CRUISE ETIQUETTE: EXACTLY HOW ‘ALL-INCLUSIVE’ ARE CRUISES?

The cruise industry has long promoted cruise vacations as seagoing alternatives to landside all-inclusive resorts—with the added benefit of hitting multiple destinations in a single trip (and only needing to unpack once). But most cruises aren’t actually all-inclusive—on the vast majority of cruise lines, there are extras available for purchase on the ship that can really mean cruisers pay twice for the same vacation: once up front, and once on board.

Onboard spending has long been an anxiety among cruisers. Once aboard the ship and in “vacation mode” it became all too easy to rack up a hefty bill on not-included extras ranging from bar tabs to spa treatments—all conveniently charged to stateroom accounts with the swipe of a keycard or tap of a wristband.

In the past decade or so, cruise lines have addressed this anxiety by selling more of the extras up front. It began with the ability to prepay for beverage packages or daily crew gratuities. Now, many cruise lines bundle those popular extras into higher, more inclusive fare categories, leaving less onboard spending to chance. But several other cruise lines include those same extras right into their standard fares, making comparison shopping difficult.

Tom Baker, a Condé Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist, says many clients are initially confused about what’s included in cruise fares because it varies so widely. He notes cruisers are “asking for more inclusions [in cruise fares] as they hate getting nickel-and-dimed to death onboard.” His job, he says, is to work with his clients to help them determine which product best suits their needs and budget.

To figure out exactly what is included in a cruise, we took a look at some standard inclusions for most cruise lines, plus what cruisers can generally expect to pay extra for—either as part of an all-inclusive cruise fare or as a prepaid package. We also tapped several Condé Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialists with extensive cruise experience for their expert advice.

What’s always included?

Almost without exception, cruise fares will include meals in at least one onboard restaurant and several casual eateries or a buffet, very basic non-alcoholic beverages (typically coffee, tea, lemonade, and tap water), and most onboard entertainment, which on many ships ranges from live music in various venues to theatrical productions.

Even then, the minutiae vary by cruise line. Carnival offers tap water, lemonade, iced tea, hot chocolate, and non-specialty coffee and tea, but only in the buffet and the main dining room. Royal Caribbean offers only water, lemonade, and iced tea, while the more premium Holland America also offers milk.

Generally speaking, mass-market cruise lines (think Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian) and premium cruise lines (think Princess, Celebrity, Holland America Line) tend to offer less-inclusive pricing models than the luxury cruise lines (Crystal, Regent Seven Seas, Silversea).

The most inclusive cruise lines

It’s the top-tier luxury cruise lines that include the most in their fares, says Jennifer Greene of MEI Travel. “The two truly all-inclusive lines are Silversea and Regent Seven Seas. They include accommodations, transfers, specialty dining, basic Wi-Fi, drink packages and shore excursions [in their standard cruise fares].”

Baker points out the Crystal, Seabourn, and Explora Journeys are also in the same tier, but they don’t include transfers or shore excursions as standard in their cruise fares.

Virgin Voyages and Oceania Cruises include most non-alcoholic beverages in their cruise fares, while Disney Cruise Line includes soda. Viking includes beer, wine, and soft drinks with lunch and dinner on their ocean cruises, and at least one basic shore excursion in each port.

Some shipboard items, regardless of cruise line, are always extra—like boutique purchases, spa treatments, or salon services.

How to pick the best cruise value

Mary Jean Tully of Tully Luxury Travel points out that not all cruisers need, or are looking for, all-inclusive voyages. “Some [clients] don’t want excursions included as they don’t like group tours,” she explains. Many of Tully’s clients prefer to have her arrange private tours instead of going with the cruise line’s offer.

If you plan on booking your own activities on shore, be sure to calculate how much the independent excursions will cost you. “Looking at Alaska for example: this is a heavy shore excursion destination and that can be a big part of the budget for the entire cruise," says Diane Cook with 7Seas2See Travel. Once her clients add up the extra money they’d spend on shore excursions, she says their overall outlay begins to approach the cruise fare on luxury lines like Regent Seven Seas that includes those excursions already, so for a similar total price, they can have a more luxurious experience.

James Ferguson of Travel Edge notes that a cruise line’s fare inclusions aren’t typically the bottom line for many of his clients. “One size doesn't fit all, and the all-inclusive denominator is usually not the determining factor.” Other considerations, he explains, like the overall style and amenities of the cruise line, the ship, and the itinerary can weigh more heavily.

Ultimately, selecting a cruise line is mostly about personality match—cruisers pick the cruise line that suits their tastes and budget. Within tiers of similar cruise lines, one inclusion here versus another there shouldn’t be a dealbreaker if a cruiser is really keen on the ship, brand, and itinerary that most piques their interest. In any case, the help of a travel specialist to help figure out the finer details is well worth the call.