All-In Cruise Cost Comparison — Compare Two Cruises Side by Side

Q: What does the all-in total include?

Base cruise fare and port taxes, which you enter, plus typical onboard extras — gratuities, a standard Wi-Fi plan and a mainstream drinks package — scaled to your nights and party size, with travel costs — flights, hotels, transfers and insurance — added on top and kept the same for both cruises.

Q: Why is Norwegian's drinks figure so much lower than the others?

Norwegian's drinks package is usually free under its Free at Sea promotion, but the roughly $28.50 per person per day gratuity is still charged. The figure shown is what you actually pay, not the full retail package price. Lines without a free-drinks promotion show the price of the package itself, which is why their numbers look higher.

Q: Are these prices exact?

No. They are typical mid-tier figures for a like-for-like comparison, refreshed every few months. Real prices move with the season, itinerary, cabin and any promotion running at the time. Confirm current numbers with the cruise line before booking.

A low fare and an all-inclusive fare rarely end up as far apart as they look. Pick two cruises, add the costs you actually pay, and see the real all-in total for each — side by side.

Nights

Travelers

Flights, hotels & transfers (total)

Travel insurance (total)

Cruise A

Base cruise fare (total for your party)

Port taxes & fees (total, this itinerary)

All-in total

Cruise B

Base cruise fare (total for your party)

Port taxes & fees (total, this itinerary)

All-in total

Cruise fare Onboard charges Travel costs

How to read this

Onboard extras — typical, mid-tier figures from our onboard cost reference (gratuities, a standard Wi-Fi plan and a mainstream drinks package), scaled to your nights and travelers. A like-for-like estimate, not a quote for one specific sailing.
Base fare & port taxes — entered separately for each cruise, since they depend on the itinerary.
Travel costs — flights, hotels, transfers and insurance, assumed the same for both cruises.
The “suits”, ship-size and guest-mix notes — a broad guide to who each line attracts. Many lines are widening their appeal, and any sailing varies by season, itinerary and price.
All figures in US dollars — verify current rates with the cruise line before booking.

All-in cruise costs, explained

Does an all-inclusive cruise really cost more than a cheaper one?

Often by far less than the fare suggests. A low headline fare usually leaves gratuities, Wi-Fi and a drinks package still to pay, while a luxury fare folds them in. Once you add those to both sides, a fare that looked twice the price can land within a few hundred dollars all-in. The tool above lets you test it for any two lines.

What does the “all-in” total include?

Base cruise fare and port taxes (you enter these, since they change with every sailing), plus the typical onboard extras from our onboard cost reference — gratuities, a standard Wi-Fi plan and a mainstream drinks package — scaled to your nights and party size. Travel costs — flights, hotels, transfers and insurance — are added on top and kept the same for both cruises.

Why is Norwegian’s drinks figure so much lower than the others?

Norwegian’s drinks package is usually “free” under its Free at Sea promotion — but the roughly $28.50 per person, per day gratuity on that package is still charged. So the figure shown is what you actually pay, not the full retail package price. Lines without a free-drinks promotion show the price you’d pay for the package itself, which is why their numbers look higher.

Are these prices exact?

No — they’re typical, mid-tier figures for a like-for-like comparison, refreshed every few months. Real prices move with the season, itinerary, cabin and any promotion running at the time. Use the result to see how the gap between two cruises changes once everything is counted, then confirm the current numbers with the cruise line before you book.

Want the full breakdown for one cruise? Use the calculator →