About “All Inclusive Cruises”

Looking for that great vacation where you only have to pay once, and then sit back and enjoy the rest of your time? Imagine combining that with only having to pack and unpack once and enjoying several fantastic destinations all without the hassle of packing and unpacking your suitcases again.

Welcome to the world of “All Inclusive Cruises”.

We need to break this topic into to very different offering groups. The first is the Ultimate All Inclusive Cruise Deal where everything from dining to drinks and even your shore excursions and air fare are all included in one all-inclusive price. This type of cruise is often associated with the luxury cruise lines as the costs for these voyages is rather substantial.

Then there is the latest offerings from companies like Holland America, Princess Cruises and Celebrity Cruises. These may not be as inclusive as the luxury cruises above but they are very much in the all inclusive category and we will explain our reasons for saying this in the context to follow.

With only a few exceptions, once you set foot on the deck of any of the ships operated by the current major cruise lines, your need for cash has totally ended. They have adopted a service called cashless cruising that takes care of the little things that are extra should you decide to enjoy any of them. This card, usually associated with your room key, allows you to pay, at your convenience, all your services and purchases throughout the cruise.

Here are some of the most common extras that are not included in your cruise fares.

• Tips / Gratuities - Makes onboard tipping a thing of the past. I love it.
• Alcoholic Beverages - If you don't drink, you don't pay. I like this one too.
• Soda Pop - Most offer some kind of program to purchase punch cards or like with Carnival Cruises their "Unlimited Soda Program" which will allow you unlimited soft drinks for the duration of the cruise at a one-time purchase price (including gratuities).
• Spa Treatments, Massage Therapists.
• Shore Excursions; ie. Cruise Tours.
• Onboard Store Purchases, Souvenirs, Etc.

What is included in the cost of an All Inclusive Cruise?

The World's Most Popular Cruise Destination; Caribbean Cruises!

All inclusive cruises are available in a number of forms for the 2010 cruise season.