Monday, April 1, 2024

PHOTOS: Booked Interior Cabin to Save Money on 12-Day Cruise, Worth It

average cost of a cruise vacation

Prices can range from low-budget tee’s to a piece of jewelry valued in the hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Many of the top entertainment offerings -- Broadway productions, onboard surfing and watersliding, live music and comedy acts -- are free (though reservations might be required). Prices gathered from icruise.com for the collection of this data.

How to save money on a cruise

average cost of a cruise vacation

So I recommend a longer cruise if you want a better value on your cruise fare. River cruises are a great option if you want to experience a more intimate setting, while cruise tours are perfect for those who want to see multiple destinations in one trip. If money is no object, luxury cruises offer the ultimate in extravagance.

How Much Does a Cruise Cost?

However, they still cost extra and you’ll want to include the cost when budgeting. Unless your cruise fare specifically states there are alcoholic beverages included, you'll pay extra for beer, wine, cocktails and spirits in any venue onboard. You have the option to either purchase drinks as you go or buy a package.

How to save money on the cost of a Caribbean cruise

average cost of a cruise vacation

The following expenses are optional, and whether you spend on these “extras” or not really depends on what you’ll enjoy. On a Caribbean cruise, shore excursions are typically about $ per person. The cost of a transfer or taxi from your airport or hotel to the cruise port will vary depending on the distance from the cruise port. Don’t forget to budget for a hotel stay before your cruise, or even after. It can cost about $200 a night or more for a one night hotel stay in a major city, so this adds to the cost of your cruise. Use Your Cruise Line App to Communicate with Fellow CruisersNew cruise line apps offer certain planning and communication services -- often for free or discounted rates -- when you're onboard.

What You Need To Know Before Booking A Cruise

The Best Cruise Insurance Plans of April 2024 - MarketWatch

The Best Cruise Insurance Plans of April 2024.

Posted: Thu, 28 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Repositioning cruises (when a cruise ship sets sail from one port and arrives at another) also tend to be cheaper. If spending every meal in the buffet or main dining room sounds like a little too much, or if you simply want to experience some world-class cuisine, specialty restaurants are a great option. They’re also one of the many places on the ship where it’s easy to overspend. Other cruise lines, like Royal Caribbean and Celebrity, focus on providing the highest quality connection possible. VOOM, the Internet aboard Royal Caribbean and Celebrity cruise ships, is fast and consistent, but with a price tag to match. You can expect to pay around $15-$50 per person to dine in an alternative restaurant and upwards of $100 for a wine-paired meal or chef’s table experience.

Getting to the Ship (Transportation, Parking, Hotel)Whether you fly, ride, or drive to the port, you will have some more expenses that you have to consider for your budget. From room types to when you sail to the cruise line you pick, they all have an impact on what you’ll spend. During my Mexican Riviera cruise, I took advantage of a status offer on Celebrity and had them launder a full bag at no charge.

On most ships, the fee is only charged if you take the bottle to the dining room or a bar to be opened and served there. NCL charges the corkage fee at embarkation, regardless of where you plan to consume the wine. Nonalcoholic drinks like drip coffee, hot and iced tea, some sort of punch, juice, lemonade, milk (at mealtimes) and tap water will be included no matter which cruise line you choose.

Onboard Activities

When doing this, try to come up with an average total cost of a cruise from each of the different cruise lines you are considering. If you’re flying to your cruise port, be sure to budget for airfare. The average cost of a round-trip domestic flight to a major cruise port is around $300-$400. Norwegian Cruise Line has been a leader in this, offering single cabins called Studios and even a connected area called the Studio Lounge of many of their ships just for solo cruisers.

Travel Rewards

But with a little planning you can easily calculate your individual cruise cost. Daily service charges go to your stateroom attendant and server, and will either be billed to your shipboard account or prepaid at the time of booking. All other gratuities for bartenders, guides, etc., will be added to your bill afterward. Take a look at this breakdown of cruise lines based on upcharges for coffee drinks, and see if you can spot the pattern.

Taxes and fees will be automatically added to your cruise fare upon checkout, and the exact cost of taxes and fees will vary based on your cruise length and itinerary. Not every Royal Caribbean cruise ship has studio cabins, and those that do only have a few studio cabins which tend to get booked quickly. Studio cabins do not incur a single supplement fee, which is a means of recouping the cost of a second traveler that would otherwise be in the stateroom. Shore excursions, drinks, specialty dining, spa treatments, and wifi are just a few optional add-ons you can choose to buy for your cruise. They can also help you have a seamless vacation and explain any extra transfer costs or fine print you need to know. Newer cruise ships may do a few short cruises occasionally, but, they normally do seven days or more.

If you do want an organized tour, you can book directly with a tour operator or through third-party shore excursion sellers; you might save a few dollars that way. In truth, "all-inclusive" is a term that really only applies to a handful of high-priced luxury cruises. With mainstream lines line Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, and MSC Cruises you can expect to have to pay extra for some amenities.

Based on our findings, we've determined an average base Caribbean cruise cost for a week to be $635 plus taxes and port fees. The total cost of a cruise can vary depending on many factors, such as the departure port, itinerary, length, travel dates and the type of cabin booked. Additionally, the desired experience you're going for can influence the cost.

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