In 2022, I sailed in the Royal Suite onboard Celebrity Eclipse during the pandemic restart. At the time, it felt like an incredible deal. But looking at cruise prices today, something surprising is happening. In this video, I compare the cost of an all-inclusive luxury cruise with a suite on a mainstream cruise line. When you add up drinks packages, internet, gratuities, and specialty dining, the numbers can start to look very different. For example, a 12-night luxury cruise with Regent Seven Seas Cruises including excursions, drinks, dining, gratuities, and Wi-Fi can start around $6,000 per person. Meanwhile, a 12-night sailing in a mini-suite on Royal Princess with Princess Cruises can reach over $10,000 per person once packages and extras are added. So is luxury cruising actually becoming better value than suites on mainstream cruise lines? Of course every sailing is different, but this comparison highlights something important: luxury doesn’t always mean the highest price. Sometimes the real value comes from something else entirely - the frictionless experience of having everything included and no surprise bill waiting on disembarkation day. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 🛳️ My website hosts one of the world's most powerful cruise search engines where you can research and even book your next cruise or land holiday. Take a look here: www.thecruiseandtravelguy.com.au - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 🛒 Shop my Amazon Cruise Essentials here: https://www.thecruiseandtravelguy.com.au/cruise-essentials - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 🤳🏼 Follow me on Facebook and Instagram: www.facebook.com/thecruiseandtravelguy www.instragram.com/adrianthecruiseandtravelguy Music by Master Planned Music 0:00 Introduction 1:09 Why We Paid $14K 1:52 What Was Included 3:08 Compared to Luxury Lines 4:41 Comparing Prices with Princess 6:14 What Does It All Mean? 8:48 Bloopers
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$14k pandemic suite vs $36k now?? That's not inflation, that's highway robbery 😭
I was assisting a couple in booking a one week cruise about two years ago. An inside cabin on RC's Icon of the Seas for a garden variety 7 day eastern Caribbean cruise with three port days out of Miami on December 9, 2024 was US$2995 per person. A suite on one of the Windstar Cruises Yacht that same wee for a 7 day eastern Caribbean cruise that same week was priced at $2195.
Hi Adrian, Very interesting well done and it pays to shop around. Food for thought. We have cruised with no bill a couple of times. Love your bloopers. 😂 ❤ from Brissy
Nice one. In keeping with the current topic and per your last vid on South Pacific cruising, I wanted to mention Paul Gauguin cruises. I've sailed with them twice so far with the latest being just last month - 11 nights Cook Islands and Society Islands. Had an absolute blast and the cruise cost me aud 10k for a solo traveller. Mind you, this was a porthole cabin but I worked out last time around when I had a balcony that I really didn't need it and can essentially do close to two cruises on same ship for the cost of that one balcony cabin. Coming up I've got 17 nights Darwin to Fiji March next year again with Paul Gauguin. This one cost me aud 11.7k for a window cabin, again as a solo traveller. Paul Gauguin really does have some great zero solo supplement deals if you look for them. Whilst you do pay for any excursions yourself (either privately arranged or via the ship) everything else is included - alcohol, specialty dining and wifi.
I booked my first cruise recently - really wanted it to be on Oceania, but my budget just didn’t allow. Cruising solo meant my options were more limited.
I think you have to work out what your own personal budget is and what you are willing/prepared to pay. I loved your review of Norwegian Spirit, and it looks perfect for us. But, am I prepared to shell out 1k p/p per day? Something will need to change 😀
Not that it’s luxury cruising but I noticed that Royal Caribbean has become particularly expensive for short 3 day cruises out of Brisbane, I’m talking $800 per day for 2 people in a standard aft balcony and no drinks packages available for cruises under 5 days. I found the identical cruise on their North American website for AUD$ 700 less.
I just write on my crown princess post cruise survey today that prices are becoming exorbitant yet the service has clearly and obviously taken a step backward . I wrote how I have a friend who went solo Azanara in a balcony and the price difference between what she paid and what princess is now charging for a balcony with a plus package for one was small. Not only was the price difference not huge but. included flights and almost or pretty much everything onboard. on Azamara.. You can’t hike the prices up by 30 percent and noticeably drop the service , it’s a dicey path that could see Princess fans like myself looking elsewhere or skipping cruise holidays all together.
This is what I’ve been saying all along. We actually disembarked our Viking cruise with a credit card refund because we had paid for a non included excursion which was cancelled by the cruise line.
I get the impression cruising in Australia is at capacity, lots of complaints on the RC forums that complimentary casino promotions no longer offered out of Australia.
Hmmmm...interesting. I'll definitely look into this 🤔 Thanks ❤ And yes, cruising is getting crazy expensive. We last cruised in January 2026 and got an amazing deal. But it was really just luck - it was me keeping a keen eye out for a bargain over a period of months in early 2025 and jumping on it when i saw it. I am not seeing anything like that now - its all very pricy, unless you travel on Carnival Spendor or Luninosa (but I'm not a fan of these ship at all).
When your holiday budget is 20k it's worth shopping around as that price bracket opens up so many travel options, that budget would probably even get you a luxury expedition cruise in the artic.
Yes. Cruising has become crazy expensive. Now you would pay more and get less. Drinks package, a few spec dining, no butler, no minibar, $500 obc. And get slugged for laundry
Wife and I cruisex in a Penthouse Suite on Majestic Princess a few yeras back...we got bugger all...only thing we got was covid...
I put entertainment before food so will probably always choose larger cruise ships first. But I'd never day never.
It’s the boiling frog scenario. We are on a 18 night cruise in January on Oceania Vista for a Transpacific in a Concierge suite for 10k each. A similar itinerary on Celebrity in Sky Suite for less nights was around $13k. Go figure
Shhhhhh Adrian don’t tell everyone…. Doing four Regent cruises within the next year, one with business class air included round trip can’t wait, stop telling everyone lol thanks for the video
Thanks for this video. I’m kinda old fashioned so I’m not up to date with all the types of content interaction. Is there a way for your audience to ask question, or even any Livestream? I’m just not sure if the comment section is the place for that, as I wouldn’t expect every question to get a response. Is there a Patreon or another platform or am I missing something?
I like Celebrity but they have priced me out. Good for them but I'd rather save a third on Princess, Cunard or Holland. Perhaps not on every cruise but on all that I've booked recently. My next cruise is a tremendous Azamara bargain. As you said, deals do exist.
Hey Adrian! Different topic but are there any good round trip cruises from Sydney in winter? And I don’t mean anything from Carnival.