Cruise line pricing can be very confusing. Let me share some basics that will help you understand how you can determine your bottom line price on a cruise.

In most cases, when you see an advertisement for a cruise it will be a combination of the cruise fare plus port charges (read the small print to be sure).  For example, you may see an advertisement that says "3 Day Bahama Cruise Starting At Only $299.00 per person."  In this case, the cruise fare may be only $210.00 and and the port charges $89.00.

Then in addition there are other add-ons which include government fees and taxes plus the "fuel surcharge" if one is being assessed. There are none being assessed currently but they can be added at any time even after full payment. So, the $299.00 per person rate when everything is added up can end up being 350.00 or more.

There are reasons why cruises are priced this way which we won't go into here, but the more you understand, the more clearly you will understand exactly what the charges are that are included in each cruise.

Other things to add into your budget are tips and trip insurance. Tips vary depending on the cruise line, usually they are $14.50 up per day per person.

We offer optional trip cancellation insurance which is very comprehensive. We strongly recommend it to protect you and your investment. Without it, some or all of your cruise investment is at risk. I can tell you that I never sail without it even on a short cruise. Go  to the top of my home page under the "Before You Go" tab and read about the comprehnsive policy we offer.