Even though cruises are all-inclusive, there are many extra expenses that are not included in your cruise fare. As a result, people often find themselves surprised when they receive their final bill. Here are the expenses that routinely catch people off guard when they receive their cruise’s final bill.
Extra Cruise Expenses That Always Surprises People
Gratuity
Gratuity costs always catch me off guard. I usually have a smaller amount in mind, but when I go on a cruise with my husband and kids, the $15-$18 per person per day really adds up.
It’s even worse for longer cruises! For example, the gratuity for a 12 day cruise with my family of four amounts to over $800! I’m always somewhat shocked when I receive the final bill for the cruise.
Kids Expenses
One thing that often surprises people when they get their final bill is their kids’ onboard expenses. They often forget that their kids’ cruise cards are linked to your account, essentially functioning as a credit card for them while on the ship. This means your kids can buy things at the gift shop and play arcade games by charging them to their cruise card, which is connected to your account. Ultimately, you will be responsible for covering all of your kids’ charges!
I learned this the hard way. Now, before every cruise, I set ground rules on what my kids can and can’t spend on while onboard the cruise ship. I also call guest services to set a dollar limit to their daily spending. That way, I won’t be caught off guard and surprised by my kid’s onboard spending!
Room Service Fees
Room service fees on cruises can really add up! I usually treat myself to room service for breakfast at least once during every cruise. However, I recently had to pay $9.50 for breakfast room service, which seems like a lot to me. With the buffet readily available, it’s tempting to just grab my own breakfast instead. I really miss the good old days when room service was complimentary on cruises.
Extra Entree Fee
Another new expense that seems to surprise cruise passengers are the extra entree fees. Nowadays, in the main dining room, you will see asterisks on the menu next to certain premium entrees. This usually means there is an extra charge for that entree. For example, many cruise lines charge $15 or more for premium entrees like steak.
Also, some cruise lines limit the number of entrees you can order in their restaurants and impose fees for second or third servings. This adds up, especially for large families on long cruises. For example, MSC Cruise charges $5 for the second entree, while Carnival Cruise charges $5 for each additional entree beyond the second one.
Corkage Fees
When you receive your cruise final bill, don’t be surprised to find corkage fees added if you bring your own bottle of wine on board. Different cruise lines have varying policies – some only charge corkage fees if you bring the wine bottle to the main dining room and other public areas, while others charge regardless of where you consume your wine.
For example, Royal Caribbean applies a $15 corkage fee per bottle when drinking wine in public areas of the ship but not in your stateroom. On the other hand, Norwegian Cruise Line charges a $15 corkage fee per bottle, no matter where you choose to enjoy your wine—be it in a restaurant, public area, or even your stateroom.
Specialty Restaurant
Another thing that surprises people when they get the final bill are the specialty restaurant fees. It seems reasonable to pay $35-$45 for a meal at a high-end specialty restaurant serving steak and lobster. But the truth is this upcharge is expensive, considering you already paid for food in your cruise fare.
To make matters worse, many specialty restaurants will try to upsell you on premium items. For example, at Princess Cruise’s specialty restaurant, instead of just ordering the included steak and lobster, we ended up being convinced to upgrade to the slightly pricier Tomahawk steak. In the end, when I received my final bill, I was shocked by the total amount.
Cruise Photos
One expense that can add up is the cost of the cruise photos. It’s sometimes hard to say no to all the nice family photos you’ve taken on your cruise, but buying cruise photos is notoriously expensive. A printed photo costs around $35, with photo packages starting at $150. These cruise photo expenses will surprise you!
Shore Excursions
I always get sticker shock from the cost of shore excursions on cruises. They can really add up – even the cheaper ones typically cost $50 to $60 per person. Most shore excursions are over $100 per person, and some can be as expensive as a few hundred dollars per person.
For example, whale watching in Alaska can cost you $200 to $300 per person. And since it’s per person, if you’re traveling with family, the total cost can really catch you off guard when you see it on the final bill!
Drinks
I’m always surprised by how much drinks can cost on a cruise. The beverage package is so expensive, at about $70 per person per day, adding up to nearly $500 per person for a 7 night cruise, which means $1000 for 2 people!
For longer cruises, like a 12 night one, it’s closer to $1700 for 2 people. It’s just really expensive, and I’m always shocked when I see the final bill. Even if you don’t get the beverage package, a few drinks by the pool and a few bottles of wine at dinner can easily add up to a few hundred dollars by the end of the cruise. Check out: 8 Reasons Why Cruise Ship Beverage Packages are a Waste of Money
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