Are Budget Cruises Worth Taking?

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People often associate cruises with luxury and high prices, but budget cruises offer an affordable way to reap all the benefits of a cruise experience. We’ve always loved finding affordable ways to explore the world as a family, whether it’s a weekend getaway in the UK or a once-in-a-lifetime trip abroad. However, reduced costs might indicate reduced quality, which begs the question: Are cheap cruises genuinely worth it?

Families enjoying a sunny day on the beach with a cruise ship sailing in the distance

All-Inclusive Benefits

Budget cruises often provide excellent all-inclusive value. All-inclusive cruises provide upfront pricing that covers holiday expenses such as food, drinks and activities, making budgeting easier for a more relaxed, worry-free holiday.

All-inclusive Packages Generally Cover -

Food and Drinks

Cruises offer diverse dining options, from casual buffets to formal multi-course dining rooms. Speciality restaurants are also available, though these can cost extra.

Unlimited soft drinks and often alcoholic beverages can also be included, depending on your chosen package.

Activities and Leisure Entertainment

Entertainment plays a major role in the cruise experience, keeping guests of all ages happy and engaged. This can include live professional music performances, tribute acts, Broadway-style shows in large on-ship theatres and more intimate cabaret acts and comedy clubs.

Otherwise, guests can typically access swimming pools, hot tubs, fitness centres (with the potential for group classes) and even water parks with slides and splash zones on larger ships. Some ships also feature sports courts, mini-golf, climbing walls and ice skating rinks.

If the costs for these are already addressed upfront, consider the savings you will make in comparison to finding these forms of leisure on a traditional land holiday.

Educational Entertainment

Many budget cruises also provide programmes that include daily educational entertainment and activities like cooking demonstrations, dance classes, craft sessions and history or wildlife lessons about the surrounding area.

While shore excursions often cost extra, they usually range in length and price. You will be informed of the schedule well in advance, so you can make an informed and budget-friendly decision.

Cruise ship sailing across calm blue waters on a sunny day

Who Can Benefit and How?

Families

Budget cruises are an excellent choice for families because of their all-inclusive nature and diverse options. Budgeting for one initial cost can also reduce financial stress and unexpected additional costs.

A key benefit for parents is the potential for included childcare. Many family-friendly cruise lines offer supervised kids' clubs and youth programmes. Meanwhile, parents can relax or socialise. This provides a particularly nice benefit for single parents who can’t have as much child-free time, offering them a much-needed break alone or in a social setting.

Seniors and Retirees

Historically, the main group that indulges in cruises is senior citizens and retirees and whilst more younger people are now going, the number of older participants remains high. With more time available and often sufficient funds, cruises offer a perfect way to travel and enjoy one's later years. Longer cruises usually cost less per day and as retirees can travel off-peak seasons for longer, cruises are an economical choice.

Lots of cruise lines offer senior discounts (usually starting at 55+). They can also offer loyalty cards, which means you can get better prices the more you travel with that company.

After years of hard work, seniors deserve a treat. Cruises provide comfortable and convenient travel with minimal packing and unpacking involved in multi-destination trips. They often have medical staff on board and many wellness and enrichment programmes. Cruises foster a lively social environment, offering many opportunities to meet new people and make friends.

Solo Travellers

Many budget cruise ships recognise and cater to the growing market of solo travellers with dedicated solo cabins and events. In the past, many cruises did not accommodate solo travellers, meaning they often had to pay more for the same cabin that two people could stay in. Now, many cruise lines offer solo cabins without any additional costs.

Budget cruises offer a balance of socialisation through organised activities and dining and opportunities for solitude with amenities and independent exploration. This makes them an ideal and economical choice for solo travellers.