Sunday, March 31, 2024

How Much Does a Cruise Cost? Total Cost

cruise cost

Working with a good cruise-based agent can come with so many benefits. You normally don’t have to pay extra to worth with a personal travel agent. The cruise line pays them a commission after the sale, and you pay no more than you would if you booked directly with the cruise line.

How to save money on the cost of a Caribbean cruise

While the prices above are averages, here are some things that will change the final payment of your cruise. We are still only talking about cruise fare and onboard spending here. Spa TreatmentsThere’s not much that’s more relaxing than a spa treatment, but it can be expensive on the ship. Prices vary based on deals offered during your trip and the type of treatment you choose. As a rule of thumb, don’t expect to leave the spa without spending at least $100 per person — and possibly more if you decide to get multiple treatments. If you don't prepay, many cruise lines will automatically bill gratuities to your onboard account during your cruise.

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The Best Ways to Book a Cruise.

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The Best Cruise Lines

This has always been a port that offers easy access to many exotic Caribbean cruise itineraries for cruise lines. This ofcourse has to be factored in the cruise price if visiting this part of the World is a must. The bottom line, though, is that in most cases, your total cruise vacation will cost considerably more than the cruise fare alone.

What’s included in the price

Many cruise lines discount prices a month or two before sailing to fill empty cabins. Exact prices vary depending on cruise length, destinations and other factors, but you should expect to pay an additional amount for these costs. The total cost of a cruise can vary depending on many factors, such as the departure port, itinerary, length, travel dates and the type of cabin booked. Additionally, the desired experience you're going for can influence the cost. Also important to know, is that on some ships, the cabin you choose dictates whether you can access certain special areas on the ship or receive special services.

Crew gratuities

cruise cost

If we look at the Quantum of the Seas cruise ship cost per tonnage, we get a price tag showing $5,632 per GT. If we look at the MV Iona cruise ship cost per tonnage, we get a price tag showing $5,163 per GT. The ship measures 136k gross tons and is one of the largest in the fleet.

Longer-Term PricingDuring the stop, the major cruise companies took on massive amounts of debt to survive. Now as cruising resumes, they are focused on improving their balance sheets. Cruise lines have said repeatedly that demand is strong and onboard spending is at considerably higher levels than before the pause.

cruise cost

You’ve got your accommodation, transport to each port, and meals sorted. To work out the real costs, however, you’ll need to dig a little deeper to figure out what else you’re getting for your money and what needs to be paid for on top of the base fare. One of the best parts of a cruise is the opportunity to explore different ports of call. Most cruise lines offer a variety of shore excursions, from sightseeing tours to outdoor adventures. These excursions can be expensive, however, so it’s important to budget for them accordingly.

Some cruise lines offer package deals that include airfare, hotel stays, and other extras. This can be a great way to cruise on a budget during your trip and have everything taken care of in one go. If you’re driving to your cruise port, you’ll need to budget for parking fees.

What about all-inclusive cruise lines?

Many cruise lines offer discounts for early bookings and often offer cruises a year or more in advance. You may see many promotions during the year as the cruise gets closer, but the best price was almost always when it was first available to be booked. If you’re not traveling from close by, you may also need to budget for a pre-cruise hotel stay if you fly in the day before or stay overnight after your cruise is over.

Most lines offer drink packages that cover alcoholic beverages up to a set amount per drink. Package prices can vary dramatically, depending on the itinerary and sailing dates. Expect to pay around $100 per person per day for a full cruise package, including tips. Carnival's Cheers package will be a bit lower, and Norwegian's Premium Plus Beverage Package is higher. The room service menu in your cabin or in the ship's app will state delivery fees and/or a la carte prices. Examples include $9.95 per delivery on Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Norwegian Cruise Line ships; Royal Caribbean and Celebrity offer continental breakfast for free.

And if you tend to need downtime during your travels, then the higher cost may be worth it if you can swing it. Designed with acres of glass offering panoramic vistas of sea, sky and land, Serenade of the Seas® is the perfect ship for scenery-scoping. Take in captivating views of Norway’s majestic fjords, gaze at glaciers in Antarctica, and soak up the sun and the sights while cruising through French Polynesia. In between adventures onshore, you can unwind poolside or tee off on the mini golf green. Settle in for dazzling entertainment or dance until dawn beneath the stars. And with top-notch restaurants onboard, every meal turns into a global taste-tour that’s as immersive as your Ultimate World Cruise.

Everything You Need to Know About Shore Excursions

cruise excursion

Don't book a walking tour in Europe if you're not able to tramp over uneven cobblestone streets for an hour or more. Skip the mountain biking tour if you're not in good health or the kayaking tour if you have back or shoulder pain. When you choose to apply (and are approved) for a new credit card through our site, we may receive compensation from our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear.

Excursions That Cover Highlights vs. More Immersive Excursions:

cruise excursion

Then, decide whether having a guide and the security and ease of booking through your cruise line outweigh any difference in price. If you're a first-time cruiser, it can be helpful to have a few hacks to make your shore excursion experience amazing. Keep these tips in mind when booking, preparing for and embarking on your tour.

Assess your tour schedule as a whole

The most popular excursions and limited-participant tours will sell out — often before you even board your cruise ship. Even better, many cruise lines discount the tours you purchase in advance. Some take up all your time in port, while others are just a few hours of an all-day visit. Choose a full-day tour to see the most you can in one trip or for journeys to destinations outside of the port city. Some cruise lines and even some travel agents offer shore excursion credit as a booking perk. It is essentially a credit of a preset amount (often $50) applied to each day in port for which you book a shore excursion.

Our Shore Excursion Partners:

There is no need to tip any cruise ship staff who are along for the excursion (which sometimes happens on river cruises). While luxury lines, river cruises, small coastal ships, expedition ships and even some premium cruise lines include some shore excursions in their fares. Other tours on those lines and all excursions offered by mainstream cruise lines must be purchased.

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Do you take your passport on shore excursions?

cruise excursion

Some shore tours -- such as daylong trips from Tunis to the marketplace, museum and ancient Carthage -- pack many activities into one trip. Others focus on one destination or activity, like a trip to the Mayan ruins from Cozumel. It's up to you whether you'd prefer to see many things for short amounts of time or focus on one place in depth.

IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE

The pre-purchase window for certain products and activities closes between one and three days prior to the sail date. If you missed the purchase window, check with us once you're on board — we'll help you find what you’re looking for. Some cruisers are so focused on what to do on each individual day that they never stop to consider their tour schedule as a whole.

Group Tours

This is a mistake that can lead to burnout or a disappointing vacation. The train depot is right in town, close to the cruise docks, so you don't need bus transportation there. And the guides are part of the train experience, so you will get the informative narration either way. For those looking for a more personalized adventure, there’s Private Journeys.

Most travelers rely on carrying a copy of their passport in ports, leaving the originals locked away safely in their staterooms. There are some cruise lines that hold your passports for you throughout the cruise. You are free to come and go at will from most cruise ships while they are in ports of call. Shore excursions are simply one means to explore the areas visited by the ship and to participate in available activities off the ship.

Exclusive Shore Excursions Amazing Experiences

In most cases, shore excursions give you access to something that might otherwise be hard to arrange on your own. If you're uncertain about a few tours or want to pay for your excursions with onboard credit, wait until you board to book. The excursions desk staff might have additional insight into the shore tours you're considering that will help you decide.

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To enhance each port visit (as well as to increase their profits), cruise lines offer organized shore excursions on all ships for additional fees. These land-based trips run the gamut from sightseeing city tours to cultural events and active pursuits. You can take a sunset pleasure cruise in St. Lucia, visit penguin colonies in Antarctica, go wine tasting in Provence or bike through Copenhagen.

The key to booking the best shore excursions is knowing what you want from your cruise vacation and making sure that your tour choices support those goals. Explore the possibilities for shore excursions on your next cruise below. Shore excursions are designed for all activitiy levels in almost any mainstream cruise destination. Active tours can include water sports, ziplining, hiking, biking, dog-sledding and more. Activity-based trips might feature a day at the spa or beach, a pleasure cruise on a sailboat, wine or food tasting, a cultural performance or a visit to a museum. Sightseeing excursions are typically bus tours that take passengers to the highlights and shopping areas of the port city or nearby destinations.

Most ships have a shore excursion team through which you can get detailed information about the available tours and purchase excursions. For shore excursions that are not included in your cruise fare, budget a minimum of $50 per adult per excursion. There is no real upper limit as exclusive tours could cost thousands of dollars. You might also prefer to hire a private guide or book a particular activity through a local outfitter, especially if the cruise line's excursion options don't include exactly what you're looking for.

The ship’s excursions get you to the markets, often with some city highlights along the way, then leave you with a few hours of shopping time. You are then free to make your way back to the ship or to a meeting point for the return trip as a group. Arriving in multiple ports you are unfamiliar with and expecting to find the best things to do would be challenging at best and disastrous at worst.

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