Thinking of booking a Caribbean cruise but unsure of the full cost? In this post, I’m breaking down exactly how much our 7-night Caribbean sailing with Celebrity Cruises cost us, including flights, hotel stays, transfers, drinks packages, airport extras and even what we spent onboard.
We cruised in February on Celebrity Apex, staying in an Infinite Balcony cabin. While we often cruise with Royal Caribbean, we fancied a change, and Celebrity didn’t disappoint! Read on for the full cost breakdown and tips on how we kept our expenses down.
The Cruise Itself
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We booked our cruise through Magical Traveller, a brilliant independent UK travel agent (this post isn’t sponsored, I just rate them highly). I also chat more with them on our podcast, listen here. The deal included:
- A 7-night Caribbean itinerary
- An Infinite Balcony cabin
- Classic Drinks Package
- Wi-Fi
- Gratuities
All of that came to £3,005 for both of us. That’s just over £1500 each for the cruise alone, including all those extras. Honestly, it was an incredible deal.
Flights with Amex Air Miles
We flew from Manchester to Miami via Heathrow, using our American Express air miles, which helped us keep the costs really low.
Our total return flight cost:
£300 for two people (£150 each), we only paid the taxes!
Tip: If you use an Amex card and save your points, it really can take the sting out of the cost of flights.
Pre-Cruise Hotel & Airport Parking
To make the journey easier, we stayed overnight at Premier Inn Manchester Airport for £46 and used valet parking at the airport for £78 (10 nights). We also paid £10 for Fast Track through airport security, well worth it!
Transfers & Fort Lauderdale Hotel
We didn’t book a transfer from Miami to Fort Lauderdale in advance (mistake!) and ended up waiting an hour for an Uber, which eventually cost £55. Next time, we’ll pre-book with something like Welcome Pickups.
We spent two nights pre-cruise at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina, which cost £660. While the location was great, the hotel gave away our room and the staff weren’t helpful, we had to fight for a decent replacement room after a long flight. Not the relaxing start we’d hoped for!
Read my full Hilton Marina review here.
Upgrading the Drinks Package
Although the cruise included the Classic Drinks Package, we decided to upgrade to Premium for £160 total. Why?
Many of our preferred drinks (Strongbow, Baileys coffee, Whispering Angel wine, San Pellegrino) were just over the Classic allowance. The Premium package covered drinks up to $17 and gave us much more flexibility without worrying about added gratuities.
Specialty Dining
We dined at Rooftop Garden Grill, which was brilliant. However, as I eat gluten-free, I found other speciality options less accommodating, including a sushi restaurant that offered me little more than plain rice. So we didn’t do as much speciality dining as we usually would.
Casino Wins
We spent a little time in the casino and ended up winning $400, which we used to offset our onboard account.
Final Onboard Bill
Our final bill came to £200, which could have been more if not for the casino win and our more limited specialty dining.
Total Cost of Our Caribbean Cruise
Here’s a full breakdown of everything we spent:
Item, Cost
Cruise Fare, £3,005
Flights, £300
Manchester Airport Hotel, £46
Airport Parking, £78
Fast Track Security, £10
Uber Transfer (Miami–Ft. Lauderdale), £55
Hilton Marina Hotel, £660
Drinks Package Upgrade, £160
Final Onboard Spending ,£200
Total: £4,532.50 (£6,134.95 / $USD equivalent)
Conclusion: Was It Worth It?
Absolutely! For 10 nights away in the sunshine, including a luxury cruise, flights, hotel stays, premium drinks and a few extras, we feel it was amazing value. Yes, there are extras to factor in, and cruising isn’t as all-inclusive as people sometimes think, but if you plan ahead, the hidden costs don’t have to be a shock.
Hopefully, this helps you get a better idea of what to budget for your own Celebrity Cruise. Make sure to check out our other cruise budget posts, including the Allure of the Seas cost breakdown. And take a tour of Celebrity Apex.
