Believe it or not, but you will probably spend less money on a cruise than on a ‘conventional’ holiday. It’s because the price doesn’t only include accommodation and transportation between destinations but it also includes meals, select drinks and coffee as well as tea, on-board entertainment and activities, access to most on-board facilities and amenities, and more. However, cruise packages don’t exactly include everything and if you want to ‘spoil’ yourself a little bit, you can end up spending a lot of money without even leaving the ship. How much money to take on-board thus depends greatly on how much you are willing to spend and how much control you have over your spending.
Some people spend almost nothing on-board. They take advantage of the freebies and stay away from things that are charged extra. Now, a fine glass of wine or two in the evening won’t empty your pocket but it’s worth to remember that it is the small things that can add up a lot on money in a very short period of time. So if you have any special demands or wishes, your cruise probably won’t be cheap even if you stay away from the casino and on-board stores and shops.
Sailing on a cruise ship is an experience of its own. And there is so many things to do on-board that you might not even feel leaving the ship at all. However, it would be a sin not to visit the highlights of the chosen destination. The ability to see and experience some of the most spectacular places on the planet within a single trip is, after all, the main appeal of cruising. Unfortunately, shore excursions can be very expensive. To avoid unpleasant surprises, you are therefore advised to ask about the cost of shore excursions before booking.
Most cruises give passengers cruise IDs which are used instead of cash when purchasing anything on-board. Cruise operators know that this way, passengers will spend more than in cash. So be very careful with your cruise ID and watch for the prices to get an idea how much you are spending otherwise the final bill will give you headache.
