How much money do I need for my first cruise?
If you’ve never cruised before, how much to budget for your time at sea might be on your mind. We’re here to help.
How much money you’ll need on board depends on your cruise line and lifestyle. Do you like a drink? You’ll need more money than a teetotaller. Hate massages? Great – the spa won’t cost you a thing.
The quick answer
For an average cruiser, we recommend budgeting £85 per day or £600 for a week-long cruise (as of Summer 2025).
This would cover two or three alcoholic beverages daily, one or two meals at the speciality restaurants during your cruise, Wi-Fi, one spa treatment or excursion, gratuities and service charges. If you want to get a more precise idea, here are some of the things you’ll need to consider:
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You’ll pay in dollars on most ships, so you’ll see many prices in US currency.
Can you trust our numbers?
This article includes first-hand experience. There's rarely a week when a World of Cruising team member isn't on a cruise - we know what we're talking about. We've also cross-referenced our knowledge with publicly available information. For example, Royal Caribbean publishes prices at its spa, and so does Carnival Cruise Line. You can also find Princess Cruises andCunard's drink prices online.
How do I pay for things on a cruise
Before you sail, the cruise line will register a bank card against your onboard account. You will then be able to charge things to your cabin like you would at a hotel.
You'll get a final bill on the last day of your cruise, and the line will charge the amount on your registered card. Make sure to check that all items on the bill are yours and don't hesitate to question any charge you don't recognise.
How much are gratuities and service charges?
Gratuities are the cruise industry’s preferred term for tipping and are added to your onboard account and charged per person per cruise day. The money goes to the crew at the end of the sailing.
There’s a wide range depending on your cruise line. Some, like P&O Cruises and Virgin Voyages, include them in the cruise fare.
Others, like Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line, can charge $15-$25 per person per day. There are usually two gratuities pricing tiers: one for cabins and the other (more expensive) for suites.
In addition to gratuities, some cruise lines charge a service charge of 15-20 per cent on things you purchase on board, like drinks, spa treatments and meals at the speciality restaurants. We’ll cover their impact on your budget in the sections below.
For more information, check our guide to gratuities and service charges.
What should I budget for gratuities?
Check what your cruise line charges, on average, based on a cabin, you should budget $16-$18 per person per day – that’s £13 give or take, or £91 for a seven-night cruise.
How much will I pay for drinks
Most cruises include drinks like regular tea and coffee, juices (not freshly pressed) and water. But for the rest, you’ll have to pay.
You can often check drink prices with your cruise line before you travel. But, on average, expect to pay:
- Cocktails: around $12
- Glasses of sparkling wine: around $12
- Spirit with mixer: around $10
- Glasses of wine: around $9
- Pint of beer: around $8
- Mocktails: around $7
- Cappuccino: around $4
If you want to know more, read our guide to drinks packages.
What should I budget for drinks?
You know your drinking habits better than we do. But let’s say that, on average, you have a beer or glass of wine with lunch, followed by a cocktail before dinner and a glass of wine with your meal that would be around $30 per day. In addition, you need to budget for 15-20 per cent in service charges. All told and converted to British Pound, budget about £27 per day or £189 per week.
Good to know: You could also decide to pre-book a drink package. Options vary from basic soft drinks packages (from £14 per day) to all-singing-all-dancing packages including premium spirits and cocktails costing up to £75 per day.
How much will speciality dining cost me?
While ultra-luxury cruise lines often include all restaurants in the cruise fare, on most cruises, you’ll have a mix of included and for-a-fee restaurants on board. Before we look at prices, let’s state the obvious: you don’t have to spend a penny at speciality restaurants. All cruise ships include several options for breakfast, lunch and dinner in the fare.
But if you fancy treating yourself (or if you REALLY want sushi), you can splurge at one of the speciality haunts. But like any restaurant, what you pay depends on what you order. But if we assume you’re paying for a slightly more special occasion, you probably want to budget $75 per person per meal.
If you want to know more, check out our guide on speciality dining and other cruising hidden costs.
What should I budget for speciality dining?
With some ships offering dozens of dining options, you might be tempted to try a couple during your sailing. Based on two meals, and with service charge added, you’d recommend budgeting £135 for a week-long cruise.
How much will excursions cost me?
Instead of giving you an idea of the budget, we’ll give you a tip this time: book your excursions before the cruise. Prices are usually lower, and places may sell out if you wait until the last minute to book. Plus, it’ll mean you know exactly how much you’ll spend on them before your cruise before you sail away.
If you still need an idea of excursion prices, know that prices vary widely. Short excursions like walking tours can cost as little as $35, while more premium full-day tours can come with a price tag above $200.
How much will the spa cost me?
If you’re like me, probably nothing. But if you’re like my wife, potentially a lot. Here again, how much you spend depends on what type of person you are.
We’ve looked at the spa prices for several cruise lines and you can expect to pay:
- From $100-$150 for a 50-minute massage
- From $104-$164 for a 50-minute facial
What should I budget for spa treatments?
Based on the above prices, with the addition of a service charge, you should budget £110 per treatment you wish to have.
How much will Wi-Fi cost me?
Some cruise lines include Wi-Fi in their fares, but these are the exception rather than the rule. Most cruise lines have Wi-Fi packages, with prices from around $18 per device per day. The cheapest option usually only includes simple internet browsing and social media use.
If you can’t live without your daily Netflix fix, you can upgrade to a high-speed package. These start from around $25 per day.
What should I budget for Wi-Fi?
We recommend downloading films and series on your phone or tablet before you leave home, so you don’t need to upgrade your package. Based on one device running a basic Wi-Fi package for a week-long cruise, budget around £75.
Other costs to be aware of on your first cruise
While we're not including these in our tally of what you'll spend on board, there are a few other things on the ship you may be tempted to spend money on. They include:
- The casino
- Souvenir pictures
- The onboard shops
We're not saying you shouldn't spend money on these things - just that you can decide for yourself whether it's money well spent.
