When Kevin and Diane spoke with us after booking their first cruise, they asked the question every first-time cruiser eventually asks — usually after they've already committed a deposit.
It's the right question. It's also one of the most deceptively complex questions in travel planning, because the answer is different depending on the line, the ship, the cabin category, the fare class, and in some cases the specific sailing. Two travelers can board the same ship on the same day having paid similar fares and experience something that feels, financially, like two entirely different vacations.
Kevin and Diane needed a map. What they got — before they ever left home — was clarity.
Fourteen cruises, mostly Celebrity and Princess. They know how the machinery works. When they decided to step up to Regent Seven Seas for their retirement trip, they booked it the way they always have — efficiently, confidently, without reading the fine print the way first-timers do.
By the time they spoke with us, they had almost purchased a beverage package Regent already included in their fare. They were about to book specialty dining that was also already included. And they hadn't considered the shore excursion credit that covered most of what they'd planned to pay for independently.
Experienced cruisers don't read fine print. They already know this. Until they change lines.
The lesson isn't that experienced cruisers make mistakes. It's that inclusions aren't transferable across lines — and the assumption that they are is one of the most expensive assumptions in cruise travel.
The lines we work with most sit at the premium and luxury end of the market. What each of them includes — and doesn't — varies significantly. Here is the honest map.
| Gratuities | |
| Celebrity | Included in most fare classes. Confirm at booking — some promotional fares exclude them. |
| Regent Seven Seas | Fully included. No daily service charge added to your folio. |
| Viking | Included. Tipping is not expected or customary on Viking voyages. |
| Seabourn | Included. Gratuities are part of the all-inclusive fare structure. |
| Silversea | Included in the all-inclusive fare. |
| Oceania | Included in most fare tiers. Verify at booking. |
| Azamara | Included as part of their "AzAmazing" inclusive model. |
| Virgin Voyages | Included. Gratuities are built into the fare — one of their differentiators. |
| Disney Cruise Line | Not included. Recommended gratuities are charged per person per night. |
| Beverages | |
| Celebrity | Varies by fare. Classic or premium packages often bundled with promotions — confirm what tier is included. |
| Regent Seven Seas | Fully included — all beverages, all venues, all day. No package to purchase. |
| Viking | Included with meals. Beer, wine, and soft drinks at lunch and dinner. Premium spirits and cocktails outside of meals are à la carte. |
| Seabourn | Fully included throughout the ship. Open bar, premium spirits, fine wine — no separate package required. |
| Silversea | Included — spirits, wine, beer, and non-alcoholic beverages throughout the voyage. |
| Oceania | Varies. Water, juices, and some non-alcoholic beverages included. Alcohol typically requires a beverage package or à la carte pricing. Promotional bundles often include packages. |
| Azamara | House wine, beer, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverages included during meals and at select venues. |
| Virgin Voyages | Non-alcoholic beverages, basic coffee, and filtered water included. Alcoholic beverages à la carte or via bar tab package. |
| Disney Cruise Line | Non-alcoholic beverages and select juices included. Alcohol is additional. |
| Specialty Dining | |
| Celebrity | Specialty restaurants carry a cover charge, typically $30–$60 per person. Packages or credits often bundled in promotions. |
| Regent Seven Seas | All specialty restaurants included — no cover charge. Reservations recommended; prime times fill quickly. |
| Viking | One specialty restaurant included per sailing. Additional visits or other venues carry a supplemental charge. |
| Seabourn | All dining venues included. No cover charges. |
| Silversea | All dining venues included across the fleet. |
| Oceania | Main dining included. Specialty restaurants carry a fee — often bundled with promotional packages. |
| Azamara | Most dining included. Select specialty venues may carry a nominal charge. |
| Virgin Voyages | All restaurants included — no cover charges across the fleet. One of their flagship differentiators. |
| Disney Cruise Line | Rotational dining and buffet included. Adult-exclusive restaurants carry an upcharge. |
| Shore Excursions | |
| Celebrity | Not included. Priced per excursion. Credits sometimes bundled with promotional packages. |
| Regent Seven Seas | Included — guided shore excursions in every port are part of the fare. One of Regent's signature inclusions. |
| Viking | One guided tour per port included. Additional excursions and independent options are à la carte. |
| Seabourn | Not included as standard. Seabourn Ventures expedition excursions are available at additional cost. Some fares include credits. |
| Silversea | Included on Silversea Expedition sailings. Not included as standard on classic ocean voyages. |
| Oceania | Not included. Oceania's "Your World, Your Way" model gives travelers flexibility to choose and pay for their own experiences. |
| Azamara | Not included, but Azamazing Evenings — exclusive evening events in destination — are included on most sailings. |
| Virgin Voyages | Not included. Booked through their Shore Things platform or independently. |
| Disney Cruise Line | Not included. Excursions booked à la carte through Disney or independently. |
| Wi-Fi | |
| Celebrity | Often bundled in promotional packages. Standalone packages available by the day or voyage. |
| Regent Seven Seas | Included — unlimited Wi-Fi for all guests. |
| Viking | Included for all guests on all sailings. |
| Seabourn | Included. |
| Silversea | Included. |
| Oceania | Varies by fare and promotion. Often bundled — confirm at booking. |
| Azamara | Basic Wi-Fi included. Premium packages available for higher bandwidth. |
| Virgin Voyages | Not included as standard. Wi-Fi packages purchased separately. |
| Disney Cruise Line | Not included. Wi-Fi packages purchased by the day or voyage. |
The inclusions table above is a starting point. The conversation that protects your investment starts with these three questions — asked specifically about your line, your ship, and your fare class.
Kevin and Diane left their planning conversation knowing exactly what their fare covered — and exactly what it didn't. They boarded with a budget built on accurate information, not assumptions.
Richard and Sandra left their conversation with us having avoided three redundant purchases — and having redirected that money toward an upgraded cabin experience they hadn't originally considered.
The information is available. The question is whether you have someone who knows where to find it — and who asks the right questions before you board, not after.
Every article in this series comes back to the same place — because it's the place everything we do comes back to.
"Your time is the luxury. We plan the journey."Not just the booking. The conversations that come before and after it — the ones that make sure what you're stepping onto matches what you imagined, and that nothing surprises you when it doesn't have to. That's the work. And we're genuinely glad to do it with you.