Welcome to Byte Size Cruises! We are so happy you are here. We are a small travel agency in Philadelphia, PA specializing in ALL things cruising. If you enjoy cruise vacations or if you are interested in learning more about cruises, you are in the right place! This is the first of series designed for the first time cruiser and in this post we will get into pricing. How do you know you're getting a good deal? Which cruise lines offer specials? We've got all the info you need to know. To check out this post on our YouTube channel, click here.
If you are planning your first cruise it can be incredibly overwhelming. There's a ton of information on the internet and it's hard to know what is relevant, what's accurate, and what isn't. If you are a first time cruiser, we want you to have all the best information so you enjoy your vacation!
First off, let's talk about what's included and what's not included in your cruise fare.
Is cruising a better value than going on a land vacation? Honestly, that completely depends on you and the type of vacations you would go on. For us, we see cruises as a great value for what you get. With a cruise you are able to see several ports of call at once without packing/unpacking and traveling by car or plane. Cruises also offer you the ability to truly relax, rest, and recharge while also having the option to do tons of fun adventures, if you so choose. On the other hand, if you are looking to really dig into a culture and immerse yourself in a country, cruising probably isn't the best option for that. You have to know you and what you are looking for on a vacation.
When you go to book your cruise, we do recommend using a travel agent. Travel agents will never cost you more than advertised prices online and often an agent can help you find exactly the type of cruise vacation you are looking for. If you decide to book on your own, here are some things to be aware of. The price you are going to see advertised online from most cruise lines will include: your room (which is your cabin onboard the ship), food at the main dining rooms/buffet, basic beverages (coffee, tea, juices and still water), your port fees (if you are stopping at ports on your cruise), and taxes. General amenities are also included in your cruise fare, such as production shows, most pool access, and fun things like trivia.
There are a lot of things that are not included in this advertised price. Now, most of the time you can get a package that includes some or all of these things, however just as a general rule these things will be an extra add-on to the advertised price.
The biggest add on to your cruise will most likely be your drink package. This includes any kind of special beverages such as soda, bottled water, any type of alcoholic beverage, specialty coffee, and energy drinks. These packages might start around $10 per day and can go up to as high as $100 per day depending on what type of beverages you plan to drink and how many of them you want to have the option to consume each day. These packages are all per person.
The next thing that is not included is internet or Wi-Fi. If you are going on a cruise and you want the ability to connect with friends and family at home (or to be able to just scroll TikTok) you will have to pay extra for that. Wi-Fi packages typically run between $10 to $30 per day.
Specialty dining is also not included in your cruise fare. Specialty dining is going to be the more fancy and upscale restaurants on the cruise ship. This might include steakhouses, sushi, or other niche dining. Sometimes you can get a package for specialty dining and sometimes you have to purchase it by reservation.
Shore excursions is next on the not-included list. If you plan to go on any adventures while at port, such as snorkeling, whale watching, guided historic tours, etc. you'll need to book them outside of the base cruise fare. You can book these excursions through the cruise line or through a third party vendor.
Spa treatments are not included in your cruise fare. Most cruise ships have a spa and if you'd like to get a massage or treatment while on vacation, definitely book it ahead of time!
Lastly, gratuities are not included in your cruise fare. Cruise lines charge you a daily, fee for gratuities on the ship and this fee is not included in the price you paid for the cruise. This is definitely something to keep in mind and budget for when planning your cruise!
There might be a few other things that are not included, such as bingo, a gameshow, the casino, etc. but these things are all extra and optional.
We highly encourage you to work with a travel agent or really do your research to make sure that when you book your cruise you know what you're paying for and what you might want to buy extra. Extra packages might vary based on supply and demand (the prices aren't static) and they will vary based on the cruise line you are choosing.
That is our rundown of what is and is not included in your cruise fare for first time cruisers! Stay tuned for our next post for first time cruisers.