I've been on over 50 cruises. Here are 5 things I never buy on the ships.

Most major cruise lines, like Carnival and Royal Caribbean, offer drink packages.

They vary significantly across companies and tiers — some cruise lines offer travelers 15 drinks a day, while others have no daily limit. Prices also vary, though I've seen many cost about $70 to $100 a day.

Unfortunately, on every cruise I've been on, everyone (of legal drinking age) in the same stateroom has to make the same decision on drink packages. Even if you're traveling with someone who doesn't drink, they would still have to pay for a package if you want one.

Ultimately, I don't drink enough to justify spending hundreds of extra dollars for drink packages on a cruise.

Instead, I stick to ordering my beverages à la carte. It saves me money and makes me really think about what I'm ordering.

Salon services, including pedicures, manicures, and blowouts, are available on a lot of ships, but I always skip them. The prices for these services are often at a premium, much higher than what I'd ever pay at home.

It's also nice to walk onto the ship already looking and feeling great — one of my favorite parts of cruising is the excuse to get a pedicure beforehand.

Plus, I'd rather spend my time at sea enjoying the ship and activities instead of doing something I could easily do back home.

If room service is no extra charge, I'd definitely take advantage of it. However, these days, I've found it typically costs extra to have food delivered to your cabin.

Instead of paying the fees, I'll head to one of the included dining options — often a buffet or main dining room — when I'm hungry to get snacks or meals.

If I really want to eat in my cabin because I need some downtime or want to watch a movie, I ask the staff if there are any take-out options available.

I also take food to quiet areas on the ship, like adults-only pools, if I want a chill spot that's not my room.

It can be tricky to keep track of your room key, which usually doubles as a form of payment and ID to get on and off the ship.

Most cruise lines have an abundance of lanyards for sale as a remedy, but I don't think they're worth it.

Instead, I just put my key card inside my phone case. Since I always have my phone with me, I also always have my room key.

One of the biggest expenses of a cruise, besides the actual booking, is excursions. Cruise lines offer dozens at ports of call around the world, but they're often very expensive for a solo traveler, let alone a family.

Instead, I like to explore the ports on my own or with a third-party excursion company. These excursions are typically more affordable and offer comparable experiences, and I always read a lot of reviews before booking.

The biggest perk of booking excursions through a cruise line is that the ship waits for you to get back if you're running late.

So, if you're going the third-party route, be sure your excursion will get you back to the ship at least an hour before it's set to depart so you don't get left behind.

This story was originally published on February 27, 2024, and most recently updated on January 7, 2026.