How Much Does a Cruise Cost
How Much Does A Cruise Cost?
Well, it all depends on the kind of cruise you are looking for and what you are interested in. Just like anything you may buy, whether it's a house, a car, an airline ticket or a new sofa, the products you choose depend on what's important to you. Cruises are the same way. The cost of a cruise is determined by many variable factors including:- The time of year you choose to take your cruise
- How long you'd like to get away.
- Where you'd like to go
- The type of cruise you take
- Which cruise line you like
- Which ship you decide on
- The type of accommodations you select
- The number of people sharing your cabin
- The package inclusions in addition to the cruise fare
- The purpose of your trip
- How many cabins you book at one time
- What promotional offers are available when you make your reservation
- How quickly you are able to pay for your booking once you've been quoted the rates
- How old you are and the ages of your children
- Where you live or where you will be flying from
- If you've ever cruised before and if so, on which lines
- Which agency you choose to book with
At iCruise.com, we want to make sure that you choose the cruise that's right for you. So we want to get to know you a little bit. In addition to the information listed above we also want to find out what your preferences are and what's important to you. Unlike other online retailers, we want you to call us and speak to us directly. We'll take the time you need and ask all the right questions.
If you're looking for your first cruise, it's natural to want to know the price. What you'll find is that the beauty of a cruise vacation is that virtually all aspects of your trip are included. So when you compare the cost of a cruise vacation to a comparable land-based option, you'll find that a cruise is a tremendous value.
For your benefit, we have created a Cruise Vacation -versus- a Resort Vacation chart that compares cost of a very popular cruise to three equally popular land vacations. This chart will show you that dollar for dollar, nothing beats a cruise vacation.
The prices on this chart are shown per person, based on two people in a room, for a 7-night vacation stay during the off-peak travel season, specifically between November 6-13, 2004. Air travel is priced from Chicago O'Hare airport using airline Internet fares. Room accommodations are as follows:
- Carnival Cruise Lines Carnival Triumph,
Category 8A Oceanview Stateroom with Balcony; - Marriott Frenchman's Reef in St. Thomas,
Water View Room with Balcony; - Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas,
City View Room (sorry, no Balconies in Vegas); - Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort,
Standard Accommodation, no Balcony (Note: unlimited Walt Disney World park admission is also included in the rate.)
Meals for this chart are budgeted at $75 per person per day, broken down as follows: $10 for breakfast, $15 for lunch, $10 for snacks and $40 for dinner. These meal costs are conservative and may be higher in some island destinations! Cruises provide a great variety of choices all with consistently high quality cuisine; and it's included in your cruise fare.
Gambling is offered on cruise ships and in Las Vegas, but this is not considered a form of entertainment that was included on this chart. Entertainment would include lavish productions, comedy shows, live bands, discos, cover charges, piano bars, karaoke, etc.
Obviously, there are dozens of cruises and hundreds of hotels in these same destinations: some less expensive and some more costly. The seasonality of demand may also affect prices. These cruise and hotel properties were selected because they deliver a comparable experience among one another. The property comparison section of the chart shows how similar they are with respect to facilities and amenities.
Vacation Options | ||||
Property: | Carnival Triumph | Frenchman's Reef | Mandalay Bay | Caribbean Beach |
Company: | Carnival | Marriott | Mandalay | Disney Vacations |
Rating: | ||||
Num Rooms: | 1379 Rooms | 504 Rooms | 3300 Rooms | 2112 Rooms |
Day By Day Vacation Comparison | ||||
Length of Stay: | 7 Nights | 7 Nights | 7 Nights | 7 Nights |
Destination: | Caribbean | Caribbean | Las Vegas, NV | Orlando, FL |
Home Airport: | Miami, FL | St. Thomas | Las Vegas, NV | Orlando, FL |
Room Type: | Oceanview Balcony |
Water View with Balcony |
City View | Standard Accommodation |
Day One | Fly to Miami | Fly to St. Thomas | Fly to Vegas | Fly to Orlando |
Day Two | Fun Day at Sea | St. Thomas | Las Vegas | Magic Kingdom |
Day Three | San Juan | St. Thomas | Las Vegas | Epcot Center |
Day Four | St. Thomas | Still in St. Thomas | Still in Las Vegas | MGM Studios |
Day Five | St. Maarten | Still here | More gambling? | Animal Kingdom |
Day Six | Fun Day at Sea | What's next? | More Vegas? | Water Park |
Day Seven | Relaxing at Sea | What's left? | Viva Las Vegas | Walking Zombie |
Day Eight | Fly Home Refreshed and Rejuvenated | So ready to fly home | I wish I were already home | Fly home to rest and recuperate |
Property and Amenity Comparison | ||||
Num Rooms: | 1379 Rooms | 504 Rooms | 3300 Rooms | 2112 Rooms |
Restaurants: | 4 | 4 | 16 | 1 |
Bars & Lounges: | 11 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
Coffee Shop: | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Snack Bar: | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
24 Hr Dining: | Yes | No | Yes | No |
Nightclub: | Yes | No | Yes | No |
Casino: | Yes | No | Yes | No |
Show Lounge: | Yes | No | Yes | No |
Pools/Hot Tubs: | 11 | 3 | 2 | 8 |
Sauna/Steam: | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Spa/Salon: | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Fitness Facilities: | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Tennis Courts: | No | Yes | No | Yes |
Kids Programs: | Yes | No | No | No |
Baby Sitting: | Yes | No | No | No |
Game Room: | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Tour Desk: | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Shops: | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Room Service: | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Meeting Rooms: | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Rate Comparison | ||||
Property: | Carnival Triumph | Frenchman's Reef | Mandalay Bay | Caribbean Beach |
Company: | Carnival | Marriott | Mandalay | Disney Vacations |
Room Rate: | $860 | $888 | $974 | $929 |
Airfare: | $289 | $462 | $156 | $177 |
Transfers: | $30 | Included | Included | Included |
Baggage Handling: | Included | Included | Included | Included |
Meals/Snacks: | Included | $525 | $525 | $525 |
Entertainment: | Included | $50 | $250 | Included |
Gratuities: | $75 | $140 | $140 | $140 |
Taxes/Fees: | $30 | $53 | $31 | $38 |
Total Per Person: | $1,284 pp | $2,118 pp | $2,076 pp | $1,809 pp |
And you should also know that in addition to being affordable, cruises have a higher percentage of satisfied guests than any other vacation experience. It's difficult to match the fun, adventure, variety, comfort and quality of cruise vacation options. And when you add it all up it's easy to see why a cruise is the best value in the travel industry. Call one of our cruise experts today to plan your best vacation ever!
Notes about this comparison:
- All rates are based on off-peak travel specifically for the weeks of November 6 - 13, 2004. Rates were available as of June 1, 2004 when this page was created. Rates are for this chart comparison only and may be higher or lower based on availability.
- Rates can be higher or lower depending upon the dates of travel, number of people traveling, ship or resort you choose, age, loyal programs, room accommodations, transportation and a number of other factors.
- Airfare rates were provided by Gogo Tours and Orbitz and include airline taxes, fees and service charges.
- Approximate meal charges were estimated based on a daily meal allowance of $75 per person. $10 for Breakfast, $15 for Lunch, $10 for daily snacks, and $40 for dinner. These number are conservative and may be higher or lower depending upon guests individual dining preferences, choice of restaurant, and eating habits.
- Gratuities are based on a 20% service charge on meals and miscellaneous gratuities that are extended to bellmen, sky caps, or others who perform a performance-based service.
- Entertainment costs are based on a comparison to entertainment included on a cruise ship. This includes large productions, comedy shows, live bands, piano bars, cover charges, discos, etc. Disney Caribbean Beach package does include a weeklong pass to Disney World Parks.
- Taxes and government fees are additional and added by the various cruise lines and properties.
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