Travel with Perks · points and perks math
The true cost of a cruise
The fare you see is rarely the fare you pay. Gratuities, Wi-Fi, and shore excursions land on top, and once you fold those back in, the cheapest cruise on paper is often not the cheapest cruise. Tell me what you are considering and I will rank every line by what it really costs per night.
Tell me about the trip
A couple of quick choices. You can change them after you see the results.
Every line, ranked
Example fares are rough 2026 placeholders for illustration, not live quotes or offers. Inclusion profiles reflect typical base fares and shift by promotion, season, and ship. The true cost figure counts whichever extras you switch on above and assumes one paid excursion per port day. Provided as a planning aid, not financial advice.
- True cost adds the cash value of what is not included to the fare, then divides by night.
- You choose which extras to fold in with the boxes above the rankings. Each is added only where a line does not already include it: gratuities at $20 a night, Wi-Fi at $25 a night, drinks at $85 a night, shore excursions at $150 a port day, and specialty dining at $150 for the trip (three dinners at $50, the same whatever the length). Alaska excursions often run higher, so treat that one as a floor.
- Gratuities, Wi-Fi, and excursions start switched on; drinks and specialty dining start off, since both are optional. Counting an extra is the fair way to compare a line that bundles it against one that charges for it.
- Preloaded fares are priced at a balcony cabin, a common mid-tier choice. To weigh other cabin types, use the build your own option.
- Partial inclusions count as half. Coffee and soda are noted on the source data but do not move the number.
- Fares are estimated starting points scaled to your trip length, not live quotes. Your real number depends on sailing date, ship, and current promotions.
Let's book the right one for you
These numbers are starting estimates, not your actual quote, so let's figure out the right cruise for you. I book cruises at no added cost to you, with perks you will not get booking direct: cabin guidance, onboard credit where it is available, and price monitoring after you book. Bring me the line you are leaning toward and I will pull your real numbers and handle the rest.
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