Cruising Isn't All Inclusive Anymore
Source: Our analysis of the creator's lived experience, based on what they said in this video.
Creator's Key Takeaways
The fair still looks about the same on the surface, but underneath it, the cruise lines have spent the last year or two quietly pulling back things out of the package
When cruise lines start charging for pizza, yeah, that's how you know things are getting pretty bad.
I was hoping that Virgin would pave the way for the other cruise lines to follow, but instead the inverse is true.
Creator's Tips & Advice
🆕New to Cruising? This Creator Addresses:
Questions This Creator Answers
Topics Covered
Port Highlights
Scale: 0–5 strips in half-step increments. 0 = “meh”, 5 = “bacon bliss”. Aggregated from creator-review sentiment, weighted by channel expertise.
About our Bacon Score methodologyYouTube Video Description↓
Are cruise vacations still a good value when so many “included” perks now come with a separate charge? Cruising used to feel simple, but in 2026, many cruise lines are changing what all-inclusive really means. In this video, we discuss how rising gratuities, drink package costs, room service fees, WiFi pricing, late-night kids club charges, and Virgin Voyages’ new daily gratuity structure are adding new costs to perks cruisers once expected to be part of the fare. Before you book your next Carnival, Princess, MSC, Royal Caribbean, Disney Cruise Line, Norwegian, Holland America, or Virgin Voyages sailing, it is worth knowing where those extra charges may show up. **Cruise Things That Are a Total Waste of Money** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bk0SW4FSqho **Should You Actually Remove Your Auto Gratuities?** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtTgr0MzD68 **Are Cruise Line Drink Packages Actually Worth It?** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lt6nNcjNwCc **CHAPTERS** (0:00) What happened to the all-inclusive cruise experience? (1:16) Why are cruise gratuities rising so quickly in 2026? (3:24) Is the cruise drink package still worth the money? (5:25) Why are some cruise lines charging for pizza? (6:07) Is free cruise room service disappearing? (8:04) Why does cruise WiFi cost so much now? (9:11) What should parents know about kids club after-hours fees? (10:50) Why is Virgin Voyages’ new gratuity charge such a big deal? (12:08) Are cruise lines nickel and diming passengers too much? ----------------------------------------------- PODCAST Want this video in audio form? Stream my podcast: Spotify: https://profmel.com/spotify Apple: https://profmel.com/apple ----------------------------------------------- LINKS 🛳️ Get my Travel Insurance Guide for Cruisers: https://profmel.com/insurance 🛳️ Shop my favorite cruise outfits and essentials: https://profmel.com/shop 🛳️ Want to become a travel agent? https://www.profmelissa.com/travelagent 🛳️ Get my top recommended travel card: http://www.profmel.com/card 🛳️ Want to book a cruise or take a cruise with me? https://profmel.com/book 🛳️ Grab my FREE Cruise Packing List & Planner: https://profmel.com/subscribe 🛳️ Want to book my favorite private drivers? http://www.profmel.com/drivers ------------------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH ME TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@professormelissa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ProfMelissaCruises/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/professormelissa ------------------------------------------------- Please note that sometimes, my posts contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a commission through purchases, but this does not affect you as a consumer or cost you more in any way. I appreciate your use of my links, as this helps support my channel. ♥️