Cheap Cruises, Explained
A low fare is great value when it buys what you care about.
Get Free Budget Cruise QuotesCheap cruises are a real product, not a trick. But a cheap cruise is good value only when the parts you pay for are the parts you care about. Here is what the low fare buys, what it does not, and how a budget line compares with a premium one.
What the Low Fare Buys
- Your cabin for every night, cleaned daily.
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner in the main dining room and buffet, plus snacks such as pizza and soft-serve.
- Pools, hot tubs, many waterslides and sports courts, and the fitness center.
- Evening shows, live music, trivia and deck parties.
- Kids’ and teen clubs for set age groups on family-oriented ships.
- Transport between ports — the itinerary itself.
Budget Line or Premium Line?
| Budget lines | Premium lines | |
|---|---|---|
| Ship size | Usually very large | Large to mid-size |
| Atmosphere | Lively, family-friendly, busy | Calmer, more adults |
| Dining | Good main dining; many extra-charge options | More refined main dining; fewer surcharges |
| Extras | Most drinks, Wi-Fi and tips extra | Often bundled into the fare |
| Itineraries | Short Caribbean, Bahamas and Mexico | Longer and more varied |
Neither column is better; they suit different travelers. If your group is lively, loves the pool and drinks little, a budget line is hard to beat. If you would order cocktails every evening and dine in specialty restaurants, price a premium line with drinks included before deciding. Our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise can run both totals.
Planning ports on a short cheap cruise? Caribbean Cruise Ports covers what to do ashore in Nassau, Cozumel, Key West and the rest of the Caribbean.
Where Cheap Cruises Cluster
The lowest fares tend to gather around short sailings from drive-to ports, weeks outside school holidays, and early fall. Sailing close to departure can work too — Last Minute Cruising covers late bookings — and live sale fares are on Cruising for Less.
Cheap Cruise Questions
Are cheap cruises safe?
A cheap fare on a major line is the same ship, crew and safety standards as an expensive fare on that ship. What is cheap is the cabin location, the date or the length of the sailing.
Why is a cheap cruise sometimes expensive in the end?
Because extras add up: gratuities per person per day, drinks, Wi-Fi, specialty dining and excursions. Set a daily budget for extras before you sail.
Extras Worth Paying For on a Budget Line
Not every extra is a waste. Travelers on cheap cruises most often say a few were worth it: one specialty dinner for a celebration, a Wi-Fi plan for the one person who must stay reachable, and a well-chosen shore excursion in a port that is hard to explore alone. The extras that most often disappoint are the ones bought by habit — a drinks package for a light drinker, or a tour in a port you could walk.
Get a Cheap Cruise That Fits You
Tell our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise what matters to you, and we will find the lowest fare that still delivers it.
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