Cruise guest warned of ‘outrageously’ expensive charges on cruise

Cruise holidays are usually sold on an all-inclusive basis including meals and the cabin, although this doesn’t mean guests won’t have to pay for extras.

Guests will usually need to pay extra for a drinks package which may be worth it if they intend to drink a lot.

On some cruise lines, guests will need to pay an extra fee to dine at special restaurants or take part in activities.

A guest has issued a warning to new passengers about booking excursions which could cost more than they expect.

Reddit user, ‘GeneticsGuy’ said: “Book your excursions in advance. Don’t feel obligated to do expensive excursions at every stop. Some of them through the cruise ship are outrageously overpriced.”

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‌Guests can use a third party tour company to book their excursions themselves as they may be more expensive through the cruise line.

Cruise passengers will need to check how far the port is from their excursion to make sure they’ll be back on time.

Although the cruise line’s excursions may be more expensive, the ship will usually wait for passengers on an excursion if it’s late, which won’t be the case for other guests.

Another passenger ‘callisto026’ added: “If you can afford to pay gratuity before you go, I always prefer that.”

Some cruise lines offer guests the chance to pay for all their tips as part of a package before they go.

This might be a good idea for some passengers as they won’t need to worry about how much to tip crew members.

Another passenger ‘stevensolukski’ said: “If you plan to go to speciality dining, drink, buy souvenirs, extend additional gratuity to any of the staff or crew, go on excursions or attend any classes, then that would be additional.

“You can definitely have a nice time without spending a dime. My wife and I typically only spend on drinks and one or two nights of speciality dining.”

It’s a good idea to set a budget before the cruise to try to avoid overspending or any shock bills. A travel agent should be able to help passengers decide which package is right for them.