How much is the hidden cost of the cruise travel?

My wife and I lives in Houston and we plan to take a cruise travel this January. We plan to use Carnival at Galvaston. We are just wondering how much will the cruise travel cost besides the price on the website? For example, how much does the following cost for a 5-day cruise trip?



1. Parking

2. Food and wine

3. Tip

4. Internet

5. EntertainmentHow much is the hidden cost of the cruise travel?I didn't park in Galveston, so I can't answer #1

For #2, most food is included in the cruise fare; there are specialty restaurants on board some ships, and those have an extra charge of anywhere from $15 to $30 per person (it's a flat charge). Wine is a lot more expensive than if you buy the bottle at your local liquor or wine shop, but the charges (either by the bottle or by the glass) are actually quite similar to those in a lot of land-based bars and restaurants.

Tips - on Carnival there is a "standard" gratuity billed to your cabin; it's about $10 per person per day, and it covers your cabin attendant and your dining room staff. If you buy drinks at the bar, a 15% tip is added to every bill.

Internet - expensive. Think $0.50 or more per minute. They do sell packages that bring the price down somewhat, but it's still expensive. If you really feel the need to get on the internet while on your vacation, you may want to consider popping into internet cafes in the ports of call, they're much cheaper.

Entertainment - the shows in the theatre and lounges are free. Stuff like bingo you have to pay for. I've been on a number of cruises and one session of bingo was all I paid for in the way of entertainment (and that's because my mom wanted to go do bingo). And I had a blast! If by entertainment you mean excursions in the ports, those have a varying range of prices. Excursions sold by the ship tend to be more expensive than those you arrange on your own, but offer a greater sense of security in terms of reputable agencies and getting back to the ship on time.



Are you sailing the Carnival Ecstasy? I sailed her in September 08 - got back into Galveston just ahead of Hurricane Ike, and ended up staying in Houston during Ike because the airports closed that Friday before my scheduled flight could get me home. It was a great cruise!!How much is the hidden cost of the cruise travel?Entertainment should mostly be free on a cruise ship, apart for obvious things like casino gambling. Tips are usually set at around $7.50 per day, but this depends on the provider you choose. Tips are often automatically added to your on-board account but you can usually choose to lower or forgo this process. There should be an abundance of food options for each meal included in your fare, although the more upmarket places like bars and grills (fine steak, seafood etc) may have a charge. If you are really looking to save money on your carnival cruise, maybe try checking out some deals on a site like http://www.expedia.com/ good luck and enjoy your trip!How much is the hidden cost of the cruise travel?Parking? only you will know where you're going to park if you even park. Try having friends drop you off.



Food is included on the cruise. Unless you go to one of the name brand restraunts, there is no cost.

Internet access is per use in their internet cafe. So if you can go 5 days without internet there's no cost.

Entertainment is also free on board.



Tipping is recommended totalling about $10/day/person so for you that would be about $100. Realize that is for your room steward, waitstaff, etc.How much is the hidden cost of the cruise travel?
Usually the extras are in the upgrades that are offered. Sometimes you can be shown a better cabin that has a balcony, for example or a bigger cabin for more money.

Otherwise, you will spend money on spa treatments, alcoholic drinks, or onboard gambling. Most ships have a casino and you have to walk through most of them just to get to the dining hall.