The reality is that cruises can (and will) cost you more than you initially paid. How much you spend is up to you. The average person will spend about $50 per day and it's easy to spend a whole lot more.
"The major extra is alcohol," says Brian David Bruns, who wrote about his year working as a cruise waiter in Cruise Confidential. "We were always puzzled by passengers who stayed on board drinking $6 Coronas when they could buy them for a buck apiece at a bar in port."
Another way to save: Ask a friendly crew member to tell you about excursions you can book on the spot in port. They generally cost half of what the cruise line charges.
Gratuities is a big hit on the pocket book after a cruse. Carnival Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean International suggest $10 per day per passenger. for a seven day cruise, that is $140 before you even leave the port. One way to avoid this chunk of change is to pre-pay your gratuities.
