A man taking picture of the Carnival Firenze cruise ship.
Carnival's latest 5,245-guest Firenze is great for budget cruises, so long as you're okay with the mediocre food and abundance of potential upcharges.
  • Cheap cruises are increasingly difficult to find as cruise lines raise prices.
  • Operators are also increasingly outfitting their ships with pay-to-play amenities.
  • The combination of higher fares and increased onboard spending is making budget cruises a relic of the past.

In the next few years, you could turn to the youth and say, "When I was your age, budget cruises were still a thing."