The Real Cost of a Cruise

Your cruise costs $899 per person. Except it doesn’t.

That advertised rate covers your cabin, meals, and entertainment. Everything else costs extra. The average cruiser spends an additional $50 to $100 per person per day on top of the base fare.

Gratuities run $14 to $16 per person per day. Wi-Fi packages start around $20 per day. Specialty dining ranges from $35 to $75 per person per meal. Shore excursions average $75 to $150 per port. Drinks packages cost $60 to $80 per day if you want alcohol.

Then there are the sneaky costs. Photo packages can hit $200. Spa treatments start at $100. Laundry service runs $3 per item. Room service has a delivery fee. Even pizza from the specialty shop costs extra now on some ships.

Budget for your actual cruise cost to be double the advertised fare. That $899 cruise becomes $1,800 when you add seven days of reality. A couple on a week-long cruise should plan for $3,000 to $4,000 total unless they eat only in the main dining room and drink only water.

The cruise lines know this math. They hook you with the low base price and make their real money on everything else. You can absolutely stick to the advertised rate if you avoid all extras. You can also eat plain rice for every meal. Results may vary on your happiness level.

If you want help building a real cruise budget that won’t surprise you at checkout, that is literally what we do.

Fair winds and following seas,
Captain Steve