Take an All Inclusive Cruise

An all-inclusive cruise is simply a cruise where everything is included in one price. Passengers pay the cruise fare and their accommodations and most of their meals are covered. There are however, many misconceptions and a variety things to be aware of when booking an all-inclusive cruise.

Most importantly, the vast majority of the time, all-inclusive cruises are not literally all inclusive. What this means is that while the price of the cruise always includes the cost of the room, or cabin, many other items are not included. It might actually be easier to define what is not included in the price of an all-inclusive cruise.

There are many additional charges to be aware of when booking a cruise. Here are a few of some of the most common:

• Gratuities - most of the time gratuities for the staff are not included in the price of the cruise. Gratuities are usually paid to the room steward and assistant if there is one, room service waiters, butler, bartenders, concierge, dining room captain and others. These gratuities are usually paid at the end of the cruise in one lump sum, although some passengers prefer to pay staff members like room stewards daily. Note that some cruise lines say they do not require, or even accept, staff gratuities, but I have never seen a staff member on a cruise ship refuse a gratuity, or even act surprised to receive one.
• Meals - not that long ago, dining at all restaurants on board the cruise ship was included in the price of the fare. Now days, cruise lines have introduced "specialty dining" restaurants. These are venues that specialize in meals like Sushi/Sashimi, Italian cuisine, steak houses etc. The up charge for dining in these restaurants ranges anywhere from $5 - $20 per person. One can avoid these charges by dining only in the main dining rooms or buffets.

• Shore Excursions - shore excursions are almost never included in the price of a cruise and can quickly add up. Shore excursions can start in the $40 per person range, but can literally go into the thousands of dollars. A good way to avoid the high cost of the cruise line shore excursions, is by booking your own. It is easy to do some research prior to the cruise and contact independent tour operators. The exact same shore excursion when taken this way, can cost significantly less money. Be aware, however, that the cruise lines will not intervene in any disputes with non-sponsored shore excursion operators. Cruise lines also will not wait passengers who are late to return to the ship when taking a non-sponsored shore excursion.
• Alcohol - most alcoholic beverages, and sometimes even regular sodas, are not included in the price of a cruise. The only exception to this is perhaps a glass of wine or two with meals. Purchasing alcohol on board the ship can get very expensive. Most cruise lines will not allow passengers to bring their own alcoholic beverages aboard and will even screen passenger's luggage. If they do find any alcohol, they will simply stow the bottles until the end of the cruise when they will be returned to the passenger. Also note that many cruise lines will sell alcohol duty free in the gift shops, but again, it will be held until the completion of the cruise.
• Other misc. - of course things like souvenirs, internet time, soda cards etc. are not expected to be included in the price of the cruise but just be aware they do add up and passengers are advised to include them in their cruise planning budget.

There are some cruise lines where when they say all inclusive, they really do mean *all-inclusive*. Here area few such cruise lines:

• Seaborne
• Regent
• Crystal
• Siversea

These cruise lines are some of the most elite and expensive cruise lines around and the cruises they offer don't come cheap. Of course, one could say - you get what you pay for - and this is definitely true in the world of cruising.

Most of the above lines do indeed cover the cost of all meals, any kind of beverages, including alcoholic beverages, and even shore excursions in some cases. When you sail on these ships, you pay more up front, in some cases much more, however, you will never have to take your wallet out again. For some passengers paying more for this freedom is worth it.

One thing to be aware of is these cruises sometimes appeal to an older affluent demographic. You will see children, but not nearly in the numbers that you will see on the mass cruise lines. There will likely be lots of retired cruisers with plenty of time on their hands to vacation and cruise. However, if you can afford one of these cruises, you are bound to have a great time. You will definitely not encounter times when you feel like "just another passenger". Regardless of which all inclusive cruise you decide to take, you are sure to have a fantastic cruise holiday.