Some Cruise Lines Include Even More
While the abovementioned are the standard inclusions on brands like Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and Carnival Cruise Line, some cruise lines include even more.
For instance, Celebrity Cruises new Always Included pricing structure aims to put the cruise line among luxury brands with an even more all-inclusive feel. This new model now includes a classic beverage package, basic WiFi, and gratuities for all stateroom categories and all itineraries except Galapagos.
This means that Celebrity Cruises standard fare now features unlimited classic cocktails, beer, and wine. Additional drink inclusions are soda, specialty coffee and tea, juices, and bottled water. Further, while most cruise lines charge extra for internet on the ship, Celebrity Cruises provides basic WiFi that is capable of surfing, email, and social media.
Finally, the Always Included pricing also includes daily gratuities. This means that there will no longer be a daily service charge added to your onboard account.
Holland America Line also recently announced all inclusive pricing. The brandsHave It All package includes shore excursions, beverages, specialty dining, and WiFi in one base cruise fare.
The Have It All fare is presented as an option when booking with the included perks already factored into the price. Guests who prefer to cruise without all of the extras still have the option of a standard fare.
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Most Food And Dining Is Included
Regardless of the cruise line or cruise ship, there are numerous complimentary dining options available.
There is the typical cruise ship buffet which offers a variety of menu items morning, noon, and night. Many ships also have other casual food venues like poolside grills, cafes, pubs, burger bars, and pizza places.
In addition to this casual fare, cruisers can also dine in the main dining room . Regardless of the cruise line, all main dining rooms offer gourmet 3-course meals for dinner nightly.
Depending on the cruise line, the MDR is often open for breakfast and lunch on select days as well.
The dinner menu in the main dining room changes daily and often features local ingredients and destination-inspired items. Many cruise lines even offer lobster on one evening of the cruise. There will certainly be something on the menu to please even the pickiest palettes. And the best part is that it is all included in your cruise fare!
Limited Time Offer Takes Freestyle Cruising To A New Level Providing More Than $2400 In Value
Norwegian Cruise Line is debuting a new All-Inclusive package that takes the line’s signature Freestyle Cruising to a new level, providing guests yet another way to customize their cruise vacation. Representing more than $2,400 in value per stateroom, Norwegian’s All-Inclusive package is a first for major cruise lines, and is available for a limited time for all 2015 sailings* fleetwide**, for new reservations made from August 4, 2014 through August 29, 2014. The comprehensive package includes signature dining, alcoholic beverages, unlimited soda, shore excursions, internet access, service charges and more.
“Based on the popularity of our Fly, Cruise and Stay vacations, along with our onboard dining and beverage packages, we are now offering the first All-Inclusive package for our guests who want to experience all that the freedom and flexibility of Freestyle Cruising has to offer,” said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line’s chief executive officer. “Always an innovator, we are making it easy for those that want everything included in their cruise vacation with the option of our All-Inclusive package.”
Beginning August 4, for more information or to book a 2015 cruise with the All-Inclusive package, contact a travel professional, call Norwegian at 888-NCL-CRUISE , or visit www.ncl.com.
*Includes all scheduled 2015 sailings from three to 14 days
**Does not include Pride of America not applicable to bookings made in Continental Europe or United Kingdom.
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Celebrity Cruises Launching All
Celebrity Cruises will start selling its cruises with an all-inclusive fare called Always Included that will offer a lot more in the price point, the line announced on Tuesday.
Starting on Nov. 17, all of Celebrity Cruises’ fares will include unlimited drinks unlimited WiFi and daily gratuities. The move comes as Celebrity shifts towards a new luxury culture with the launch of its Edge Series ships, President and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo said in a statement.
Today, nothing is more luxurious than when things are extra simple and extra special. We wanted to bring that big wonderful feeling of everything is taken care of to life for our guests, she said.
Aside from the Always Included fare, Celebrity is also offering two upgraded packagesthe first, called Elevate, includes unlimited premium drinks and shore excursions up to $200 per person the second, called Indulge, includes all of that along with a step up to unlimited streaming WiFi and up to $400 per person in onboard credit.
Celebrity guests staying in The Retreat, its ship-within-a-ship concept, will be given the Indulge package.
Viking World Horizons Cruises
Best for: Retirees
Do you have a third of the year to explore the globeand a sizable pension and retirement nest egg to pay for an adventure like this? If so, book this all-inclusive cruise. Theres a lot to love about Viking Cruise Lines: a contemporary, Scandinavian style smaller ships that can get into ports larger ocean liners ships cant reach no casinos and no kids under 18. You also wont find umbrella drinks or intrusive photographers roaming the decks, or any interior stateroomseveryone gets a room with a view and a veranda to sail the world for more than 100 days.
Whats included: On its all-inclusive 136-day World Cruises and 119-day World Horizons sailing tours in 2022, Viking offers free round-trip, business-class airfare and transfers to and from port, visa services, and a $2,000 shore excursion credit. Youll also get 48 guided tours during the stops in 22 countries, a $1,000 onboard credit, 24-hour room service, one shore excursion in each port, and a culture curriculum. After seeing the world, you may be ready to dial things down with an intimate romantic cruise.
Where you can cruise: The Viking World cruise will take you to 27 countries, and World Horizons visits 22, leaving Los Angeles and arriving in London 119 later. Along the way, you will experience just about half of the globe, including New Zealand, India, Jordan, and Greece.
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Most Inclusive River Cruise Operators
Focusing on those cruise lines who offer complimentary drinks, at the guests discretion, throughout the cruise here are the most inclusive operators:
Uniworld are one of the only truly all-inclusive river cruise operators. They offer unlimited complimentary beverages onboard, including an extensive selection of distinctive wines, craft and regional beers, spirits, cocktails, soft drinks, mineral water, speciality coffee and tea. But it doesnt stop at drinks Uniworld are the pinnacle of all-inclusive river cruising Included in your cruise fare is, in-suite butler service, all gratuities, on board dining, exclusive excursions, on board lectures & entertainment, shipwide Wi-Fi and more.
Scenic describe themselves as Ulta-All-Inclusive. From the moment you step onboard youll be spoilt for choice, from your first coffee to the last relaxing nightcap from your mini-bar! Whilst onboard, all cocktails, spirits, beer, wine, soft drinks, tea and coffee are complimentary at any time! But with Scenic, the luxury experience doesnt stop at the bar, everything else is included fine dining, all shore excursions, all port charges, even a butler for every guest and more!
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Ially Inclusive Lines & Grey
No, not grey-area in terms of legitimacy, but like many things in life, there are some blurry lines here. See, different markets and demographics value a la carte vs inclusive offerings very differently. One example of this is in NCL’s UK beverage policy which we mentioned previously. Beyond this however, look no further than suites. Increasingly lines offer ship within a ship experiences for suite guests, which include special areas just for those guests, and often include things like WiFi, specialty dining, alcoholic beverages, and more. Royal Caribbean’s Star Class, for example, offers some accommodations which include everything but excursions along with larger rooms, butler service, etc. Doing this makes some of the suite rates you see seem much more reasonable. Norwegian also does things like this, but push hard for bundling of any number of amenities at time of booking. In fact, often with NCL, purchasing a beverage package with your cruise fare can be less than half the price of adding it later. Other lines, like MSC, have similar bundles for certain categories and even loyalty levels.
As mentioned, all inclusive cruising means different things depending on what you want out of your cruise. If you don’t drink alcohol, then that is a moot point and doesn’t increase the value or appeal of a given cruise. Below are just a few examples of lines which include different things with their fares.
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When All Inclusives Dont Include Everything
Heres the skinny on what you get and dont get for free on the five top luxury lines.
Crystal Cruises
Included: On the high-end ocean ships Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity, your fares includes tips and all the beverages mentioned above. Passengers also receive unlimited Wi- Fi. In some ports Crystal provides free shuttle service to town.
Not included: Crystal charges a surcharge to use its alternative restaurants. Also not included are tour excursions, transfers from the airport to the ship unless you buy your air from Crystal, spa treatments, caviar and premium label wines.
Regent Seven Seas
Regent Seven Seas has earned its stripes as the only truly all-inclusive cruise line, for all its ships: Regent Seven Seas Explorer, Navigator, Mariner and the soon-to-sail Splendor.
Included: Tips, all drinkables, a huge selection of shore excursions, Wi-Fi , airport transfers with air purchase which in some cases upgrades to first or business class.
Not included: Spa treatments, premium label wines and caviar except during Sunday breakfasts in La Veranda.
Seabourn
This fine uptown cruise lines gives you caviar and Champagne wherever and whenever you want it no kidding aboard Seabourn Ovation, Encore, Quest and Odyssey.
Included: Your fare includes tips and all potables except premium labels. Limited Wi-Fi is free. In some ports the cruise line offers free shuttles to town.
Silversea
Viking Ocean Cruises
In our series Luxury Cruises
No Surprises On Your Bill
For a luxurious vacation at sea that wont deliver a shocking bill on disembarkation day, focus your search on all-inclusive cruises. While most of the best cruises can, at times, feel all-inclusive if you eat in the main dining room and drink only tap water on the rocks, thats not always the case. Many restaurants on the bulk of cruise ships, even on the most trusted cruise lines, carry an extra fee , and soda, wine, beer, and cocktails are going to cost you. And if you want to try a spinning class in the fitness center or do yoga on the deck, expect to see a charge added to your folio.
True all-inclusive cruises, on the other hand, offer guests nearly everything they could dream of while at sea . Of course, the per person fare will be higher than your usual stateroom on the big cruise ships, but youll get so much more included and have no surprises on your credit card statement. How much higher will depend on the specific ship and how luxurious it is!
If youre traveling as a family, consider one of the best cruises for kids, but for an all-in grown-up experience, try these all-inclusive cruises that cover all meals, even at the specialty dining destinations on board, as well as all activities. Many of them will also cover your alcoholic drinks, gratuities, laundry, shore excursions, airfare, and more. Read on to find out whichand to book your next trip! If you decide that youd prefer to be pampered on land, head over to this list of the best all-inclusive resorts.
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Cruise To Your Next All
Cruising is the ultimate way to make the most out of your vacation time. While a resort will let you experience one location, an all-inclusive cruise will take you on a global adventure to some of the world’s top vacation spots. Instead of settling for something standard, take your family vacation to the next level on an unforgettable cruise to breathtaking destinations, with your food, accommodations and activities all taken care of for you. It’s the ultimate care-free option.
Experience your cruise with all the thrills and frills that you desire, without the expensive price tag that often comes with all-inclusive resort vacations. Tailor this getaway to include the perfect activities for everyone in the family, and before you know it, you’ll be soaking up the sun, cocktail in hand, feeling the ocean breeze in your hair.
Feel The Competitive Edge
When you’re looking at your upcoming vacation options at all-inclusive cruises or resorts, a ton of questions might come up. How will the quality of the all-inclusive package be? Is everything really included? Am I going to have to fork over a bunch of money to do all of the super-cool onboard activities?
Luckily, when you board a cruise and seek out amazing activities, sports and adventures, there are no surprises. Are you interested in zip-lining over the Boardwalk? That’s included. Are you hoping to catch a wave on the surf simulator? You can try as many times as you’d like. Do you want to get a view of the horizon from the best spot possible? Then climb to the top of the rock-climbing wall to experience it. Are you hoping to spend a whole day beating your buds at laser tag? The best out of three wins! Are you interested in getting dizzy on the bungee trampoline? The world is your oyster. And that’s all because the possibilities for fun are endless while you’re onboard.
But what about when you get to the port? Make sure to book an excursion ahead of time for the best possible prices . Choose from incredible cruises that include hands-on activities and incredible excursions. Spot breaching whales in , or fly high on a flightseeing adventure over misty fjords in Ketchikan. Take the whole gang on an epic expedition you’ll be bragging about for decades.
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Butler Service In Every Suite
All guests are pampered equally aboard our ships. We are the only cruise line in the world to include butler service in every suite, in every category. A staff-to-guest ratio of nearly one to one ensures that your every wish is fulfilled with earnest precision, from the concierge who can customise your voyage to the butler who serves your breakfast in suite.
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Why All Inclusive Cruises
Cruising can take you from place to place in no time at all, usually overnight, so you will have plenty of time to explore a variety of exciting locations. With your accommodation, food and entertainment all in one place what could be better? All inclusive cruises take the worry out of any additional costs to your holiday, allowing you to take advantage of a range of onboard activities included in your all inclusive package. Take an all-inclusive cruise to avoid any nasty end of holiday bills!
Psst: All inclusive cruises are great all year round – take the stress out of Christmas and New Year dinner by enjoying celebrations on board! See what Easter cruises, Christmas cruises and New Year’s Eve cruises we have on offer.
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Kids Programs Are Included
If you are a traveling as a family, another great feature of cruise vacations is the kids programs that are available. Included in your cruise fare are youth drop-off programs for children aged 3-17 years old. Grouped by age, your children will be supervised by trained staff as they participate in various edutainment offerings and make some new friends along the way.
There are plenty of activities for teens too. From sports tournaments to video games and dance zones, they will never want to leave. Of course, these programs have family fun activities that everyone can enjoy like movie nights and scavenger hunts too.
Windstar Cruises Adds All
CruiseWindstar CruisesTheresa Norton November 16, 2021
Windstar Cruises now offers all-inclusive pricing, which includes alcoholic beverages, wi-fi, and all gratuities, but will keep an à la carte pricing option.
In an effort to be more in line with other luxury offerings in the cruise industry, particularly with the rollout of our newly transformed all-suite Star Plus Class yachts, were now giving the option of an all-inclusive price for all of our sailings, said Windstar President Christopher Prelog. We didnt want to take away the à la carte option from guests who enjoy going that way. We want our guests to have the choice based on their preference, what they need on board, and their general vacation philosophy.
The all-inclusive prices are now listed on Windstars website and all sales materials, along with the base cruise fares, which are listed per person in U.S. dollars based on double occupancy. The new fare is available on all six of the lines vessels.
Windstars Beyond Ordinary Care health and safety plan requires guests and crew to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Beginning Jan. 1, the lines policies include a free COVID-19 antigen test at the pier for embarking guests.
For more information on Windstar, .
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Are Cruise Ships All Inclusive
Cruise ships are rather all inclusive vacation options, wrapping accommodations, dining, activities, and transportation all into one fare.
For one set fare, a cruise vacation enables travelers to see multiple destinations while enjoying most of the onboard amenities. A cruise vacation wraps your hotel accommodations, your dining, your daily activities, and your transportation to each destination all into one package. Yes, cruise ships are rather all inclusive vacation options.