Are cruises good value? It’s a question we hear a lot, particularly from people who have never cruised before.
At first glance, a cruise holiday can sometimes appear more expensive than a traditional package holiday. But comparing the headline price alone doesn’t tell the whole story.
When you look at what’s included in a cruise holiday, the number of destinations you can visit, the quality and variety of food, entertainment, accommodation and the convenience of having your hotel travel with you, cruising can offer exceptional value for money.
We’ve only personally cruised with Royal Caribbean, so our own experiences come from Royal Caribbean ships. However, we believe many of the benefits we’ve discovered apply across much of the cruise industry, although exactly what’s included, the dining options and onboard experience will vary between cruise lines and ships.
So, if you’re considering your first cruise, here’s why we think cruising deserves a serious look.
Why are cruises good value?
One of the biggest advantages of a cruise is that so many parts of your holiday can be brought together in one place.
Depending on your cruise fare and cruise line, your holiday can include your accommodation, transportation between destinations, a wide choice of dining, entertainment and access to a huge range of onboard facilities.
Compare that with a traditional holiday, where you may be paying separately for your hotel, transport, meals, entertainment, activities and getting around.
That’s why, when comparing a cruise vs a traditional holiday, we think it’s important to look beyond the initial price.
The real question isn’t:
“Which holiday is cheapest?”
It’s:
“What am I actually getting for my money?”
And that’s where cruising can become very interesting.
One cruise can take you to multiple destinations
For us, this is one of the biggest reasons cruises offer such fantastic value.
Imagine waking up somewhere different throughout your holiday.
One morning you could be exploring Barcelona. The next, you’re wandering through a beautiful Italian port. Another day could see you discovering somewhere in France, Spain or Greece.
And then you return to your ship.
Your suitcase is still unpacked.
Your cabin is still waiting for you.
Your restaurants, entertainment and swimming pool are still there.
The hotel comes with you.
That’s one of the things we love most about cruising.
You aren’t simply visiting one destination.
You could experience several countries, cities and towns during one holiday.
A traditional touring holiday can involve packing and unpacking, checking into different hotels, arranging transfers and working out how you’re going to get from one destination to the next.
With a cruise, you can simply wake up somewhere new.
And there’s something genuinely exciting about going to sleep knowing that tomorrow you’ll be somewhere completely different.
For a first-time cruiser, that sense of adventure can be one of the biggest attractions.
Cruise holidays can offer an incredible choice of food
One of the things that surprised us most about cruising was the quality and variety of the food.
Based on our Royal Caribbean experience, we’ve found the food offering to be dramatically better than many people might expect from a holiday where so much dining is included.
And we’re not talking about eating the same buffet every day.
Depending on the Royal Caribbean ship, you can have a huge range of dining choices.
Buffet dining
Fancy keeping things casual?
Head to the buffet.
It’s ideal when you want plenty of choice, a relaxed atmosphere or simply want to grab something to eat without making a big occasion of it.
Main dining
Want something a little more traditional?
Enjoy the main dining room, with waiter service and a proper menu.
It can feel much more like going out for an evening meal than simply eating in a hotel restaurant.
Pizza and casual food
Fancy pizza?
There’s pizza.
And some Royal Caribbean ships take the casual food options even further, with additional snack venues offering choices such as fish and chips or Mexican food, depending on the ship.
Speciality restaurants
Want to make an evening of it?
Choose from speciality restaurants, with different cuisines and dining experiences available depending on the ship.
Some speciality restaurants carry an additional charge, so it’s important to check what’s included with your particular cruise fare.
And that’s before you even get to the snacks and other food available throughout the day.
For us, that’s a huge part of the value.
You’re not simply getting “food included.”
You’re getting choice and variety.
You can have a relaxed breakfast, grab something quick for lunch, enjoy a proper dinner in the evening and then decide you fancy pizza or a snack later.
Compared with a traditional holiday where you could be paying separately for breakfast, lunch and dinner, this can make a significant difference to the overall cost of your holiday.
What about drinks on a cruise?
This is one area where our own experience is very much about what works for us.
We always choose a premium drinks package when we cruise.
We’re big drinkers when we’re on holiday, so for us, it’s definitely worth the cost.
We like knowing that we can enjoy a drink without constantly thinking about the price of each one, and it gives us the flexibility to enjoy a wider range of drinks throughout the day and evening.
However, we wouldn’t automatically recommend a premium drinks package to everyone.
If you’re not a big drinker, you may find that a drinks package doesn’t represent good value for you.
Our advice is simple:
Do the maths before you book.
Think about how many drinks you would realistically have each day, what types of drinks you enjoy and whether the package includes the drinks you would normally choose.
The same principle applies to cruising generally:
Don’t pay for extras just because they’re available. Pay for the things you’ll actually use.
For us, the premium drinks package works brilliantly.
For someone else, paying for drinks individually may be the better option.
Cruise entertainment can add even more value
Another reason we think cruises can offer excellent value is the sheer amount of entertainment and activities available onboard.
On our Royal Caribbean cruises, we’ve been amazed by the range of things to do.
Depending on the ship, you might find theatres, live performances, music, swimming pools, fitness facilities, activities, children’s clubs, sports, games and plenty more.
This is where cruising can feel very different from a traditional hotel holiday.
You can spend the morning exploring a new destination, return to the ship, have lunch, relax by the pool, get changed for the evening, enjoy a show and then have dinner — all without having to leave your floating hotel.
There’s always something happening.
Or, if you’d rather relax, you can find a quiet spot and do absolutely nothing.
The excitement of waking up somewhere new
There is something genuinely exciting about opening the curtains in the morning and discovering where you are.
You’re not just going on holiday to one destination.
You’re potentially experiencing several.
You might start your cruise thinking you’re going to love one particular country, only to discover another destination completely surprises you.
That’s one of the great things about cruising.
It gives you the opportunity to get a taste of lots of places.
You can spend the day exploring a town, city or island and decide whether it’s somewhere you’d like to return to for a longer holiday in the future.
It’s almost a holiday and a taster tour rolled into one.
One day you’re exploring a historic European city.
The next, you’re sitting on your balcony looking out over a completely different coastline.
How many traditional holidays give you that?
Cruise vs traditional holiday: which offers better value?
This is where we think people sometimes make the wrong comparison.
It’s easy to compare:
£X for a cruise vs £X for a hotel.
But that’s not really a fair comparison.
Instead, look at the total holiday experience.
A cruise can include:
-
- Your accommodation
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- Transport between multiple destinations
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- A wide choice of dining
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- Entertainment
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- Swimming pools and onboard facilities
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- Activities
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- Access to multiple destinations
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- Your own cabin throughout the trip
With a traditional holiday, many of these costs can be separate.
You might pay for your hotel, flights, transfers, meals, taxis, car hire, entertainment and activities individually.
That doesn’t mean a traditional holiday isn’t good value.
It simply means you need to compare the complete holiday cost and experience, rather than the headline price.
Are cruises expensive?
They can be.
Just like hotels, flights and package holidays, cruise prices vary enormously.
The cruise line, ship, itinerary, cabin, travel date and what’s included can all make a significant difference.
There can also be additional costs such as excursions, drinks packages, speciality dining, gratuities and other onboard purchases.
That’s why we always recommend looking at the total cost of a cruise, rather than simply choosing the cheapest cruise fare.
A cheap cruise isn’t necessarily the best-value cruise.
The best cruise for you is the one where the itinerary, ship, cabin and inclusions match the way you actually want to holiday.
Cruising can mean less holiday hassle
This is perhaps one of the biggest advantages that isn’t immediately obvious when you’re comparing holidays.
Once you’re onboard, you don’t have to think too much about logistics.
Your ship takes you to the next destination.
Your cabin stays with you.
You don’t have to pack every morning.
You don’t have to find another hotel.
You don’t have to work out how you’re getting from one city to the next.
You can simply enjoy the journey.
And isn’t that what a holiday should be about?
Cruises from Southampton can make things even easier
If you’re considering a cruise from Southampton, the convenience can start before you’ve even stepped on the ship.
One of the things we love about departing from Southampton is just how straightforward the whole process can be.
You can book parking directly outside or close to the cruise terminal, drive to the port and pull up close to the terminal.
Open your boot, take out your luggage and hand your bags over.
Someone takes your luggage to the ship for you.
No dragging heavy suitcases through an airport.
No worrying about getting your luggage onto a train.
No airport transfer at the other end.
You simply head into the terminal, go through security, complete the boarding process and make your way onto the ship.
There is usually one important job left before you can completely switch off: your muster station.
Once you’ve completed your muster requirements, that’s it.
You’ve arrived.
You’ve boarded.
Your holiday has started.
Your room may not be ready immediately, but that doesn’t mean you have to sit around waiting.
Grab a drink, explore the ship, find something to eat and start getting into holiday mode while the crew gets everything ready for you.
And if you’re anything like us, there’s only one thing left to do:
Find the bar, order a drink and relax.
For a first-time cruiser, this is one of those things that can sound complicated beforehand but is actually remarkably simple once you experience it.
Compared with flying, it can feel wonderfully stress-free.
You can literally drive to Southampton, hand over your bags and start your holiday.
That’s another part of the value that can be easy to overlook when comparing a cruise with a traditional holiday.
Is cruising suitable for first-time cruisers?
Absolutely.
If you’ve never cruised before, it’s completely normal to have questions.
What is the ship really like?
What happens when you arrive?
What do you eat?
What is included?
Will you feel seasick?
What do you do all day?
And perhaps most importantly:
Will I actually enjoy cruising?
There isn’t one answer for everyone.
But if you love exploring, trying different foods, experiencing new places and having plenty of choice, cruising could be a fantastic option.
Modern cruise ships can offer an enormous range of entertainment and activities for couples, families, groups of friends and solo travellers.
Are cruises worth it? Our verdict
We’ve only personally experienced cruising with Royal Caribbean, so we can only speak directly from that experience.
But it has completely changed the way we look at holidays.
For us, the combination of multiple destinations, an incredible choice and quality of food, entertainment, convenience and the sheer excitement of waking up somewhere new makes cruising incredibly difficult to beat on value.
Is it always the cheapest holiday?
No.
Is it always the right holiday?
Absolutely not.
But when you ask “What am I actually getting for my money?”, a cruise can suddenly look like an exceptional deal.
You’re not just booking a hotel room.
You’re booking a holiday where your hotel travels with you, where you can experience several countries or towns in one trip, where you can choose between a buffet, main dining, pizza, speciality restaurants and casual food options depending on your ship — and where tomorrow can bring an entirely new adventure.
And for us, the food alone has been a revelation. The choice, quality and variety available onboard can make a cruise feel much more like a premium dining experience than many people might imagine when they hear that meals are included.
Add in the entertainment, the destinations, the convenience and the fact that you unpack once — and suddenly that cruise price starts to look very different.
Then add the ease of departing from Southampton, where you can park, hand over your luggage, walk through security, complete your muster and be sitting at the bar enjoying your first holiday drink while the crew prepares your room.
That’s a pretty good way to start a holiday.
So, if you’ve never cruised before, perhaps it’s time to find out what all the fuss is about.
Your first cruise could be the start of a very different way of holidaying.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cruise Holidays
Are cruises good value for money?
They can be, particularly when you consider everything included in the cruise fare. Accommodation, transportation between destinations, dining and entertainment can all form part of the experience. However, what’s included varies by cruise line, ship and fare, so it’s important to compare the complete holiday cost.
Is a cruise cheaper than a traditional holiday?
Not necessarily. A cruise isn’t always cheaper than a traditional holiday, but it can offer excellent value because several elements of the holiday are combined into one experience. Comparing the total cost rather than just the hotel or cruise price gives you a much better idea of value.
Are cruises worth it for first-time cruisers?
Absolutely. Cruising can be particularly appealing to first-time cruisers because you can experience multiple destinations without repeatedly packing and changing hotels. Your ship provides your accommodation, dining and entertainment while taking you to your next destination.
What food is included on a cruise?
This varies by cruise line and ship. On our Royal Caribbean cruises, we’ve enjoyed a wide range of included dining options, including buffet dining, main dining and pizza, with some ships also offering additional casual food venues. Speciality restaurants may carry an additional charge.
Is a cruise drinks package worth it?
It depends on how much you drink. We personally choose a premium drinks package because we’re big drinkers on holiday and find it worthwhile. If you’re not a big drinker, paying for a drinks package may not offer the same value. It’s worth doing the maths before booking.
Are cruises from Southampton convenient?
We think so. Southampton offers a convenient departure point for many UK travellers. You can drive to the port, arrange parking, hand over your luggage, complete security and boarding procedures and start enjoying the ship without having to take a flight first.
Thinking about your first cruise?
If you’re wondering whether a cruise could offer better value than a traditional holiday, Tom & Maria Travel can help you find out.
We don’t believe in simply finding you the cheapest cruise and sending you on your way. We want to understand how you like to holiday — the destinations you want to visit, the food and drinks you enjoy, the type of ship you’d love, how much time you want to spend exploring and how much you value the extras.
Because the best-value cruise isn’t necessarily the cheapest cruise.
It’s the one where you get the most from your holiday budget.
We’ve experienced cruising ourselves with Royal Caribbean, so we can share our own experiences and help take away some of the uncertainty that comes with booking your first cruise.
Whether you’re dreaming of exploring the Mediterranean, island hopping in the Caribbean, discovering Northern Europe or simply fancy trying something completely different, we’ll help you compare the options and find a cruise that suits you.
And if you’re considering cruising from Southampton, we can also help you understand the different ships, itineraries, cabins, packages and what’s included, so you know exactly what you’re booking.
Ready to see what your first cruise could look like?
Get in touch with Tom & Maria Travel today and let us help you turn the idea of a cruise into your next holiday.
One ship. Multiple destinations. Incredible experiences. One unforgettable holiday.
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Tom & Maria Travel, an Independent Travel Consultant with Jamie Wake Travel.
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