That first day on a cruise ship can feel like you’re in a pinball game. Massive decks, wide-ranging amenities, and overloaded activities can leave you reeling. Should you go here or there? Is that activity going to fill up soon or can you wait to book? Do you need a reservation for that à la carte restaurant? These questions can be especially tough to answer when they come with an added surcharge.
In many cases, the extra offerings onboard a cruise ship can be well worth it, from a gourmet meal to a luxe massage. But after cruising for the last 18 years, I’ve also learned the hard way that others are just expensive, tacky, or vastly overrated.
Consider this your cheat sheet about what to skip ahead of your next sailing, so you can save precious time and money and avoid costly mistakes.
In this article
Portraits
Whether sailing on a short or long cruise, nearly all host a formal night where passengers are invited to don their finest apparel. And how better to mark the occasion than with a photo?
However, that doesn’t mean you need to fork over funds to buy a formal portrait to hang above the fireplace mantel. Unless a photo package comes included with your booking (that’s the only reason I own any cruise portraits), you’re better off steering clear of the professional photographers who roam the ship like sharks.
Packages are not cheap. Carnival Cruise Line’s ProPortraits package of 30 photos taken on-board costs a whopping $350. And often, they pose you in front of a cheesy fake screen rather than the sunset happening outside.
Instead, ask a friend, a fellow passenger, or your waiter to snap a pic for something far more authentic, and totally free.
Raffles, Promotions, Giveaways, and Coupons
Every day, a ship’s daily calendar will come loaded with things to do. And some go beyond organized games or activities to include raffles, promotions, and giveaways that can be particularly tempting.
Often hosted in the onboard art gallery, spa, or jewelry shop, these events offer the chance to win items that would otherwise be out of reach in price, like a diamond tennis bracelet or a fancy spa treatment.
But the chance of winning is slim. And usually, the drawing doesn’t even happen until after the completion of a lengthy sales presentation, wasting time, and likely without anything to show for it.
Organized Shore Excursions
While some travelers swear by only booking official shore excursions through the cruise line, I think it's usually a mistake.
You’re largely paying for convenience, which always costs more, for something you could easily do on your own.
For example, why pay $119 per person for Norwegian Cruise Line’s walking tour of Old San Juan in Puerto Rico? You could hire a taxi and follow a map of the atmospheric city yourself for far cheaper.
I’m the type of cruiser who feels like an animal in a cage if I book only guided group tours. I need time to independently explore. And you can’t put a price on that.
Medical Center Visits
As much as we try to avoid it, getting sick onboard a cruise is something that can happen whether you like it or not.
Ships often include a medical center, but unless your illness is an emergency, avoiding it will save you money.
The medical center won’t just dispense over-the-counter aspirin or a decongestant. Instead, they first charge for an exam and tests. With limited hours and high fees, even a Covid or flu test is cheaper while in port, even after you factor in a taxi ride to a pharmacy, doctor’s office, or hospital.
I’ve unfortunately been to a cruise medical center twice, on two separate cruise lines. Once was for a fellow passenger’s true emergency and the other time, I was charged $500 to be tested for Covid, the flu, and RSV, only to be diagnosed with a common cold and sent off with over-the-counter drugs valued at no more than $25.
Casino Gambling
Many large cruise ships include a flashy casino complete with table games and slots. It can seem fun to get in on the action, but I think it’s a huge waste of money.
During a shore excursion in Saint Lucia, I sat next to a woman cruising for “free” because her friend “won” the cruise gambling in the casino on a prior cruise. I smiled, but inside, I knew the truth: that’s not technically a free trip unless her friend played with someone else’s money.
In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if the friend spent $5,000 in the casino before collecting her winnings—maybe even more. You should think of the casino as entertainment, not a pathway to wealth, and definitely cut yourself off early after a few slots or table games. Otherwise, you just spent the equivalent of your next cruise in the hopes of winning one.
Art Auctions
I place museums on the top of my must-do activity list whenever and wherever I’m traveling. So you might think an art lover such as myself would love the thrill of taking part in a real-life art auction.
Well, on a cruise ship, you couldn’t be more wrong.
Cruise ship art auctions are exceptionally pricey, which I learned when I attended my first one about 10 years ago. While on a Caribbean cruise, I was handed a flute of sparkling wine and admired the works with prices listed into the thousands. Even with a $100-off coupon, this is a value I can’t ever justify. You can safely skip these.
The Shortcut
The ship photographers work formal night hard, and your waiter will take a better picture for nothing.
Nobody at the onboard medical center hands over an aspirin until the exam has been billed.
Those art gallery and spa raffles come with a sales presentation you have to sit through first.
