They’re sea-sick of it.
Frustrated cruise passengers are sounding the distress signal over a rising trend toward nickel-and-diming, as lines find latest and inventive ways to upsell their customers on every part from drinks to arcade games.
A queasy traveler began an interesting conversation on the topic online, recently about which lines fleece their guests and which actually deliver on the all-inclusive promise.
The high seas set-to kicked off over a girl detailing her poor experience on an MSC cruise, where she said she was upsold significantly on spa treatments. Her account, posted elsewhere on Reddit, inspired a slew of salty tales.
“I even have personally been on two Norwegian cruises and my biggest grievance is the nickel & dime-ing,” the unique poster confessed.
Living proof: the arcade. “On my first cruise, which was an older and a bit dated ship, there was an arcade. All games cost money, but you could possibly buy a every day access pass. Yet not all games were included within the every day pass.”
Drinks weren’t secure either. “On the subsequent cruise, not all drinks were included within the all-you-can-drink package, and if you happen to were a drink package holder, you were offered a ‘discount’ on these speciality drinks.”
Ouch. Even repeat cruisers noticed the sting: “My travel companions, who had been on this ship before, said this was a brand new charge as their last trip every part was truly inclusive.”
The Redditor summed up their frustration with a straightforward query: “So I’m curious what cruise lines are least prone to nickel & dime you, as straight away its my biggest turn off about cruising, but perhaps there’s one other line I should try.”
Fellow Redditors weren’t shy about weighing in on which cruise lines are smooth sailing — and that are straight-up wallet sharks.
“NCL was the worst. I’ve done them, Carnival, and Royal [Caribbean],” one wrote.
Luxury liners got here out looking like the great guys. One user bragged about their worry-free voyages: “I agree with the annoying nickel and diming of cruise firms. […] We travel exclusively on Regent and Seabourn. Almost every part is included from specialty restaurants. One price includes airfare and cruise.”
One other chimed in, giving a nod to the high-end ships: “Seabourn, Windstar and Cunard there was no upselling in my experience. Generally the dearer the cruise per day the less of that you just’ll need to put up with.”
Viking also earned praise for its upfront pricing, even when excursions include a separate fee.
Virgin cruisers, meanwhile, appeared to get nearly every part without reaching for the wallet: “Virgin doesn’t nickel and dime — there’s no gratuities and all specialty dining is included. They don’t have a drink package and there are some options of their dining that costs extra […] but 98% of all of the food is included.”
Even the budget-conscious passengers had suggestions for avoiding the upsell trap: “All ‘budget friendly’ cruise lines are going to upsell every part. Luxury cruise lines are going to be closer to all inclusive. […] In case you don’t WANT to spend above a specific amount, then just say no.”
Just need to keep it easy? Disney proved a well-liked example of all-inclusive charm: “Once we got on board, we paid for a WiFi package. That was it. Disney includes stuff like soda free of charge. Room service can be free. We paid for the few drinks we ordered because they don’t offer alcohol drinks packages.”
Smooth sailing isn’t all the time guaranteed aboard a luxury cruise, and sometimes the perils are more macabre than seasickness.
Crew members reportedly use a series of cryptic codes over the ship’s loudspeaker to discreetly alert each other to emergencies — including death — without alarming passengers, in keeping with TikTok insider Amber Olivia.
“Code Alpha means it’s something to do with medical,” she explained in a recent clip, as reported by The Post.
The TikTokker also confirmed that the majority ships come equipped with below-deck morgues, a freaky undeniable fact that left many followers spooked.
So whether you’re trying to find all-inclusive bliss or simply attempting to dodge hidden fees and ghostly codes, remember: at sea, it pays to read the positive print — and perhaps bring a life jacket on your wallet.
