Images: Carnival Cruise Line
One of the things I like about cruising is that a fairly large chunk of the holiday is already paid for before you leave home.
Your accommodation is sorted. Someone else is doing the driving between destinations. There's food available throughout the day, entertainment at night and usually far more happening around the ship than you'll ever get around to doing.
But your cruise fare doesn't include everything.
If you're planning your first cruise, this can be one of the more confusing parts. You see a cruise advertised for $1,000 and then start reading about drinks packages, specialty restaurants, Wi-Fi, shore excursions and gratuities. Suddenly you're wondering whether that $1,000 cruise is actually going to cost $3,000.
It doesn't have to.
You can have a perfectly good cruise without paying for most of the extras. The trick is knowing what's already included and deciding which extras actually matter to you.
Exact inclusions vary between cruise lines, ships and fare types, but here's what you can generally expect.
Your cabin
Family Harbor Interior Cabin. Image: Carnival Cruise Line
Your accommodation is included in your cruise fare, whether you've booked an interior cabin, ocean view, balcony or suite.
You'll generally have your own bathroom, bed linen, towels, storage, television and basic toiletries. Most cabins also have a safe, hairdryer and some form of desk or dressing area.
Your cabin attendant will service the room during the cruise, although how often this happens varies between cruise lines.
There isn't an additional nightly accommodation charge on top of the cruise fare simply for using your cabin.
Of course, choosing a different cabin category can make an enormous difference to the original fare. An interior cabin may be substantially cheaper than a balcony or suite, but once you've booked it, the cabin itself is part of what you've paid for.
Most of your meals
You are extremely unlikely to go hungry on a cruise.
Most mainstream cruise fares include meals in the main dining room, buffet and at least some casual dining venues. Exactly what's available depends on the ship.
On Carnival, for example, ships can have included options such as Guy's Burger Joint, BlueIguana Cantina and the deli alongside the buffet and main dining room. Royal Caribbean includes its Main Dining Room, Windjammer buffet and various casual venues depending on the ship. Princess similarly includes its main dining rooms, buffet and a selection of casual dining options.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner can all be eaten without paying for specialty restaurants.
And don't overlook breakfast in the main dining room. The buffet is convenient, but sometimes it's quite nice to sit down and have someone bring breakfast to you.
Although if there are breakfast tacos available elsewhere, all bets are off.
Some food costs extra
Image: Carnival Cruise Line
This is where the distinction between included dining and specialty dining comes in.
Most ships have restaurants that cost extra. These might include steakhouses, sushi restaurants, Italian restaurants, seafood restaurants or other specialty venues.
Some charge a set fee while others have à la carte pricing.
That doesn't mean the included food is somehow the inferior option you're supposed to upgrade from. Specialty dining is an extra choice.
We've paid for specialty restaurants on some cruises and skipped them completely on others.
If you're cruising for the first time, I'd have a look at all the included dining options before booking a specialty restaurant every night. You may find there's already more food included than you could possibly get through.
Basic drinks
Some drinks are included with your fare, although the selection varies between cruise lines.
Tap water, standard tea and regular coffee are commonly available without charge. Some cruise lines also include things such as iced tea, lemonade or selected juices at certain times.
Soft drinks aren't automatically included on many mainstream cruise lines. Neither are specialty coffees, energy drinks, bottled water or freshly squeezed juices.
And alcohol is generally extra unless you've purchased a fare or package that specifically includes it.
Before buying a drinks package, check what your cruise line already provides and think about what you actually drink.
A drinks package can make sense for some passengers. For somebody who mostly drinks water and standard coffee, it can be a very expensive way to acquire the occasional Coke.
Entertainment
A lot of cruise entertainment is included.
Production shows, comedy, live music, trivia, karaoke, deck parties, game shows and other organised entertainment are commonly available without an additional admission charge.
What's offered will depend enormously on the ship.
Some have large theatres and elaborate productions. Others might have comedy clubs, live bands, ice skating shows or smaller performance venues.
There can be particular attractions or premium experiences that cost extra, but you don't generally have to buy tickets every night to have something to do.
Your cruise line app or daily program will show what's happening and whether there's a charge.
Pools and many onboard activities
Swimming pools and hot tubs are generally included, along with many recreational facilities.
Depending on the ship, that might mean waterslides, mini golf, sports courts, jogging tracks and various organised activities.
Some newer ships also have much more elaborate attractions. That's where it's worth checking the individual ship because certain premium activities may cost extra even though plenty of other facilities are included.
And remember that ships within the same cruise line can be very different.
Don't book an older, smaller ship assuming it has every attraction you've seen in an advertisement featuring the cruise line's newest mega-ship.
The fitness centre
The ship's basic fitness centre is usually included.
You can use the treadmills, weights and other standard equipment without paying a gym membership fee.
Some organised fitness classes, personal training and specialty services cost extra.
Cruise ship gyms can actually be pretty impressive, particularly when you're looking straight out over the ocean.
I regularly use them because I like to keep up some semblance of my normal routine while travelling.
Whether you choose to go anywhere near the gym on your holiday is entirely between you and the buffet.
Kids clubs
Image: Carnival Cruise Line
Most mainstream family cruise lines include their standard supervised kids and teen clubs in the cruise fare.
That can be a very useful inclusion when travelling as a family.
My first cruise was with Ruben when he was two, so kids facilities were something I discovered fairly early in my cruising life.
Programs are generally divided by age, and operating arrangements vary between cruise lines and ships.
There are exceptions to what's included. Nursery care for babies and toddlers, late-night group sitting and some special activities may have an additional charge.
And don't assume your children will want to spend the entire cruise there. Mine have had very different levels of enthusiasm for kids clubs over the years.
Sea days
This might sound like an odd inclusion, but it's worth mentioning because first-time cruisers sometimes look at sea days as days where they're "not getting anything".
You're actually getting the ship.
Sea days give you time to use the pools, watch shows, join activities, eat your way around the ship or do absolutely nothing.
There's no requirement to spend extra money simply because you don't have a port to explore.
Some of my favourite cruise days are sea days, particularly on longer cruises where there's no pressure to fit everything into a week.
Transport between cruise ports
This is another inclusion that's easy to overlook.
Your cruise ship is also your transport.
You can have dinner in one country, go to bed and wake up somewhere completely different without packing your suitcase or travelling to an airport.
When you're comparing a cruise with a land-based holiday, that's worth remembering. Your fare combines accommodation with transport between the destinations on your itinerary.
Transport within those destinations is a different story.
Taxis, trains, shuttle buses and tours aren't necessarily included just because the ship has arrived in port.
Shore excursions usually cost extra
You don't need to book a cruise line excursion simply because you're visiting a port.
Cruise line shore excursions generally cost extra, and the price can range from relatively inexpensive walking tours to fairly substantial amounts for full-day experiences.
Sometimes they're absolutely worth it.
Other times, we've walked off the ship and explored independently using public transport, taxis or our own two feet.
Research each destination individually rather than assuming you either need an excursion everywhere or should avoid cruise line excursions completely.
The important thing when exploring independently is knowing when you need to be back onboard.
The ship is included.
Waiting indefinitely for you isn't.
Wi-Fi usually isn't included
Internet access is one of the extras I pay particular attention to because I regularly work while travelling.
Basic cruise fares generally don't include unlimited Wi-Fi, although some cruise lines offer packages or higher-tier fares that do.
Internet at sea has improved enormously, particularly as satellite technology has improved, but packages can still add a significant amount to the cost of a longer cruise.
If you only want to disconnect for a week, that's easy: don't buy it.
If you need to work, stay in contact with home or simply know you're going to want internet access, check the cost before booking so you can include it in your budget.
Room service varies
Don't automatically assume room service is free.
Some cruise lines include certain room service items but charge a delivery fee. Others might include a basic continental breakfast while charging for other orders.
Your cabin category or fare package can also make a difference.
If ordering breakfast to your cabin or having a late-night meal delivered is something you're looking forward to, check your particular cruise line's policy.
The food itself being "included" doesn't always mean having it delivered to your cabin is free.
Spa treatments aren't included
The Spa and fitness center at cruise liner or ship Oasis of the Seas by Royal Caribbean. — Photo by Marina113
You can usually use the fitness centre without paying extra.
The spa is another matter.
Massages, facials, salon appointments, manicures and other treatments generally cost extra.
Some ships also have thermal suites, saunas or specialty spa areas that require a pass, although what's complimentary varies between cruise lines and ships.
If you're planning a spa treatment, I'd consider it part of your spending money rather than part of the cruise fare.
Shopping, casino and cruise photos
Image: Costa Cruise Line
These are all extras.
Anything you buy from the onboard shops will be charged to your account. Gambling in the casino obviously involves your own money, and professional photos taken around the ship generally aren't included either.
Cruise photographers can be surprisingly persistent in their ability to locate you throughout a holiday.
You don't have to buy the photos.
Although when travelling with children, occasionally somebody manages to capture a photo where everyone is looking at the camera and nobody is pulling a ridiculous face. At that point, they've got you.
Gratuities can be complicated
This is where I'd be particularly cautious about taking generic cruise advice from overseas websites.
Gratuities and service charges can work differently depending on the cruise line, where you're sailing from, where you booked and the fare you've purchased.
For Australian departures, some cruise lines incorporate crew gratuities or service charges into the fare rather than adding the daily amount commonly discussed by American cruisers.
Other cruise lines or itineraries may handle them differently, and optional purchases such as drinks or specialty dining can still have service charges attached.
Check the conditions for your actual booking rather than assuming what somebody in an American Facebook group says applies to you.
I'll cover cruise gratuities for Australians separately because this one deserves a proper explanation of its own.
What definitely isn't included?
While every cruise line is different, the things most likely to add to your holiday budget include alcohol and some other drinks, specialty dining, Wi-Fi, shore excursions, spa treatments, shopping, casino spending, professional photos and some premium onboard activities.
Then there are your expenses before and after the cruise: flights, hotels, airport transfers, travel insurance, parking and whatever you spend while exploring ports independently.
None of that means cruising is full of unavoidable hidden charges.
Most are choices.
The useful question isn't really "Does a cruise have extras?"
It does.
The useful question is which extras matter to you?
Can you cruise without spending much extra?
Absolutely.
You could board a mainstream cruise ship, sleep in your cabin, eat at the included restaurants, have basic drinks, swim, watch shows, listen to live music, join trivia, use the gym, send the kids to kids club and explore ports independently without spending much more onboard.
You could also buy a drinks package, book specialty restaurants every night, have a massage, buy unlimited Wi-Fi, book an excursion in every port and somehow come home with $400 worth of cruise photos.
Both are perfectly legitimate ways to cruise.
I've learned over the years that I don't need every available extra. There are things I'm happy to spend money on and others I barely consider.
Wi-Fi matters to me because I work while travelling. Shore excursions sometimes make sense and sometimes don't. Specialty dining depends on the ship. And there's absolutely no point buying something simply because everyone else says it's an essential part of cruising.
Before you book, look at the fare itself and then add the extras you realistically expect to use.
That's a much better indication of what your cruise is actually going to cost.
And if it's your first cruise, don't worry about pre-booking every possible upgrade before you've even stepped onboard.
There's already an awful lot included.
