What Is Included in a Cruise Fare, and What Costs Extra?
A standard cruise fare usually includes the cabin, main meals and the main show. Drinks, Wi-Fi, gratuities and shore excursions are extra on the five standard fares below until you change the fare name.
It’s All Cruises · October 25, 2026
Assume the main show and the main dining room are in a standard fare, and assume the bar and the Wi-Fi are not. That pattern holds on the recorded Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian cruise-only, MSC Bella and Princess Standard columns, checked September 20, 2026.
Quick facts
| Metric | Details |
|---|---|
| Usually in these five fares | Main shows, fitness centre access, kids' club sessions |
| Usually extra | Beer, wine, premium drinks, Wi-Fi, gratuities, shore excursions |
| Specialty dining | Extra, except Carnival's partial casual venues |
| Soft drinks | Extra, with the water, tea, lemonade or juice notes in the table |
| A packaged fare | A different column. Free at Sea, Plus and Have It All are not this table |
| Checked | September 20, 2026 |
Five standard fare columns
| Item | Royal Caribbean | Carnival | Norwegian cruise only | MSC Bella | Princess Standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main shows | Included. Main productions; lineup varies by ship | Included. Main shows and comedy | Included. Main shows; separately priced activities excluded | Included. Main theatre shows | Included. Main theatre productions |
| Specialty dining | Extra. Main dining and selected casual venues included | Partly. Some casual venues are free; premium restaurants charge | Extra | Extra | Extra |
| Soft drinks | Extra. Water, tea and selected juices included | Extra. Lemonade and iced tea included; soda costs extra | Extra | Extra | Extra |
| Beer and wine | Extra | Extra | Extra | Extra | Extra |
| Wi-Fi | Extra. VOOM sold separately | Extra. Internet plans sold separately | Extra | Extra | Extra |
| Gratuities | Extra. Daily service charge added separately | Extra. Daily service charge added separately | Extra. Daily service charge separate unless a specific offer includes it | Extra. Hotel service charge separate; region and age rules apply | Extra. Crew Appreciation charged separately |
| Shore excursions | Extra | Extra | Extra | Extra | Extra |
| Fitness centre | Included. Gym access; paid classes separate | Included. Gym access; some classes cost extra | Included. Gym; some classes charge | Included. Gym access | Included. Gym access; classes separate |
| Kids' club | Included. Adventure Ocean youth programme | Included. Regular Camp Ocean sessions; Night Owls costs extra | Included. Scheduled youth programmes; age and session rules apply | Included | Included. Regular youth sessions; late groupsitting extra |
Read a fare in four steps
- Name the fare. Standard, Bella and cruise only are this table. Plus, Premier, Free at Sea and Yacht Club are different pages of the same idea.
- Main shows are included. Separately priced activities are called out by Norwegian and are Not listed line by line for the others.
- Fitness centres are included. Classes are often extra: Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Princess and Norwegian say so.
- Room service is only partly included on these standard fares. Royal Caribbean includes continental breakfast. Carnival includes selected morning drinks. Princess includes door-card breakfast.
- Shore excursions are extra. A credit appears on other fare names, not these.
- The line pages hold the dated tables. The quote is where taxes and the cabin total belong.
Nothing here is a promise that two sailings with the same fare name match. Ship venues still vary.
Frequently asked questions
Is a cruise all-inclusive if meals are included?
No. Meals in the main dining room are not the same as specialty restaurants, drinks or Wi-Fi. Those are extra on these five fares.
Are kids' clubs free?
The recorded sessions are included. Carnival's Night Owls and Princess's late group sitting cost extra.
Does included entertainment mean every activity?
It means the main theatre productions. Norwegian excludes separately priced activities. Other activity prices are Not listed.
What if I buy a package?
Use that package's column. Princess Plus includes gratuities, fountain soda and one Wi-Fi device. It is not the Standard column in this table.
Filed under ocean, inclusions, write first