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So, one person in a cabin is akin to one person taking up two seats on a flight. It may not seem fair, but as we’ll see below, the average additional revenue generated by even one passenger is pretty significant. For this reason, solo cruisers should expect to pay anywhere between 150% and 200% of the advertised cruise price.
Drinks Onboard
While you could pay just the cruise fare and then relegate yourself to what's included in your cruise fare and never spend an extra penny, the reality is most people don't do this. There's just too many compelling things to do, and part of vacation is splurging a little. As well, we assume that you spend a little more on board than someone would on a budget vacation. While the cost of your cruise will vary widely based on the ship, time of year, and the cabin you choose, there are also some more costs that you should keep in mind. These costs won’t vary as much from cruise to cruise, but they still impact your bottom line. You can either purchase drinks one by one (they run about $7 for a beer and $10 for a cocktail) or you can purchase a drink package what allows you to drink what you want for one set price.
Costs to consider when planning a Caribbean cruise
Carnival charges $14.50 per person per day for gratuities on its trips ($16.50 per person per day for suites). Finally, the last major factor in what you’ll pay to cruise on Carnival is the time of year you sail. The same trip departing at different points of the year will have drastically different prices. Newer ships have a number of special cabin types like Cloud 9 cabins (near the spa) and Havana staterooms. These rooms will have special décor and features like access to exclusive areas such as private pools. Even so, we have some data on what you can expect to pay no matter which cruise you select to give you a better idea of what you’ll pay to sail with Carnival.
Caribbean cruise cost recapped
THE 25 BEST 7 Day Cruises (with Prices) on Cruise Critic - Cruise Critic
THE 25 BEST 7 Day Cruises (with Prices) on Cruise Critic.
Posted: Mon, 23 Oct 2023 15:08:02 GMT [source]
If you're looking for a room upgrade, but that's not a make-it-or-break-it deal for your family, consider waiting to upgrade your room until you get to the port. If your cruise still has rooms available, you can ask at check-in about a room upgrade for a discount. The cost will be relative to the room type you originally booked and the room type you want to upgrade to. Sometimes, you can even upgrade to a concierge room or a suite, but you will need to get an early port arrival time to potentially score one of those upgrades.
A suite on an ultra-luxury cruise may even come with your own butler to handle many things for your personally. For example, That budget cruise might not be such a good deal when you add up all the extra costs or add-ons. You may find a better value with a different brand with a higher upfront cost, but you save more overall when the extras are included in the price. Cruise Hive was established back in 2008 and among the earliest blogs in the industry. Since the start, it's been our aim to provide the latest cruise news covering all the major cruise lines. Some premium and luxury lines have gratuities included in the cruise fare as do ships that sail out of Australian and UK waters.
The chart below lays out the costs of taking a cruise, using the estimated amounts mentioned above. We’ve also laid out the estimates for both a shorter cruise (five days) and the traditional seven-day trip. Getting to the Ship/Parking/Hotel (Varies)The amount that it will cost you to get to the ship, park, and/or a hotel stay will vary based on your needs.
While you won’t have to pay the single supplemental surcharge these cabins have a premium price built in as well. You can spend as little as $150 on a 3-day cruise deal or as much as 5 figures on a longer cruise with a palatial suite. You still need to add in taxes and fees, and other expenses we will talk about 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.
Some ships have self-service laundry rooms which can either be free or start from $2 per load. To have your laundry done for you, you’re looking at prices from $3.49 to wash and press a shirt or blouse. Kids clubs are often free during the day but there may be a fee for group babysitting in the evening starting around $5 per hour per child. Mainstream cruise lines are known for their over-the-top offering with cool features such as rock climbing walls, ice skating rinks, and water slides.
Here, the price jumps considerably with a new ship, higher-tier cabin, and sailing in the peak of the summer season. For that more luxurious experience, you end up paying about $425 per person, per day. For example, take a July 2023 cruise aboard Carnival Celebration (the line’s newest ship) from Miami. Here, the cruise fare for a six-day trip in an interior cabin runs $759 per person.
THE 25 BEST 3 Day Cruises (with Prices) on Cruise Critic - Cruise Critic
THE 25 BEST 3 Day Cruises (with Prices) on Cruise Critic.
Posted: Mon, 23 Oct 2023 14:39:22 GMT [source]
Specialty DiningOne of the good things about cruising is that all the food you can eat is included in the price of the cruise fare. But in the past few years the cruise lines have started to offer specialty dining as well. These are separate restaurants from the main dining room that offer things like Italian food, Mexican food, or steaks. You don’t have to eat here, but compared to the prices you’d find on land, these specialty restaurants are a deal (think $35 a person for a steakhouse meal). However, they still cost extra and you’ll want to include the cost when budgeting.
So, if you’re driving to your port, factor in this added expense. Some cruise terminals now offer Valet cruise parking which is a great option but, comes at an extra price for convenience. If you’re traveling solo you’ll need to factor in an additional cost to have a room all to yourself.
Here with the upgrade to the balcony cabin, a longer cruise, and a newer ship, you can see that the cost of the cruise jumps considerably. But one thing to keep in mind is that a large portion of this estimate is onboard spending where you have the most control over what you’ll spend. Finally, don’t forget to factor in the cost it takes to get to port to set sail on your cruise.
If you want room service this may be included at some times of the day but, many cruise lines now offer items for a fee or have a service fee. On more inclusive cruise room service and many items are included in the price of the cruise. In addition to the cost of the cruise itself, you’ll also need to budget for drinks while onboard. Most cruise lines offer a la carte prices for alcoholic drinks, and the price can add up quickly. Cruise fares with Disney can change based on factors like room type, travel party size and sailing date.
