Are Cruises All-Inclusive? Here's What's Really Included

Is a cruise all-inclusive? It is the most common question we get from first-time cruisers, and the honest answer is that it depends entirely on the line. A cruise fare covers far more than a hotel rate ever does, but calling it all-inclusive without qualification sets travelers up for a surprise on the final night when the folio prints.

Here is the line-by-line breakdown.

What Is Always Included

• Your stateroom and daily housekeeping
• Main dining room meals, breakfast, lunch, and dinner
• Buffet and most casual venues, including poolside grill and pizza
• Basic room service on most lines, sometimes with a small delivery fee late at night
• Pools, hot tubs, and sun decks
• Fitness center access
• Production shows, live music, comedy, deck parties, and trivia
• Children's and teen clubs during standard hours
• Transportation between ports, which is the part people forget they are buying

What Is Usually Extra

• Alcoholic drinks at $9 to $15 each, or $60 to $100 per day for a package
• Specialty restaurants at $25 to $75 per person
• Gratuities at $16 to $18.50 per person per day
• WiFi at $10 to $25 per device per day
• Shore excursions at $50 to $300 per person
• Spa and salon services
• Casino, arcade, bingo, and some premium fitness classes
• Photos, laundry, and medical center visits
• Transfers between the airport and the pier

The Most Inclusive Mainstream Option

Virgin Voyages comes closest to true all-inclusive at a mainstream price point. Included in the fare: all 20-plus restaurants with no specialty surcharge, essential drinks such as still water, drip coffee, tea, and soda, basic WiFi, all group fitness classes, and gratuities. You still pay for alcohol, shore excursions, and spa.

The Genuinely All-Inclusive Segment

If you want nothing signed for at all, look at the luxury lines. Regent Seven Seas includes shore excursions, unlimited beverages including premium spirits, specialty dining, WiFi, gratuities, and often business class air. Seabourn and Silversea are close behind. Fares start around $700 to $1,000 per person per night, and for travelers who would spend heavily on extras anyway, the all-in comparison is closer than the sticker price suggests.

Comparing Fares Honestly

The only fair comparison is all-in cost per person per day. Take the cabin fare, add gratuities, your realistic drink spend, WiFi, the excursions you will actually book, and one or two specialty dinners. Run that same math across two or three lines before deciding. We do this exercise with clients routinely, and the cheapest headline fare wins less than half the time.

The Real Budget Rule

On a mainstream line, budget 30 to 50 percent above your cabin fare. On Virgin Voyages, budget 15 to 25 percent. On a luxury all-inclusive line, budget 5 to 10 percent for spa, laundry, and the occasional premium wine.

How to Reduce the Extras

1. Prepay gratuities at booking to lock the current rate.
2. Buy drink and WiFi packages pre-cruise during a sale window.
3. Book independent excursions in easy ports and ship excursions in tight ones.
4. Use the included dining more than you expect; it is better than its reputation.
5. Ask your advisor for onboard credit, which is the perk most often available and least often requested.

Not sure which line fits your budget? Book a free cruise consultation and we will run the all-in numbers across the lines you are considering before you put down a deposit.