Blog / Cruise Comparisons, published , Tim Cruise Travel Agency
What’s Included on a Cruise? 2026 Cruise Line Fare Comparison
A cruise fare always covers more than a cabin, but the extras vary a lot from line to line. This guide compares six mainstream lines on dining, drinks, Wi-Fi, crew gratuities and shore excursions, for both the base fare and each line's best-known package.
Sources checked October 26, 2026. Package rules change with purchase date and booking market, so we compare the exact package on your quote.
| Cruise line / fare | Dining | Drinks | Wi-Fi | Crew gratuities | Shore excursions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Princess Plus / Premier Official source | ✓ Included main dining; Premier adds unlimited casual prix fixe and specialty dining | ◇ With named package Plus drinks up to $15; Premier up to $20 | ◇ With named package Plus 1 device; Premier 4 devices | ◇ With named package Crew Appreciation in Plus and Premier when bought pre-cruise or onboard in USD | ◇ With named package Premier credit by cruise length |
| Norwegian Free at Sea / Plus Official source | ◇ With named package specialty dining nights by sailing length | ◇ With named package open bar for guests 21+ | ◇ With named package 150 minutes per guest; Plus unlimited streaming | ◇ With named package prepaid daily service charges in Plus only | ◇ With named package $50 per port for guest 1 |
| Celebrity All Included Official source | ✓ Included main dining; specialty extra | ◇ With named package Classic drink package | ◇ With named package Basic Wi-Fi | + Extra cost staff gratuities separate | + Extra cost tours sold separately |
| Royal Caribbean Official source | ✓ Included main dining and several casual venues | ✓ Included water, tea, select juices, coffee; alcohol extra | + Extra cost internet package | ? Confirm on quote ask us to show gratuities on the quote | + Extra cost tours sold separately |
| Holland America Have It All Official source | ◇ With named package 1 to 3 specialty nights by cruise length | ◇ With named package Signature package: 15 drinks a day, up to $12 each | ◇ With named package Surf Wi-Fi | ? Confirm on quote not listed in Have It All | ◇ With named package $100 to $300 credit by cruise length |
| MSC Official source | ~ Depends on fare depends on experience and venue | ◇ With named package Premium Extra, Alcohol-Free and Minors packages | ~ Depends on fare depends on fare or offer | ? Confirm on quote beverage gratuities in drink packages; ask about the daily service charge | + Extra cost tours sold separately |
Start with the base fare, then add what you will really use
Every line here includes a main dining room, entertainment and basic drinks such as water and coffee. The differences show up in alcohol, specialty restaurants, internet, crew gratuities and shore excursions. A package can save money if you would buy those things anyway, and it can cost more if you would not.
Before comparing totals, make a short list: how many drinks a day, how many specialty dinners, how many devices online, and whether you plan to book ship tours. That list does more to find the right fare than any package name.
Princess: Plus and Premier
Princess Plus and Premier are paid packages added on top of the cruise fare. For packages bought on or after July 22, 2025, Plus covers drinks priced up to $15, Wi-Fi for one device per guest, Crew Appreciation and four casual-dining prix fixe meals per guest for the whole voyage. Plus has a daily limit on included alcoholic drinks.
Premier raises the drink limit to $20 per drink with no daily cap on included alcoholic drinks, covers four devices, includes unlimited casual-dining prix fixe meals and one specialty dining meal per mealtime each day, and adds reserved theater seating. Its shore excursion credit is $100 for 6 to 9 day voyages, $200 for 10 to 20 days and $300 for 21 days or more. Crew Appreciation is included when either package is bought before the cruise or onboard a US-dollar sailing.
Best fit: Plus for a light drinker who wants one connected device and some casual meals out. Premier for couples or families who will use several devices, eat in specialty restaurants and book ship tours. Packages bought before July 22, 2025 have different terms, such as two casual meals instead of four.
Norwegian: Free at Sea and Free at Sea Plus
Free at Sea includes an open bar for guests 21 and older in the cabin, specialty dining nights based on sailing length, and 150 minutes of Starlink Wi-Fi for every guest in the cabin, with one login per guest used on one device at a time. It also adds a $50 credit per port toward eligible tours booked through Norwegian, for the first guest on the reservation only.
Free at Sea Plus is an upgrade priced per person, per day. It adds premium wine, Champagne and top-shelf spirits, unlimited Starbucks, unlimited streaming Wi-Fi, discounted extra specialty dining and prepaid daily service charges. The unlimited Wi-Fi does not apply to third through eighth guests under 21.
Best fit: Free at Sea works well for adults who drink and want a few nice dinners. Plus is worth pricing for anyone who streams, works online or wants the daily service charges handled up front.
Celebrity: All Included
All Included is a pricing option you choose at booking. It adds the Classic drink package, including drink gratuities, and Basic Wi-Fi for everyone in the cabin. Onboard staff gratuities are charged separately, and you can prepay them. Guests in The Retreat suites get the Premium drink package and Premium Wi-Fi instead.
Best fit: travelers whose main extras are drinks and staying in touch. Specialty restaurants and shore excursions are still separate purchases.
Royal Caribbean: pick only the extras you need
Royal Caribbean's fare includes the main dining room, several casual and buffet venues, water, tea, select juices and classic coffee, entertainment, activities and access to its private destinations. Drink packages, specialty restaurants, internet and shore excursions are optional add-ons.
Best fit: families with mixed spending habits, or anyone who does not drink much and is happy to unplug. Because extras are bought one by one, we price the whole party's add-ons together so the total is clear.
Holland America: Have It All
Have It All bundles four extras into the fare: the Signature Drink Package, specialty dining, the Surf Wi-Fi package and a shore excursion credit. The Signature package covers up to 15 drinks a day priced up to $12 each and includes bar service charges. Specialty dining is one night on 4 to 9 day cruises, two on 10 to 20 days and three on 21 days or more. The excursion credit is $100, $200 or $300 over the same lengths, with Grand Voyages excluded from the 21-day tier.
Surf Wi-Fi is meant for browsing, email, social media and messaging rather than heavy streaming. Crew Appreciation is not listed as part of standard Have It All, so we show it separately on the quote. One exception: a qualifying new booking made under Holland America's Early Booking Bonus, while that limited-time offer is available, includes free prepaid stateroom Crew Appreciation; tips for bar, dining room, wine and spa services are still extra.
Best fit: couples who enjoy a drink with dinner, a couple of specialty meals and at least one ship tour.
MSC: compare the drink package and the experience level
MSC's US site lists the Premium Extra, Alcohol-Free and Minors drink packages, and every MSC drink package includes beverage gratuities. What else is included depends on the fare and experience you book, and MSC Yacht Club has its own, much broader inclusions.
Best fit: families who want separate packages for adults, non-drinkers and kids. Ask us to list Wi-Fi, specialty dining and the daily service charge for your exact booking.
How to compare two quotes fairly
Use the same ship category, sailing length and number of guests. Then add the extras you listed earlier and note whether each benefit is per person, per cabin or for one guest only. Credits only count toward purchases you would really make.
There is no single best line. A quiet traveler who skips alcohol and tours on their own will land somewhere very different from a family that streams, dines out and books every ship tour.
Frequently asked questions
Are drinks included in every cruise fare?
Basic drinks such as water, coffee and tea usually are. Alcohol, soda and specialty coffee generally need a drink package or are paid by the glass, unless your fare or promotion includes one.
Does Celebrity All Included cover crew gratuities?
No. All Included covers the Classic drink package (with its drink gratuities) and Basic Wi-Fi. Onboard staff gratuities are charged separately, though you can prepay them.
Does the Norwegian shore excursion credit apply to everyone in the cabin?
No. Free at Sea gives a $50 credit per port toward eligible tours booked through Norwegian, and it applies to the first guest on the reservation only.
What is the daily drink limit on Holland America's Signature package?
Up to 15 drinks per day, with drinks valued up to $12 each.
Official sources
Checked October 26, 2026.
- Princess: Plus and Premier terms
- Norwegian: Free at Sea and Free at Sea Plus
- Celebrity: All Included FAQ
- Royal Caribbean: What is included in the fare
- Holland America: Have It All inclusions; Have It All overview; Early Booking Bonus terms
- MSC: US drink packages
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