So you’ve found the perfect itinerary and you’re ready to reach out to your favorite travel advisor (ahem!). Before you do that, let’s talk about what’s actually included versus what’s an add-on.
Always included
- Your cabin
- Main dining and buffet
- Most onboard entertainment (shows, comedy, live music, sports activities, and more)
- Pools and hot tubs
- Fitness center
- Kids clubs, on most lines
- Basic room service (some charge a delivery fee, but continental breakfast is usually included)
Usually extra
- Alcoholic drinks ($8-15 each)
- Specialty coffee (lattes, cappuccinos)
- Soda (depends on the line)
- Specialty dining ($25-75 per person)
- Gratuities ($14-18 per person, per day)
- Wifi ($20-30 per day, or $100-200 for the whole cruise)
- Spa, excursions, photos, classes, and more
Each cruise line has its own way of adding on drinks, wifi, gratuities, and specialty dining, and some package it up for a better value. Princess really nails it with their bundle that includes all of the above for a reasonable price. I usually add that to my clients’ packages because it just makes the whole experience smoother.
My honest take
I don’t typically buy a standalone beverage package unless it’s part of a bundle with wifi, tips, and other perks (especially on Princess!). Yes, it’s nice to enjoy a glass of wine at dinner without worrying about being nickel and dimed, but those packages can get pricey fast, and you can often use onboard credit (a topic for another day) to cover your extras instead.
My advice: do the math. Look at the package cost versus what you’d realistically drink each day, and decide if it’s worth it for you.
Your turn
What surprised you most about cruise extras the first time you sailed? Reach out and let’s talk through what makes sense for your next trip.
If you didn’t catch my blog post on picking the right cabin type – you can read it here.