Cruising is one of the best ways to have a great vacation. You can board the ship, unpack once, lock your valuables in the cabin safe, and just carry your cruise card to open your room and buy whatever extras you might want on the ship. So what is included on a cruise and what is extra? Although cruise lines change fees and policies as time goes on, here is a good guideline on what is included and what is extra on a cruise. The Free Stuff Cruises are known for great food and fine dinning. You have the opportunity to dress up or down and be served gourmet food at a fancy restaurant by people who treat you like royalty at the free dinning restaurants every evening. Other options are to chow down at buffets, cook outs, pizza or sandwich places, and a variety of free food options depending on the cruise line chosen.
Free entertainment includes shows, comedy, games, water slides, and even “dancing in the streets” was fun on one of our cruises where the cruise director had everyone dance from one end of the ship to the other. If you prefer to enjoy solitude there are quiet areas of the ship or even a free gym or track for exercise. You can get onboard and enjoy all this and never spend an extra dime for food and entertainment.
What is Extra? Tips must be paid per day for cruisers. This money can be prepaid or it will be on your bill at the end of the cruise. This pays the nice employees that served you at restaurants and keep you cabin clean.
Drinks included on a cruise are usually coffee, tea, tap water, and lemonade. Alcoholic beverages and sodas are extra. You can buy packages or pay per drink for these.
Excursions can be bought from the cruise line or there are other options. You can buy independent tours, hire a taxi, or just walk around and enjoy the port area for free. If you like to enjoy the ship’s pool and a more quiet time without many people just stay onboard at ports for free and don’t do an excursion. Other Extras include gift shop purchases, specialty dinning, spa treatments, plus you can buy artwork, photos, and of course anything while at the ports.
Additional Extra Costs Your transportation cost is another factor. You can fly or drive to arrive at the port. Parking at the port is extra if you drive. It is recommended to arrive at the port the day before the cruise so you do not “miss the boat”. Some hotels offer free parking or shuttles for cruisers which can save you a lot of money. Of course, if you had done a land trip instead of a cruise you still have transportation and hotel costs, which could be considerably more.
Photos are a good investment for cruisers because there are no sitting fees, have great backgrounds, and you can purchase a professional photo each time you cruise and display your life with pictures around the house as your life changes. After cruising many years we have wonderful pictures of our entire family as we all age, and those photos are priceless.
On a land trip the cost for food, lodging, and transportation can far exceed the price paid on a cruise. Not only that, but you are constantly shelling out cash everywhere you go and must think about how much to tip, where to go, and the stress of decisions can be great. On a cruise you lock up your valuables in the safe and just unlock your mind from troubles and enjoy life watching the world go by on beautiful waters.
