Sarah BretzWhen putting together a cruise budget, it’s important to factor in additional things beyond just transportation to the cruise port, the cruise fare itself, and excursions while ashore. You might want to enjoy some extras on board to make your experience more fun, relaxing, and memorable. We asked cruisers, “What’s one cruise splurge that’s always worth it to you?” and received quite a few answers! Several people had the same replies, so we’ve compiled the most popular cruise splurges that you might want to consider adding onto your next voyage.
1. A pre-cruise hotel stay
If you live a considerable distance from your ship’s homeport, we highly recommend arriving the day before the cruise begins. An earlier arrival allows you a lot more leeway if your flight is delayed or canceled, or if you’re driving to the coast and get a flat tire on the highway. While many people leave day-of and still arrive at their cruise homeport with plenty of time to spare, it’s best to prepare for the unexpected when possible. Plus if you arrive the day prior with time left in the day, you can spend the evening exploring the embarkation city and getting a good night’s sleep with no stress before the cruise fun begins!
2. A balcony cabin
The question of whether a balcony cabin is worth the extra cost is a highly debated topic among avid cruisers. Many are content to just be on a ship, no matter where their cabin is or what type of accommodation they’re staying in. They argue that their stateroom is just for sleeping, so who needs something fancy? Others point out that it’s a wonderful perk to be able to get some fresh air on your own private terrace. Many even go so far as to say that once they booked their first balcony cabin, they knew they’d never go back to an interior or oceanview stateroom again.
Both are valid points. However, we tend to lean towards the pro-balcony side of things. Having your own space to enjoy the ocean breeze, watch a destination come into view as you sail into port, and sit outside and watch the waves go by is well worth the extra cost. This is especially true in a place with lots of scenic cruising like Alaska or Norway, where you’ll be able to view stunning landscapes and wildlife from the privacy of your own room. That’s difficult to put a price on.
3. A beverage package
Whether or not a drink package is a cruise splurge that’s worth your money highly depends on your personal drinking habits. If you plan to enjoy quite a few alcoholic beverages throughout your cruise, chances are good that you’ll get your money’s worth (and then some!) by purchasing a beverage package. Not only do standard drink packages include most beers, wines, spirits, and cocktails, but they also usually include things like specialty coffees, energy drinks, sodas, milkshakes, and mocktails.
If you don’t drink alcohol but do enjoy lots of the aforementioned non-alcoholic specialty beverages, you might consider looking into a non-alcoholic drink package option. Most cruise lines also offer soda packages for those who enjoy several sodas throughout the day.
For many cruisers, drink packages easily pay for themselves — plus you’ll know the cost upfront and won’t have to worry about your bill at the end of the cruise!
4. Specialty dining
While food is included on a cruise, it’s not all included on most lines. The standard buffet, main dining room, and poolside grill bites are part of the cruise fare, but there are lots of restaurants that incur an additional fee. If you’re in the mood for Italian fare, French cuisine, or a big juicy steak, chances are your cruise ship has a specialty restaurant that fits the bill. While it’s great to take advantage of your ship’s included dining, we recommend splurging at least once or twice during your cruise to enjoy an elevated dining experience. Maybe it’s a birthday, your anniversary, or just a random Tuesday at sea. Whatever the occasion is, don’t be afraid to spend a little extra for a special dining experience.
5. WiFi internet access
While having access to the internet on a cruise was an unimaginable luxury just a couple decades ago, today it’s almost considered a given. Some people still want to purposely disconnect and be fully present during their vacation. Others may want to stay connected for a myriad of reasons, so it’s well worth the cruise splurge for them. Maybe you want to post photos from your vacation to social media, keep an eye on your security cameras back home, or stay in touch with friends and family during your trip. Purchasing an internet plan will keep you connected and provide peace of mind knowing what you need access to is just a tap or click away — even if you’re in the middle of the ocean.
Note: Even if you don’t purchase a wifi plan for your cruise, you can still utilize your cruise line’s app while on board. Use it to view menus and activities, look at deck plans, reserve dining, chat with guest services, and more.
6. Spa thermal suite access
Vacation is a time to have fun, relax, recharge, and let the pressures of everyday life disappear for a while. There are few better ways to do that than to spend time in the spa’s thermal suite. On most ships, you can choose between a full-cruise pass or a single-day pass. Some lines even offer special stateroom categories that include thermal suite access such as the Cloud 9 cabins on Carnival and the AquaClass staterooms on Celebrity.
So what kinds of amenities are available for you to enjoy in the thermal suite? While spas are different depending on the cruise line (and even the specific ship!), there are some standard amenities that you’ll find in most cruise ship thermal suites. These include a sauna, steam room, hot tub/hydrotherapy pool, heated stone or tile loungers, sensory showers, and comfy loungers to hang out. Some ships even include more niche amenities like salt rooms, cold plunge pools, and snow rooms. Even if you don’t splurge on a full-cruise pass, we highly recommend picking one day to spend some time relaxing in the thermal suite — your body will thank you later!
7. A massage
Along the same lines as the last point, take a more personalized approach to your day of wellness at sea by booking yourself a massage. Your muscles may be tired and sore from your travel to the cruise port (carrying bags through the airport is no joke!), adventurous excursions in port, and everyday life before you even stepped on board. Cruise ship spas have an entire menu of massages to choose from, with popular options including Swedish massages, hot stone massages, deep-tissue massages, and even couple’s massages. If you’re looking to pamper yourself but don’t want a massage, you can always get another treatment like a facial, acupuncture, or wrap. No matter what you choose, you’re sure to feel more relaxed and rejuvenated afterwards.
8. Behind-the-scenes ship tours
One of the most unique cruise splurges you can enjoy is a behind-the-scenes tour of your ship. On this unique tour, you’ll get a peek behind the curtain as you observe and learn about some of the day-to-day operations that keep the ship (and in turn, your vacation!) running smoothly. Most ship tours will include a visit to a restaurant galley where you can get a look at how thousands of meals are prepared each day, a walk down the main corridor for crew members that runs the length of the ship, and even a tour of the ship’s navigational bridge.
Depending on your cruise line, specialized tours might also be available such as more in-depth galley tours that include a cooking lesson or entertainment tours that take you behind the curtain into how theater production shows come to life on stage.
The Bottom Line
At the end of the day, it’s your vacation and you get to decide how much extra money you want to spend during the trip. For many cruisers, purchasing a drink package or getting a massage is well worth the extra cost. We hope you use this list as advice from fellow cruisers on what they consider to be well worth the extra cost, while still taking into consideration your budget and personal preferences when deciding what to spend your money on.
Comments
Do you agree with these cruise splurges? Do you have anything else to add to this list? Drop us an anchor below to share what you’re willing to spend money on while cruising.
