Do cruises include free food?

While all cruises provide complimentary food, many also offer passengers the opportunity to dine at specialty restaurants. These can include steakhouses, Italian, Mexican and Mediterranean venues, hibachi grills and specialty ice cream shops.



Most mainstream cruise lines (like Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Norwegian) include a significant amount of "complimentary" dining in the base fare, though truly "free" food is limited to specific venues. Passengers can eat at the Main Dining Room and the Windjammer or Lido Buffet for breakfast, lunch, and dinner without extra cost. Many ships also offer free casual spots like 24-hour pizza parlors, soft-serve ice cream stations, and poolside grills. However, "Specialty Dining"—such as steakhouses, sushi bars, or celebrity-chef restaurants—requires a per-person cover charge or à la carte payment. In 2026, while you can easily spend an entire week without paying a cent for food, extras like soda, specialty coffee, and room service (on certain lines) usually incur additional fees.

People Also Ask

Your cruise fare always includes food for breakfast, lunch and dinner on a cruise ship. However, not all venues that offer food will be free. The main dining room and cruise ship buffet will always be included in your cruise fare, though a few specialty items might cost extra.

MORE DETAILS

Free Activities on Cruises: Trivia, pool games, big-screen movies, dance classes and sports deck activities (basketball, rock climbing, mini-golf, shuffleboard and more) are all normally free on a cruise ship. Ships that offer enrichment classes do not typically charge extra for them.

MORE DETAILS

Free Drinks on Cruises: Cruise ship drinks that are available in the buffet or in the main dining room at breakfast are typically included in your cruise fare. These include items such as tap water, iced tea, select juices, regular coffee and regular tea.

MORE DETAILS

If you're planning a cruise and researching your cruise options, you've probably noticed that not everything is included with your cruise fare. Taxes, gratuities or a service charge, plus other “extras” are just some of the things not included with your cruise fare.

MORE DETAILS

So how much money do you need? The answer to this question varies a lot by person, their travel habits, spending preferences, length of the cruise and destination. Many people suggest $100 per day, and this has generally worked well for me in my cruising experiences.

MORE DETAILS

Yes, you can buy a beverage package. These all-you-can-drink packages allow passengers to pay a set fee up front for unlimited drinks (of a certain type, as outlined by the package's fine print), rather than pay per drink once onboard the cruise ship.

MORE DETAILS

Most cruise lines charge between $400 and $4,000 for a 7-night Caribbean trip in a balcony stateroom. Remember that these cruise costs are only estimates, and that prices can vary greatly based on the cabin style, time of year, number of individuals in the room, as well as cabin placement.

MORE DETAILS

There is no need for cash. The same goes for most gratuities. Cruise lines now offer prepaid options for gratuities to your room steward and dining room waiters. So you can pay them before you even get on the ship.

MORE DETAILS

If it's homemade, not in a sealed package or needs refrigeration or to be cooked, it's prohibited. The only food allowed on cruise ships is store-bought items in sealed, shelf-stable packaging. If you're tempted to try to smuggle something on board, it's not recommended.

MORE DETAILS

Generally, most cruise lines offer all-inclusive packages that include meals in their price. This means you can eat as much as you want during your stay!

MORE DETAILS

No cruise line charges for pizza at this time, though some cruise lines do have fees for pizza that may be ordered through room service or otherwise delivered to guests. When picked up at casual dining venues, pizza is always free.

MORE DETAILS

What is the cheapest time to book a cruise? Prospective cruisers can usually find a lot of good deals at the beginning of the year during wave season, Goldberg-Glazer said. That period typically lasts from January until March. However, the optimal time to book may depend on when you plan to sail.

MORE DETAILS

Many people suggest $100 per day, and this has generally worked well for me in my cruising experiences, but there are a lot of variables to consider.

MORE DETAILS

If you're bringing the whole family, a 5 or 7 day cruise might be the best way to make sure everyone has an awesome getaway. And for those lucky folks with even more time to spare, a cruise of 10 days or more will give you an incredible experience of all the best things a cruise has to offer.

MORE DETAILS

Final word. On most cruises, you're welcome to wander the ship with a drink in your hand, at least in most areas. It's just like one large resort, so grab your favourite tipple and then find your perfect spot to enjoy it. Just make sure you ask for plastic glasses if you want to head over to a pool or hot tub.

MORE DETAILS

In many cases, no. Several of the biggest cruise lines, including Carnival, Holland America and MSC Cruises, have a rule that if one adult in a cabin orders a drinks package, all adults in the cabin must order the package. This is to prevent two or more people in a cabin from sharing a single drinks package.

MORE DETAILS

All-inclusive European river cruise deals land in the $350 to $450 range per person, per night as well. All-inclusive river cruises within the U.S. trend a bit higher, so anything under $600 per person, per night is a good deal.

MORE DETAILS

Here are seven ways to avoid spending any extra money once you've boarded your cruise ship.
  1. Just drink water, juice, and coffee. ...
  2. Replace a paid shore excursion with self-guided tours. ...
  3. Stay on the ship. ...
  4. Get the most out of included places to eat. ...
  5. Do your homework during the packing process. ...
  6. Save money on laundry.


MORE DETAILS

ATMs are typically available on board cruise ships belonging to major cruise lines like Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Celebrity, Holland America, Princess (& many others). However, most charge considerably higher fees for use in addition to any charges assessed by your bank.

MORE DETAILS