What are the hidden costs associated with cruises?

Question

I'm planning on going on a cruise before Christmas this year, and if anyone has anything they can share about hidden costs or expenses, that would help a lot. Thanks.

Answer 1

Omy gosh it was sooooo more expensive than they made it out to be...bingo, cokes, tips to EVERYONE and his sister and his brother and his cousin and his 2nd cousin..you will see, they nickle and dime you to death, except it's more like dollar and dollar you to death.

Answer 2

I recently read an article about a couple who were charged $4,000 extra for spa fees, massages, gym fees and room service. They thought it was all included in the price of the cruise.

Answer 3

Tips and alcohol are definitely big hidden fees in a cruise.  Softdrinks and alcohol are not included in the price of a cruise, and neither are tips.  usually, tips run about $10 per person per day, so a 7 day cruise will cost you an extra $70, more if the cruise is longer.  Spa treatment, specialty dining (some cruise ships charge extra for upgraded dining) are all hidden costs, not to mention the excursions off the ports can really add up.

Answer 4

There aren't really "hidden" costs, but some of the things that you should remember:

1.  Gratuities--figure about $10 a day per adult person in your party.

2.  They will photograph you all the time--pictures can get expensive if you buy them all.

3.  Alcohol/sodas are not included in your food/beverages generally.

4.  Shore excursions can be expensive--just watch what you choose to do!

5.  Spending cash at ports of call--go to the meetings to see what is/not negotiable when you get to port.  Ex: In Grand Cayman, most things at the ports are non-negotiable due to "Royal Pricing".  However, Jamaica or Mexico, for example, NEVER NEVER NEVER pay full asking price for ANYTHING.  Negotiate to about 75% less for most things...

6.  Parking will cost you at the terminal...approx. $10/day depending on where your port of origin is.

7.  Casino.

I have gone on two cruises (and just got back from one Aug. 5 - Aug 12.  Both were on Carnival from Galveston, TX.  I have enjoyed both, and they can be pricey if you are not frugal with what you spend on the ship.  I have been with just my wife on the first one, and the second with my wife and 7 and 5 year old kids.

Hope this helps!

Answer 5

Alcohol!  It's not included - I've also been on ships where they had ice cream parlors that you had to pay for.. I think you have to buy soft drinks, too (i'm not 100% sure because I don't drink them).  Don't forget you'll need money to leave tips for the waiter, the maitre de, and your room attendant at the end.  You can sometimes pay the tip up front when you purchase the ticket, so make sure you  know if you already tipped.  Then you'll have to pay for any excursions you do and should have some spending money for any stops the ship makes.  Have fun!

In reference to above - some cruiselines let you work out free and some charge 10 bucks or so to come to the classes.  Massages and spa services are NEVER included.

Answer 6

There are no "hidden" costs.  Many things cost extra-  but they do not hide it from you.  Anytime you hand someone your "key card" you are being charged for something - and you will be given a receipt.  Drinks, bingo, gift shop, spa treatments - some specialty restaurants, and gourmet coffee shops.  Shore excursions are extra.  These charges do not just "appear" on your bill though - you have to sign for them.

Answer 7

One thing that you should be very aware of is that the cruise line will automatically tack a gratuity on the your bill.  They dont like to tell you about this and by the time you find out if you say anything then you look like your cheap.  You can decide on dollar amount to tip for the overall cruise.  DO NOT BE AFRAID TO GO TO THE PURSERS DESK AND TELL THEM THAT YOU WANT TO DECIDE HOW MUCH TO CHARGE!  THEY ARE USED TO IT!

Answer 8

I have been on many cruises and what you have to watch out for most is your expenses added to your on board account.  When you get to the port to check in the cruise line will set up an on board account in your name and issue you a card, called a cruise card by some cruise lines, that serves as your room key, credit card for anything you purchase on ship, and your pass to get on and off the ship.  They will scan your photo into the magnetic strip on the card so that your face shows each time the card goes into the machines they use for getting passengers on and off the ship.

There is no cash used on ships since this cruise card is used.  Things that go on your cruise account include:

Gratuities:  At the end or the cruise and for any alcoholic drinks on ships; and for soft drinks.  The ship provides free coffee, tea(hot & cold) , milk, juices, and punch or lemonade.  If you want Coke or Pepsi or any soft drink you must pay for it.

There is a gratuity added to every drink you order.

The biggest expense will be gratuities and they will be about $10 per day per person.  So for a 7-day cruise count on about  $140.00 for two people.

If you buy any tours or excursions from the ship they also go your your cruise account.  These can add really big dollars since tours generally start at around $30 per person.  So if you have 4 port stops and you do a tour (for 2) at each, then you are looking at about $250. So select tours carefully or don't buy any, just go on your own.  One way to keep that expense from getting you at the end of your cruise is to pick your tours now and pay for them in advance.

The ship's staff will take photos all over the ship, at dinner and especially on formal nights.  These photos are not free but generally cost $15 to $25 depending upon the size.  So skip most of them and take your own photos on and off the ship;  just ask other passengers and they will gladly take them for you.

Spa treatments can add big dollars if you get a massage or a wrap or hair and/or nails done on ship.  The use of the gym is free but these other treatments cost money.

Specialty restaurants;  Many ships, especially Norwegian Cruise Lines, have specialty restaurants, like Chinese, Tex-Mex, Italian, etc, but these will cost you a gratuity/or service charge of $15 to $20 per person each time you go.  So skip these and eat all of the free food in the main dining room and the buffet.

Answer 9

Here are some of the fees that are not included in your fees.

Make sure that your travel agent includes the port fees and taxes in the prices they quote you.  The quotes on the web often don't include these fees.  They can add $75-150 to each guest.

With the exception of the tips, most of the other fees are optional.

Tips...usually $10 per day per guest.

Photos.  $20-25 per sheet

Spa fees.  $50-200 per service.

Bar drinks.  $4-12 each plus 15% gratuity.

Sodas.  $1.75 per can or purchase a soda fountain card.  $35-45,depending on cruise line and length of cruise.  

Don't drink the sodas they put in your room.  It is just like a hotel mini bar...

Shore excursions.  $50-200 per guest.

Bottled water for shore excursions...$3.50-5.00

Bingo cards.  $5-10 each.

Parking at the port. Check with the local port authority.

Speciality coffee shoppee...$3.50-10.00 for gourment coffee and cakes

Cash for tips and taxis while on shore.  Using $1, 5 and 10 in US dollars.

Casino.  ?????

The best way to manage your spending is to open a cash account instead of a credit card account.  When you board, you will open your account using a cash deposit.  As you charge, the cruise line deducts the charges from your account.  When you run out of money, you can add more cash or stop spending.

My sister always uses a cash account so she does not overspend.  I use a credit card and always get sticker shock on the last day of the cruise when I get the bill.

Answer 10

Drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic (specialty coffees, soda, etc). This includes the ones they will try to hand you when you first get on the ship. I know Carnival has a "Fountain Fun Card" that you can buy in order to have unlimited soda and juice drinks, they're $4/day for the under 18 crowd and $5.50/day for adults.

Tipping is included automatically, read up on the website of your specific cruise line to find out the daily charge.

Gym classes are around $10/day, but you can use the equipment for free if you don't do an actual class.

Gambling, obviously, isn't free.

You cannot use cash or any means of payment other than the card (in Carnival's case, it's called the Sail & Sign) they issue. If you have young children, be sure to deactivate this so that it is only a room key!!

Photos- any pictures they take can be viewed an purchased on board; they don't charge you to take the picture, just to keep it.

Room service is free, though.

Remember, anyone on the ports knows that you're a tourist off a ship and will try to sell you anything from jewelry to drugs...just say "no"! ;)

Answer 11

Well, there are hidden charges, and there are charges you can choose to pay for.  I'll try to sort through them.

Hidden charges.  The largest hidden charges are port charges, tax, and tipping.  Port charges and tax add to your bill cruise cost, and tipping is expected.  For basic dining room and cabin service, everybody is correct that it's about $10 / day per person.  Figure this in before you cruise.

Another hidden fee is "transfer" costs.  Most cruise lines will sell you a transfer from the airport to the seaport at between $10 and $20 per person.  This is rarely a good deal.  In most cases, you can take a shuttle bus or a taxicab to the port for the same or lower fare.  Indeed, a cab is often the cheapest method, even for a single passenger.  The trick is to shop around first and ask a company like Super Shuttle the cost to your port, then ask a local cab company the approximate fare.  You'll save a few dollars.

A final semi-hidden charge is the slip you sign when ordering drinks (often from a coke to a long island iced tea) - there is a spot to add a tip as well as sign the slip.  Often the ship automatically assigns a 15% gratuity in advance, so what you are doing is giving more than what they already take.  

Coffee, tea, and water is free at meals; usually there are self-service machines for lemonaide, orange, and punch during meals on Lido.  Oh, and speaking of drinks, you'll be bombarded with the "drink of the day" from the second you embark with a "bon voyage" to an "aloha" on your last day.  They push them at the start, but you'll pay if you take one, particularly if it's in a souvieneer glass.

The list of extras is huge, but you can control those costs.  The big ones are as follows:

Shore excursions.  Trust me, every trip will end with "shopping".  In most third world countries, it's probably cheaper for you to hire a local cab driver to take you places that you want to see and drop you off at a bazaar when you are ready to shop.  Other things, like sport fishing or scuba can be booked cheaper when in port.  Check in advance.  

Shopping.  If you don't believe there are kickback deals with shops recommended by the cruise line, you're kidding yourself.  However, some offer contests where if your cabin is listed as the lucky one of the day, it's usually just a promotion to get you in the shop.  It's common on most vacations, but decide what you really need or want as curios.  Forget about buying booze or soda to drink on board; they will confiscate it.  You can get a deal on duty-free liquor in some ports, but you'll pick it up after the cruise (you won't drink it on board).

Water.  Your cabin will have a nice big bottle of safe water they want you to buy and take to port with you.  Well, you need a nice big bottle of water, but you should bring one with you on board, or buy one at the local supermarket instead of paying their price.

Photographs.  You can't hide from the camera.  It starts with embarkation, and never ends.  Now, to be honest I do have one of my family boarding a ship and it's one of my favorites, but if you buy the lot, you'll wonder where the charges came from at some point.

On-Board Shopping.  You'll pay a premium for sundries.  Don't forget sunscreen, deodarant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, razor blades, and etc.  One thing most people don't realize is that cruise ships don't provide pens or pencils.  They'll be happy to sell them to you though.  Bring some with you instead.  I know a gimmick on Carnival is to divide the guests into three colors for contests.  The real aim is to get you to buy red, white, or blue tee-shirts to support your section.  Ask yourself if is worth in 7 days later?  The one thing you might be able to get for free is anti-sea sick pills at the purser's desk, but why take a chance?

Specialty Dining.  It's another option where you pay an additional fee for a special restaurant.  It might be nice for a romantic dinner, but the fee is just the start.  This kind of dining atmosphere lends itself to other charges, like wine, and if you have kids, babysitting fees.  

Spa treatments.  Masks, massages, seaweed wraps, manicures, pedicures, stuff to hide cellulite... they all add up FAST.  Likewise hair styling.

Gambling and Bingo.   Bingo is offered all the time, and they spend more time collecting money than drawing numbers.  The casino is usually open when out of port.  If you want it as part of your experience, just budget like you would in Las Vegas.

Art Auctions.  While popular on board, they are a real moneymaker.  Few paintings are geared towards the serious collector.  Check your local art galleries for better selections, or art fairs for pieces you like by unknowns.  Go to specialty auction houses for works by renowned artists.

Room Service.  The food is free, but it is one of the few things on board where cash tipping is customary.

Babysitting.  The camp programs are free; after hour babysitting isn't.  

Communications.  Internet service is  available, but it isn't cheap.  If you really need to check your e-mail, do it in port at an internet cafe.  Phone calls cost a fortune.  Buy an international calling card at a discount place in advance and use it.

If you want my biggest tips to save money on board ship, do what I do.

Pack correctly, including sunscreen , deck shoes, shampoo, motion sickness pills, and a big bottle of water for everybody.  

Ignore all shore tours unless you REALLY want it.  Anything that involves sightseeing and shopping can almost certainly be had for less money by bargaining with a cab driver.

Forget the photographs and art auctions.

If you love soda, buy a soda card and use it to death.  

Watch the alcohol.  

Budget reasonably for luxuries like spa treatments, gambling, souvenirs, and special dining.

Check for the costs of a transfer pass from the cruise line as to cab or shuttle costs.

Forget about trying to bring your own soda or booze on board ship.  You won't get away with it unless you are really clever.  Being really clever means if you really want to smuggle booze on board, pick a clear liquid such as vodka or light rum, empty your big bottles of water, and fill them up with the contraband.  No more than one per person either (they get a little suspicious if you have 10 litre bottles of water filled to the brim and all with the caps broken).

Answer 12

alcohol is a big extra expense. the shore excursions are also. other then that it depends on the ship etc.. there are some ships that have specialty restraunts that you pay an extra fee. other then that it is photos, soda, and shopping.

Answer 13

I have been on many cruises.  There really is not any hidden charges.  You do have your tips, they are normally $10.00 a day per person and put on your sail and sign card.  You have to pay for sodas if you want them, but they do have a drink card, where you pay one price and get unlimited drinks for the cruise.  All the food you need to eat is included and it really all is what you choose to do.  I have been and only spent $30.00 and I have been and spent $1000.00. It really is all up to you.  They let you know everything that cost money.

Answer 14

Providing you have booked your cruise either with a reputable travel agent or with the cruise line directly, you will know 99% of ALL costs before you make your final payment.

For instance, your cruise fare will include the cruise price, port taxes and any state or local taxes that might be attached.  Once you have paid in full, that expense is done with.

Extras expense that you may incur would be alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, shore excursions, shopping, casinos, any specialty restaurants on board that you may want to try, specialty coffee and dessert bars on board.

You will also need to tip the longshoreman at the pier who takes your luggage - $1.00 or so a bag.  Always a good idea to do this...don't want your luggage to end up in the water...HA!

You cruise fare paid includes all meals onboard (except those specialty restaurants), all entertainment onboard (not the arcade), your stateroom, port taxes, other landing fees.

Many cruiselines also include the gratuities in the fare.  You will want to tip anyway and paying them with your cruise fare is the easiest way.  That works out to about 10.00 per person, per day.....7 day cruise - $70.00 per person.  This tips your room stewards, your waiters in the dining room and elsewhere on the ship and the busboys who take care of your tables.

Other than the fare and tips you pay, all other costs are in your total control.  If you don't drink alcohol, then your bill will be lower.  Wanna play bingo?  That's your decision.

If you book with a reputable cruise company, there will be no surprises for you.