13 best all-inclusive cruise lines
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Viking Ocean cruises, Virgin Voyages and Saga Cruises are your best bets for kid-less bliss and free-flowing cocktails. However, other cruise lines come close to providing adult-oriented sailings, with scarce children and all-inclusive benefits. Some of the passengers cruising with German-owned Sea Cloud Cruises get really involved in the experience, including those who like to help pull the ropes to raise the sails!
A Guide to Scoring the Best All-Inclusive Cruise Deals
Windstar Cruises' hallmark is casual luxury, so the line lets guests choose how inclusive they want their fares to be. Virgin Voyages' goal is to reimagine the cruise experience, which means that it doesn't follow the typical rules of cruising. You'll find tattoo parlors, drag shows, balcony hammocks and a novel approach to fare inclusions. Luxury cruise line Crystal re-launched in 2023, bringing back an all-inclusive onboard experience on two vessels, the 606-passenger Crystal Symphony and 740-passenger Crystal Serenity. All-inclusive cruising sounds alluring — until you realize that this phrase can mean different things to different cruise lines.
Best for immersive experiences
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The cuisine is all fresh and local, and organic whenever possible. What sets a Goolets private yacht apart from all other all-inclusive cruises in the world is that the experience is 100% tailored to the guest’s needs, wants and desires, and most important, is nimble enough to change plans at a moment’s notice. Meaning, if the family or party chartering a yacht falls in love with one Dalmatian Island in Croatia and wants to spend an extra day docked there, that can be arranged. And if you have a craving for lobster, a call will be made and lobster will be served that evening. The only major add-ons to your tab are airfare and shore excursions, the fanciest wines and spirits, and spa and salon treatments.
Introducing: The Essential Fare
Wi-Fi and crew appreciation (totaling $31-$33 per person, per day) alone account for more than 50% of the $60 per person, per day (or $420 per person for a seven-night cruise) package charge. With less than $30 per day left to break even and with drinks up to $15 included, you don't have to overindulge to get your money's worth. Those premium desserts, casual meals, fitness classes and unlimited juice bar beverages are the icing on the cake. This new pricing strategy, which goes beyond popular drinks packages, has large-ship cruise lines such as Celebrity, Holland America and Princess jockeying to compete with luxury lines and their all-inclusive fares. Small-ship cruise lines Azamara and Windstar have also hopped on the trend. You can expect extensive all-inclusive cruise offerings from Tauck and Uniworld as well, which offer free airport transfers, all alcoholic drinks all day and night, gratuities, mini-bars and even extra-special events like dinners in castles.
They come with escorted rounds of golf at prestigious courses around the world, including Northern Ireland’s Royal Portrush, and tickets to see The British Open. Royal Caribbean also offers deals based on departure ports and destinations, so if you’re a flexible traveler looking for great savings, you can plan your next vacation around which itineraries are on sale. Just check your email or visit RoyalCaribbean.com/cruise-deals to stay up to date on promotions, sales and special offers.
Best Adults-Only All-Inclusive Cruises: Viking, Virgin Voyages and Saga
Families sailing in the same cabin must all book the same fare type, although underage passengers will only have access to nonalcoholic beverages. These packages are designed to make the cruise experience hassle-free by allowing passengers to pay for most of their onboard expenses — such as beverages, Wi-Fi and gratuities — before they board. However, they might not always be the best option for every cruiser. Silversea has ten ships (and two more on the way), four of which are luxury expedition class ships.
Seabourn Luxury Expeditions
Unlimited desserts, casual dining, fitness classes and juice bar drinks only add to your value. Right now, the Have It All package costs $350 per person for a seven-night cruise, which is actually less than the $384.65 Holland America charges for its Signature beverage package for a cruise of this length. Plus, passengers get an extra $230 to $245 in shore excursion, specialty dining and Wi-Fi perks. So, at the $50 per person, per day rate, the Have It All Package is a terrific value, even for moderate drinkers.
THE BEST CRUISE DEALS & SPECIAL OFFERS
Holland offers older Americans a refined experience at sea, with fine dining, complimentary fresh fruit and ice service in their cabins, luxurious bathrobes and bath amenities, and excursions that honor the diverse interests of their guests. Thanks to a new premium package, any sailing of six days or longer can become all-inclusive cruises with food, drinks, shore excursions and Wi-Fi access included. The extras quickly add up, often sinking hearts when the bill arrives at the vacation’s end.
Scenic Luxury Cruises
The least expensive option for two people sharing a cabin is the Experience More Essentials package. It includes a Premium Beverage Package for two (with additional beer and spirits selections), unlimited Wi-Fi for one device and a $300 shore excursion credit. Booking an all-inclusive cruise ensures nothing but smooth sailing. Your fare will include things like meals, wine and cocktails, gratuities, internet access and, in some cases, even shore excursions and airfare to and from the port city. Alternatively, if you book upper-category cabins and suites, your base fares will include additional perks.
On a cruise vacation, all the planning is taken care of by the cruise line — from the destinations you sail to and the shore excursions available at each port, to a full range of entertainment and activities happening onboard every day. If you’re not a planner, or if the only things you’re looking to focus on during your getaway is savoring great food, relaxing, and soaking up the sights, cruise vacations are the way to go. A cruise vacation is also a great option if you’re traveling with the whole family, especially when you opt for a Royal Caribbean cruise. All of the ships in this cruise line’s fleet offer family-friendly experiences for guests of all ages. Even little ones will find plenty of ways to play with spaces and activities designed for tots to tweens.
The minimum age to sail on some river cruise lines Emerald Waterways, Grand Circle Cruise Line and Scenic) is 12 to 13. Most other lines adhere to rules similar to those of AmaWaterways, which bans children under age 4 and discourages kids younger than 8. All-inclusive cruises, on the other hand, provide guests with nearly everything they could need and want while at sea (and maybe even on land too). Of course, the per-person cruise fare will be higher on all-inclusive cruises, but you’ll get so much more included and will see no surprises on your credit card statement. Note that guests must pay a 20% gratuity on the value of the Open Bar beverage package and the specialty dining package.
Oh, and if you return to port with a bottle of wine from Tuscany, there’s no corkage fee to drink it on board. Of course there are some exceptions to Viking's all-inclusive fares. Gratuities, drinks outside of meal times, and select shore excursions will cost extra, and premium beverage packages are available for purchase. Ultra-premium Oceania Cruises operates six ships, with a seventh on the way in 2023, as all-inclusive cruises with packages including soft drinks, specialty dining, 24-hour room service, Wi-Fi and transfers to and from port.
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