The fare you see advertised for a cruise is rarely the whole bill. Drinks, dining upgrades, tours, internet and spa time are sold separately, and together they can add a lot. If you can pay for several of them without losing sleep, that says something about your finances.
This isn’t a judgment on anyone’s vacation choices, and being comfortable with the bill doesn’t automatically mean you’re wealthy. Still, the numbers show how far apart cruise extras and everyday American budgets can be. Here’s how the two compare.
What the Fed Says About Everyday Financial Cushions
The Federal Reserve’s latest household survey was taken in October 2025. Sixty-three percent of adults said they would cover a hypothetical $400 emergency expense using only cash, savings, or a credit card paid off at the next statement.[1] In the same survey, 12 percent said they couldn’t cover that expense by any means.[2]
Longer-term cushions are thinner still. Fifty-five percent of adults said they had enough set aside in a rainy-day fund to cover three months of expenses.[2] Meanwhile, 73 percent said they were doing okay or living comfortably, which matches 2024 but sits below the 78 percent high of 2021.[3] Keep those figures in mind as the add-on prices below come up.
1. An Unlimited Drink Package
This is usually the biggest optional expense. Carnival’s Cheers package costs $82.54 per person per day if bought before the cruise, or $88.44 if bought onboard.[4] Royal Caribbean’s Deluxe Beverage Package typically costs $81.99 per person per day before the 18 percent gratuity, according to one price tracker’s October 2026 data.[5] Prices vary by ship and sailing date.
The totals add up quickly. One cost guide puts a typical premium package at about $80 a day per person, or roughly $1,120 for two people over a week.[6] That’s more than many households could cover from cash on hand. Some analysts also warn that people who have three or fewer alcoholic drinks a day may not earn back the package’s cost.[7] You can afford it and still find it isn’t worth buying.
2. Specialty Restaurant Dinners
The main dining room and buffet are included in your fare. The steakhouses and chef-led venues are not. On Celebrity, cover charges generally run $45 to $85 per person depending on the restaurant and ship.[8] Most mainstream lines price these covers at $30 to $60 per person.[9]
A couple who eats at a specialty restaurant a few times in a week will spend a few hundred dollars. One planning guide suggests $100 to $250 for specialty dining on a seven-night mass-market cruise for two adults.[10] That’s a modest sum next to the drink package. Still, it’s a discretionary cost on top of a trip that’s already paid for, and not every household has room for that.
3. Ship-Booked Shore Excursions
Port days are where many travelers spend the most. Celebrity’s tours range from a $60 city walk to a $300 private catamaran day.[8] Another guide lists $50 to $90 for a city tour, $75 to $120 for snorkeling, and $150 to $300 or more for private guided tours.[10]
Families feel this one most. A family of four doing two organized excursions can spend well over $800.[10] Booking through the ship costs more, but it guarantees the ship waits for you if the tour runs late.[8] If you can pay for that peace of mind without a second thought, you have real flexibility.
4. Internet Packages
Staying connected at sea is rarely free. Almost every mass-market and premium line charges for internet, generally around $15 to $35 per device per day.[10] One Holland America example priced Wi-Fi at $216.93 for a seven-night sailing, at $30.99 a day.[11]
It’s the smallest item on this list, but it’s still a recurring daily charge. A couple wanting Wi-Fi might add roughly $100 to $200 for a week.[6] Some tiers, such as Princess Plus and Premier, and the luxury lines include it.[10] Paying for it so you can stream or work from the deck is a small luxury, and it’s one you can easily skip.
5. Spa Treatments
Spa services are the add-on most people save for a special occasion. In one Costa Cruises account, a single spa treatment cost €99.[12] A separate guide on Costa puts a typical treatment at about €100.[12] Prices differ by line and ship, and onboard spa pricing is often higher than what you’d pay at a local spa.
It gets pricier when you stack services. One illustrative “splurge” budget lists $700 per couple for multiple treatments, including a massage, a facial and a thermal suite.[13] That’s an example, not an average. Even so, a few spa days on top of everything else can easily cost as much as a month of groceries for some families.
Conclusion
Taken together, these extras can change the cost of a trip a lot. One 2026 breakdown suggests a typical seven-night cruise can add $1,000 to $3,000 per person on top of the base fare, depending on choices.[13] It also suggests a realistic total budget is one and a half to two and a half times the advertised fare.[13]
If you can afford most of these without strain, you’re probably part of the group with a real financial cushion, not the group that would struggle with a $400 surprise. Affording an add-on doesn’t mean you have to buy it, though. The best cruise budget is the one you decide on before boarding.
