Honeymoon Cruises: How Much Do Honeymoon Cruise Packages Cost?

Honeymoon cruises are an easy way to plan a fabulous trip, and celebrate your new marriage. You can find honeymoon cruise packages for every destination, from white sand beaches in the Caribbean to wildlife watching in Alaska.

Cruise honeymoons come in all price ranges, too. You can book an inexpensive 4 day cruise or a 2 week, luxury trip. It just depends on your budget.

If you’ve started checking prices, it might get a bit confusing, once you read all the small print. Most packages include everything you need for a wonderful trip. But the cruise line also lets you choose extras. Do you need extras? Which ones should you choose? And if you’re on a budget, how much will it cost for a honeymoon cruise?

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The first thing to check is the base price for cruises. That’s the price you’ll see advertised - and it looks amazing! You’ll see prices as low as $149 for short cruises. You can even find some 7 day cruises for less than $500.

The lowest prices are usually for an interior cabin, without windows. Some couples aren’t going to spend a lot of time in the room, so if you want the lowest price, pick an interior cabin. Other couples might want an upgraded room. If you want a room with a porthole or a balcony view, you’ll pay a few hundred dollars extra.

Once you’ve chosen your room, you can start to think about adding excursions, drinks and specialty dining to your cruise. As you add extras, the price of cruises will begin to add up. Some people get upset that everything isn’t included in the base price. But, by charging for things separately, the cruise line can keep the cost low for all travelers.

If you’re a couple who likes to keep costs down, that makes it easy to plan an inexpensive trip. You can book the basic package and enjoy the cruise. If you want to upgrade for the occasion, you can always budget more.

Adding extras is a great way to customize your cruise, and plan the perfect trip for the two of you. As long as you plan for your expenses, a cruise can fit into any size honeymoon budget.

What’s Included in an All Inclusive Honeymoon Cruise?

Most cruises include everything you need for a fantastic trip. Some cruise lines offer a bit more or less - the details depend on which company you book your cruise honeymoon with. In general, most all inclusive packages will include:

Your accommodation on the ship.
Meals in the main restaurant.
Meals or snacks at the pool grill and food courts.
Non alcoholic drinks, including water, lemonade, iced tea, tea and coffee.
Pool access and activities.
Access to fitness centers.
Daily entertainment might include comedy shows or theater productions.
Live music in lounge areas.

What’s Not Included in the Cruise Price?

Everything you need onboard is included in your cruise price. There are few more things to add on to the base price:

Taxes, Fees or Port Expenses

Depending on the details of your cruise, you’ll also need to pay taxes, fees or port expenses. Typically, extra fees for shorter cruises will start at $75 and up. Make sure to check your total price and include any extra fees in your budget.

Transportation and/or Parking

You’ll need to get yourselves to the embarkation port, to start your cruise. Many cruise lines start their cruises in Florida. Other cruise lines have ports in cities along the coast, including New Orleans, New York, Charleston and more. Once you find your closest port city, you’ll be able to figure out how to get there.

If you decide to fly, you’ll need to book and pay for your flights. If you’re within driving distance, budget for gas and parking. All cruise ports have dedicated parking lots where you can leave your car during the cruise. Parking typically costs between $15 and $25 per day.

Excursions While in Port

Once your ship arrives at the destination port, you’ll disembark to go sightseeing or spend the day at the beach. Most excursions are not included in your cruise price, so you’ll need to book and pay for them separately. You can book these day trips through the cruise line, or through local tour companies in port.

Alcoholic Beverages and Soft Drinks

The all inclusive cruise package includes basic drinks, like water, iced tea, tea and coffee. But if you want soft drinks, alcoholic beverages or specialty coffee, it’ll cost extra. You can order and pay for drinks individually or book a daily drink package.

Most cruise lines offer add on drink packages, where you’ll pay a flat fee per day and enjoy all the drinks you want. The prices and drinks included in each package will depend on the cruise line. In general, soft drink packages start at $8.50 per day and alcoholic beverage packages start at $53 per day.

Specialty Dining

A cruise package includes so many dining options that you can go the whole week and never eat the same thing twice. Each cruise ship has different restaurants, but most will have one main dining room for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Plus lots of options for different times of the day.

Most will also offer food courts, pastry shops and coffee shops where you can stop for breakfast, lunch or snacks. You’ll also find more casual options for lunch and snacks on deck. Most ships offer pizza, burgers and hot dogs at a pool side bar and grill.

If you want to plan a romantic dinner for the two of you, most ships also offer specialty restaurants that you can book for an extra cost. Depending on your cruise ship, you’ll find restaurants for Italian food, French food, seafood or sushi. Plus specialties like Cajun, BBQ or celebrity restaurants.

Onboard Shopping: Souvenirs and Photos

Buying souvenirs is completely optional. But you’ll be amazed by all the fabulous stores onboard the ship. You can buy everything from gourmet treats, to clothing and jewelry. As well as the souvenirs, most ships have a photographer who’ll take your portrait at different parties and activities.

You don’t have to buy any souvenirs or photos. But you’ll probably want at least one or two, to remember your honeymoon by. If you’ve got some room in your budget, try to save a bit of money for onboard shopping.

How Much Does it Cost to Go On a Cruise For Your Honeymoon?

Your actual budget will depend on your cruise line, your destination and where you’re flying from. If you’re on a smaller budget, you can spend less on the optional extras. Here’s some general prices you can look for:

$1,498 Caribbean cruise - 7 days ($749 x 2 people)
$376 Taxes, fees and port expenses ($188 x 2 people)
$500 Transportation to the port ($250 flight x 2 people)
$400 Excursions
$150 Specialty drinks
$175 Specialty dining options
$100 Souvenirs and portraits
Grand Total: $3,224

How to Save Money on a Cruise Ship Honeymoon

If you’re on a small budget, start by choosing a shorter cruise. For the lowest prices, look at 3 or 4 day cruises to the Bahamas. If you want to visit Caribbean islands, 5 or 6 day cruises are less expensive than a full week. With shorter cruises, you’ll also have less days on shore. So you’ll be able to pay for fewer excursions and meals on your own.
While you’re onboard the ship, your meals, snacks, water, tea and coffee are included in your cruise price. It’s ok to stick to the all inclusive package and skip the fancy drinks.
If you do want to enjoy some cocktails on the ship, adding a beverage package could save you money in the long run. If you just want to splurge on a drink or two, while you’re on the ship you can look for happy hour or daily drink specials.
Many cruise lines offer military discounts. If you or your partner have served, check if you’re eligible for a discount.
Booking excursions through the ship is more expensive than exploring a port on your own. To save money, you can book excursions with local tour guides instead. Or you can plan simple excursions on your own, like walking tours, museum or aquarium visits. Or even take a taxi and buy a day pass to a local beach club.

Sample Budget For an Inexpensive Honeymoon

After paying for your wedding, your budget might be tapped out. But if you’ve got a bit left over, you can plan a short cruise, for an inexpensive honeymoon:

$338 Bahamas cruise - 4 days ($169 x 2 people)
$286 Taxes, fees and port expenses ($143 x 2 people)
$500 Transportation to the port ($250 flight x 2 people)
$250 Excursions
$75 Specialty drinks
$75 Souvenirs and portraits
Grand Total: $1,524

How Do You Plan a Honeymoon Cruise?

Once you’ve decided to book a cruise for your honeymoon, there’s 3 ways you can do it:

Work With a Local Travel Agent

If you haven’t traveled a lot, or if you want help choosing your flights, cruises, destinations or activities, you can visit a local travel agent. Most travel agents are paid by the airlines and tour companies, so you won’t need to pay extra fees. They usually have a lot of experience traveling themselves and they’ll be able to find you the best honeymoon.

Travel agents also have relationships with cruise lines and airlines. They have access to booking tools that regular consumers don’t. They can get you great rooms at the lowest price. And best of all - if something goes wrong, you have someone to call. With all their knowledge and experience, a travel agent is the best choice if you need personalized assistance.

Book Through an Online Travel Website

If you’re planning a straightforward trip, it’s easy and inexpensive to book your flights and cruises through an online website. You can take your time and look through all the options before choosing and booking your trip.

Book Through the Cruise Line

The third option for booking a honeymoon cruise is directly with the cruise line. When you connect with the cruise line, you’re talking to a qualified travel agent. If you’ve already chosen your packages and excursions, they can help you get everything booked at once. If you haven’t decided on the details yet, they can walk you through the options and help you plan your entire cruise.

Best Inexpensive Honeymoon Cruise: Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Cruise Line is known for fun and affordable cruises to all the most popular destinations. The ships are lively, with lots of young couples and families. If you’re on a small budget for your honeymoon, Carnival offers 4 day cruises that start as low as $169 per person. Even after you add your airfare, plus a few drinks and excursions, a Carnival Cruise is a great way to plan a fantastic - and inexpensive - honeymoon.

Best Private Island: Coco Cay With Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean can help you plan the perfect beach day at their private island in the Bahamas. The island, Coco Cay, has everything you can imagine for the perfect day.

For a fun loving couple, they offer activities like a waterpark or hot air balloon rides. If you’d rather plan a romantic beach day, you can visit the beach club or rent a private, floating cabana.

If you want to visit the private island, Royal Caribbean includes the Coco Cay stop on nearly all their Bahamas cruises, plus some of their Caribbean cruises.

Best Hawaii Honeymoon Cruises: Norwegian Cruise Line

Hawaii is a classic destination for a honeymoon. If you visit Hawaii on a cruise, you’ll get the chance to see 3, 4 or more Hawaiian islands on one trip. Norwegian Cruise Line offers a range of fabulous Hawaii cruises - one of which has been voted Best Hawaiian Itinerary for 15 years!

At first glance, the prices look higher, compared to other cruise lines. But check out everything that’s included. Norwegian cruises include a lot of extras for no extra cost. The cruise price includes free beverage packages, free specialty dining, free excursions and free wifi. Plus they often have special offers for free or discounted flights.

Best Cruise For Adventurous Couples: Alaskan Glaciers and Wildlife With Princess Cruises

If you’re a couple who prefer adventure over beaches, Princess Cruises offers trips through Alaska where you can see natural habitats, wildlife and glaciers.

The destinations include classic Alaskan cities, like Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway. Where you can try fun excursions, like panning for gold or meeting sled dog puppies.

The cruises also visit the best national parks in Alaska. Imagine visiting Glacier Bay, or Denali National Park, then returning to your 5 star accommodations and dining on the cruise ship.

Best Honeymoon Cruise For Romance: Caribbean Beaches With Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises is the perfect cruise line for romance. All their ships are upgraded and they offer 5 star cabins, dining and entertainment. You can visit white sandy beaches and swim in turquoise water on any of their Caribbean cruises.

To up the romance factor, Princess also offers special honeymoon packages that you can add to your cruise. The honeymooners packages include lots of romantic extras, like chocolate covered strawberries, in suite champagne breakfast and couples massages. Plus special keepsakes, like champagne glasses or robes to bring home, after the cruise.

Book Your Cruise

If you’re planning a honeymoon cruise, there’s lots of options, so take your time looking at all the information. Remember, though: now that vacations are available again, popular destinations book up fast. Once you’ve made your decision, call and book your cruise as soon as you can. And before you know it, you’ll be boarding your ship for the trip of a lifetime!