Plan

How the True Cost Calculator works

Every number in the calculator comes from somewhere specific. Here's each source, how often we update it, and how you can verify it yourself.

The short version

Cruise lines advertise a base fare and then bill the rest of the trip in eight or nine separate line items. The calculator takes the fare you’re quoted, adds each of those line items using cruise-line published rates where they exist and industry averages where they don’t, and hands you a total you can actually budget around. We never mark numbers up, we never pad totals to make partner bookings look better, and we show you the source of every line.

When each data source was last reviewed

The dates below are when the underlying data files were last hand-verified against their sources. They do not roll forward automatically — if a date here looks stale, that’s honest signal that a refresh is due.

Cruise-line published rates
March 28, 2026
Sailing prices last checked
April 28, 2026
Estimate methodology last reviewed
March 28, 2026

Where the numbers come from

The calculator has nine categories. For each one, here’s the source, the update cadence, and where you can independently verify it.

Base fare

What we pulled
You enter the advertised fare you're seeing on the cruise line's site, CruiseDirect, or a search engine. We don't pull a fare for you — we take whatever number you're quoted and treat it as the anchor.
Update cadence
Real-time — reflects whatever you paste in.
How to verify
Cross-check the fare on the cruise line's booking flow or a marketplace like CruiseDirect before trusting any total.

Gratuities

What we pulled
Cruise-line published daily gratuity rates for standard cabins (interior / oceanview / balcony). We use the line's own current per-guest per-day number — Carnival, Royal, NCL, Princess, MSC, and Celebrity each publish theirs publicly.
Update cadence
Reviewed quarterly and any time a cruise line announces a rate change.
How to verify
Search "[cruise line] daily gratuity" — every major line has a customer-service page listing the current rate.

Drink package

What we pulled
Cruise-line published package prices for the mid-tier unlimited alcohol package (e.g., Royal's Deluxe Beverage, NCL's Premium Plus, Carnival's Cheers!). We apply the per-guest per-day rate plus the line's automatic gratuity on packages.
Update cadence
Reviewed quarterly. Pre-cruise sale pricing is not used — we show the on-board / standard rate so the number isn't optimistic.
How to verify
The cruise line's "beverage package" page shows the current list price. Sale pricing is common; the calculator intentionally does not chase it.

WiFi

What we pulled
Cruise-line published rates for a single-device streaming-capable package. We use the on-board / standard rate, not pre-cruise promo rates.
Update cadence
Reviewed quarterly.
How to verify
Each line publishes current WiFi plans — Royal's "Surf & Stream," NCL's "Premium WiFi," Carnival's "Premium Plan."

Specialty dining

What we pulled
Industry-average cover charge for a single adult specialty dinner, weighted across the major lines' mid-tier venues (steakhouse, Italian, hibachi). Used as a per-meal estimate, not a package.
Update cadence
Reviewed twice a year.
How to verify
Specialty venue cover charges are listed on each cruise line's dining page.

Shore excursions

What we pulled
Industry average for a single half-day shore excursion per port, per guest. This is a planning placeholder — your actual excursion price depends entirely on what you book.
Update cadence
Reviewed annually.
How to verify
For a real number, search your specific port on Viator or GetYourGuide and use the median listed price.

Travel insurance

What we pulled
Industry average for a standard cruise-travel policy for a 7-night Caribbean itinerary, adult traveler, mid-range trip cost. Typically 5–7% of the non-refundable trip cost.
Update cadence
Reviewed annually.
How to verify
Squaremouth and InsureMyTrip both publish aggregate cruise-insurance pricing; the cruise line's own policy is usually the most expensive option.

Port fees & taxes

What we pulled
Industry average for a 7-night Caribbean itinerary, per guest. Actual port fees are set by the cruise line at booking and vary meaningfully by region and itinerary.
Update cadence
Reviewed twice a year.
How to verify
Your booking confirmation lists exact port fees and taxes as a separate line item. Use that number once you have it.

Port parking

What we pulled
Industry average for on-port parking at major U.S. departure ports (Miami, Port Canaveral, Galveston, Seattle). Off-port lots are almost always cheaper.
Update cadence
Reviewed annually.
How to verify
Your departure port's authority website publishes current daily parking rates.

What the calculator assumes

The default numbers describe a typical mainstream cruise. If your trip differs meaningfully from these assumptions (solo traveler, suite, 14-night Europe, kids under 3), your real total will differ too.

  • Two adult guests sharing a standard interior cabin.
  • A typical 7-night Caribbean itinerary for any category tied to itinerary (port fees, excursions, insurance).
  • Standard cruise-line gratuity rates — not the "suite" or "butler" tier.
  • Mid-tier unlimited alcohol package, one per adult. Non-alcoholic packages cost less; premium tiers cost more.
  • Streaming-capable WiFi for one device per adult.
  • One specialty dinner per adult, per cruise.
  • One half-day excursion per port, per guest.
  • Standard cruise travel insurance — not "cancel for any reason."
  • Driving to the port and parking on-site (not flying, not using off-port lots).

What’s not included

The calculator is deliberately scoped to the costs the cruise line controls. These come out of your pocket too, but they don’t belong in an apples-to-apples comparison between cruise lines.

  • Air travel to and from your departure port
  • Pre-cruise or post-cruise hotel nights
  • Souvenirs, photos, and onboard shopping
  • Casino, spa, and salon
  • Tips to specific staff beyond the daily gratuity pool
  • Rental cars and private transfers
  • Passport or visa fees
  • Childcare surcharges, specialty kids' programs

Two of these — pre-cruise hotels and medical evacuation — show up as “often forgotten” callouts on the results page because they’re the two most commonly underbudgeted. They aren’t rolled into the total.

Spot an error? Email us.

If a cruise line has changed a rate and we haven’t caught up, or an average looks wrong for your region, tell us. We fix it, update the “last verified” date, and credit the catch.

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