The honest cost-per-day breakdown
The advertised fare is the cover charge. Here's every line item that decides what the trip really costs.
The advertised fare
This is per person, based on double occupancy, for the lowest available cabin in the category — and it usually excludes taxes and fees. It's a starting point, not a price. Always compare total per person per day across offers, never headline fares.
Taxes, fees, and port charges
Non-negotiable and added at checkout. They vary wildly by itinerary — some ports charge far more than others. A "cheap" Caribbean sailing and an "expensive" Alaska sailing can converge once these are included.
Gratuities
Most lines now auto-charge daily gratuities per person (roughly $16–25/day depending on line and cabin). You can adjust them at guest services, but budget them as fixed — the crew earns them.
Drinks and dining
Do the math before buying a drink package: package price × days vs. what you'd actually drink. Packages only win for consistent moderate-to-heavy drinkers. Same logic for specialty dining packages and coffee cards — price your real habits, not your aspirational ones.
Wi-Fi
Per-device, per-day, and priced like it's 2005. Decide in advance: full connectivity, one device for essentials, or a genuine unplug. Buying mid-cruise in a panic is the most expensive option.
Excursions
Budget per port day, not per trip. Ship excursions run $100–250+ per person; independent tours half that; walkable ports nearly free. Multiply by your number of port days — this is where "cheap" cruises quietly double.
Casino budget
If you play, it's a line item like any other: set it before the sailing, separate from every other budget. Wins are a bonus, not income. And remember the playbook rule — never increase play to chase a comp.
Getting there and back
Flights, pre-cruise hotel, transfers, parking, and travel insurance. On a per-day basis these hit short sailings hardest — a 4-day cruise with $600 in flights is really a much more expensive trip than it looks.