Planning a Cruise Budget
Calculators for estimating your overall cruise cost, gratuities, and shore excursion spending.
Cruise pricing hides most of its real cost behind the base fare. Start with an overall estimate, then refine it with the two categories that are easiest to underbudget — gratuities and shore excursions — and fold the results back into your total.
How This Works
Get an Overall Cruise Budget
Start with a single-pass total. The Cruise Budget Calculator estimates the full cost of your cruise — fare, gratuities, excursions, and onboard extras — in one result, which is enough for an initial estimate before you refine any single category.
Calculate Your Gratuities
Gratuities are charged per person per day and are one of the most commonly underestimated costs on a cruise. The Cruise Gratuity Calculator gives you the precise total for all travelers based on your cruise line's daily rate — plug this number back into your overall budget for a more accurate total than the default estimate.
Budget Your Shore Excursions
Shore excursion costs vary widely by port and by whether you book through the cruise line or independently. The Cruise Excursion Budget Calculator totals your expected excursion spending across all the ports on your itinerary — like gratuities, fold this number back into your overall budget once you have it.
Related Guides
FAQ
Do I need to use all three calculators?
No. The Cruise Budget Calculator alone gives you a reasonable overall estimate. The gratuity and excursion steps are optional refinements, most useful once you know your cruise line's gratuity rate or have a specific itinerary of ports to budget excursions for.
What order should I use these calculators in?
Start with the overall Cruise Budget Calculator, then use the Gratuity and Excursion calculators in either order to refine those specific categories and fold the results back into your total.
Does this collection cover packing for a cruise?
No. Packing for a cruise — formal nights, varying climates across ports, limited cabin storage — is covered separately by the Packing List Generator and the Preparing Your Packing List collection.