Carnival, for instance, has a less pricey "social" plan that brings access to key social sites (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.), as well as messaging services such as WhatsApp - but not much else - for $12.75 a day. Related: 26 cruising secrets from an expert that will blow your mindĪnother option: Some lines offer less expensive internet plans that have scaled-back access. You can often find free internet in the cruise terminal where your ship docks or at a nearby cafe or eatery. One way to avoid the charges is to wait until you're in a port to check your emails, read the news online and do whatever else you do on the internet. Compare that to what you pay for the internet at home. The fastest service on Carnival vessels, for instance, was recently priced at $18.70 per person, per day. In general, though, only the highest-end lines in the cruise world (and many river lines) offer free internet.Īt many big brands, such as Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Princess Cruises, you'll sometimes pay exorbitant amounts for internet access. After all, cruise ships are just hotels that happen to float. Internet access feesįree internet has become standard at a lot of hotel chains, so it might seem logical that cruise lines would offer free internet, too. However, you can go into the booking process wide-eyed by searching the fine print on booking sites for such fees before you commit to a particular sailing. The taxes, fees and port charges line on invoices covers all the fees that countries, states, towns and ports charge ships and their occupants - fees that the line passes on to you. Related: 14 things you should do before every cruise So the true starting price of the cruise is 68% more than what you see in big print on the line's website. However, that doesn't include taxes, fees and port charges of $114.20. ANDY NEWMAN/CARNIVAL CRUISE LINEĪs of the date of this posting, for instance, Carnival Cruise Line was advertising four-night cruises to Mexico out of Los Angeles starting at $169 per person. You shouldn't be happy about it, either.īe sure to factor in the cost of taxes, fees and port charges when pricing a trip on a cruise ship such as the 3,690-passenger Carnival Magic. Here at TPG, we call this the nickel-and-diming-ization of the cruise world, and we're not happy about it. Related: The ultimate guide to picking a cruise line On some ships, certain menu items in the "free" main dining room now come with an extra charge. However, on many ships, there also are a growing number of extra fees that might take you by surprise - particularly if you haven't been on a ship in a while.įor instance, some lines now charge extra for room service - something that always used to be free. You'll pay extra for treatments in shipboard spas, for instance, or for guided shore excursions in most cases. Some of the things that come with an additional charge are what you would expect. On many ships, there are a lot of little things - and some big things - for which you'll pay extra.įor more cruise guides, news and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter. Still, for the most part, cruises aren't all-inclusive. The ship also acts as your transportation - it gets you from place to place at no extra cost. Those $499-a-week rates that you see advertised include not just a room on a ship but also meals and entertainment. One of the great allures of cruising is that a lot is included in the fare.
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