How much does it cost to take a Caribbean cruise, or a cruise to Alaska
or cruise to the Bahamas? Only
$1,790 on average for a one week cruise according to consumer
research conducted by TNS on behalf of Cruise Lines International
Association (
CLIA). At only
$179 per day cruising may be a better value than many other vacation options, but what is included in these costs?
There are two primary cruising costs that factor into a cruise vacation;
the cruise itself and onboard expenses and shore excursions. In 2011,
the cost for the cruise was
$1,326 (which actually declined by almost
$100 from 2008) and the cost for items purchased onboard and shore
excursions which were
$464. It's important to budget for this extra
amount when booking a cruise because it is not part of the cruise price
itself.
There are other expenses to factor in as well depending on the
transportation you use to get the cruise port. Two-thirds of cruisers
fly to the cruise port at an average cost of
$376. For those that drive
there is the cost of fuel as well as the cost of parking at the cruise
port. To see cruise port parking fees for all the main cruise ports in
the US you can find them
here.
Finally there are gratuities, or cruise tips, which can easily add up to several hundred dollars for 7-day cruises or longer. Increasingly referred to as Service Charges, many cruise line automatically add these charges to your account, sometimes at booking. Here's an excellent
cruise tip calculator to help you budget for service charges associated with your cruise.
However, since very few people cruise alone it's important to remember that the $1,790 cost of cruising is
per person, and cruise lines can charge a substantial fee known as a
singles supplement to cruise alone which often times double the cost.
So in summary, here are the main costs to consider when researching and planning a cruise:
- The cruise itself
- Onboard expenses (shopping, additional dining fees, etc)
- Shore-related expenses (shore excursions, port shopping, etc.)
- Transportation to-and-from the cruise port
- Gratuities and Service Charges
- Single Supplement if traveling alone
