10 Biggest Cruise Rip Offs To Watch Out For 

One of the things I love about cruises, is NOT being online at all. My phone is in airplane mode the entire time and it's amazing

As a highly experienced cruiser (38 separate cruise bookings so far), I can tell you that this gentleman knows exactly what he is talking about. One of few posters that actually does. Thumbs up!

As somebody who worked onboard for several years this is sound advice. Also be aware that in many ports the taxis that have access into the port are paying a premium to be there and charge more. Often just walk outside the port and a taxi can be significantly cheaper

I've never been on a cruise nor are planning to go on one. But your videos are so entertaining as well as educational, I can't stop watching!

I fly, but if I cruised,I would use this guy's advice like crazy.I still enjoy this site a lot.

mini bar , I remember when we went on our first cruise with mini bar, we nearly fell in the trap of drinking the drinks provide in the cabin,

Excursions: he speaks truth! For a group of 4 (mom, dad, 2 kids) the cost adds up. In Aruba, it would have cost over $75 each (this was in 2002) to go to the beach! A local cabbie took us to the Radisson, where we used the beach, had a lovely lunch under a palm-leaf canopy, 2 went parasailing, cabbie picked us up promptly at the designated time: all for $50! (We tipped him very well). On the same trip, in Curacao, the tour prices were outrageous, so we took our chances with the cabs at the port. We lucked out big time! A local, saving up to buy property (on the island, there is the landed wealthy and abject poverty, without much middle ground) took us in his van, which he had outfitted with speakers and a microphone. He took us to the Curacao liqueur distillery, which we hadn't planned but the kids enjoyed it and even got to taste! Then he drove us on a full tour of the island, and he arrived within 5 minutes of the cave tour we wanted to do; tickets were cheap! He drove us back, got us there in plenty of time for departure, and the whole thing for 4 was well less than the $100+ EACH that ship-based tours would have cost. Plus we avoided the crowds. And yes, we tipped him very well too; I hope he is enjoying his own property by now.

The spa would be on the top of my list. Overpriced and hard sell tactics.

I used to work for one of these cruiselines, and what the gentleman says it's real: a regular coke for example can cost you various times more than in a regular market. They offer you mostly occupancy and food, what you spend in the ship's bar will be their earn... Thank you sir for guiding the new(and why not, no so new either) travelers...👍

We were on a cruise which stopped in Greece and we wanted to go to the Acropolis, the tour price from the ship was about a hundred dollars each. We got off the ship walked to the train station, paid one euro each for the train ride, about five euros each to enter the Acropolis, and when we had finished our tour of the building it cost one euro each back to the ship, we also bought an ice cream for three euros each, so all in all a good day out for both of us cost approximately twenty euros, bargain 👏👏

Bring a mini flashlight. You'd be surprised how often you could use one.

Another item I found to be a ripoff- the exchange rate given by the purser if I wanted some local currency. Also, on a cruise where one of the perks was 5 specialty dining dates, I had to wait in a long line to reserve the dinners. In general waiting in lines for anything while on a cruise is the biggest negative I encounter.

I've been to 6 cruises and all the points mentioned confirm 100% to my experience.

Great list...I would also include specialty restaurants. For every one that is truly exception, there's two that are not really different from the main dining room. For example, Norwegian has really pushed specialty dining with their most recent boats often having nearly 10 specialty dining restaurants--some of them quite expensive. I have had a $50 steak in their specialty dining room and then gone to the Haven Suites restaurant or main dining room and had a similar steak for free.

A Scottish couple on one of our cruises latched onto me as I am as tight as a duck's arse. In port at Casablanca, he changed a fiver and had change left over afterwards. But at the end of the cruise when we had to settle up our cruise cards, he outdid me. They were held back because they had spent exactly NOTHING.

Some would say gambling on the cruise line can be a rip off with low payouts and high table limits.

A big reason why we always use Princess is because we are now Platinum members (or higher) so we can get a certain amount of free wifi.

My wife and I are traveling from Argentina to Antarctica in February 2020 and have bought a Wi-Fi package that is costing us $400 USD for the 14 night cruise. We are leaving our 19 year old, autistic son at home and its vital we have contact with him the whole time we are away. It's a small price to pay for peace of mind.

We had a medical emergency where my son had a severe alleric reaction on his 16th birthday. It was indeed quite expensive to be treated on board, but our travel insurance covered all of it except for the epi-pen.

We got ripped off once and it was upsetting to the point of spoiling the holiday 😐

I did buy a 12 pack of water for $4.50 for the room. I'm cool with that.

Also, be careful of the shops directly near the ports you are going to, most of them if not all are owned by the cruise ship companies. Grand Caymen downtown souvenir shops for example.

For a first time cruiser- I truly appreciate your videos… especially this one! Thank you so much

My wife and I had not had a Formal Photo taken since our Wedding. We had a 20th Anniversary Cruise, so, we factored in the cost. It was cheaper than the local photographer.

We did Havana hop on and off bus tour, even though we have been to Havana twice whilst we were holidaying in Cuba, the trips we did with the hotel company only took us to some of the sites, it did not matter the hop and off tour the running commentary was in Spanish, we saw a few things we did not see during our day trips in Havana, plus with the added bonus of the cruise ship stopping in Havana overnight it gave me and my parents the chance to have a few drinks in Havana in one of the local bars.

Good tips Gary. Regarding the medical centre, although expensive they may be the only option. My wife and I were on a 40 night cruise from Australia to the UK via Sth Africa. My wife had heart problems when we were sailing along the West coast of Africa with no scheduled stops for many days. The ships doctor and nurse were fantastic. It cost around $2500 for a stay in the on board hospital but it was completely covered by travel insurance. I would never travel without insurance.

We were on a Holland cruise on which the tap water in our room came out with rust and major sediment. After three days they admitted they couldn’t fix it. So we got free bottled water for the rest of the cruise. We weren’t worried about showering in it. I would have been sad if there had been no bottled water. And, yes, this was the exception. We love Holland.

That Wi-Fi tip is spot on. Went on a seven night cruise to Alaska and inadvertently left my phone on roaming for 4 days before I noticed. Got a bill for $460 from my carrier. Ouch! My own fault but I am definitely more careful now.

To some extent I would agree on the single supplement charge. For ships with solo cabins, my experience is that they go quickly and are generally in less desirable locations: above the theatre, near the anchor/winch machinery etc.

I wish I had seen this before I booked my first cruise. I’m a solo traveler and I was wondering why my booking went from the per person price to double. Now I know. Thank you!

Excellent tips! I never buy wifi, water packages, drink packages, buy art, buy jewelry onboard, or get spa treatments. I even get free wine or champagne at the art auctions. I do hate the single supplement. I paid 100% of the fare on my first cruise to Mexico. Thank you again for excellent videos! I also never buy the photos. We take our own or ask someone to take a pic.

I actually work in travel, and I have to say a lot of the things you mentioned I had no idea about. Thanks for the information.

Always wonderful information. Gary you are so warm yet direct and clear. I’ve enjoyed and recommended / shared many of the videos. I’m on the celebrity silhouette in March.

If you plan to spend most off the day off the ship when it is in port, time a mid-day break so you can get lunch on board your ship. You have already paid for that meal as part of your fare. A brief return to ship will give also you a chance to drop off those heavy shopping bags, wet swimsuits, take a quick shower and change into fresh clothing before going back on shore. Never buy "art" onboard your cruise ship when they are hosting an art auction on board, if you want to be sure you are buying genuine art and that the artist is actually getting paid. Those limited edition prints are not so limited. If you must buy art on vacation, buy originals directly from the local artist in the port or buy local art from an onshore art galley. Many of the foreign art galleries in the tourist areas will package and ship the art to your home and help you with any customs paperwork so you do not have to deal with excess baggage on your flight home or surprises with your county's customs officers. Instead of buying expensive cocktails, wine or beer onboard your ship, buy much less expensive drinks in one of the many bars within walking distance of where your ship or tender docks -- get that drink on the way back to the ship while keeping a close watch on the time so your ship does not sail without you. If you want to have candy bars, cookies/biscuits or other commercially packaged snacks when onboard, buy these items onshore instead of in the cruise ship gift shop. Some of those foreign snacks are both tasty and inexpensive. Be aware that any bottles of wine or liquor you buy onshore at those great foreign prices will be taken from you by the ship's crew when you go through the security screening to board your ship and will be returned to you with your luggage at the end of the cruise. You will have to declare the liquor and other foreign purchases when going through you county's customs screening as well as possibly being charged for excess baggage by your airline. Never pay for teeth whitening treatment onboard your cruise ship. The whitening with leave your with a mouthful of sore teeth for a day or two and diminish your enjoyment of those cruise buffets. Also, if you get teeth whitening done back home by a licensed dentist, you have some guarantee of a quality job and the opportunity for legal recourse if there is a bad outcome. If you absolutely must have a t-shirt or other souvenir with your ship's logo on it, wait until the last day of the cruise when the unsold merchandise in the ship's giftshop will be deeply discounted.

I turn off the tech when on vacation.

Great advice! I learned about all of them over several cruises.What I did not know was that there are land based clinics at many ports! One other thing I have recently been experiencing is pressure from the bartenders for tips. I was told not to tip them (unless they gave excellent service) because of the large fee already added to each drink.

We took a cruise to Grand Cayman and used Google maps to walk across Georgetown to the Cayman Spirits Co. It was an available excursion but we did it for free, with the exception of the alcohol we purchased. Next we unexpectedly got a ride with a nice local lady who took us to a genuine Caribbean restaurant basically unknown to tourists. Then we called a cab to take us back to the ship with plenty of time to spare. It was an unforgettable experience and I can't wait for our next cruise!

Gary, as always you are spot on. I'm continually amazed at the "revenue generators" the cruise ships have ongoing. For instance, Carnival offers their Cherry On Top shop--why oh why would you spend many dollars there when just a short walk will get you the same thing on the Lido deck??? All your other points are exactly correct. Well done. Love cruising, hate rip offs.

I have never cruised, but the shopping of a cruise itself seems to be already an adventure in itself. We will see.

Great information, thanks for sharing your video with us!!!! Have a good weekend

After 13 Cruises I feel I can say, Gary is SPOT ON with this advice ❤️❤️❤️

I've done the match on solo cabins. One time it was a difference of a dollar between the cabins w/single supplement and the solo cabin. Re: the water, I have found that the bottled water people can NOT be re-trained. They don't even drink tap water at home and I don't even try. I always grab a teabag (fruit ones are great) and put it in my water bottle. You get iced tea.

Thank you for the tips.. i really appreciate them.. helpful as always my friend.

I developed a desire to start cruising just recently, and I’m really enjoying these videos. They are very different then the others I’ve seen.

I hate when a cruise ship has single cabins but they are still charging a massive supplement vs the cheapest twin cabin of the same type. It's often at least 50%.

I agree with everything except the Spa and Excursions. I agree there is an upcharge for both but you are paying for convenience with the Excursions, as mentioned. I have done tours from the ship and independent tours. Really just depends on the size of the group I'm going with and length of tour. There is a sense of comfort knowing you won't be left by the ship if something happens with a long tour. I will do a spa treatment every once in awhile as a treat and I usually do it on a port day. Again, more of a treat for me.

Gary...You are always cruising. I'm so JEALOUS!!!

Gary, Another Outstanding Cruise Video. I've done 15 cruises, I wish I had watched this before I stepped aboard the first one. You are an excellent blogger!

Although I like my Wi-Fi, I feel like cruises are a good way to get away form all that and give us time to relax and enjoy the cruise and spend time with people :)

Great video and you are spot on. I rarely book shore excursions with the ship, much better deals are available with a minimal amount of effort to find them.

You are simply the best! I continue to learn so much from you. Thank you for another excellent video.

I purchased a $2,000 art onboard a cruise ship once, only to cancel 3 days after disembarking. We discovered the same artist in a gallery in Las Vegas, and purchased a one of a kind original for $2,200, far more detailed and personal than the one on the ship, which was meant for mass production (metal art). The gallery owner had a 2nd home in my city, so we even got free shipping the following weekend.

Agreed 100%. Such a shame the operators see rip-offs of their captive audience as good business. It spoils the warm, friendly and polite atmosphere they try to encourage.

Hop On Hop Off seems like it marks you out as a “TOURIST”. But they are a Very good idea! You can ride as long as you like. The tour guides are very often informative and funny. The big plus for me is you learn where you want to visit on your own. Mark the location on your map and plan all or part of your following days going to your favorites. That is if you are staying in the location for more then a day.

Great video,keep it up! Never be in a long cruise but watched "The Love Boat"🤗

I was wondering, when it comes to sailing single. Would it be better to book closer to the cruise date when the liner is looking to fill vacant Cabin? After all, a single person in a double Cabin brings in more money than sailing with that Cabin vacant.

Great tips, I totally agree with the spa. We spent alot at the spa, and were suckered in with the hard sell on products. It was our honeymoon and first time cruising so we just decided to enjoy the whole experience and vowed next time, we avoid the spa all together 😄

Thank you for your tips, planning my first cruise for a big birthday.Very helpful.

Great Suggestions! Thank you so much

As a retired physician, one feature of cruising that was disturbing was the fact that the quality of medical service on cruise ships was generally inferior to that available at home. On one cruise I had to do a Heimlich manoeuvre on someone choking in the dining room, while the ship doctor just stood there and didn’t have a clue as what to do for the choking passenger. The one positive feature of this besides saving the man’s life, was that I didn’t have to buy another drink or bottle of wine at dinner for the rest of the cruise. The other passengers were very appreciative.

Another great video. I agree with all of them. But I never went the single route, the wife would be a tad pissed. Good video as usual.

This is great, well done. Thank you very much!!

Great video thanks for sharing sincerely, Adventures of David and Aaron

I used a reusable water bottle with a filter and worked out great for my family and me

I agree with the photographs , we only bought two on ship and this was on our first cruise

Hop on hop off buses are wonderful…I’m surprised that more folks aren’t taking their own photos.

Everything you said is true and thanks for informing those who haven't cruised yet !

This was perfect! Thank you

Great tips, Gary! Hope you're having a great time on your cruise!

Really good info! Thanks for your tips!

These are very good videos. Keep u the good work!

Great advice!

The casinos weren’t mentioned but stay out of them if you don’t want to be ripped off! Smuggle your booze on board if you can. I never go on the ship’s excursions either.

Thanks for the Tours By Locals tip! We hadn't heard of that website before but we're definitely going to look into it now

You already touched on this, but the toiletry items sold like nail clippers and a hair brush and such. This can be avoided by Googling a cruising checklist before the trip.

The shops have good deals on inexpensive ladies evening bags. I always pick up 2 or 3 for gifts for my girl friends.

This is the second video I've seen. I just love your channel.

This will be our first cruise and I really appreciate good information like this. Thanks.

Thank you for all your episodes, knowledge, tips and advice!!!🙏👍😎

Best cruise videos, period! Thank you again!

Best advice ever. Clear, concise advice.!

An important benefit of 3rd Party tour guides >>> my "bathroom" needs are unpredictable and sudden. I am NOT incontinent, but I have learned to team-up with 1 or 2 other couples, rent a suitable-sized taxi (with tour guide) and let the driver know in advance of my unpredictable bathroom requirements. Often, these independent drivers can better map the route they will take, based on the availability of public bathrooms (and/or bathrooms in commercial establishments). We ALWAYS have a ball, get to see everything, and >> have no 'accidents'. (I've done this in Casablanca, St. Maartan, Cozumel, etc.)

Sir, you're so knowledgeable about cruises. Thanks for sharing this information. God bless!😊🙏😊

Great tip about the excursions! The hop on hop off bus is always the way to go. Also, I didn't realize how expensive it is to use wifi on board! So crazy! Thanks for another great video!

While I agree that the art auction is a rip off the upside is most offer free champagne at them so I always go to them have a few drinks and leave never bidding on anything.

Agree with everything except for coffee. The speciality coffee shops usually serve excellent coffee especially when compared to the slop they call coffee at the buffet. Which I have never found drinkable. May be ok on the upscale lines such as Oceania but not drinkable even on the premium lines. Similar with the gelato shops. Much superior to anything you get anywhere else on board.

Agreed specially the excursions, spa, buying perfumes on the ship.

So, glad I found your channel! Great info for novices like me who plan to retire and enjoy life!

I’ve only cruised a couple of times - I hated being on the ships for the most part - but the one thing I found to be universally true was that the official excursions were the worst, both in terms of cost and quality. The best excursions I took were either booked in advance by me, where I booked excursions from a land-based tour company, or when I just got off the ship and paid a local to take me and my friends on a sightseeing tour.

Thank you, Gary. I have never been on a cruise. I am learning quite a lot from you.

Thank you again excellent information. Jenny from Sydney

The cabinet under my bathroom sink is full of spa products that I don’t use.

I have recently returned from a 14 day cruise and your advice is spot on. The problem of solo travelling is not well catered for yet on Australian cruise lines.

Excellent tips and practical. Thank you.

Great advice Gary!

My wife and I have had the idea of spending our next holiday on a cruise. This annoying pandemic has put all plans on hold but when things are back to normal we are going to look at a local cruise first so as to 'get our sea-legs'. One of the first things we will also do is to look at more of these excellent video tips. Thank you, Gary.

On MSC They wouldn't serve tap water at any restaurants. We bought some in port and they tried to take it, but we were able to make a case for us having a human right to potable drinking water , plus some begging nicely and they let us keep our eight 1 litre bottles. This was some years ago. I don't know if it is still that way, that you can't be served tap water.

My friend and I bought what we were told was gold chains and braclets .. they turned brass weeks later. Lesson learned.

Very helpful tips, thank you👍

I've actually found some great sales on board on embarkation day. Plus there are often things on the first day that you won't see later on in your voyage. So it's worth checking out even if you end up not buying anything.