If you’ve looked at travel prices lately, you’ve probably noticed severe sticker shock. From airline tickets to cruises, anything heavily dependent on fuel has seen prices go crazy.
Cruise lines, in particular, are caught in a major economic bind right now. Unlike airlines, cruise companies sell their cabins way in advance — often a year or two before sailing. On top of that, most cruise lines don’t hedge their fuel costs. When you think about how much fuel it takes to run a giant ship on a 3-, 5-, 7-, or 14-day itinerary, it’s a humongous expense.
Because they locked in your cabin fare months ago when economic conditions were completely different, cruise lines are looking for other ways to make up the difference. Here is what you need to know before your next voyage.
Expect Higher Onboard Prices and Service Fees
Since cruise lines can’t retroactively change the base cabin price you paid a year ago, they are raising the prices of everything else on the ship.
Once you’re onboard, you need to be extra vigilant. Things you may routinely buy on a cruise are going to cost significantly more than you are used to:
Drink packages: Daily beverage packages and individual bar prices are creeping higher.
Daily service fees and gratuities: Many cruise lines are quietly raising their mandatory daily gratuities or service charges. Depending on the contract, they can often apply these higher daily fees even to passengers who booked long ago.
Excursions and add-ons: Expect higher prices for specialty dining, Wi-Fi packages, and shore excursions.
It’s a tough time to own a cruise line, but as a passenger, you shouldn’t let these extra charges catch you off guard or ruin your vacation budget.
How To Protect Your Wallet
Audit your onboard spend before you sail: Lock in drink packages, Wi-Fi, and shore excursions online before your cruise date if the cruise line lets you prepay at older rates.
Review gratuity policies: Check your booking confirmation to see if you can prepay your daily service fees at the current rate before any announced increases kick in.
Set a strict onboard budget: Treat onboard extras as optional. Skip the pricey specialty dining and stick to the included venues, or skip the unlimited drink package.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, fuel price run-ups and supply issues are temporary, and this market will eventually stabilize. But right now, the cruise lines are aggressively looking for ways to protect their bottom line — and that means you have to actively protect yours.
Don’t let unexpected onboard expenses turn a great deal into a budget-buster. By locking in your packages early, keeping a close eye on service fee changes, and being deliberate about where you spend your money once you step on the ship, you can still enjoy a fantastic cruise without overpaying. It’s your money!
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