There are many types of leisure traveling that may appeal to all types of free-spirited Americans. Trips may vary from the physically challenging ecotourism trek to a festive cross-country concert tour. However, no other category quite captures the definition of ‘luxury’ than cruises. In fact, the term luxury is almost always affixed on these seafaring holidays.
Cruise Line’s detailed impression of the data generated by more than 100,000 cruise reviews underscores a couple of interesting facts pertaining to this type of vacation. It is generally understood that first-time cruisers have 10% more satisfactory experience than those who embarked on a voyage more than once.
Curiously, recent analysis suggests that cruising is an industry that has just gotten better than 10 years ago. It only proves that this kind of holiday is unlikely to go out of fashion. In fact, this supposedly ‘luxurious’ trip always finds its way into the hearts of the working class Average Joe each year (more on bargain cruise ship prices later).
Average Cost & Breakdown
So, how much does it cost to go on a cruise? There is no straight and exact answer to this inquiry considering that prices are determined by multiple factors and varying circumstances. Case in point: passenger rates are generally cheaper during the ‘shoulder season’ (between late spring and early autumn). The length of stay also multiplies the total cost of the cruise.
One can estimate the itemization of the total cost per day in line with the rate comparison table presented by Cruise Cheap. Here is how one can analyze the cost breakdown:
Flat Rate Fees:
- Room/Cabin
- Airfare
- Gratuities
- Taxes
Frequently Packaged Fees:
- Transfers
- Baggage
- Handling
- Meals
- Entertainment
Not all luxury line companies have the same regular per day rate, considering that each may have its own unique marketing strategy. However, Cruise Market Watch narrows down the projected cost paid by one passenger per day to anywhere around $222 multiplied by the average cruise duration (7 to 8 days).
From Highest to Lowest of Values
Considering that vacationers pay a couple of hundred dollars for the lavish seafaring experience, most of the cruise line companies have noticed a particular pattern of understanding which aspect creates the greatest or the least impact in their overall holiday investment. Respondents of the reviews presented by Cruise Line underscore the list of quality considerations arranged according to its ordinal value:
- Cabin Condition
- Dining Experience
- Customer Service
- Entertainment
- Ship Layout
- Children’s Perks
- Destination & Embarkation
- Featured Activities
5 Cheapest Mediterranean Cruises in 2017
When it comes to the projected average cost of a cruise ship paid by passenger per day, the expected cost accrued would eventually climb up to around $1,554. Despite this, there is no shortage of promotions and marketing strategies that aim to boost sales by catering to the average wage-earning consumer. These are 5 of the 7 cheapest Mediterranean cruises within the year 2017 featured by Price of Travel:
Royal Caribbean Cruises
7 days: $728 starting price
Ship: Rhapsody of the Seas
Passenger Capacity: 2,040
Itinerary: Venice, Italy – Split, Croatia – Athens, Greece – Katakolon, Greece – Venice, Italy
MSC Cruises
7 nights: $815 starting price
Ship: MSC Armonia
Passenger Capacity: 2,679
Itinerary: Genoa, Italy – Marseille, France – Palma de Mallorca, Spain – Ibiza, Spain – Olbia, Italy – Livorno, Italy – Genoa, Italy
Princess Cruises
7 days: $909 starting price
Ship: Royal Princess
Passenger Capacity: 3,560
Itinerary: Rome, Italy – Sicily, Italy – Kotor, Montenegro – Corfu, Greece – Crete, Greece – Mykonos, Greece – Athens, Greece
Norwegian Cruises
7 nights: $1,049 starting price
Ship: Norwegian Epic
Passenger Capacity: 4,100
Itinerary: Rome, Italy – Livorno, Italy – Cannes, France – Palma, Spain – Barcelona, Spain – Naples, Italy – Rome, Italy
Celebrity Cruises
7 days: $1,169 starting price
Ship: Celebrity Constellation
Passenger Capacity: 2,170
Itinerary: Venice, Italy – Dubrovnik, Croatia – Corfu, Greece – Santorini, Greece – Naples, Italy – Rome, Italy
5 Cheapest Caribbean Cruises in 2017
Being one of the most popular seafaring regions in the world, the Caribbean seems to host a multitude of expensive leisure voyages. However, there are also more than a dozen bargain cruise ship prices that an average American can enjoy with relative ease (in terms of the financial burden). These are 5 of the 14 cheapest Caribbean cruises in 2017 featured by Price of Travel:
Carnival Cruise Lines
7 nights: $414 per person
Ship: Carnival Glory
Passenger Capacity: 2,974
Itinerary: Miami, Florida – Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands – Mahogany Bay, Honduras – Roatan, Honduras – Belize City, Belize – Cozumel, Mexico – Miami, Florida
Norwegian Cruise Line
7 nights: $554 starting price
Ship: Norwegian Epic
Passenger Capacity: 4,100
Itinerary: Port Canaveral, Florida – Cozumel, Mexico – Georgetown, Grand Cayman – Ocho Rios, Jamaica – Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas – Miami, Florida
Holland America Line
7 nights: $589 starting price
Ship: Holland America
Passenger Capacity: 2,000
Itinerary: Fort Lauderdale, Florida – Grand Turk Island, Turks and Caicos – San Juan, Puerto Rico – St. Thomas, Virgin Islands – Half Moon Cay, Bahamas – Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Royal Caribbean International
7 nights: $635 starting price
Ship: Rhapsody of the Seas
Passenger Capacity: 2,040
Itinerary: Tampa, Florida – Roatan, Honduras – Belize City, Belize – Costa Maya, Mexico – Cozumel, Mexico – Tampa, Florida
MSC Cruises
7 nights: $649 starting price
Ship: MSC Divina
Passenger Capacity: 4,345
Itinerary: Miami, Florida – Ocho Rios, Jamaica – Georgetown, Cayman Islands – Cozumel, Mexico – Nassau, Bahamas – Miami, Florida
All About Cruise Insurance
Apart from finding liners that offer a much lower rate than the average cost of a cruise ship, another key advantage travelers might think of availing is the cruise insurance. At face value, it may seem illogical to add 5% to 7% more on top of the exact fee covering the entire duration. According to Cruzely, the traveler’s age usually affects how much an insurance fee would cost.
However, the cruise insurance safeguards the prospective travelers from any circumstances that will accrue a huge contingency cost. These are the following incidents that require a significant fiscal relief:
- Valid trip cancellation
- Voyage interruption
- Emergency medical
- Emergency evacuation
- Lost/Stolen Luggage
- Preexisting condition coverage
So, how much does it cost to go on a cruise if travel insurance is included? One may argue that it is the only thing that can to save any traveler from ‘catastrophe.’