- or even for free, if you go on a self-guided walking tour. Before setting sail, visit the websites of your ports' tourist boards to get ideas on things to see and how to get around on your own in port. Online travel guides and apps can also help you plan your time ashore.
2. Alternative Dining
What You'll Pay: All ships offer free dining in the ship's main dining room and buffet venue, but most ships today also are sporting more and more extra-fee venues. You'll pay extra for everything from casual, family-style Italian to exclusive chef's tables and restaurants designed by celebrity chefs. Even room service, once free 24/7, now comes with a surcharge on many lines, with fees applied for certain items, during certain hours or all the time. Lines like Norwegian and Royal Caribbean tack a fee to all room service orders.
Most alternative restaurants charge in the range of $15 to $50 per person, but a chef's table experience or wine-paired meal could be upward of $100 per passenger. Some lines, like Norwegian, are starting to move toward a la carte prices in their alternative venues.
Specialty desserts (ice cream, gelato, cupcakes and other fancy pastries), special dishes in the main dining room (such as high-quality cuts of steak and whole lobsters), dinner theater, pizza delivery and even pub grub will cost extra.
Savings Tip: Don't go! You can typically find 24/7 dining for free onboard, and main dining room meals are often quite good, with multiple courses and decadent desserts. The newest, largest ships often have additional casual, fee-free eateries. Carnival is a good cruise line to choose if you want variety in free dining options.
3. Alcohol and Other Beverages
What You'll Pay: At meals, water, iced tea, milk, coffee, tea and juices are complimentary, but alcoholic beverages are not included in the cruise fare on most lines (with the exception of some luxury lines and river cruises, as well as select itineraries on two ships in the Norwegian fleet). Plus, many will also charge for soda, bottled water, certain juices and specialty coffees (cappuccinos, lattes and espressos). Your drink tab can quickly add up as you'll be paying restaurant -- not grocery store -- prices for your beverages, as well as an automatic gratuity on your bill in the range of 18 percent.
Savings Tip: Many vessels advertise discounted "daily drink specials" or offer happy hour specials. If you're ever offered a drink in a souvenir glass, ask for the drink in a regular glass instead; you will likely save a few bucks. Look for events with free booze, such as Champagne art auctions or captain's cocktail parties. At meals, you can order a bottle of wine and save whatever you don't finish for the next night, which can be cheaper than ordering wine by the glass.
Most lines offer beverage packages (everything from just soda to multiple bottles of wine and unlimited alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks), but you need to make sure you drink enough to actually save. If you chug soda or bottled water, some lines will let you bring your own. You can typically bring a bottle or two of wine onboard, but you might have to pay a corkage fee if you drink it in a restaurant.
4. Spa and Salon Treatments
What You'll Pay: Cruise line spas charge rates equal to high-end salons, and you might be shocked by the prices. A 50-minute massage is typically about $120 to $180, with more exotic treatments running into the $200 to $400 range (not to mention medi-spa treatments, which can start in the four-figure range). Plus, rates don't include an automatic gratuity that typically runs 18 percent. Passes to thermal suites average $25 to $40 per day, with cruise-long packages also available. Beware of sales pitches: Most shipboard spas are operated by Steiner's of London, and the staff (who work on commission) often give you the hard sell to persuade you to buy their pricy products.
Savings Tip: Take advantage of spa discounts, typically offered on embarkation and port days. Check your ship's daily program for spa-treatment specials that might be available one day only or during certain hours. Some lines offer progressive discounts if you book multiple treatments all at once. Resist that product sales pitch, or better yet, ask up front not to be bothered with sales pitches at all.
5. Onboard Activities
What You'll Pay: While many onboard activities are free, other special activities incur extra fees. Among them are fitness classes like Pilates, yoga and spinning ($12 to $30 per class); wine-tasting events; after-hours group babysitting for the youngest children (about $5 to $8 per child, per hour); behind-the-scenes tours; and bingo and casino play (as much as you're willing to lose). New attractions like laser tag, escape rooms and IMAX movies often come with an extra fee.
Savings Tip: You can certainly keep entertained with free activities. Attend the production shows, live-music performances, cooking demos, pool or trivia games and free lectures -- or simply spend your time chilling by the pool, reading a book or chatting with your travel companions. Many of the top entertainment offerings -- Broadway productions, onboard surfing and water-sliding, live music and comedy acts -- incur no extra charges (though reservations might be required). If you're intrigued by the for-fee activities, set a budget and choose the ones you find most interesting.
6. Laundry
What You'll Pay: As at land-based resorts, laundry and dry-cleaning charges on a cruise can be steep (approximately $3 to $5 to wash a shirt, for instance). Check to see if there is a self-service launderette, and use it. (Typically, washing and drying one load of clothes comes to between $2 and $4.)
Savings Tip: You have two options here: Pack enough changes of clothes for the cruise and do the wash back home, or bring your own travel-sized detergent, wash necessities in your cabin sink and hang-dry them in the shower. If you're really motivated, you can also find a laundromat in port -- it could be a cultural experience!
7. Tipping
What You'll Pay: Tipping Policies vary by line; most mainstream cruise lines recommend about $13 to $15 per person, per day, to be distributed among those who provide key services: dining room waiters, assistant waiters and cabin stewards. If you have a suite, be prepared to tip extra.
Additionally, bar tabs are automatically charged a 15 to 18 percent gratuity; some lines also add on a 15 to 18 percent gratuity to spa services. When the maitre d' performs a special service, such as arranging for a birthday cake to be brought to the table, he should be tipped as well. Travelers on ships catering to Brits and Australians will find that tips are typically built into the cruise fares, though of course you can give tips for exceptional service.
Savings Tip: Generally, tipping is not an area where you can save money. You can adjust the auto-gratuities at the ship's purser's desk or choose to tip below the recommended amount if you feel you've received subpar service.
8. Souvenir Shopping Onboard and in Port
What You'll Pay: Most people purchase something to remember their cruise, and it can be tough to pass on the beautiful -- and expensive -- figurines, perfumes, designer fashions and leather goods if your budget doesn't allow for them. Even tacky trinkets and T-shirts can add up if you're buying for your extended family-and-friend network. Prices can range from a $5 tee to a piece of jewelry valued in the hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Savings Tip: Avoid temptation by not browsing in the boutiques onboard and ashore if you cannot afford to buy. Typically, bargain tables appear on ships toward the end of a cruise, so wait for the latter portion to buy onboard if you're so inclined. If you do plan to purchase jewelry, clothing or duty-free liquor onboard, check the prices of merchandise at stores back home, and bring a list so you can compare prices. (The prices on ships are not always deals.)
Don't invest in a piece of art at an onboard auction unless you've done your research in advance and know the value of what you're purchasing.
In port, good, inexpensive souvenirs include handicrafts from outdoor markets and street vendors, and local products such as coffee, jellies and candy purchased at grocery stores in port, where souvenirs are generally less expensive. Many souvenir stores carry the same products, so compare prices before buying.
9. Photos and Camera Equipment
What You'll Pay: Cruise travelers are often lured into dropping big bucks at the onboard photo gallery, where an 8x10 photo can easily cost $20 or more. Buying additional batteries, memory cards and other camera supplies onboard will likely cost you more money than it would back home.
Savings Tip: If you're worried about blowing your budget on photos, just say “no thanks”when the ship's photographer asks to take your picture. Or resist the urge to "just check out" the photo in the gallery -- once you see the printed version, you're more likely to want it. Take your own pictures, and rely sparingly, if at all, on the ship's photographers. If you do plan on buying a lot of professional photos, look for packages or ask about any specials on offer.
On the equipment side, buy plenty of batteries and other camera supplies at home where they're cheaper -- and bring more than you think you will need, just in case.
10. Internet
What You'll Pay: Whether you bring your own laptop and take advantage of shipboard Wi-Fi or park yourself at the computer center onboard, you will pay high rates for often slow internet connections. On the up side, connection speeds are improving, and select cruise lines can offer land-like speeds.
Cruise lines are no longer consistent in how they package or price Wi-Fi. Some lines charge 75 cents a minute for pay-as-you-go plans and offer packages that reduce the cost to around 55 cents a minute for buying internet time in bulk. Other lines charge daily rates based on how much bandwidth you use and which types of sites you can access; for example, a social media plan on Carnival might be $5 a day, while a premium plan with no streaming is $25 per day. An unlimited plan, including streaming, on Disney is $89 for 1,000 megabytes.
Savings Tip: Many cruise lines offer Wi-Fi packages as an added perk when booking certain promotions. Also look for free Wi-Fi access in port; you might need to buy a cup of coffee or a snack at a cafe to access it. You can also find cheaper internet centers in port. Some cellphone plans offer free or package data plans in foreign ports that might be cheaper than the cruise ship options.
11. Parking: If you drive to the port, you'll see that parking rates vary. They may be $25/day or more. It is best to find a hotel to park at that includes parking in its fee.
Get help planning your next trip from Judy Peterson Peterson Travel Pros