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Costs of Cruising - What They Don't Tell You

CruiseAholics Anonymous
CruiseAholics Anonymous
🥈Expert
👁️ 201 views📅 5 months ago⏱️ 10:31
What This Creator Said
Creator RecommendsTips & Advice🥈Expert Creator
Veteran Cruiser

Source: Our analysis of the creator's lived experience, based on what they said in this video.

Creator's Key Takeaways

Cruising is advertised as this amazing all-inclusive vacation. And while that's true, it's not actually the whole story.

Your cruise fair includes the main dining room, which offers multiple courses during your meal, rotating menus, and any dietary accommodations that you might need.

Your entertainment is also included in the cruise fair. Every night on the ship, there's going to be something happening in some venue.

The cruise ads don't quite explain well. Cruising isn't actually a one price fits all.

Creator's Tips & Advice

Prepay gratuities to avoid surprises on your final bill.
Pre-purchase excursions, drink packages, and dining packages during Black Friday to save money.
If you only average one to two drinks a day, a drink package may not be worth it.

🆕New to Cruising? This Creator Addresses:

Surprise onboard bills due to extra costs not covered by the cruise fare.Understand what's included and what's extra before you sail, and prepay gratuities.
Choosing between an inside cabin and a balcony cabin.If you're out all day, save money with an inside cabin and use the savings for excursions.

Questions This Creator Answers

QWhat is actually included in a cruise fare?
QWhat are the common extra costs on a cruise?
QHow much should you budget beyond the cruise fare?

Topics Covered

Service Crew2 Happy BaconCrowd Capacity1½ Happy BaconWater Park1½ Happy BaconValue Pricing1 Happy BaconDining Bars Drinks½ Happy BaconDining Main2 Happy BaconDining Buffet2 Happy BaconEntertainment Shows2 Happy Bacon
How to read the Trip Bacon Score
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Meh — no strong opinion either way

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 methodology
YouTube Video Description

Cruises aren’t really all-inclusive — and that surprises a lot of first-time cruisers. Before you book, here’s exactly what your cruise fare covers and the onboard costs people don’t expect. Many first-time cruisers assume everything is covered, then feel shocked by their onboard bill. This guide helps you understand cruise pricing clearly, decide what’s worth paying for, and know what you can skip. 00:00 What a Cruise Fare Actually Includes (Overview) 00:45 The Biggest Cruise Cost: Choosing the Right Cabin 01:37 Inside Cabin Hack 02:01 Transportation Costs 02:33 Is Cruise Food Included? What You Really Get 03:44 Is Cruise Entertainment Free? Shows & Activities Explained 04:45 Are Drinks Included on a Cruise? 05:07 What Costs Extra on a Cruise (Overview) 05:14 Cruise Gratuities Explained for First-Timers 05:56 Alcohol, Soda, and Specialty Drinks Pricing 06:39 Specialty Dining on Cruises: Worth the Extra Cost? 07:07 Shore Excursions: What You’ll Pay in Port 08:05 Cruise WiFi & Internet Costs Explained 08:49 Spa Services, Photos, and Onboard Shopping Costs 09:04 What to Budget for Your First Cruise 09:49 Cruise Ads vs Reality: What They Don’t Tell You In this video, we break down what’s included in a cruise price versus what costs extra, so you can budget realistically and avoid surprise charges. You’ll learn about drink packages, specialty dining, shore excursions, WiFi, gratuities, spa services, onboard activities, and the optional add-ons that can quickly increase your total cost. If you want your first cruise to feel relaxing — not financially stressful — watch this before you sail and subscribe to the channel! We drop videos like this for cruisers like you! Also, on that first cruise, book unforgettable shore excursions with trusted local tour operators around the world—often in smaller groups and at better prices than cruise line tours—so you can explore each port in a more personal and affordable way - https://bit.ly/cruiseaholics #firsttimecruiser #firstcruise #firstcruisetips #cruisetipsforfirsttimecruisers #cruisetipsandtricks