My wife and I went on a cruise last Winter and had an amazing time. Cruising around the Ocean while stopping at multiple countries is an experience that I won’t forget. I definitely would consider going on another cruise in the future.
Since the cruise I went on was my first cruise, I learned a bit about what some of the other expenses are that come with a cruise (see my post on 15 Tips for people going on a cruise). Whether it’s alcoholic drinks on the ship, roulette at the casino, or off-shore excursions, there are plenty of things to spend your money on.
1) Excursions
Cruise ships make some of their money through the excursions they offer at each port. They offer excursions for just about everything you can think of – snorkeling, historical tours, restaurant tours…you name it, they probably offer it. They can range from relatively affordable to expensive.
If you only plan on going on one excursion for two people, you will likely only need a couple hundred dollars. If you plan on going on excursions at every port you stop at, you will need to budget more than that. Price will also depend on what excursions you choose to go on.
One of the nice thing about going on an excursion through the cruise line is that the cruise ship will not leave until after every group excursion has returned. That means that if your excursion runs late, you won’t miss the ship.
2) Drinks
Water, Tea, and Coffee are typically provided free of charge on cruise ships. If you want alcoholic drinks, soda (or pop if you’re from the Midwest), or premium coffee, you will need to budget for it. Drinks can be relatively expensive, especially if you drink more than a couple a day. Expect to pay $8 a drink, or more.
If you enjoy your soda the cruise lines typically offer deals where you can get unlimited soda throughout the duration of the cruise. It was around $50 for our week-long cruise. Pro Tip: if you like rum-and-coke get the unlimited pop and a bottle of rum and you can drink for much cheaper than the $8 per-drink price at the bar.
3) Gambling
Many ships have 24/7 casinos on-board the ship. This can be dangerous if you enjoy playing blackjack, roulette, craps, or one of the other games offered on the ship. Always budget and set limits when you are gambling, whether it’s online or on a ship.
My wife and I played roulette aboard the ship, which we both find fun because there are so many different bets you can make. I also like blackjack but for some reason there was only a table or two of ‘regular’ blackjack. Of course, most cruise ships with a casino will have plenty of slot machines. If you plan on gambling be sure to bring a set amount of cash that you are willing to lose, and do not go back for more!
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This obviously isn’t a comprehensive list of everything you should budget for if you are going on a cruise, but all three of these expense categories can really add up and be an unwelcome part of your bill when the trip is over if you don’t budget correctly.
Have you ever been on a cruise? What do you recommend budgeting for?
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Photo by Port of San Diego
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Aren’t some cruises all inclusive on alcohol? Cruises are expensive for me as I have to fly to the port towns.
Charles@gettingarichlife Good point, I’m sure some are all-inclusive but I definitely do not want to know how expensive the price tag is to get on board one of those ships! I’m in the same boat where the biggest expense for me is transportation to and from the port city.