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7 Cruise Add-Ons That Just Aren’t Worth It Anymore

Higher service charges and shrinking perks are changing the math.

By Amanda Teague , Edited by Sara Albertelli

Updated Nov. 9, 2026

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Cruise fares still look like a bargain, but the extras stacked on top tell a different story. Over the past year, cruise lines have quietly trimmed what their packages include while pushing prices higher. Mandatory charges keep climbing too, with Celebrity raising daily gratuities to $19.50 in standard cabins this summer.

If you want to save money on travel, the add-ons you buy before boarding deserve the same scrutiny as the fare itself. Here are seven that rarely pencil out anymore, along with the math.

Alcohol packages on Carnival and Norwegian

Carnival's CHEERS! package costs $83.94 per person, per day when you prepay, and that already folds in the mandatory 20% service charge. Buy it onboard, and it jumps to $89.94. At a $10 average drink price, you'd need roughly eight or nine alcoholic drinks every day to break even. Every adult in your cabin generally has to buy it, too.

Norwegian's Free at Sea open bar sounds like a gift, but it isn't free. Since May 1, 2026, the required gratuity on that package is $32 per person, per day on two- to five-night sailings, up from $28.50. Unless you'd spend more than $32 a day at the bar, swap it for another Free at Sea perk like shore excursion credits or Wi-Fi.

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Royal Caribbean's Deluxe and Refreshment packages

Royal Caribbean's Deluxe Beverage Package averages about $84 per person, per day, plus an 18% gratuity. Covered cocktails top out at $14, or $16.52 after the bar gratuity, so you'd need about six cocktails a day before saving a dime.

The packages also got smaller this year. Starting March 15, 2026, the Deluxe and Refreshment packages no longer include the Coca-Cola souvenir cup, so self-serve Freestyle refills now cost $4.99 extra. Only the Classic Soda Package still comes with it.

Light drinkers with Crown & Anchor Diamond status can skip the package entirely. Diamond members get four free drink vouchers per day worth up to $14 each.

Specialty dining bundles

Unlimited dining sounds indulgent until you count the dinners you'll actually eat. One Royal Caribbean Blog writer paid $660 for the Unlimited Dining Package on Icon of the Seas and admitted a 3-night package would have fit better.

A sample 7-night package runs $260 plus an 18% gratuity, or about $307. Giovanni's Italian Kitchen charges $55 at dinner, so you'd need six specialty dinners in seven nights to come out ahead. If you plan on two or three, paying per meal is the better deal.

The bundle does make sense in one scenario. Royal Caribbean's Star Class suites fold specialty dining, a drink package, and Wi-Fi into the fare, so the math is done for you.

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Per-device Wi-Fi plans

Royal Caribbean's VOOM Wi-Fi is fast, but it's priced per device. A weeklong plan for one device bought onboard runs $230.93, or $32.99 per day. Carnival is cheaper at $20 to $25 per person, per day.

Before buying a plan for every phone, try sharing. On Royal Caribbean, you can log one device off at logoff.com and sign in on another with the same plan. Buying ahead helps, too. One Cruise Planner sale dropped a $38.70 daily rate to $29.02.

Suite guests should check what's already included. Every guest in a Sky Class suite gets a free Surf + Stream package for one device.

Thermal spa passes

Thermal suites are lovely on a chilly Alaska sailing. But a full-cruise pass on Norwegian often runs $300 to $450 or more per person, and Carnival's 8-day pass starts at $170. On Royal Caribbean, a $69 day pass versus a $219 weekly pass means the weekly option only wins if you go at least four times. Passes often sell out, which can pressure you into buying on day one.

Plenty of Caribbean cruisers buy the pass and barely use it. If private downtime is what you want, that money may go further toward a balcony, which can sometimes cost just under $500 to upgrade. It's also a splurge cruisers often regret giving up.

Priority boarding

Carnival's Faster to the Fun speeds up check-in and gets you into your cabin earlier. It starts at $79.95 per cabin on two- to three-day sailings and has climbed as high as $209.95 on cruises over 9 days. It also tends to sell out months in advance, so there's real pressure to grab it early.

The free alternative is simple if you aren't in a rush. Arriving near the tail end of check-in usually gets you the same speedy boarding and instant room access. Carnival Diamond and Platinum members already get many of the same benefits, so buying it would mean paying twice.

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Ship-sold excursions

Booking tours through the cruise line buys peace of mind, since the ship waits if a ship-sponsored tour runs late. That convenience costs a lot, though. In Iceland, ship-booked tours commonly cost two to three times the direct price, and one local operator says it charges 30% to 50% less than cruise lines.

Here, the break-even is about risk. For a long day trip far from the pier, the guarantee might be worth the premium. For a beach day or short walking tour, book directly with a reputable operator that offers a return-to-ship guarantee. On Norwegian, Free at Sea excursion credits can also soften the markup on ship tours.

Bottom line

Every cruise add-on has a break-even point, and lines keep nudging it higher with bigger service charges and smaller inclusions. Before you book, divide each package's price by what you'd realistically spend per day, and skip anything you'd struggle to use.

Timing matters more than ever, too. Carnival moves drink packages and Wi-Fi to dynamic pricing on December 1, 2026, so rates will shift by sailing and season. If you travel on a budget, lock in prepaid pricing when it looks fair and keep checking. Royal Caribbean lets you cancel and rebook a package if the price drops before you sail.

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