All-Inclusive yet Elusive: What to plan to pay for once you decide to cruise

Let’s talk budget! Gee, everyone’s favorite topic right?

So you’ve seen those commercials and ads where they say cruises just $399 per/person right? Well, guess what? It’s not just $399 and I’m going to tell you today the real breakdown and use an example from one of our past cruises.

Each cruise line is different when it comes to pricing and offers. I don’t think I am going to be the first to tell you that Disney is a fantastic line and caters to kids AND it’s one of the most expensive cruise lines out there. What I can tell you is that I know many who have been on Disney and what they’ve spent for a 5-day cruise is more than I’ve spent for a 12-day cruise which is why we have yet to sail Disney. So, you really need to decide what matters most with your budget.

Below are all of the costs you can expect to pay when cruising:

• cruise fare
• taxes
• Port Fees
• Gratuities
• Insurance
• Excursions
• Drinks
• Internet
• Gambling
• Miscellaneous

Let’s break these down for you.

We’ve put off the possibility of doing a cruise because we think it’s going to be too expensive. I want to know what to expect to budget for an entire cruise vacation—not just the rate I would pay for the people/room rate, but what else to plan for? – Diana F., VA

Cruise Fare: so your cruise fare is going to include your accommodations, your transportation via the cruise ship and tenders at some of the islands, dedicated kids/teen programming, meals in the complimentary dining venues (breakfast, lunch and dinner daily), room service for select items, coffee, tea, select juices, water, entertainment such as shows nightly at two times, art auctions, select activities (games, scavenger hunts, dance lessons and more), fitness center, sports court activities (basketball, ping-pong, jogging track), pools, hot tubs, in-stateroom TV, and phone calls between rooms onboard.

Taxes: Your Taxes are typically calculated on per vessel or ton basis and then the cruise lines spread that out over the passengers so you can expect to pay less than about 20% of the base cruise fare (that’s the one above here) however, sometimes it can be as high as 50% so just be aware. These are non-negotiable. What does this cover? Typically this covers local harbor pilots to guide the ship in, inspections, IRS charges, baggage handling, and security services.

Port Fees: When a ship docks at a port of call the local authorities require a fee and so prior to your cruise the line will add up the charges from the various ports of call you’ll be visiting and pass these costs onto you. The total fees will depend based on the number of ports and which ports you visit. There is no standard in these fees. The more you visit the more expensive it will be. If for some reason you are unable to dock due to weather or are diverted you are refunded these fees as a credit to your onboard account.

Gratuities: This is usually the largest discussion out there these days when it comes to costs. Most of the time gratuities are automatically added to your bookings. I DO NOT automatically add mine EVER. This is a personal choice. Typically the gratuity charge is approximately $14.00 USD per/day per/person (adults and children). Please note it’s different for all lines. The charge is higher for guests in suites. When you chose to pay them onboard they are added to your account on a daily basis. The gratuity is something that is a way for the cruise lines to reward the crew members and it is shared among several different areas both those working in front of and behind the scenes. These can add up very quickly. For a family of four such as ours, it’s just too costly. What we do typically is pay for 2 in the room and then have the others removed entirely off our statement by visiting the guest services desk. We then will tip in cash and a private envelope (handed out on board) those who have had a direct impact on us such as the wait staff in the dining room, room steward and sometimes the crew in the children’s area. Again, it’s dependent upon service. I am not a fan of the auto tipping not even in restaurants so know this is a personal option and one to make on your own.

Insurance: I personally work with a travel agent and even she has said to use the insurance through the cruise lines! Yes, it’s an extra cost that you don’t have to purchase however, it’s really smart to budget for this and depending on when you are traveling almost a must. If you are traveling during hurricane season or in the winter and risk issues with travel you would want to consider adding this on. What most cruisers don’t realize because they think they don’t need it is that it can cover you for many reasons including being delayed and missing the ship, getting sick or hurt prior to your vacation, or even having an emergency that cuts your trip short! It is also helpful for having any issues onboard such as sickness. So, what’s the cost? As most insurances are done by age it is the same for cruising and you can expect to spend between 5-7%.

Excursions: I think this is where one can spend the most amount of money. Excursions occur in each port and are a way for you to experience the island from visiting historical sites, to swimming/snorkeling/scuba to culinary and so much more. These will cost anywhere from $30 on a low end per/person upwards of $200 per/person for experiences such as swimming with the dolphins. Children ages 3 and under normally don’t have to pay however check with your cruise line don’t hold me to that one. You DO NOT need to book these through the cruise lines however, by doing so you are guaranteed to not miss the boat when it sails. That being said, I’ll be sharing my tips on this in another post so stay tuned!

Drinks: Ah yes, the drink packages. I have to confess, these bogle my mind (more so the non-alcoholic ones). I’m not sure why it’s necessary and yet it’s definitely a money maker. So here’s the quick break down. Drink packages are offered on different levels such as soda only, coffee cards, refreshments (coffee, tea, juice and soda and non-alcoholic drinks) and then alcoholic beverages. If you are wanting soda only expect to pay anywhere from $8 and up per/day and per/person! So for just 2 in a room that’s over $100 more for one week. Alcoholic packages can start from as little as $35 and up per/day and per/person. We’ve found a way to really save in this area and will be sharing in a future post.

Internet: Our post on Why-Fi? will be coming out soon however, in the meantime the biggest question usually is can I get on the internet? Yes, you can and you can expect to pay as little as $4 a day for social sites only upwards to $14 per/day for full access to surf and stream. These rates are for one device.

Gambling: If you like to take a chance on lady lucky then you’ll need extra cash! You can put money on your credit card but beware there will be a 3-5% fee for doing so. The day the casino opens there is usually lower minimums on the table games and sometimes during the week you can find lower price buy-ins on tournaments or table games as well. Just be sure to check your calendar of events. Included in gambling I will say a little bit about BINGO. Everyone loves a good game of bingo. If you want to play onboard it will cost you. Typically packages are offered that include multiple cards and it can cost anywhere from $20-$80 to play 3-6 games. Winners receive cash prizes put straight to their accounts and sometimes even a free cruise! BINGO is played almost each day so save up if you plan to play.

Miscellaneous: Most everything is complimentary onboard however, there are some items that will cost extra if you are wanting to partake or purchase such as art auctions, babysitting services, galley tours, mixology courses, sushi or cupcake making, salon & spa, specialty dining, photos or photo packages and gift shops. When you aren’t onboard expect to pay for any of your transportation (if not on an excursion), souvenirs, and meals (this doesn’t apply to a cruise lines private island). Lastly, we always budget in for the cost of parking at the port or flights/hotel and pet-sitting while we’re gone.  

When we budget for our trips we factor in all of these except the excursions as we typically have a separate budget for those and aren’t quite sure what we might want to do when we first book. Our kids save their money as well to be able to do things they want such as visit Disney when we are in Port Canaveral or swim with the dolphins in the Bahamas. As you can see it won’t cost just $399 for that cruise yet we’ve still found that it’s well worth the investment as we don’t do all these extras that I’ve spelled out for you. So, it’s a pick and choose really! You need to decide what’s important to you and your family and go from there.

Smooth Sailing