NL
The promise of an all inclusive cruise sounds appealing: one price, everything arranged, no more surprises. The reality is more nuanced than the marketing term suggests. Many travellers are confronted with unexpected extra costs at the end of their cruise, which pushes the holiday budget up considerably. In this article you will discover what is actually included with different cruise lines, which misunderstandings are most persistent, and how to avoid being caught out by hidden costs.
Is everything really included on an all inclusive cruise?
The short answer is no. Although cruise companies like to present their holidays as all inclusive, the standard price by no means covers everything you can use or experience on board. The term all inclusive is less strictly defined in the cruise world than it is at land-based resorts.
The base fare for your cruise covers a broad package. You get accommodation in the form of a cabin or suite, meals in the main restaurants and buffets, access to most entertainment shows and use of swimming pools and fitness areas. This bundle offers more value than many other types of holiday where you have to pay separately for accommodation, meals and entertainment.
The confusion arises around what is not included as standard. In practice, the list of services and facilities you pay extra for is often longer than expected. These facilities do not fall under the standard all inclusive price. Alcoholic drinks, speciality restaurants, Wi-Fi, shore excursions and spa treatments are all charged separately. If you want to know more about what you can realistically expect to pay, take a look at our explanation of cruise prices and hidden costs.
What is actually included in the cruise fare?
To really understand what you are paying for, it is important to know what cruise lines include as standard in their package. The base fare covers the following facilities:
- Your cabin accommodation for the entire duration of the cruise
- All meals in the main dining room and buffet restaurant
- Basic drinks such as water, coffee and tea with meals
- Access to most entertainment on board, such as theatre shows and live music
- Use of swimming pools, jacuzzis and fitness centres
- Participation in activities such as games evenings, dance lessons and sports tournaments
This basic coverage gives you a comfortable holiday. You do not need to pay extra for your main needs. The package is comparable to staying in a hotel on full board with access to the facilities.
Which extra costs are most common?
This is the part that catches many cruise travellers out. The following services and facilities are usually charged on top:
- Alcoholic drinks and premium soft drinks
- Speciality dining restaurants with an à la carte menu
- Coffee from the speciality coffee bars on board
- Wi-Fi and internet access
- All shore excursions and trips ashore
- Spa treatments, massages and visits to the salon
- Casino activities and any losses
- Service charges and gratuities for the crew
- Photos taken by the ship’s photographer
Cruise ships operate completely cashless. You pay for everything with your cabin card, which is linked to your credit card or account. This system makes it easy to spend money, as you don’t immediately feel what you are paying. Many guests are shocked by the total amount of additional costs at the end of the trip.
How do cruise lines differ in their all inclusive approach?
Not all cruise companies follow the same policy. There are major differences between the mainstream cruise lines, premium providers and luxury cruise lines.
Mainstream cruise lines
Lines such as MSC, Costa and Royal Caribbean offer a relatively complete basic package, but charge for many extras. Drink prices are similar to those in restaurants ashore, speciality restaurants cost between 15 and 50 euros per person, and Wi-Fi is often expensive. These lines do offer bundle packages where you can purchase Wi-Fi, a drinks package and sometimes dining together at a discount.
Premium cruise lines
Companies such as Virgin Voyages and Celebrity Cruises position themselves with more inclusive base fares. Virgin Voyages, for example, includes all speciality restaurants as standard and offers basic Wi-Fi at no extra charge. The starting price is higher, but the additional costs are more limited.
Luxury cruise lines
Lines such as Silversea and Regent Seven Seas are almost completely all inclusive. Drinks, shore excursions, speciality dining and Wi-Fi are all included in the price. The initial costs are considerably higher than with mainstream operators, but you pay virtually nothing extra on board. For travellers who like to know in advance what they will spend in total, these lines offer the greatest certainty.
How do you calculate a realistic cruise budget?
Budget in advance for extra costs. Use the following guidelines as a starting point:
- Drinks package or individual drinks: 15 to 25 euros per person per day
- Shore excursions: 50 to 200 euros per person per trip, depending on the activity
- Speciality dining: 15 to 50 euros per meal per person
- Wi-Fi: 5 to 10 euros per day for a basic package
- Service charges: check whether these are deducted automatically, often 10 to 15 euros per person per day
Add these amounts to your base cruise fare to get a realistic total picture. For a week-long cruise for two people, the extra costs can reach 500 to 800 euros. This is on top of the standard price.
Which strategies help to keep costs down?
You can take several steps to keep additional spending under control during your cruise:
- Book bundle packages in advance. Many lines offer combinations of Wi-Fi, drinks and dining with a 20 to 30 per cent discount if you buy them before departure.
- Read the terms and conditions carefully. Check exactly what is and is not included in your specific cruise fare. Conditions vary by offer and cruise line.
- Organise shore excursions yourself. Trips you arrange independently through local providers are often cheaper than the cruise line’s shore excursions, although you do need to take timetables into account.
- Make the most of the free facilities. Choose the main restaurant regularly instead of speciality dining, make use of the free activities and limit your alcohol consumption, or take a drinks package if you know you will drink a lot.
- Set a daily budget. Check your spending every day via the on-board system or the cruise line’s app so you can adjust before costs get too high.
Do cruises still offer good value despite the extra costs?
Despite the hidden costs, cruises remain an attractive option for many travellers. You travel to multiple destinations without having to pack your suitcase every day or check in again. The combination of accommodation, transport, meals and entertainment is bundled into one package. This makes it difficult to compare with land-based holidays, and a cruise is often competitively priced.
The difference lies in expectations. If you know in advance that all inclusive does not literally mean everything and you budget for the extras, you can plan a cruise well. Travellers who let themselves be surprised by the additional costs feel misled afterwards, whereas those who are prepared look back on their experience more positively.
The key lies in making conscious choices. Compare not only cruise fares, but also what each line offers as standard and what you expect to make use of on board. This way you avoid paying more than necessary or being surprised by costs you did not expect.
On the Traveler Tips website you will find many more practical tips about cruises. You can discover how to choose the right cabin, tips for shore excursions and what you need to arrange before departure. Turn your next cruise into a well-prepared, enjoyable experience.
Frequently asked questions
An all inclusive cruise generally offers less flexibility and freedom than a completely self-planned trip, because the route, sea days and ports are fixed in advance. However, on board and in port you can usually choose from a range of activities and excursions, or go ashore independently and explore on your own. For travellers who like having transport, accommodation and many meals already arranged, this can still feel “free” and carefree. Those who enjoy changing their route spontaneously or staying longer in one place will often experience the structure of a cruise as limiting.
An all inclusive cruise can create more meaningful experiences because you are more likely to book various excursions, local tours and cultural activities without constantly weighing everything against the price. As transport, meals and basic comfort are taken care of, you have more energy and time to really delve into each destination, for example through longer or themed excursions. In addition, some lines with inclusive packages offer small-scale, guided experiences (such as culinary or historical walks) that go beyond the standard “highlights tour”. This shifts the focus from “ticking things off quickly” to experiencing and getting to know places more consciously.
An all inclusive cruise often seems more expensive or less transparent at first glance because, in addition to the base fare, there are still many extras (drinks, excursions, speciality dining, tips, Wi-Fi) that only become visible afterwards. On a self-organised holiday you usually pay for these components separately and are therefore more aware of the price per element, which makes it feel more transparent. However, if you compare all equivalent costs (accommodation, meals, entertainment, transport between destinations) fairly side by side, a cruise can work out financially similar or even cheaper. The perception of it being “expensive” mainly comes from the cashless system on board and marketing terms like “all inclusive” that promise more than they actually deliver.
Yes, there are lines and itineraries that specifically focus on this, particularly smaller ships and (premium/luxury) companies that visit fewer standard ports. They tend to focus more on lesser-visited islands, nature areas and cultural encounters, for example in regions such as Norway, Greek islands outside the main hubs, or remote Caribbean islands. These cruises often combine this with a more “conscious” approach, such as small scale, attention to local communities and sometimes sustainability programmes. However, not all of these options are strictly “all inclusive” in the classic sense; what is included varies by cruise line.
An unexpected advantage is that you can visit many destinations without having to pack and unpack all the time or arrange transport, while meals, basic entertainment and accommodation are centrally organised. Another positive surprise is the often good value for money of that basic package compared with individual land-based holidays. A challenge that self-planners underestimate is how many extra costs (drinks, excursions, Wi-Fi, speciality restaurants, tips) can be added on top of the “all inclusive” package. The cashless payment system on board also makes it easy to spend more than you planned without realising it.
