The Hidden Fees That Can Blow Up Your Cruise Budget

The price on the cruise website is only the starting point. A cruise advertised at a few hundred dollars per person can easily double by the time you walk off the ship, once you add the charges that are not part of the base fare. None of this is hidden exactly — it is all disclosed somewhere in the fine print — but it adds up quietly, one tap of your cabin card at a time. Here is where the money actually goes, so you can budget properly before you book.

Gratuities: Plan for Them, Don't Fight Them

Nearly every major cruise line adds an automatic daily gratuity to your onboard account, typically in the range of $16 to $20 per person, per day. For a week-long cruise for two, that is roughly $225 to $280 before you have ordered a single drink. This money goes largely to your cabin steward and dining staff, whose income depends on it, so it is best treated as part of your fare rather than something to remove at the guest services desk.

Drink Packages: Do the Math First

Unlimited drink packages sound appealing but often cost $70 to $140 per person per day. To come out ahead, you typically need to have several drinks every single day, including days you are off the ship touring a port. If you enjoy a glass of wine with dinner and the occasional cocktail, paying as you go is usually cheaper — a beer runs $7 to $8, a glass of wine $10 to $14. The package can make sense on cruises with many sea days, but for most travellers, à la carte is the better value.

Wi-Fi Costs More Than You'd Think

Internet at sea typically runs $18 to $26 per device per day, and the connection is not always reliable. If staying in touch with family matters to you, consider one shared device or plan for a digital break instead — many travellers find they enjoy the cruise more once they stop checking their phone.

Specialty Dining Is a Treat, Not a Given

The main dining room and buffet are included in your fare, but the specialty restaurants — a steakhouse or a fine seafood spot — usually carry a cover charge of $35 to $55 per person. These meals are often genuinely excellent and worth booking once or twice for a special evening, but they add up quickly if booked every night.

Shore Excursions Carry a Markup

Excursions booked through the cruise line are convenient and come with a guarantee that the ship will wait if your tour runs late — genuinely valuable in ports far from the dock. But they typically cost 30 to 50 percent more than booking the same activity independently at the port. In destinations where the ship docks close to town, or where you feel comfortable arranging your own tour, booking locally can save a meaningful amount.

Photos, Spa Treatments, and Other Small Extras

Professional photos, spa treatments, and salon visits are lovely but pricy — a photo print can run $25, a massage $150 to $200. These are easy to skip without missing much, or to budget for as a deliberate treat rather than an impulse purchase.

A Realistic Budget Example

For a typical seven-night cruise, per person, in US dollars (remember to factor in the exchange rate when converting to Canadian dollars):

• Base fare: roughly $700
• Gratuities: roughly $130
• Drinks, paid as you go: roughly $250
• Wi-Fi, one device shared: roughly $140
• One specialty dinner: roughly $50
• One shore excursion: roughly $80
• Realistic total: around $1,350, roughly double the advertised fare

The Bottom Line

None of these costs are a scam — they are simply not part of the headline price. Knowing them ahead of time means you can build a realistic budget, decide which extras matter to you, and enjoy your cruise without any surprises waiting on your final bill.