What Does a Cruise Really Cost? All Costs Honestly Broken Down
The advertised travel price is only the beginning. We honestly break down all the additional costs of a cruise – from gratuities and drinks to shore excursions – including a realistic sample calculation.
18. May 2026
“Cruise from 599 euros” – everyone knows offers like that. The catch: the brochure price is only part of the truth. We honestly calculate what else is added on board – and how high the total bill really ends up being.
1. The travel price – and what it includes
Always included in the base price are: the cabin, the main buffet and at least one main restaurant, the entertainment programme, pools, the fitness area and transport from port to port. That sounds like “everything included” – but it is not. Everything beyond the basic provision is billed separately.
2. Gratuities or the service charge
The biggest hidden item. US cruise lines (Royal Caribbean, NCL, Carnival, Princess, MSC) automatically charge 16–22 US dollars per person per day to the onboard account. On a 7-day trip for two, that quickly amounts to 220–300 euros. German premium cruise lines such as TUI Cruises (Mein Schiff) already include the gratuity in the travel price – at AIDA and Costa it is optional and lower.
3. Drinks
Water, filter coffee and tea at meals are usually free. Everything else costs: a beer 5–8 euros, a cocktail 8–12 euros, a bottle of wine 25–45 euros. Drinks packages cost 40–70 euros per person per day – they are only worthwhile for guests who genuinely drink several alcoholic drinks every day. The exception: premium all-inclusive brands such as Mein Schiff, where branded spirits and wine are in the price.
4. Shore excursions
The excursions sold by the cruise line cost 50–150 euros per person per half-day. With seven ports and two people, that easily adds up to 600–1,500 euros. Anyone who explores ports on their own or books tours through providers such as GetYourGuide often saves 30–50 percent.
5. Speciality restaurants
A steakhouse, Asian restaurant or gourmet venue costs a surcharge of 15–60 euros per person per visit. It is not compulsory – the buffet and main restaurant are perfectly sufficient. But many guests treat themselves to one or two evenings.
6. Wi-Fi on board
Internet via satellite costs 10–30 euros per day. Booking it in advance as a package costs less than on board. For a week you should budget 50–120 euros if you want to be online.
7. Getting there and back
For Mediterranean or Caribbean cruises, the flight to the departure port is added on (often 150–600 euros per person), possibly a hotel night before the trip starts. Trips from German ports such as Hamburg, Kiel or Warnemünde save this item entirely.
8. Travel insurance
Overseas health insurance and trip-cancellation insurance cost 50–120 euros – and are indispensable. Treatment in the ship's hospital is paid entirely out of pocket.
9. Spa, photos, casino & co.
Massages, professional photos, the casino, laundry service: all a surcharge. Here your own discipline alone decides – these items can be avoided entirely.
A realistic sample calculation: 7 days in the Mediterranean, 2 people
- Travel price (balcony cabin): €1,800
- Service charge / gratuities: €200
- Drinks (moderate, without a package): €250
- Shore excursions (partly self-organised): €400
- Speciality restaurant (1 evening): €70
- Wi-Fi: €60
- Flight + transfer: €500
- Travel insurance: €90
Total: around 3,370 euros – almost double the pure travel price. It is exactly this difference that many first-time bookers overlook.
The most effective money-saving tips
- Choose a trip from a German port – this saves the flight and hotels.
- Organise shore excursions yourself instead of booking through the cruise line.
- Only book a drinks package if you genuinely drink several drinks every day.
- An inside instead of a balcony cabin saves 30–40 percent – sensible if you are barely in the cabin.
- Off-season instead of school holidays: often saves 30–50 percent on the travel price.
Conclusion
A cruise is rarely as cheap as the brochure price suggests – but it is not a cost trap either, once you know the additional items. Anyone who realistically budgets for gratuities, drinks and excursions will have no nasty surprise on board. As a rule of thumb: add another 50 to 90 percent to the travel price and you will be close to the real final total.