How much does a sea cruise cost? How to get a lot and pay a little

Let's find out what is included in the cruise price and how much you can estimate all these components. I am telling you how much our sea cruise cost.

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Quite recently I have fulfilled my old dream and made a voyage from Europe to America. I spent 16 beautiful days cruising the Mediterranean Sea and the endless blue waters of the Atlantic on the Costa Favolosa liner.

I really enjoyed the cruise. Even on board, I became terribly curious to calculate how much the services that the cruise company provides to tourists cost. I decided to evaluate them, and then compare this amount with the cost of our cruise. I will count by average European standards, since the Costa cruise company is from Italy.

So, I would estimate all the components of the cost of a sea cruise as follows (prices for two people).

Accommodation - 50 €

A room without a window, but completely comfortable, thought out in detail, clean. There is a safe, desk, hairdryer, TV, animation, access to the pool, fitness room, sauna and jacuzzi, but no free internet. This is roughly the level of 4 stars in Europe.

Breakfast - 20 €

The variety is huge! Everyone will make breakfast according to their taste and appetite: if you want it - porridge or yogurt, if you want - meat, bacon or fish, if you want - sweets, cheese or fruit. 10 € per one for such a breakfast is even a little by European standards, but let it be so much, still rarely anyone spends more on it.

Lunch - 30 €

Again, a large selection of food, all delicious and of high quality. In Europe, there are “eat-as-you-can” buffets for 9-12 €, but there is more variety on the liner, so these dinners cannot be estimated less than 15 € per person.

Dinner - 70 €

For dinner, cruisers mainly go to a restaurant. I have already sung an ode to him earlier in another post. Let me remind you that on the Costa liners every evening they prepare dishes from one of the regions of Italy - everything is incredibly tasty. You will be served an appetizer, first, second and dessert, and you can order each item more than once. Drinks for dinner are paid: either a liter of mineral water for 3 €, or a bottle of wine from 20 €, but if you wish, you can do without them. The level of service in the restaurant is also high - you feel, if not a count, then at least a bourgeois. We have not been to such restaurants on land, so it is difficult for me to accurately estimate dinner in terms of money, but let it be 35 € (10 € for an appetizer, the first, second and 5 € for a dessert) - no less.

Theater - 20 €

Every evening there are concerts: acrobats, ventriloquists, singers, clowns, dancers perform. Let's estimate the entrance fee to these shows at 10 € per person.

Transfer to the desired country - 500 €

Specifically, our cruise is not a circular one: we boarded in Italy, but got off in the Dominican Republic. We took advantage of this situation with pleasure and after the cruise began our trip to the Caribbean islands. In fact, a cruise is our transport to the Caribbean from Europe, it deprived us of the need to buy air tickets, which, you know, are expensive. The cheapest tickets we would buy for 18,000 rubles, or 250 €, for one, so let's include another 500 € in our calculations of the cost of a sea cruise.

Bonus: new cities and countries

Another cool bonus that cannot be converted into money, but worth mentioning, is visiting many cities and islands on a sea cruise. An interesting and enjoyable experience. And you would hardly have visited these places without a cruise.

Paid drinks

There is only one position on which the cruise is unprofitable - drinks. Wine, cocktails, espresso and other delights are more expensive than in shops on land, but not more expensive than in the most ordinary cafe or bar. A glass of wine or cocktail - from 5 €, a bottle of wine - from 20 €, and so on. Although, taking into account the latter, there is no disadvantage and discrimination here, the prices are fair, because the company could break them, be healthy. So we will not count this as a minus.

Calculating the cost of a cruise

Now let's count everything!

Per 16 days I estimated the cost of housing, food and entertainment at 3040 € for two! Wow, this figure has already turned my head, and we still have to add 500 € here for a transfer to the Caribbean. In total, from the cruise, we received a set of services for a serious amount 3540€, or 251,000 rubles... Blessed Virgin Mary, a quarter of a million! Thank God, we paid off with a much smaller amount.

The cost of our sea cruise

How much did we pay for our 16 days Costa Favolosa transatlantic cruise for two?

• 67,400 rubles were given to the travel agency. Our cruise cost 898 €, but taking into account the unprofitable currency conversion at their rate, it turned out 950€.
• 320€ - tip, which is obligatory and is debited from your card daily at 10 € per person.
• Yet 150€ we spent on 7 bottles of wine, this is an additional option, we will not count it.
• We had visas, medical insurance, too, so zero spending.

Also on the liner, I caught a cold and spent a visit to the doctor, medications and Internet access to contact my insurance. All these expenses were compensated for by the policy - I have it free from Tinkoff.

Total our cruise was worth 1270€, or 90,000 rubles for two. It turns out that we paid for it almost three times less than we received from it benefits. I think this is an extremely lucrative deal. Do you agree?

I know two reliable and convenient cruise buying services: Mcruises.ru and Dreamlines - both allow you to find sea cruises of any price. I bought my tour on the first site.