CRUISES
How much does a cruise cost? Build the full budget before you book
The daily charges Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian and Princess add to the fare, what Port Canaveral and PortMiami charge to park, and a week of extras for two worked out from those rates.
We don't publish cruise fares. What we can price is the rest of the bill: the charges added per person, per day, once you're on board, and the cost of getting to the ship. The amounts below come from the cruise lines' and ports' own pages as listed in November 2026, and they change, so the links go to the source.
The daily gratuity
Each of the four big lines below adds an automatic charge for each guest for each day of the cruise. It lands on your onboard account unless you prepay it.
- Royal Caribbean charges $18.50 per guest per day in any non-suite cabin and $21.00 in suites, according to its gratuity policy.
- Carnival's help center lists $17.00 a day for each guest aged 2 and older, and $19.00 in suites.
- Norwegian's service charge FAQ gives $20.00 per person per day up to Club Balcony Suite and $25.00 in The Haven and suites, for guests 3 and older on bookings made since January 1, 2023.
- Princess charges $18.00 per person per day in standard cabins, $19.00 in mini-suites and $20.00 in suites, under its crew appreciation policy.
For two people in a standard cabin over seven days, the gratuity bill is $238 on Carnival ($17 x 2 x 7), $252 on Princess, $259 on Royal Caribbean and $280 on Norwegian. Royal Caribbean's policy calls the charge optional, and you can change or remove it at the Guest Relations desk until the morning you disembark. Princess's crew appreciation policy also lets you change the amount on board, though not after you've left the ship.
Drinks: what's free, and the service charge on the rest
Carnival includes water, lemonade, iced tea, hot chocolate and regular coffee and tea in the main dining room and the Lido buffet. Royal Caribbean's list of what the fare includes names water, tea, select juices and classic coffees, served during meals and in other spots around the ship. Anything beyond that is billed, and each line's policy says a service charge goes on top of the bar price: 18% on Royal Caribbean, 20% on Carnival and Princess.
In November 2026, Carnival's help center listed its CHEERS package at $83.94 per person per day bought before you sail and $89.94 bought on board, service charge included. It covers up to 15 alcoholic drinks in 24 hours, it's sold for the whole cruise only, and every adult in the cabin has to buy it. Royal Caribbean's beverage package FAQ sets the same rule: buy the Deluxe package for one guest and you buy it for every guest of drinking age in the cabin. For two people, CHEERS is $167.88 a day and $1,175.16 over seven days, even if one of you only wants wine with dinner.
Wi-Fi
Carnival prices internet by the day, and a plan bought before you sail has to cover the whole cruise. Its Social plan, which opens messaging and social apps but not email or video, was $20.40 a day bought ahead and $25.00 on board. The Value plan, with email and browsing, was $23.80 ahead and $32.00 on board. On both, buying before you sail is the cheaper way in, by $4.60 to $8.20 a day.
Getting to the ship
If you drive, the port charges by the day, and both ends count. Port Canaveral charges $20 a day plus tax and includes the day you arrive and the day you leave, so a seven-night cruise is eight days of parking: $160 plus tax (port parking rates). PortMiami's parking page lists $28 a day for overnight parking in Garages C, D, F and G, and $35 a day in Garage B, which serves Norwegian, and in Garage AA. It also says debit cards aren't accepted.
If you fly in on sailing day instead, Royal Caribbean's check-in FAQ says every guest must be checked in no later than 90 minutes before the ship sails, and late arrivals won't be allowed to sail.
Every cost in one table
| Cost | What to know |
|---|---|
| Cabin fare | Shown per person, based on two people sharing a cabin. Interior cabins cost the least, then oceanview, balcony and suite. |
| Single supplement | An extra charge if one person books a cabin for two. See solo cruises. |
| Taxes, fees and port charges | Sometimes included in the price you see, sometimes added at checkout. |
| Gratuities | Many lines charge a daily amount per person, often added to your onboard account. |
| Drinks and Wi-Fi | Usually extra. Drink and Wi-Fi packages can save money for heavy users. |
| Specialty dining | Main dining is included. Specialty restaurants carry an extra charge. |
| Shore excursions | Ship tours cost more than independent trips. Free options, such as a beach or a walk, cost nothing. |
| Flights and transfers | Often the biggest extra. See cheaper flights and airport transfers. |
| Hotel night before | Strongly advised. A delayed flight can mean a missed ship. |
| Parking | If you drive, port parking is charged by the day. Check your departure port's own parking page for the rate. |
| Insurance | Usually a percentage of the trip cost. See cruise insurance. |
A week of extras for two, worked out
Two adults, a standard cabin on Carnival, sailing from Port Canaveral and driving there. Using the rates above:
- Gratuities: $17.00 x 2 = $34.00 a day.
- CHEERS for both, bought before sailing: $83.94 x 2 = $167.88 a day.
- Social Wi-Fi for one phone, bought before sailing: $20.40 a day.
- Parking for a seven-night cruise: eight days at $20 = $160 plus tax.
Gratuities, CHEERS and Wi-Fi together come to $222.28 a day. Over seven days that's $1,555.96, and with parking the week's extras reach $1,715.96 plus the parking tax.
Leave CHEERS out and the daily extras drop to $54.40 for gratuities and Wi-Fi. The week then costs $380.80, or $540.80 with parking.
The fare comes on top. On CruiseDirect's current deals page, listed prices are per person for two sharing a cabin and include government taxes and fees.
The worked week leaves out shore tours. Royal Caribbean's shore excursion FAQ says that if a tour booked through the line is delayed, "the ship will wait for you", and that it won't wait for guests touring on their own. A cheaper tour from a local operator comes without that promise.
Medical care isn't in the fare
The CDC's travel guide notes that a visit to the ship's medical center, with tests and medicines, is typically not included in what you paid for the cruise, and suggests insurance that covers care abroad and medical evacuation. If you're on Medicare, Medicare.gov says Part B may pay for care on a ship only when it's in a U.S. port or no more than six hours from one, and only if the ship's doctor is legally allowed to treat you there. Our cruise insurance guide covers what to look for.
Bringing the total down
A shorter sailing from a port you can drive to means fewer days of every charge above. Our guide to cheap cruises looks at driving to Galveston or a Florida port instead of flying.
When you book matters too. Royal Caribbean's payment FAQ puts final payment for cruises of one to four nights at 75 days before sailing, so a booking made inside that window is paid in full on the spot. The refund rules that follow are in our last-minute cruises guide; booking a year or more ahead is covered in the 2027 and 2028 guide.
If you book with CruiseDirect, the terms on its price guarantee page say it matches a lower fare for the same ship, date and cabin category only if you call within 24 hours of booking, and that onboard credit and gift cards don't count. For sales and promotions across the lines, see our cruise deals guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much are cruise gratuities per day?
As listed in November 2026: Royal Caribbean $18.50 per person per day ($21.00 in suites), Carnival $17.00 ($19.00 in suites), Norwegian $20.00 ($25.00 in The Haven and suites) and Princess $18.00 in standard cabins, rising to $20.00 in suites.
Is a drink package worth it?
Only if every adult in the cabin drinks enough to cover it, because Carnival and Royal Caribbean both make everyone of drinking age in the cabin buy the package. Carnival's CHEERS was $83.94 per person per day bought before the cruise. Water, iced tea, lemonade and regular coffee are already included.
What will I spend on top of the fare?
For two adults on Carnival, the automatic gratuities alone are $34 a day. A Social Wi-Fi plan bought ahead adds $20.40 a day and parking at Port Canaveral $20 a day plus tax. With parking, our worked week for two comes to $540.80 without a drink package and $1,715.96 with one, before any tours.
Does Medicare pay for a doctor on a cruise ship?
Part B may pay only when the ship is in a U.S. port or no more than six hours from one, and the ship's doctor is legally allowed to treat you there, according to Medicare.gov. Beyond that, the ship's medical center bills you, so check what your travel insurance covers.
How much is parking at a Florida cruise port?
Port Canaveral charged $20 a day plus tax in November 2026, counting the day you arrive and the day you leave. PortMiami's Garages C, D, F and G charged $28 a day for overnight parking, and Garage B (Norwegian) and Garage AA charged $35 a day.
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