How Much Cruises Really Cost (It’s Not Just The Fare)

That tempting headline fare? It’s rarely the number you actually pay.

Cruise prices look simple enough at first glance. A per-person fare. A tidy total. Maybe even a “limited-time deal” banner thrown in for good measure.

But that’s only part of the story.

Once you start adding drinks, WiFi, gratuities, shore excursions, speciality dining and flights, the total can look very different. And some extras catch people off guard every single time.

That doesn’t mean cruising is bad value, far from it. But it does mean you need to know what you’re really budgeting for before you hit “book now”.

So how much does a cruise actually cost once everything’s factored in… and where do most people end up spending more than they expected?

How Much It Costs to Go on a Cruise

A cruise can cost anywhere from $60 (£50) per person, per day, with a budget cruise line like Costa Cruises to well over $1,000 (£800) per person, per day, with an ultra-luxury cruise line like Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

According to Cruise Market Watch, the average cruise ticket costs around $1,457 per person (about £1,068).

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That works out at roughly $193 per person, per day for the cruise fare alone.

But that’s just the ticket price.

It doesn’t include drinks, speciality dining, WiFi, shore excursions, spa treatments or any of the other extras that many cruisers end up adding. And it definitely doesn’t include flights or getting to the port.

So while the headline fare might look reasonable at first glance, it’s only part of the total cost.

The real question isn’t “how much is the cruise?” It’s “how much will it cost me once I’ve added everything I actually want?”

Cruise prices vary wildly depending on the ship, destination, time of year and cabin type. So asking “how much does a cruise cost?” doesn’t really have one simple answer – some ships cost several times more than others.

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What’s Included in a Cruise

Cruise tickets generally include accommodation, meals, some drinks and entertainment. You’ll pay extra for speciality dining, alcoholic drinks, gratuities, spa services, casino, WiFi, flights, transfers and excursions.

What’s included in your cruise varies for each cruise line. Some cruise lines include gratuities in the ticket price. You may also get a drink package included at no extra cost. Sometimes, cruises come with free onboard credit, which you can spend on the ship.

If you plan your cruise carefully, it’s perfectly possible not to spend anything extra on top of the price of your cruise ticket.

• What’s Included in a Royal Caribbean Cruise?
• What’s Included in a P&O Cruise?

The Average Cruise Cost

When you add everything together, the average cruise ends up costing around $2,154 per person (approximately £1,580).

That includes the base ticket price plus roughly $697 in onboard spending on things like drinks, speciality dining, spa treatments and shore excursions.

And remember, that still doesn’t cover flights, transfers, or any pre- or post-cruise hotel stays – so the final holiday total can be higher again.

(Source)

Cruise Line Price Comparison Table

One of the biggest factors affecting the price of your cruise is the cruise line you choose.

The table below shows the average price for a 7-night Caribbean cruise (excluding flights) in a balcony cabin, priced per person based on two people sharing.

All prices were sourced directly from each cruise line’s website in February 2026. They reflect the standard fare available at that time and may vary depending on promotions, booking date, ship, sailing date or travel agent discounts.

Cruise line	Cruise fare	Gratuities	Drinks package	Total
MSC Cruises	$999 (£741)	$112 (Included)	$264 (£196)	$1375 (£937)
Carnival	$868 (£644)	$112 (£83)	$490 (£363)	$1470 (£1090)
Princess Cruises	$913 (£677)	$119 (£88)	$455 (£337)	$1487 (£1102)
Norwegian Cruise Line	$1446 (£1072)	$140 (£104)	Included with Free at Sea Promotion	$1586 (£1176)
Costa Cruises	$1266 (£939)	$88 (£65)	$283 (£210)	$1637 (£1214)
Celebrity Cruises	$1045 (£774)	$126 (£92)	$610 (£452)	$1781 (£1318)
Royal Caribbean	$1230 (£914)	$133 (£98.50)	$490 (£360)	$1853 (£1362.50)
P&O Cruises*	$1430 (£1057)	Included	$475 (£350)	$1905 (£1407)
Marella**	$2753 (£2041)	Included	Included	$2753 (£2041)
Disney Cruise Line	$3139 (£2327)	$101.50 (£75)	not available	$3240.50 (£2402)

*The P&O Cruises price includes return flights from the UK, but you can purchase the cruise only for the same price.

**The price of a Marella cruise also includes return flights from the UK.

With NCL, Free at Sea is added automatically, so I’ve used that bundled value (which also includes extras like limited speciality dining, WiFi and shore excursion credit), whereas for the other cruise lines I’ve added drinks packages and gratuities separately to keep the comparison as like-for-like as possible.

You should treat this table as a guideline rather than an exact rule. Prices vary significantly by itinerary, region and ship. For example, some cruise lines that are more expensive in the Caribbean may be cheaper in the Mediterranean or Canary Islands and vice versa.

Ship choice also makes a big difference. Smaller, older ships are usually much cheaper than brand-new flagships like Icon of the Seas.

Suggested read: How Much Was A Ticket On The Titanic?

Cruise Costs for Families of Four

The price of a cruise for a family of four depends very much on what discounts are available for children. The price for a family could be double the price for a couple, or it could be very little extra.

Many cruise lines don’t offer any discounts for children. This is usually the case on ships which have a lot of activities made for children, like kids’ clubs, water slides and splash parks.

However, it is possible to get cheap kids’ prices by either choosing a cruise line that doesn’t charge full price for children or by looking out for special offers and booking at the right time.

The price for children under two years old also varies and can be anywhere from free to the full adult fare.

Read more: Do you have to pay for babies on cruises?

Drink Costs

The price of drinks on a cruise varies quite a lot, depending on the cruise line. Drinks on British- and European-owned cruise lines (e.g. P&O Cruises, MSC Cruises, Costa Cruises) are generally cheaper than on American-owned cruise lines (e.g. Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, Carnival).

Also, the general rule is that the more luxurious the cruise, the more the drinks will cost.

Here’s the price range for drinks on cruise ships:

• Beer: $6 (£4.50) to $14 (£10)
• Glass of wine: $6 (£4.50) to $19 (£14)
• Cocktail: $6 (£4.50) to $20 (£15)

You can find the full list of drinks prices broken down by cruise line here: The Ultimate Guide to Cruise Drink Packages

Cruise Costs by Destination

Around the World Cruise Costs

The cheapest world cruise fares start at around $15,000 per person for a 99-night cruise in an inside cabin on board a P&O Cruises ship, to around $1.7 million in the most luxurious Regent Seven Seas suites for cruises lasting 140 nights. The average cost of a world cruise is around $35,000 (£26,000) per person.

Alaska Cruise Costs

An Alaska cruise can cost anywhere from $580 (£429) per person for a 4-night cruise in an inside cabin with Princess Cruises to $75,000 per person for a 15-night cruise in an expedition suite with Crystal Cruises. The average cost of an Alaska cruise is around $1800 (£1335) per person.

Bahamas Cruise Costs

You can occasionally find Bahamas cruises from as little as $99 (£75) per person for a 3-night cruise in an inside cabin on the oldest MSC Cruises ships, up to $52,000 (£40,000) for a 7-night cruise in a Royal Loft Suite on the biggest Royal Caribbean ships. The average cost of a Bahamas cruise is around $1300 (£995) per person.

Cheap Cruise Lines

Cruise lines such as Costa Cruises and MSC Cruises are cheaper than others because they have a lower space-to-guest ratio and a lower crew-to-guest ratio. Plus, they’ll charge extra for things that other cruise lines include for free.

Before you consider booking a cheap MSC cruise, I recommend that you read my full guide to why MSC Cruises are so cheap.

So… Is a Cruise Expensive?

Cruises can look expensive at first glance. And once you start adding drinks, WiFi, excursions and flights, the total can definitely climb.

But when you compare what you get, accommodation, entertainment, multiple restaurants, transport between destinations, kids’ clubs, live shows and activities, the value can be surprisingly strong.

The key is going in with your eyes open.

If you know what’s included, what isn’t, and what you’re likely to spend based on your travel style, there shouldn’t be any nasty surprises.

Budget carefully. Choose the right cruise line for you. And decide in advance which extras matter and which don’t.

Do that, and a cruise can be one of the easiest holidays to plan – and one of the best value too.

Related Posts:

• How Much Are River Cruises?
• How Much It Costs To Live On A Cruise Ship
• How To Get Cheap Cruises