The most robustly all-inclusive cruises tend to be offered by luxury cruise lines, whose higher fares include more benefits and amenities at no extra charge. Regent Seven Seas Cruises takes this philosophy to its most extreme expression. The cruise line claims it offers the “most inclusive luxury cruise experience ever,” and this may well be the case. Virtually every component of your vacation is included in the fare you pay for your cruises, including flights to and from the port of departure, as well as any shore excursions you might be inclined to take while sailing with Regent. On-board the ship, almost everything is covered as well: alcohol, several gourmet meals, fitness programs, and so on. Only a select-few, non-essential services (e. g. spa treatments and laundry services) are not covered by the “all-inclusive” banner, so once you pay for your fare, you could easily not pay another cent for your trip.
Regent, as we said above, takes all-inclusive cruising to the max. All other cruises lines that offer “all-inclusive cruises” do not interpret this term so broadly. Even so, several cruise lines include a lot in the fare you pay for your cruise. For example, Silversea Cruises. another luxury cruise line, offers a great deal of amenities for free. Alcohol is free throughout the ship, and you don’t have to pay any gratuities to any crew member (because this is covered by the fare). Several shore excursions are also complimentary, and at most ports of call you won’t have to worry about arranging or paying for transportation into town. Carnival, the world’s largest cruise line, also offers several things for free – fine dinners (featuring foods like lobster and steak) are complimentary, and you can get room-service 24 hours a day at no cost. On-board entertainment (like live shows) are also free, and the youth programs designed to keep kids busy and satisfied don’t cost anything either.