Being a seasoned cruiser, it’s second nature for me to know what’s free and what’s not onboard a cruise. However, when I have discussions with people who have never cruised before, I realize that it’s not so obvious to the first-time cruisers. When I mention “everything” is free on a cruise, one of the most common responses is, “awesome I can drink as much as I want?”. I then have to break the news to them that not everything is free on a cruise. So for those first-time cruisers out there, here’s a list of what’s free on a cruise. Actually, I guess I should be using the word included instead of free, since you’re paying for the cruise. So here’s what’s included in the price of the cruise:
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Buffet food
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Dining room food
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Water and juices
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Access to pools
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Weight room, sauna, steam room, etc.
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Cabin
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Shows
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Contests
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Night clubs
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Going on land at ports
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Limited TV channels
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Other food (grill, pizza, ice cream, fish ‘n chips, etc.)
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Library books and board games
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Decks of cards from the purser’s desk (you can keep these)
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Food and drinks at the cocktail parties
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Getting your photos taken on any night
I think I covered everything. If I missed something, just let me know. Anyway, here is the list of what’s not included:
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Alcohol
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Includes frozen drinks
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Includes non-alcoholic versions of the same drinks
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Soda
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Supper clubs and some alternative restaurants
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Casino
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Beach towels (free for use, pay to keep after cruise)
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Tips and gratuities
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Shopping (onboard and offboard)
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Excursions and transportation offboard
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In-cabin movies
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Spa, massages, and all these fancy treatments
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Water bottles in-cabin and when leaving the boat at ports
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Any drinks in the cabin refrigerator/mini-bar
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Wine tastings
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Photos
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Medical treatments at the infirmary
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Anything that is listed at an additional cost
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In addition, taxes, port charges, and fuel supplements are not included in the cost. These are added on to the price of the cruise itself.
My favorite is how first-time cruisers think the drink the servers hand out when you first walk into the deck area on the first day of the cruise is free. A lot of people take them thinking they’re free since they’re being handed out. Some get lucky and realize it’s not free before taking a sip. Others aren’t so lucky. They immediately take a sip, and the server proudly announces it’s not free. “So much for everything being free,” they probably think.
I might not have covered everything. But hopefully this helps sort things out for the first-timers out there.
