How much more will it cost?

First of all - does the price include all taxes? Do you have to fly to the departure port? On board ship it all depends on your life style. If you like to have cocktails, beer, wine etc - they are all very expensive. Some people spend more on their bar bill than on the cruise itself and that is a fact. Tips are at least $10/day. If you are going to take tours while in port you have to allow for that. So before your question can be answered you have to consider all of those things. If you live by the port, don't drink and don't take tours the only extras would be the tips. All meals are included but sodas and bottled water are extra.

Usually cruise lines advertise cruise rate including port charge, per person. Cruise rate usually is round to 0 number, and port charge ends with 9 (not always but typically). So your $599 might be for example, $400 cruise rate + $199 port charge. Add government tax several dozen of $, and fuel surcharge, which now runs around $10 a day p.p. But after all, why guess? Ask TA or cruise line to price it all the way.

My experience has been the $599 price does not include port tax. We are looking at a Carnival for $599 and port tax is another $289.

As for add ons above that it would be whatever you want to spend. You can eat for free, do not gamble, and don't drink then you are going to get by pretty cheap.

Tips are usually around $15 per day and most ships are now adding them directly to your bill at the end of the cruise. If you want to give more or less then you have to go tell them. Nothing says you can't slip somebody some cash at anytime.

I usually give the cabin steward $20-$40 the second day as it pays off over the time.

Alcohol can be expensive to say the least. A beer can be triple what you would pay on land. Sometimes you can get the drink special of the day at a reasonable price.

If you drink soft drinks you can sometimes get a "all trip" pass for soft drinks. You pay a fee up front and they put a sticker on your room key so you can get unlimited refills of soda. It usually doesn't apply for dining rooms, only deck bars.

Sorry James, I am almost sure you're wrong and your Carnival rate $599 does include port charge. You might be confusing port charges with government tax. But another $289 looks somewhat high. If you want to let me know what cruise it is, I can check what the total price should be.

Author: jamesr3939
Date: 06/29/2008, 06:40 pm
Tips are usually around $15 per day

$15 if you have a suite. If a regular cabin (inside or window) $10.50 per person per day on Princess, $9.75 on RCCL.

I agree with SPURS. We've been on 50+ cruises over the last 20+ years and have NEVER had to pay port taxes- they have always been included in our cruise fare. But now you must also pay for gov. taxes ($50-to, maybe, $75), tips ($10 a day per person), and the new fuel surchage. These are ADDED to your final bill.
We don't do ship tours any more,we take tours on our own or find good beaches and snorkling, etc. seldom have alcohol, never get spa services. I tell 1st timers to sit down when they get their bill last morning so they don't fall over when they see how high it is! But budget while on your cruise and you won't fall over when you get that last bill! And recently I've seen cruises for $399, 7 days - even saw one, may have been Carnival, for $349.

Taxes and fuel added to the final bill? Not according to my bill on Princess on June 16!

On our final bill we had cabin credit, tips, our tour, my purchases and alcohol. That's it.

I am looking at the January 15th Carnival Spirit out of San Diego for eight nights. The inside cabin is $539 and balcony is $779. Port tax and charges are $289 on top of that.

I can't recall ever seeing a cruise only fare ending in 000. I seems they are all X999 or some odd number and then you must add the taxes to that.

Looking at www.vacationstogo.com I don't see any cruise fares ending in even amounts. Sort of like buying gas.

One way or the other you are paying the port taxes. I have always paid them up front and never on my bill at the end of the trip.

Only thing I ever see on my final bill is my bar tab. OK, maybe I should trade that for the port tax.

Here is the direct stuff off the Carnival www site.

Fuel supplement additional $9 per guest, per day based on double occupancy; additional $4 per guest, per day for third, fourth and fifth guests.
* Rates (U.S. dollars) are per person, based on double occupancy. Government fees/taxes and optional air transportation are additional for all guests. Rates are subject to availability and may change without prior notice. Restrictions apply.

It would appear government/port taxes are not included in the cabin price.