Are you searching for an all inclusive cruise? The truth is, that the majority of all cruises are “all-inclusive” and your choice of cruise line will depend on what type of amenities you want. Just like an all inclusive land vacation, cruises include many extras that you could expect from an inclusive resort. You will be able to get a substantial savings and see a lot more if you travel by water. Many families choose cruises as there is something for everyone and the vacation is less of a hassle when everything is already pre-planned and you do not have to pay for food expense. Generally, here is a list of items that are included with any cruise vacations package:

Most food (Main dining hall, buffet lines and cafes) – However, if you want quieter and “better” cuisine, you will have to go to an alternative restaurant that will cost you extra.

A standard cabin room – size will depend on the grade and cost of your package

    * Room service

    * Kids programs

    * Fitness facilities – some cost extra

    * Library and entertainment room

    * Night shows and other nightly entertainment

    * On board activities such as racket sports, pool, hot tub and gymnasium.

Did you know that cruise ships also provide additional amenities such as bridge games, language lessons and trivia contests? There are so many “free” extras on board and you won’t be bored, even if you decide not to do any of the extra activities on the on-shore port activities.

The majority of cruises that you go on will not include beverages (soft drinks, tea, coffee and alcohol drinks). However, soft drinks are included in certain areas of the ship on some cruises. Besides paying for alcohol, all inclusive cruises are quite similar to all inclusive land vacations. The benefits of cruising are that instead of pulling out your wallet every minute to pay for food and other various expenses, you will only have to worry about larger expenses such as shore excursions and other entertainment.  Also, many people are curious about whether or not alcohol is included on their cruises.  Some cruise lines that provide alcohol on their cruises are Regent Seven Seas, Seam Dream Yacht, Seabourn Cruise, Silversea Cruises, and Hebridean.  These cruises provide wine with all dinners and and the Seabourn cruise provides wine with lunch as well.  The more expensive brands, however, will cost extra money.  The Crystal Cruises includes soft drinks but charges for all alcoholic beverages.  

Cruising is a great way to travel on a budget as everything is already planned and presented to you.

Here are a few tips to get the most when booking your all inclusive cruise.

The more you pay, the more you’ll receive – make sure you receive additional treatment if you do pay more. When booking with a cruise agent, tell them exactly what you want and tell them your tentative budget. Do not agree to the first offer available as the second or third offer end up usually being better. Also, do not assume that just because a cruise says, “all inclusive” means that EVERYTHING is included. As stated earlier, cruise vacations are a bit different than land vacations as all inclusive tends to mean that the room, standard food fare and on-board entertainment are included. Alcohol is usually extra and you will have to talk with your booking agent to see whether or not you can get alcohol to be included with your cruise package. If you are a heavy drinker, getting a all inclusive package that includes alcohol is your best bet as drinks are quite expensive on board and there is generally a 15% service fee for all bar drink.

Make sure to ask your travel agent whether the package includes a flight. This seems like a dumb question to ask your travel agent, but some people have been confused and only paid for the cruise part of the vacation and not the airfare (which means they ended up paying a lot more than planned).

Some cruise lines that offer all inclusive packages are, Norwegian, Carnival, Disney Cruise and Holland America. If you are looking for more luxury on your cruise than you can try an all inclusive cruise from Cunard, Seabourn, and Silversea. These cruises typically include almost everything and are focused more towards the higher-end and more expensive taste crowd.