Are cruises all-inclusive?

While cruises are becoming an increasingly popular holiday choice for travellers, there remains confusion about what’s included in the price.

Are cruises all-inclusive? Apart from a select few cruise lines, the answer is no. But you still get a lot for your money.

What’s always included in the basic fare?

Almost without exception, your cruise fare will include your accommodation – expect a comfortable bed, ensuite bathroom and daily cleaning service – and meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) in the main dining room as well as several other casual dining venues (be it the buffet or the pool grill).

Non-alcoholic drinks (typically tap water, tea, coffee, juices and sodas) and onboard entertainment, ranging from lectures to live music performances and Broadway-style shows. and movie screenings under the stars – are also invariably included.

As are kids' clubs, access to the fitness centre and onboard facilities such as swimming pools, waterslides and parks and splash areas.

What’s not included in the basic fare?

While a wide range of amenities and activities come with the fare, guests will likely be charged for several others – and, put simply, there’s no getting away from the fact that the sticker price on your cruise might look quite different from the bill you're presented with at the end of your sailing.

For most passengers, the biggest onboard expense is usually drinks. If you’re looking to indulge in a couple of cocktails in the hot tub or are partial to a barista-made coffee in the morning, it’s worth considering purchasing a drinks package (more on this later).

Speciality restaurants – special dining venues such as high-end steakhouses, sushi spots and chef's table experiences – also involve an extra cost, but again, gourmands can always buy a speciality dining package (when booking their cruise) to keep costs down.

Other things you may have to fork out for include room and laundry service, gratuities, Wi-Fi, spa treatments (facials, massages, manicures and more), and, of course, excursions.

Make no mistake: after alcohol, shore excursions are often the biggest expense. Cruise lines, including Princess, often offer a return-to-ship guarantee with their excursions. So the lines like to play on passengers’ fears of being pier runners (those who are forced to race to catch their cruise ship before it leaves without them) and sell outings at a premium compared to third-party suppliers.

Which are the best all-inclusive lines?

Generally speaking, it’s the ultra-luxury lines that include the most in their fares.

For example, top-tier lines such as Silversea, Scenic and Regent include shore excursions, specialty dining, transfers, tips, Wi-Fi and all drinks in their pricing.

Seabourn, Explora Journeys and Azamara are also luxury lines, but they don’t take care of transfers or shore excursions, while adult-only Viking – with its serene, Scandinavian-inspired decor – includes drinks with meals and one basic shore excursion in each port.

Out of the mainstream lines, Marella Cruises, part of holiday giant TUI, is probably the best all-inclusive option. While you will have to put your hand in your pocket for excursions and speciality dining on a Marella sailing, the good news is that tips, meals in the main dining room, drinks, flights, transfers and even some gym classes are included.

Regardless of which cruise line you choose to set sail with, keep in mind that spa treatments, shop purchases and a cheeky flutter at the casino will always cost extra.

Are cruises becoming more all-inclusive?

A growing number of operators – both mass-market (think Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line and Marella Cruises) and luxury (here’s looking at the likes of Seabourn, Silversea and Regent Seven Seas Cruises) – are waking up to the fact that passengers want to set sail without worrying about extra costs.

Consequently, they are collectively starting to move towards more ‘all-inclusive’ cruises – and are including more amenities in their pricing.

Most cruise lines are now also offering packages including things like drinks and speciality dining. Think of this as upgrading your land holiday from full-board to all-inclusive.

How else can I save money on a cruise?

Most cruise-goers typically choose a cruise line because of the style of its ships and the itineraries it offers – rather than its inclusions.

If that’s you – but you still want to cut the cost of your next holiday at sea – there are plenty of ways you can make your cruise better value.

Some cruise operators have programmes and packages even more inclusive than the ones mentioned above; they bundle things like specialty dining, drinks and Wi-Fi together. 
Holland America Line (HAL) is a good case in point: the Seattle-based line’s Have It All package encompasses its Signature drinks package, specialty dining, Wi-Fi and shore excursion credit for around £60 per person, per day. If you need/want all of the aforementioned, this package works out much cheaper than paying for everything separately.

Likewise, if you know you’ll want a cappuccino in the morning – followed by a couple of piña coladas by the pool in the afternoon and a glass or two of bubbles over dinner – a drinks package could come in handy. They can cost anywhere between £25-£113 per day, depending on the line, but it does mean that you’ll be able to order your tipple of choice whenever you want it, without worrying about the bill each time.

Conversely, if you’re only planning to have one or two drinks a day, it works out cheaper to pay as you go.

Elsewhere if shore excursions are your raison d'être, it’s not the end of the world if your preferred cruise line doesn’t factor them into their fare.

You can always book ship-sponsored outings when onboard or, if you’re trying to keep costs down, go it alone: hop-on, hop-off, open-top bus tours are a great way to get to grips with your destination du jour and, crucially, are much cheaper than official cruise line tours.

Alternatively, a happy medium between pricey cruise line options and striking out solo is to use an independent excursion company such as Shore Excursions Group or Venture Ashore – both of whom will pick you up from the port and claim to offer adventures that are up to 40 per cent cheaper than cruise operator prices.

What’s more, these third-party tour operators have wised up to the fact that passengers are worried about, erm, missing the boat – and now offer a ‘back to ship’ guarantee.

A statement on the Shore Excursions Group website reads: “In the extremely unlikely event that you miss your ship due to the late arrival of one of our tours, we will arrange and pay for your accommodations, meals, and transportation to the next port of call, and we will pay you an additional $1,000USD per customer for the inconvenience.”

Bottom line

While some cruises are all-inclusive, most aren’t. But there’s still a huge amount of value in what’s covered in the fare. And if you like the peace of mind that all-inclusive holidays bring, purchasing a drinks or dining packages will do the trick.

But do read the fine print carefully before booking, and, if in any doubt, contact a cruise specialist who can help you figure out the details.