Today, everything appears to come with a higher price tag. The airline industry faced significant challenges during the pandemic, leading to potential surges in costs. Consider the steep expenses of a stay in a Midtown Manhattan hotel, which can easily set you back $500 per night. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. So, is embarking on a cruise really worth it?
The resounding answer is – yes. Let’s delve into various vacation components and how they stack up against the value proposition of cruising.
- While you may stumble upon budget-friendly fares to Europe, they often entail layovers or purchasing a basic economy ticket, with additional fees for every checked bag.
Cruises: For those residing in a port city, accessing your “floating resort” doesn’t involve air travel. The vessel becomes your haven, sailing to destinations under its own propulsion.
- Parking at JFK airport has seen a hike in prices, now standing at $80 for a 24-hour period or $48 per day if pre-booked.
Cruises: If you live in the same city as your embarkation point, chances are a friend is giving you a lift to the dock. If not, a taxi or Uber will do the trick.
- Accommodations: An overnight stay in a New York City hotel can effortlessly burn a $300-$500 hole in your pocket, excluding potential tax charges.
Cruises: Snag cruise cabin deals starting at approximately $100 per night per person.
- Recently, two lunches in Manhattan set us back $42 and $28 per person, respectively. Additionally, a dinner outing at another eatery translated to $55 for a three-course meal, or $95 for a lavish four-course menu.
Cruises: While cruise ships boast specialty dining venues, meals at the main dining area, buffet spot, and even room service are inclusive within your cruise fare.
- Beverages: During our recent NYC visit, a glass of wine in Midtown ranged from $18 to $22, while cocktails hovered in the low $20s.
Cruises: Alcoholic drinks at sea tend to be pocket-friendly, typically falling within the $12-$15 range.
- The average Broadway show ticket costs a staggering $128 per person. Disney, on the other hand, advertised four-night resort passes at a jaw-dropping price of $99 per day per person, translating to $396 in total.
Cruises: By and large, entertainment aboard your cruise ship is peppered throughout your cabin fare.
- Maneuvering around bustling Manhattan involves taxi rides that can easily set you back around $20, especially in the Midtown area – short distances coupled with heavy traffic.
Cruises: On your vessel, your cabin, watering holes, sunbathing spots, stage performances, and dining areas are all conveniently reachable on foot.
When contemplating a vacation, the initial economical prices of flights or lodgings might catch your eye, but subsequent extra charges can pile up swiftly. Conversely, aboard a cruise, the majority of your additional expenses are already factored into your cruise fare.
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Editorial Notes: CruiseCompete, along with its team of travel advisors, showcases a plethora of tailored cruise and land offers, deals, and perks across over 50 esteemed cruise lines encompassing 500 cruise ships that sail globally.
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cover photo: Glacier Bay, Alaska, cruise ship passengers observing Johns Hopkins Glacier, ©Dennis Cox/WorldViews