What should I plan to spend on a 7 day cruise (for the Ticket(s))?

Question

What should I plan to spend on a 7 day cruise (for the Ticket(s))?

Answer 1

You can expect to pay about $100 to $125 a day, or more, per person for a 7 day cruise.  If you select the right date you can get a 7 day cruise in an inside cabin for about $800 per person.  But, there are several factors which will impact how much you will really pay; (1) when you book, (2) what type cabin you select, and (3) what cruise line you select.

There are four basic type cabins; inside, outside, balcony/veranda, and suites.  Within each category there are variables like location, cabin size, and other amenities like concierge service that can also affect the price.  Some outside and balcony cabins may be less because they have partially (or fully) obstructed views (basically a lifeboat or wall outside the window or next to the balcony).

As I said, when you book is important because all cruise lines give early booking discounts. Early means 9 to 12 months or more in advance.  You will also find specials or cruise deals on all of the cruise line web sites and these can sometimes knock hundreds off of the price of each type cabin.  So that $800 cruise may be $650 or $700 per person for an inside or you can get a balcony cabin for what an inside cabin normally costs.  You can find the specials by just going to the cruise line web sites and clicking on the link to "specials" or "hot deals".

Carnival is the budget cruise line that generally has the lowest prices (you get what you pay for).  If you want to go on Princess, Celebrity, or Holland America for example, you will pay slightly more than on Carnival.  But these lines also have specials that you should look for.

So, for a 7 day cruise:

Inside cabin ..........  $700 to $850 per person

Outside cabin ........   $850 to $1,000 per person

Balcony cabin .......  $ 1,100 to $1,300 per person

Suites  ....................   $1,400 to $1,800 per person

Answer 2

I always look for spending less then 100 $ per day per person.

So 7 day x2 people less then $1400..

Answer 3

I've seen deals for about $50 per day (or $350 for the week) to over $1000 per day (over $7000 for the week) per person.

It depends on when you go (high season or low season), what kind of cabin you book (inside, ocean view, balcony or suite), how well the ship is selling (selling well, prices go up, not selling so well, prices go down), and the cruise line you are booking with.  For example, you would expect to pay more at a Four Seasons hotel then you would at Motel 6.  In general the cruise lines can be rates as follows:

Three star lines are ...

Carnival, Royal Caribbean & Norwegian

Four star lines are ...

Holland America Line (HAL), Princess, Celebrity & Disney

Five star lines are ...

Crystal, Seabourn, Regent Seven Seas & Silversea

On a three star line during the shoulder season you might pay $700 per person for an inside, $850 per person for an ocean view and $1000 per person for a balcony.  During the low season perhaps about $100 less per person.  During the high season perhaps $200 more per person.

On a cruise I have booked in April, a cruise during the second week in April is 50% more than the same cruise during the first week of April (because of Easter vacation).

If you move up to a five star line, you can double all of the above amounts.

Want the biggest suite on the ship?  They go for $15,000 to $25,000 per week (not per person - total for the week).  

I am in a suite for my next cruise.  It cost $6,000 for two weeks when I bought it.  Soon the category suite I purchased was sold out.  However, much later one became available - for $10,000 ($4,000 more than what I paid).  Why?  Because the ship was selling so well (the cabin was sold - in fact the entire ship is now sold out, more than three weeks prior to the sail date).

Another example.  I was in a suite on the Freedom of the Seas in June 2007.  We had six people in the suite and paid $2,000 each for the week ($12,000 total).  The suite had two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large sitting room and a large balcony.  We purchased the suite the day it because available.  Months later, cabins 1/3 the size of our suite with no balcony (window only) were going for more person than we paid.  Why?  Because the ship was selling so well (it also sold out).