You may think cruises are a cheap all-inclusive vacation, but the bills tell a different story. Cruise lines are out to nickel and dime you just like every other vacation company, making those ultra low cruise fares not-so-cheap after all.
Most of the extra charges and fees aren’t obvious up front, so many cruisers — especially newbies — aren’t even aware of them. Here are some of the biggest hidden costs that come with cruising, and how to avoid them, whenever possible.
Shore Excursion Markups
What it is: All cruise lines offer their own shore excursions when you’re in port. They’re group activities like snorkeling, sightseeing bus tours, and other attractions that you’ll generally do with other people from the same ship.
Why it’s kind of a scam: They’re almost always more expensive to book through the cruise line than with local companies on land, and you’ll generally only go to places and shopping areas where the cruise line receives a kick back for bringing you there.
Do this instead: Do a little research ahead of time and book any port tours or experiences on your own. Look for reputable online reviews of the local tour companies and guides to be sure you don’t get taken advantage of. Then, just make sure you are back on the ship before it’s time to set sail, because the ship will not wait for you if you’re delayed (unlike if a whole cruise line tour is delayed).
Drink Packages
What it is: Most cruise lines offer drink packages for alcohol or soft drinks. Usually, it’s a daily charge, and everyone in the cabin must buy the drink package.
Why it’s kind of a scam: Only certain types of alcoholic drinks are part of that package, so you better make sure beforehand that it includes things you like to drink. And then you better work out the math for any drink package to determine if you’d drink more than the daily charge each day. Otherwise, you’ll be wasting money.
Do this instead: Many cruise lines allow you to bring a case of non-alcoholic drinks on board, like bottled water or soda. Definitely opt for that over a soft drink package if possible. If you plan to drink alcohol, budget a certain amount of money towards drinks every day and stick to it.
Wi-Fi
What it is: Internet access is not included on most cruise lines. You’ll need to purchase Wi-Fi access for each device, like a phone or laptop. There are generally multiple tiers to choose from.
Why it’s kind of a scam: Wi-Fi is notoriously slow and expensive on cruise ships, even at higher tiers.
Do this instead: Unplug completely from the world while on the ship, if you can. Head to a spot in your ports of call that has free Wi-Fi and use that to check in with home, catch up on emails, or make all your social media friends jealous with your vacay pics.
Specialty Dining
What it is: Unlike cruises decades ago, not all food is included. Most ships have numerous restaurants like steakhouses, teppanyaki, and even coffee shops that you have to pay an extra fee to eat in.
Why it’s kind of a scam: All meals in the main dining rooms and buffet (and possibly other areas like the pool grill, depending on the ship) are included. A lot of cruisers who have eaten at the upcharge restaurants say they’re not worth the cost.
Do this instead: Research the specialty restaurants on your ship before you sail to determine whether you think it’d be worth it for you. If there is a restaurant you’d like to try, budget that amount into the cost of your trip.
Room Service Fees
What it is: Many cruise lines charge for room service at least some of the time, if not all of the time.
Why it’s kind of a scam: Room service is one of those little luxuries that used to be free on cruises and made it feel special. Now it’s just another way to get more money out of us.
Do this instead: Limit your room service to once or twice during your trip to make it feel extra special. You can also do what experienced cruisers do: Get food from the buffet or grill, then bring it back to your room to enjoy on your private balcony.
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Beverages
What it is: Most people assume that soft drinks are included in your cruise, but they’re almost always an upcharge. That goes for anything besides tap water, some juices, and occasionally iced tea or lemonade. There’s also corkage fees, and upcharges for many specialty drinks.
Why it’s kind of a scam: Soda is one of those things that should be cheap but isn’t, on land or at sea. If you’re paying to stay in a floating hotel, the least they could do is offer some bottles of water.
Do this instead: Bring your own soft drinks on board; just be sure to read up on your cruise line’s requirements first. Many people also bring packets of drink powder to add to the tap water to make sticking to freebies a little easier. If you pay a corkage fee for a bottle of wine and don’t finish it, take the bottle back to your room and finish it the next day. Look for daily specials on alcoholic drinks which are often a dollar or two cheaper than usual, and don’t get sucked into buying the cheap souvenir glasses.
Onboard Activities
What it is: Not even all the activities on board are included in the price of the cruise anymore. Everything from yoga classes to after-hours babysitting and go-cart racing will cost you extra.
Why it’s kind of a scam: They usually charge you more than what you’d pay on land for a similar experience.
Do this instead: Take advantage of all the free activities — there are still plenty! Shows, live music, games, and activities are always scheduled for areas like theaters and the pool deck. Check the daily calendar for the schedule.
Photos
What it is: Onboard photographers will try and snap family and group photos of everyone, everywhere, and all the time (at least, that’s what it feels like.) Then, if you want to buy a print, you’ll have to shell out a bunch of money for it.
Why it’s kind of a scam: It’s just a digital photo print, and it’s always with some cheesy background.
Do this instead: When a photographer tries to usher you into the set or asks to take your photo, just give them a polite “no thanks” so you’re not even tempted to buy the photo afterward. You’ll take much better photos of your trip on your own, we promise.
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Daily Gratuities
What it is: A daily service charge is added to your final bill on most cruise lines that covers gratuity for some employees. It ranges from $15 to $20 per day and usually goes to people like dining room servers and cabin stewards.
Why it’s kind of a scam: It’s not. This is one add-on charge that you shouldn’t skip out on, because cruise line employees generally get paid very little and work incredibly hard.
Do this instead: If you absolutely must, you can usually adjust the amount of your daily gratuity at the purser’s desk. We recommend doing this only if the service you received was exceptionally bad.
