For a set price, a cruise vacation allows you to visit beautiful ports of call and enjoy almost everything a cruise ship has to offer while only needing to unpack once. As far as vacation options go, cruises are definitely one of the more inclusive offerings out there. However, there are some things that cost extra that first-timers should be aware of before sailing. In this article, we’re going over what’s included on cruises — and what’s not.

What’s included on cruises?

Accommodations

Your cruise fare covers the cost of your stateroom on the cruise ship. Your cabin will be serviced each day by your cabin steward. The frequency in which it will be made up (once or twice per day) depends on the cruise line.

Your cruise ship will include various stateroom categories that you can choose from. The exact types can vary from line to line (and even ship to ship)! You’ll usually be able to choose from interior cabins (which have no window), oceanview staterooms with a window, balcony cabins, and suites. They are priced in that order, with interior staterooms being the cheapest and suites being the most expensive. Choosing your cabin type is the main driver of your total cruise costs.

Food and Drinks

Standard food and many non-alcoholic beverages are also included in the cruise fare. Nearly all cruise ships have a buffet that is usually open for all three meals of the day. There will also be one or more main dining rooms which are also complimentary. The main dining rooms are not necessarily open for every meal of the day. However, they are where most guests go to eat dinner each night. They may also be open for breakfast and/or lunch on select days of the cruise.

Casual eateries such as pizza counters (which are usually open late) and poolside grills are also generally included in the cruise fare.

Beverages include things like iced tea, lemonade, drip coffee, hot tea, filtered water, some juices, hot chocolate, and milk. Some lines, such as Disney Cruise Line, also include soda, but most do not.

Onboard Activities and Amenities

Cruise ships are full of activities and events for guests to enjoy while on board. The entertainment and activities staff members work hard to ensure everyone is having a good time.

With that being said, activities and amenities are some ways cruise lines (and even ships within the same line) can vary wildly between each other. However, there are some standard things you’ll find on most cruise ships. These include at least one or more pools and hot tubs. Your cruise line will likely offer a variety of events and activities poolside including contests, music, and deck parties. Many ships also have water parks, which include things like water slides and splash areas.

At the top of the ship is a sports deck, which often includes a basketball court, a tennis/pickleball court, and mini golf. Some vessels also include things like a ropes course and a table game area with ping-pong and foosball. A jogging track should also be found on one of the ship’s upper decks. Exercise, yoga, and dance classes are also common cruise activities. You’ll likely find a place to watch movies with other guests throughout the cruise as well, often on the main pool deck or in a theater.

Onboard events like trivia contests, cooking demonstrations, and lectures (often about the ocean or the itinerary’s cruise ports) will also be available.

Nightly Entertainment

At night, your cruise ship will come alive with a variety of entertainment options that won’t cost you anything to enjoy. Some of the biggest shows of the cruise will take place in the main theater. These could include everything from musicals and cirque shows to tribute bands and game shows. Audience participation shows such as the Love & Marriage show also usually take place in the theater.

Most cruise ships also feature other dedicated venues for entertainment such as a piano bar, comedy club, nightclub, and sports bar. You’ll also find live music ranging from steel drummers to guitar players, bands, and vocalists. They perform in various spots on the ship throughout the cruise such as at the pool, in the atrium, and in various bars and lounges. Karaoke is also a common cruise offering, as are themed deck parties that take place on various nights throughout the cruise.

Youth Programs

Part of what’s included on cruises are facilities for kids and teens — which most ships offer. The youth clubs can accommodate guests as young as six months all the way up to 17 years old. Kids’ clubs are divided by age. There’s usually a space for babies and toddlers, one or two separate spaces for kids, one for tweens, and one for teens. There, kids can participate in things such as games, movie nights, dance parties, arts and crafts, and other fun activities.

Ships also often offer activities for kids and families outside of the youth clubs such as scavenger hunts, game shows, parades, and talent shows.

What’s not included on a cruise?

Now that we’ve gone over what’s included on cruises, it’s time to cover what isn’t included in your cruise fare.

Alcoholic and Specialty Beverages

Cocktails, spirits, wines, and beers will cost you extra on mainstream cruise lines. On a luxury line, alcohol may or may not be included in the cruise fare. In most cases, bottled water and beverages such as smoothies, specialty coffees, fresh-pressed juice, soda, and mocktails also cost extra.

The good news is that most cruise lines have beverage packages. This means you can pay a flat price upfront and be able to drink alcoholic and specialty beverages throughout your voyage without worrying about the individual cost of each drink. Soda-only packages are also common. Two notable cruise lines that do not offer traditional drink packages are Disney Cruise Line and Virgin Voyages.

Specialty Dining

While what’s included on cruises covers the standard buffet, main dining room, and poolside dining, you have to pay an additional fee to dine in specialty restaurants. These include venues such as the steakhouse, a hibachi experience, or a seafood restaurant. Sometimes these restaurants have a flat per-person price, while others have a la carte menus similar to most venues on land.

Reservations for specialty restaurants are often available ahead of the cruise, so look into making reservations early as they can fill up. Some cruise lines also have specialty dining packages. These allow you to dine in multiple specialty restaurants during the sailing for cheaper than it would be to pay for each dining experience separately.

Gratuities

On most lines, you are charged a daily per-person gratuity or “service charge” which goes towards the crew members that work hard serving guests during the cruise. Unless you book on one of the few lines that don’t have this charge, or during a promotion where the cruise line pays your gratuities for you, this is one of those fees that you need to be prepared for prior to your cruise. Expect these automatic gratuities to be around $16 to $20 per person per day. Add a couple dollars per person if you’re staying in a suite.

Oftentimes, you will also be charged gratuities automatically for things like alcoholic beverages, specialty dining, and spa services.

WiFi Access

The vast majority of cruise ships do not offer WiFi for free, so be prepared to pay if you want to stay connected while at sea. Most lines offer internet as a package that is charged per day. You can choose to buy WiFi access one day at a time, or for the whole cruise.

There are usually multiple packages to choose from. For example, the base package might only include access to email and social media, while the highest package will include internet calling and video/audio streaming. There are also usually packages for just one device or for multiple devices.

Spa

Spa treatments such as massages, facials, wraps, mani/pedis, hair services, and more are all an extra fee on a cruise ship. They also require an appointment, which you can usually make in advance of the cruise or once on board.

Many cruise ship spas also include a thermal suite, which is a section of the spa dedicated to things like a sauna, steam room, hot tubs, aromatherapy showers, and more. On most cruise lines, access to the thermal suite also costs extra. It’s charged as a per-day fee. You can sometimes buy a singular day pass, or get a pass for the entire duration of the voyage.

Shore Excursions

A huge part of a cruise vacation is enjoying the ports of call that the ship visits along the itinerary. Unfortunately, with most cruise lines, shore excursions in those ports are not included in the price of the cruise.

Excursions can include tours that visit the highlights of a city and those that spend the day at the beach. Snorkeling, four-wheeling, visiting museums, taking cooking classes, and more are also common excursions. Tours and port experiences can be booked through the cruise line or through third-party tour companies.

Other Add-Ons

There are many other things that can incur extra charges during a cruise on most cruise lines. The great news is, these are completely optional. They include things like:

• Casino play
• Arcade play
• Bingo play
• Souvenirs from the onboard retail shops
• Laundry service
• Photo packages
• Special celebration packages
• Transportation to/from the cruise port

What’s Included on Cruises Q&A

What’s included on cruises as far as drinks go, and which ones cost extra?

Beverages such as lemonade, iced tea, some juices, milk, drip coffee, hot chocolate, and filtered water are included in the cruise fare. On most lines, bottled water, all alcoholic beverages, and some specialty drinks such as smoothies, milkshakes, and soda are not included in the price of the cruise.

Which cruise lines include WiFi in their fare?

While most cruise lines charge extra for internet access, some do not. Lines that offer WiFi for free include Virgin Voyages, Viking, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Seabourn, Silversea Cruises, and Oceania Cruises.

Is room service included on a cruise?

While room service used to be complimentary on just about all cruise lines, some have moved towards charging for this dining option. Some lines charge for each menu item individually, while others just have a flat “room service fee” where you can then order as much as you want.

Lines that continue to keep room service free for guests include Azamara, Cunard, Disney, Holland America, Oceania, Regent Seven Seas, Seabourn, Silversea, Viking, and Windstar.

Lines that charge for room service include Carnival, Celebrity, MSC, Norwegian, Princess, Royal Caribbean, and Virgin Voyages. Some may only charge in certain instances, such as the type of cabin you’re in or the time of day that you’re ordering.

The great thing is, even on lines that now charge for room service, the cost is nominal and is a lot cheaper than at a hotel or resort on land. Better yet, continental breakfast remains free on just about every cruise brand. This is whether or not they charge for other menu items throughout the day.

Do cruise ships have an onboard gym?

Are gyms part of what’s included on cruises? Yes! Cruise ships have fitness centers and they are free for guests to use. While the offerings in the gym range wildly depending on the size of the ship and the cruise line, you can expect to find cardio machines like treadmills, ellipticals, and stationary bikes, as well as weight machines and free weights. Some ships have dedicated boxing or yoga spaces, and some have outdoor fitness areas with additional equipment on one of the top decks.

Do you have to pay extra for the sauna on a cruise ship?

In most cases, you have to pay extra for access to a cruise ship spa’s thermal suite, which is where you’ll find the sauna. In addition to the sauna, the thermal suite might include things like aromatherapy showers, steam rooms, cold plunge pools, and hot tubs. Thalassotherapy pools, salt rooms, snow rooms, heated stone or tile loungers, and plush loungers are also in many spas.

You can sometimes buy a single day pass to the thermal suite. You can also purchase a package that allows you access for the entire cruise.

Do any cruise lines have all-inclusive packages?

Many luxury cruise lines offer more all-inclusive pricing right off the bat. However, you may be wondering whether any mainstream lines offer all-inclusive packages as an add-on to the cruise fare. The answer is yes! There are several cruise lines that offer packages that make the trip more inclusive. They are usually priced per person, per day and you add the package onto your cruise fare at the time of booking.

Inclusions may be a drink package, specialty dining, internet, shore excursion credits, and daily gratuities. Though, what’s included varies by cruise line. Here are the lines that offer such packages:

• Princess Cruises: Princess Plus and Princess Premier packages
• Holland America: Have It All package
• Celebrity Cruises: All Included package
• Azamara: Experience More package
• Windstar Cruises: All Inclusive Fare package

Norwegian Cruise Line also has a promotion that’s pretty much always running called Free at Sea. It usually includes a drink package, a specialty dining credit, a shore excursion credit, a WiFi package, and free 3rd and 4th guests in a cabin. This is included in the cruise fare on most sailings. The exception is those who book a guarantee cabin or are on specific excluded voyages such as charter cruises. The line also offers Free at Sea Plus, which offers more inclusions and is an additional per-person, per-day fee.

Comments

Are you happy with what’s included on cruises or would you like to see even more all-inclusive pricing? What other items do you think should be part of the cruise fare? Drop us an anchor below to share your thoughts on cruise inclusions and all the extra up-charges.