The Difference Is In The Details
With more people watching their pennies today than ever before, if you want to plan a trip to Alaska, you will likely want to do it in the most budget friendly way that you can. Here are some things that you can help you to navigate the wide range of choices and prices you can find something you can afford without having to sacrifice your ideal time.
First of all, remember that generally the larger and the more luxurious the cruise liner, the more you can expect to spend for your trip. In addition, the number of ports you will visit will also affect the bottom line. Stopping at fewer ports is a more economical move, but will also cause you to miss some great opportunities, too, so be sure to weigh the cost against what you will get in the end.
Some of the smaller ships can be much less expensive but often offer fewer extras. But if you can live with simple meals and simple activities, you can spend much less than you might on a fancier cruise ship.
If you dont need a private experience but first-class amenities do make a difference to you, a luxury cruise liner is likely your best fit. This is typically a large ship that can hold several thousand passengers at a time, and feels like a big city at sea, complete with movie theaters, fitness centers, big name entertainers and multiple bars, restaurants and other dining options. Just remember that these details will add to the overall expense.
How Much Do Drinks Cost On A Cruise
The price of drinks on a cruise varies quite a lot, depending on the cruise line. Drinks on British- and European-owned cruise lines are generally cheaper than on American-owned cruise lines .
Also, the general rule is that the more luxurious the cruise, the more the drinks will cost.
Heres the price range for drinks on cruise ships:
- Beer: $3.50 to $10
- Glass of wine: $3.50 to $16
- Cocktail: $6 to $20
You can find the full list drinks prices broken down by cruise line here:The Ultimate Guide to Cruise Drink Packages
Expect To Pay Extra For Some Activities And Specialty Restaurants
Teppanyaki on Norwegian Dawn –
Visiting the spa or taking classes in the gym on a cruise ship will cost you. On some lines, aerobics classes and other sea day activities come with small additional fees. The cost of specialty restaurants and the myriad of options has also increased dramatically in the last decade.
Estimated Cost: $50 – $150 per person
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Whats Included In A Cruise
Cruise tickets generally include accommodation, meals, some drinks and entertainment. Youll pay extra for speciality dining, alcoholic drinks, gratuities, spa services, casino, wifi, flights, transfers and excursions.
Whats included in your cruise varies for each cruise line. Some cruise lines include gratuities in the ticket price. You may also get a drinks 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, its perfectly possible to not spend anything extra on top of the price of your cruise ticket.
Price Per Cruise Line
How much does Alaskan cruise cost per different cruise lines? Below are examples of the cheapest advertised fare for lowest level cabins that you can find online:
- Contemporary Cruise Lines
- Carnival Cruise Lines starting at $619 a person
- Royal Caribbean starting at $671 a person
- Norwegian Cruise starting at $649 a person
- Princess Cruises starting at $699 a person
- Premium Cruise Lines
- Celebrity Cruises starting at $799 a person
- Holland America starting at $799 a person
- Disney Cruise Line starting at $1299 a person
- Luxury Cruise Lines
- Oceania Cruises starting at $1799 a person
- Silversea Cruises starting at $2799 a person
- Crystal Cruises starting at $3000 a person
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How Much To Budget For An Alaskan Cruise
A typical Alaska Cruise can cost between $600 and $5,000 per person, depending on the length of your cruise, the type of cruise you choose, and your room choice. We recommend budgeting an additional $1,000 to $1,500 per person for shore excursions to get the most out of your Alaskan cruise. Youll also want to consider airfare, transportation, and lodging before and after your cruise in your budget.
Include The Costs Of Shore Excursions
Ziplining in Belize –
Unless you plan on exploring independently, signing up for the ships group tours can set you back anywhere from $30 to $400 per person, per day. The cheapest excursion options are generally walking tours, and the most expensive are flightseeing excursions in helicopters and specialty tours that involve private meals, wine tastings, and adventures like hot air ballooning or watching the Grand Prix in Monaco. Sure, these may be once-in-a-lifetime adventures, and were not suggesting skipping them just be sure theyre part of your budget from the beginning so there’s no sticker shock when you see your credit card bill after the cruise.
Estimated Cost: $120 – $1000
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Carnival Cruise Cost For Activities And Specialty Restaurants
Visiting the spa or taking classes in the gym on the Carnival cruise ship will cost you. The price of specialty restaurants and the myriad of options has also increased dramatically in the last decade. A visit to a spa can cost you $200 if you would like a massage when you are on the ship, which is a significant price to consider. You might also end up spending money if you go to an art auction or a casino. Make sure to plan for purchases like these to be prepared. Estimated Average Price for Extra Activities: $50 $350 per person
Norwegian Cruise Line And Royal Caribbean
Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean are two of the biggest American cruise lines. They are possibly some of the most well known cruise lines who frequently advertise all over the world.
Both cruise lines focus highly on their ships which offer new and exciting features and experiences. They generally focus on the younger cruise/family market but do attract passengers of all ages.
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Cruise Lines And Ships
Again, we based this price on a family of four aboard a Carnival Cruise Line. Carnival is one of the largest Cruise lines and their volume translates into great values for families. Royal Caribbean and Norwegian are the next lines as far as family popularity and options for kids. Disney is considered a favorite for families but it is considered a premium cruise line. This means families can expect to pay almost three times as much for a Disney cruise and they would for Carnival. If you’re looking to keep your price tag low, bear in mind the newer the ship the more in demand it will be and the price to sail on it will also be higher. The newer ships offer more ship board amenities and those translate into higher price tags.
Where Youll Spend Money On A Cruise
Think that the cost of a cruise is simply the fare that you pay to get on the ship? While that makes up the lions share of your spending, theres a lot more that goes into the cost of your vacation.
Cruise FareOf course, when most people think of the cost of a cruise, they are thinking mainly of the price of the cruise fare. This fare is what the cruise line charges for you to sail on the ship. Cruise fare includes your cabin, meals, entertainment on the ship, and access to pools, lounges and more.
What it doesnt include are the extras like drinks, specialty restaurants, shore excursions, gambling and other things bought on board.
What you pay for your fare can vary widely. Factors that go into the price include the type of cabin you choose, length of cruise, when you sail, and even the ship and cruise line you sail.
Short cruises on budget cruise lines can run as little as a few hundred dollars, while long luxury trips can run well into the thousands of dollars per person.
Onboard SpendingThink youre done spending money after you buy your cruise fare? Think again. Once on the ship there are lots of extras that you will likely want to purchase that add to the cost of your cruise.
Onboard spending is a wide umbrella. It includes everything from money spent gambling in the casino to alcohol, specialty restaurants, cruise line shore excursions, and even the souvenirs you buy in the gift shop.
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How Can I Save Money
If you are military personnel or one of your family members is serving in the military, you can enjoy some discount on the cruise packages. Take a look at the official Disney Cruise Line to see the current promotions they are holding.
Check for special cruise promotions or onboard credits. Many third-party websites will have a lot of deals that you can sort through.
Disney is just one of the many cruise lines you can book, and in fact, it tends to be one of the priciest. Royal Caribbean and Carnival, for example, can be up to 60 percent less than a Disney cruise going to the same destination.
Consider a combination deal. In some cases, you can book a few days at a Disney resort on land and the cruise at the same time to save a few hundred dollars.
If you qualify, the Disney Visa credit card can offer discounts and even more credits when used on board.
As with any cruise, try to time it right. Usually, when kids are in school, the costs will be a lot less than when they are on vacation. Play around with the quotes online, and if youre flexible, this is a great way to save a great deal of money. WDW Info recommends traveling during the hurricane season however, if you were to do so, just remember the itinerary could change because of the weather.
Book early. The sooner you know you want to take a cruise, the quicker you should take action. Since cruise liners will price their room by tiers, the earlier you book, the lower the costs are known to be.
How Much Does A Caribbean Cruise Actually Cost
If you are considering a cruise you may be wondering how much Caribbean cruises ACTUALLY cost. Ive been on multiple Caribbean cruises and have spent years learning how to cruise on a budget.
In this post we will look at the prices of Caribbean cruises on the following cruise lines: Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Celebrity Cruises and Disney Cruise Line
We will also look at how price varies by season and Caribbean region. It is of course, possible to find cruises which are cheaper, and more expensive than those mentioned in this article but the cruises mentioned are designed to be representative examples.
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How Much Is A 7 Day Alaska Cruise
A 7 night Alaska Cruise can cost anywhere from $500 per person to $5000+ per person, depending on the type of cruise ship and your choice of stateroom. Alaska land tours with 3-star hotels, train travel, and popular day tours generally cost around $300 per person per day , based on double occupancy.
How Much Does A Cruise Cost
This post may contain affiliate links. If you click one, I may earn a commission at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
How much do cruises really cost? To work out the real cost of a cruise you should consider not just your cruise ship ticket price, but anything else youll need such as flights to the port, shore excursions, drinks and gratuities.
This article looks at the cost of various cruises and what you actually get for your money.
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Caribbean Cruises In Summer
Summer is actually the down season for the Caribbean because the temperature increases dramatically and hurricane season runs from June-November. Many other parts of the world have good weather in summer so less people feel the need to escape the bad weather and head to the Caribbean.
The prices of cruises do tend to increase in August when the schools break up and demand increases.
Benefits of Cruising The Caribbean in Summer:
- Cheap cruises
- Ships arent full
- Children are off school for the summer break
Drawbacks of Cruising The Caribbean in Summer:
- Hot weather
- Less choice of cruise lines and itineraries
How Much Are Alaskan Cruises Flights And Hotels
This is obvious, but depending on where you live and your departure ports, you will need to calculate in the cost of flights. If you are taking a one-way cruise either leaving or ending in Seward, Alaska, you will need to fly to Anchorage. Lets just say that its not cheap or convenient. Even if you are cruising round-trip from Seattle, WA or Vancouver, BC, flights are not as abundant as popular cruise ports in Florida. Flying from Boston to Seattle, our flights were about $100 more per person than a flight to Floridabut, we got lucky.
Consider Round-trip Seattle for Cheaper Flights
Given the time travel, many cruisers will want to consider spending at least one pre-cruise day at a hotel, and possibly even a post cruise day. Sometimes, travelers to Alaska extend the entire trip with a Cruisetour. A cruisetour adds extra days to your cruise, on either the front or the back end, with a portion of your trip occurring on land. These cruisetours can add hundreds of dollars per person to the cruise fare. The only good thing is that all of your tours and transfers during the land portion will be included and arranged for you.
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How Much Are Alaskan Cruises Cruise Fare
Besides cruise line and time of year, the cruise cabins themselves are also highly variable in costs. For those new to cruising, understanding the costs of a cabin can be frustrating. In general, all ships have different cabin categories, with the cheapest being inside rooms on lower decks.
Typical cabin categories include Inside, Outside, Balcony , and Mini-Suites/Suites. Some cruise lines may offer more categories, especially on the upper end like Norwegian Cruise Lines Haven Suites or Celebrity Cruise Lines Concierge Class. With additional features and amenities comes extra costs. Reviewing prices for most Contemporary and Premium Cruise Lines, below are price ranges for the most popular cabin categories.
Price Ranges for Alaskan Cruise Fares
- Inside Cabins $650-$1200 a person
- Ocean Views $800-$2000 a person
- Balconies $1300-$2500 a person
- Mini Suites/Suites $1800-$3500 a person
While not an exact science, looking at the costs of upgrading across brands, we find that costs tend to increase by 50% by moving up one category. So, it is not uncommon to see pricing for an Inside room starting at $800 and a balcony on the same ship for the same date going for $1800-$2000.
For Many a Balcony is a Must on an Alaskan Cruise
On our Alaskan cruise, we opted to get a balcony and scored a shoulder season deal with the cabin costing us $1400pp. But, during peak season, a balcony on the same ship would have cost close to $2000 a person.
Cheap 2022 Alaskan Cruises
During the past few years, interest in sailing to Alaska has soared. Its not hard to see why.
Alaska is known at the last frontier, and like any frontier, it can be difficult to traverse. With a limited amount of roads and other transportation, the easiest way to get around the picturesque coastline is via boat or plane. Luckily, thats also the best way to view the natural scenery.
And as word spreads about the beauty of taking an Alaskan cruise and as the cruise industry grows in general more and more people are considering taking a trip.
The good news is that with increased interest in cruises to the region, cruise lines are sailing more ships to Alaska. Today, there is a staggering amount of Alaskan cruises to choose from across every budget, cruise line, and itinerary.
If youre looking for cheap Alaskan cruises, however, then you need to be prepared to shop around. Trips to this area are seasonal sailing from May through September. Since there is only a limited window of time to cruise, prices are considerably higher than similar Caribbean cruises you might be familiar with. As well, prices change frequently.
Below, we highlight some of the cheapest 2022 Alaskan cruises. The prices for these trips start at just $339 per person. But before we get too far, here are some tips on how to find the most affordable trips to this region
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Summing Up The Total Cost Of A Cruise
So whats the grand total?
The chart below lays out the costs of taking a cruise, using the estimated amounts mentioned above. Weve also laid out the estimates for both a shorter cruise and the traditional seven-day trip.
Keep in mind that these are just estimates, per person. A couple would expect to double these prices.
As well, remember that what you spend will vary widely based on any number of factors, including your own budgeting for the trip and how much you let loose on your vacation.
But as you can see, on a per-person basis the cost for a 7-day cruise can run around $2,000 when you factor in everything youll spend. Shorter cruises will run around $1,500.
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