Are cruises expensive? If you’re looking to book a cruise vacation you might be surprised by how much or how little you can spend. Check out this post to see how to get a great deal on a cruise and what might be driving your cost up.
Prices continue to rise for cruise vacations like everything else in this economy.
Cruise lines took a hit when the pandemic happened because they had to stop sailing so now they are trying to make up money.
They are raising cruise fare pricing and seeing how the consumer reacts (if they’ll still book at all, will booking numbers take a hit with the rise in cost or will people continue to book more than ever, etc).
This post will discuss how much costs are going up, what you can do to still get a good deal, what non necessary costs might be driving your cruise vacation price up and more.
This post is all about if cruises are expensive.
Why is pricing for cruise vacations going up?
The demand for cruising is higher than ever. With this demand cruise lines are seeing that even if they increase prices, someone is not only willing to pay them but consumers have consistently been selling out itineraries.
One example of this is with Royal Caribbean’s Icon of The Seas.
This ship is not only topping the cruise charts for size, venue options, family fun and more but also in the pricing department.
When pricing for Icon of The Seas dropped many cruisers were shocked at the high price even for an interior room (the lowest quality room you can book on a cruise).
Many voiced their opinion that they would pass on the newest and greatest ship and continue to book other ships because in comparison, they could take two cruises for the price of one on Icon.
However, that still didn’t stop the masses. The ship’s first drop of itineraries sold out.
Compared to pre pandemic prices, cruises are up by more than 17% that’s a huge increase!
Do I have to spend a lot of money on a cruise?
The great answer to this question is no!
The awesome thing about a cruise vacation is you can spend as much or as little as you want.
Just like there are so many ways to save money on vacation costs, there are also tons of ways to elevate your experience that will drive your overall cost way up.
Once you have booked and paid for your cruise fare you don’t have to buy other add ons if your number 1 priority is to spend the least amount of money as possible. You can take advantage of eating all the included food, using the ships amenities like the pool deck and still getting off the ship at the port stops even without an excursion.
One example of the wide range of cruises prices is from my own experience on MSC cruises.
I booked a 7 night cruise for 2 out of Port Canaveral for $1,000. This was an insane deal with great value.
MSC also offers different levels of experiences on a cruise. We became friends with a couple that paid for their Yacht Club, the top tier on the ship. Yacht Club had tons of benefits like the highest drink package included, their own pool, restaurant and more.
They paid more than $10,000 for this. While they had lots of luxurious perks to their cruise, they are still sharing the majority of the ship with those who paid 10x less than they did.
So if you can’t afford the best of the best on a cruise, it is nothing to feel bad about. You should enjoy your hard earned vacation no matter what type of room or tier you’re in.
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How can I get the best deal?
The first tip I’d recommend is using a travel agent.
Travel agents have access to databases with their company that can potentially get you a cheaper rate than what is advertised on the cruise line’s website. They might have group blocks they can put you in or have special promos like paid gratuities, onboard credit or a night of specialty dining for free.
If you would like a recommendation for a travel agent this is the link to my preferred agent’s page. She consistenly saves me hundreds on my cruises and has great promos usually if you’re booking a balcony room or higher. If you do end up using her services be sure to mention “YOURS TRULY CHELSEA” as your source.
The next tip I’d recommend is to be flexible.
If getting the right price is the most important thing to you you’ll need to be flexible on when you cruise and further more, possibly where you cruise out of/what ship.
Those who have the luxury of being able to book a cruise when the best deal is and be able to get off of work are going to save tons of money compared to trying to cruise during spring break or even summer.
You also can sometimes find a great last minute deal. If you are able to book a cruise and go you can get some fantastic pricing on rooms the cruise line has not been able to sell. Sometimes they would rather make some money verses none.
They also know that a lot of people spend more money onboard than they do just on the cruise fare.
Tip #3: Don’t book the newest ship.
If one thing is certain in the cruise world it is that the newest ship a line releases is going to be pricey.
It may be amazing to be one of the first people to experience a new ship and exciting to see what all it has to offer. However, if you are trying to save money this option is never going to be the cheapest.
If you do have the money though, I say go for it.
You also don’t have to book the OLDEST ship in the fleet. Just consistenly check prices or use your travel agent to find a good deal for yourself.
What extra costs can I cut out to save money?
There are several things that make your cruise even more expensive you might not need.
Drink Packages
First time cruisers assume they will always need to buy the drink package but it might not be worth it. It’s important when considering if you need a drink package or not how much you will actually use it compared to the price.
Drink packages are notoriously expensive so if you’re looking to cut out a high cost to your vacation this might be the one to save you hundreds, if not more than $1,000 if you’re buying for two.
Click here to read the top 10 recommended drinks to get on a cruise.
Wifi
Wifi is an added cost that you may be able to go without while on your vacation. Some people like to stay plugged in with work or family on their cruises so wifi is a must but for those that just want to it surf social media, I’d consider not buying it for your next cruise.
Wifi for just a few days can be more expensive than it costs for your wifi at home for the entire month. If you don’t need it for an important reason and want to save money I would try a cruise without it.
Disconnect from the world and relax on your vacation.
Specialty Dining
While upgrading to specialty dining is nice and the quality of the food can be a lot better, it is not a needed cost.
One great perk about going on a cruise is how many things are included in the price. You can eat at the included venues on your cruise for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks without adding a cent to your final bill.
The Casino
There are two ways you can look at spending money in the casino.
The first would be if you’re trying to save money by not spending as much once onboard your cruise you might want to avoid the casino.
The other is if you’d like to gamble in more ways than one by spending money to potentially get offers from the cruise line’s casino once back home for discounted or free cruises in the future.
A lot of people take adventage of this perk and get to go on more vacations after they have spent some money at the casino on their previous cruise. Casinos work on a point system.
I do want to say this isn’t foolproof so don’t think that you’re GUARANTEED free trips if you partake in the casino. There seems to be no rhyme or reason why some people receive better offers than others.
What am I forgetting about that is making my overall cost go up so much?
Things that you need to remember that might cost you a lot more than just your cruise fare:
Taxes and port fees
These are non negotiable charges that add usually a hundred dollars or more per person for your cruise.
Gratuities
Some will say this is an optional charge. While is it an “add on” I believe that this is just part of the cruise cost like taxes and port fees. The crew work insanely hard to make your vacation amazing. They deserve to be rewarded.
A lot of gratuities are $16+ per person per day. To read more on gratuities based on different cruise lines click here.
This cost may seem low for a daily charge but if you are going on a 7 night cruise and are paying for a family of 4 that is an added cost of $448 on top of your other expensives you’ll need to plan for.
Flights/Hotels/Transportation
If you do not live within driving distance of a port you’ll need to remember to budget for your flights. It’s also HIGHLY recommended that you fly in the day before your cruise.
So many things happen with flights being canceled or delayed. It would be horrible to schedule a flight the same day your cruise leaves and then miss it because of a flight. Since this is important you’d have to factor in a hotel charge as well.
To save some money try to find a hotel that offers free parking and a free shuttle to the cruise port. Otherwise you’ll need to pay for a taxi, uber, etc to get you to the port the day of.
Parking
If you are within driving distance to your cruise port you will still need to pay for parking. This can and usually is over $100 added onto the cost of your cruise you’ll need to account for.
Are cruises expensive?
In the grand scheme of things you can say cruises are or are not expensive.
You can get a cheap caribbean cruise deal for a few hundred a person or you can go on a world cruise for $100,000+ a person. The range really is that drastic.
Cruises still offer a great value and are an easy type of vacation since when you book you are taking care of your transportation to these ports, your room, no cleaning, free food everything, free entertainment (for the most part) ship ammenties like the pool and gym.
Many think going on a cruise is only for people who don’t have a lot of money but truthfully, the cost of cruising can be much higher than people who have never been on a cruise think depending on the cruise line you book and the type of room.
This post was all about if cruises are expensive.